Anna had been watching Felicity intently as she spoke. “Do you really think I can, miss?”
“I do!”
Anna looked down at her clasped hands, then up at Felicity again. “What if he’s the last man that will love me?”
Felicity went to Anna, taking her hands in her own, “Anna, he doesn’t love you. He looks at you as a piece of property. You will do what he says, when he says or you will be punished. Is that right? Is that what he tells you?”
Anna nodded. “Or he’ll find another.”
“Who’s to say he hasn’t whenever the feeling struck him?”
Anna’s eyes flashed up to Felicity’s.
“You know I’m right, don’t you?”
Again, Anna nodded.
“He is the last man. He is the last man that will order the woman standing in front of me about. The woman standing in front of me will become so much more than she ever dreamed. We’re going to free you legally from the marriage, and help you realize your dreams. Whatever you wish. Do it for you and for your children, so they grow up knowing they can become whatever they dream of, just like their mother. Be their role model.” Felicity coughed softly as she finished her impassioned speech.
“What if he comes for me?”
Felicity cleared her throat, trying to get her cough under control. “Enthrall will take care of it if he does. You are safe here.”
Anna was quiet for a moment, before she finally nodded. “Okay. Yes, file the papers you told me about. I want a different life for me and my little ones.”
“Very good! I’ll start to get them ready right away.”
“Thank you, Miss Felicity. For everything. We wouldn’t be here if not for you. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t happened by our home. You truly saved us. I don’t know how to thank you enough.”
“You’re very welcome. The only thanks I want is to see you happy and successfully taking care of yourself and your children.”
Anna nodded, then moved toward the door. She paused there, before looking back at Felicity where she now sat again at her desk, rifling through the papers necessary to dissolve the marriage of Anna to her husband. “You know? I’ve always thought it would be a wonderful thing to be a nurse. To be able to help people and make a difference.”
Felicity looked up at Anna and smiled. “I think you’d be a wonderful nurse. It may take a while to finish all the classes, but if you stick to it, I have no doubt you can do it. I’ll start looking around and see if there are any schools available nearby. We’ll find one and get an appointment to speak to them about possibly getting you enrolled.”
Then Felicity had a thought. “Can you read, Anna? If not, we may need to get you other education before we look into nursing school.”
“I can. My mum made sure all us kids could read and write our letters and numbers.”
“Very well, then. We’ll find out what the requirements are and make sure that you’re ready, then we’ll get you into a nursing school.”
Anna smiled, the first real smile Felicity had ever seen from her, “Thank you!” she said happily, and hurried out of the office to where she knew her kids were having dinner in the dining room with Mamaie.
Enthrall ducked out of sight when Anna left Felicity’s office. He’d heard everything Felicity said to her, and while he did not have a problem with anything that was said, it only confirmed what he’d already known. There would be no telling Felicity that he was going to claim her, turn her and save her from herself and the disease that ravaged her body. She’d fight him every step of the way on principle alone if he tried to. He’d have to earn her trust. Make her see that the life he could offer her, while different, was an amazing life, filled with happiness, adventure and love in his arms. He waited for Anna to hurry past him, then, he went the other way and out into the expanse of the grounds at the back of the house. He needed to take a few minutes to get a hold on his emotions and regroup. Felicity was a strong woman, self-assured and confident. Telling this woman she was his might work in the heat of the moment, but if he forced her to change everything she knew about life, and into his way of living, in the long run she’d throw it back in his face simply because he’d chosen for her. He needed to tread lightly while guiding her gently to him.
Felicity worked on the legal documents scattered across her desk a little longer before realizing she was yawning and straining to see the words on the papers. She just didn’t have the same stamina she was used to. She raised her hands above her head, stretching and turning her body first this way, then another. The soreness she’d started to feel in her upper back and chest had gone from a sporadic thing to an almost constant thing. The dull, sore ache never left her now. And it seemed that sometimes she struggled to take a deep breath even when at rest. Felicity had always kept long hours, working late into the night and even putting time in after hours once she’d gone home. She had to. She was a woman in a man’s world, and the extra work was necessary to make herself stand out and prove to those who wanted to keep her out, just how good she was. She sighed as she stood, maybe it was time to take a step back, pay a little more attention to the strain she was putting on her body. She’d secured a good job here, a responsibility she’d quickly taken to heart, so the extra hours could be cut back a bit. Felicity stood, stretched her body again against the pain in her back and chest. “And we’re going to start taking better care of ourself now,” she said aloud. She quickly packed up the documents she was working on, placed them inside her desk drawer and left her office heading toward her bedroom. She was going to turn in early this evening.
Enthrall strolled out toward the very farthest edges of the back property. He missed Whispers. He missed his friends. Enthrall chuckled, wondering to himself how much Destroy was beginning to regret wanting to help him oversee Whispers. He stood there, looking off into the distance, his mind in another place far from the city and didn’t even realize he was going to call out until his own voice surprised him. “Lore? Are you near?”
A few moments passed with no reply; then, the mists swirling in the night at his feet began to shade a slight purple color. Enthrall smiled.
