Rehvenge was lying next to his beloved Ehlena still not quite believing his luck. As he watched her sleep, he thought back to almost a year ago when she had risked her own life to bring him out of hell, literally. He had resigned himself to his fate, but when he had seen her there it had not only given him the strength he had needed but it had just scared the hell out of him having her there among the Sympaths and not sure if he'd be able to protect her. He wasn't worthy of her then and he still felt unworthy, but he thanked the Scribe Virgin every day for her and her unconditional love for him. All his life he had been the devoted son, the protecting brother, and the gatekeeper to his secrets. For once in his life, he could breathe and the sweet smell of it was