“Why do you disturb me, Vampire?” Lore’s deep, resonant voice teased.
“Because I can,” Enthrall answered. “Besides, you would be deeply offended if I did not call on you from time to time.”
Lore’s misty body took shape, and that shape nodded, “Indeed.” He smiled at Enthrall. “How are you, my friend?”
“I’m well. I’m taking things here one step at a time. But I’m missing Whispers. Is all as it should be? Is everyone well? All is secure?”
“Things are marvelous!” Lore announced with a flourish, his hands flitting about above his head. “Destroy has gone to great lengths to ensure that all our people are tended to and know they are cared for. I must begrudgingly admit, he is truly a good leader.”
“I’m happy to hear that. He and Rowan are happy, then? They need nothing?”
“They are happily bickering daily.”
“And Carnage and Carolena?”
“They are well, also. There is another little one on his way to join Lily. I am anxiously awaiting his arrival.”
Enthrall was very pleasantly surprised. “That’s wonderful news! Carnage must be beside himself with joy!”
“Oh, no,” Lore answered. “They are not yet aware. But, soon. Soon they’ll know, then I have no doubt there will be much celebration. I plan to extend an invitation to all of Whispers to attend our celebration of the good news. Perhaps I’ll even invite Aubreigne and her new mate.”
Enthrall’s eyebrows pulled down as he processed the words Lore had voiced.
Lore, lost in his own thoughts, didn’t notice. He began speaking again without ever looking at Enthrall. “Well, perhaps we’ll wait on that invitation. If Murder kills him first, Aubreigne may not be of a mind to celebrate.” He nodded, decided that was the best avenue, then he brightened, raising a finger into the air.
“But, the good news is, we found the Windigo! He was only missing for a short time before Destroy tracked him down.”
“What are you talking about?” Enthrall asked, completely confused. “When was the Windigo missing? Where did Destroy go to find him? Who is Aubreigne’s mate? Is he human?”
“Hmm? Human? Well, yes, now he is. But Murder may kill him if he believes that he would threaten Aubreigne. I personally do not believe it will come to that, but…”
“Stop!” Enthrall demanded, his voice raising. “Just stop.”
Lore stopped speaking, his focus now fully on Enthrall.
“Now. Please, start again. One thing at a time.”
Lore raised one eyebrow, the expression on his misting face one of irritation. “I was working on it. But one thing leads to another. Do you wish me to tell you or not?” he demanded.
“I do. But please try to focus on one thing before leading into another.”
“Very well. Where shall we start?” Lore asked, with tone in his voice.
“Aubreigne. Who is her mate?” Enthrall asked.
“Ata’halne.”
“Who is Ata’halne?”
“Aubreigne’s mate.”
Enthrall let out a soft snarl of frustration before he caught the snide smile on Lore’s face.
“You did that on purpose.”
Lore’s lyrical laughter filled the air around them. “Yes, I did. I am funny, am I not? I’ve been working on my sense of humor. It will be needed.”
Enthrall shook his head. “You’re hilarious, but since when have you needed a sense of humor? Now, if you don’t mind…”
Lore smiled, again, something off in his expression, but he continued on. “Ata’halne is Aubreigne’s mate. She has not quite figured it out yet. She is drawn to him, and he to her. But the poor soul so questions her own ability to have a male love her, rather than be uncontrollably drawn to her, she finds it hard to believe. She found him lying unconscious on your porch in the rain and brought him to her home to nurse him back to health. Murder helped her.”
“So Ata’halne is the Windigo?” Enthrall asked.
“He was. Now he’s just a man.”
“And Murder wants to kill him why?”
“He is not sure that the male is completely man. Murder is concerned that the Windigo may still have some hold on him, and if he begins to exhibit signs, he’s warned Aubreigne that he will kill him, rather than have her or Deaumanique’ harmed in any way.”
“I understand. And he was missing because Aubreigne and Murder removed him from my porch where he was left unconscious in the rain.”
“Exactly!” Lore exclaimed, delighted.
“Why was he left in the rain, unconscious and alone?” Enthrall asked.
“That is exactly what Aubreigne wanted to know.” Lore shrugged his shoulders and raised his hands in the air. “I knew not what to do with him, and Rowan had demanded that I was not to eat him. So I left it to Destroy. Destroy apparently decided he deserved to be left in the rain as punishment for stealing Rowan and spiriting her away. But this, of course, is all speculation on my part. You’d have to ask Destroy to be sure.”
Enthrall was beginning to feel dizzy, trying to keep up with Lore’s way of speaking. He took conversations in full circles. It was quite telling of the way his mind worked.
“What did Destroy do when he found the Windigo missing?”
“First, he was put upon.” Lore’s voice became gravely in an imitation of Destroy, ‘Why is it my problem the Windigo is missing?’ His voice returned to normal then, before saying, “Then, he found him. He went from one place to another and asked about him. Eventually, he found him ensconced in Aubreigne’s bed, being tended to and nurtured back to health.”
“Wonderful,” Enthrall muttered wryly.
“Yes, it is, isn’t it? All is very wonderfully falling into place. Well, except for the Dragon tree. The damn thing is purring.” Lore twisted up his face into a thoughtful moue, his fingertip tapping at his own chin as his attention obviously ventured elsewhere again.
“It’s purring?” Enthrall demanded.
“What’s purring?” Lore asked.
“The tree!” Enthrall near shouted.
“Oh! Yes, it is. Appears that Lily has been visiting with it. Or it’s visiting with her — its spirit anyway.” He lifted his eyes to Enthrall’s, a wicked smile on his face. “Its time draws near. It will be a hell of a fight!”
“What fight?” Enthrall yelled, immediately on alert.
Lore’s grin turned predatory. “It will be an epic battle. One for the history books. You like books, don’t you, my friend?”
“Books? What do books have to do with it?” Enthrall asked.
Lore was not even listening to him, he’d turned away and his image was beginning to dissipate as he moved across the grass. “You have them. In your house. Lots of books.” His voice was beginning to fade.
“Where are you going? I have more questions!” Enthrall called out to the voice now floating on the breeze, surrounding him.
“I feel her. I must go to her. I will try to make her smile again. Her heart breaks, she needs to smile.”
“Who? Who do you feel?”
But there was no answer. Lore had left him with only a little information.
“Damn,” Enthrall muttered to himself. He looked back at the house quite a distance from where he stood. Then, assured that no one was watching, he ghosted away from Clara’s House, and to Whispers. To see for himself what was taking place.
Chapter 7
Felicity had just returned to her bedroom after a leisurely soak in the bath tub and was standing in front of the window brushing her hair as she looked out over the grounds that flowed away from the house. The night always shrouded them in mystery. The huge oak trees and their heavy limbs hanging low to the ground casting curious shadows in the moonlight. Movement caught her eye at the back of the property. She put her brush down and stepped closer to the window. There was someone out there. Her brow wrinkled as she strained to see in the darkness. “Is that Enthrall?” she whispered.
Her eyes rounded as the man he was speaking to walked away while dissolving into the mists of the night. Felicity shook her head. Surely she was seeing things. Then she watched as Enthrall glanced toward the house and disappeared before her very eyes. Felicity gasped, her hand rising reflexively to her throat. He… he’d just disappeared. They’d both just disappeared. It wasn’t possible. She stumbled backward slowly ‘til the backs of her legs met her bed. Then she allowed herself to drop onto the mattress. Her eyes were pinned sightlessly to the floor before they slowly rose to peer out of the window into the darkness as her brain replayed once more what she’d so unbelievably seen.
There was a knock at her door and Mamaie called out, “Lici? I’ve got your evening tea, child.”
Felicity struggled to answer, the words just wouldn’t come. Finally she managed, “Come.”
Mamaie opened the door and came inside. She placed the tray on the writing desk across the room from the bed and carried the teacup over to Felicity. “Here you go. Sip that and I’ll get you a biscuit. I’ve made a new recipe just for you. Put peanut butter in them for you. And a little brown sugar, too, along with some secret spices and ingredients that I’ll never tell about. Have to keep some secrets or you might not need me around any longer,” Mamaie joked.
When Felicity didn’t answer, Mamaie looked a little more closely at her. She looked as though she’d been struck dumb. “Whatever is the matter, Lici?”
Felicity looked up at Mamaie, the teacup still clutched in her hand frozen in the same position it had been when Mamaie handed it to her. “He disappeared,” she whispered.
“Who disappeared?” Mamaie asked.
“Enthrall,” she answered, and looked out of the window. “And the other man.”
Mamaie followed her line of sight and realized that Felicity must have seen something she shouldn’t. She tried to laugh it off. “Oh, Lici, I
’m sure it’s just the night and starlight playing tricks with your eyes.”
Before she even finished speaking, Felicity was already shaking her head, “No. No, it’s not. I saw him. First his friend just walked away into the mist and then Enthrall disappeared, too. I saw him!” Felicity insisted. She looked up at Mamaie, pleading for her to believe her.
Mamaie pursed her lips and took a seat beside Felicity. She put her slight arm around Felicity’s shoulders and hugged her, while she tried to come up with the right thing to say. “Sip your tea, child. It’s good for you.”
Felicity mindlessly lifted the cup to her lips and sipped.
“Felicity, I could tell you all kinds of stories, weave you pretty words to make you believe that maybe you didn’t see what you think you saw. But the truth is, I don’t know what you saw. What I do know is that there are more things in heaven and earth than we are supposed to, or will ever, know or understand. Not all those things are like us, and not all of them are good. But, Mr. Enthrall is. He is a good man. With a good heart and a good soul. Whatever he is or is not is not for us to determine. For me, it’s simple. It comes down to this, do you trust him, or do you not?”
“What are you trying to tell me, Mamaie?”
“I’m trying to tell you that the same man who caught your eye the first time you saw him. The man who still causes your breath to catch each time you see him enter a room. The man who was in this very room earlier today making you all breathless and flushed is the same man that you claim to have seen disappear outside your window this evening — and yes, I know he was in here with you earlier. He’s not changed. If he was good then, he’s still good now.”
Enthrall Page 6
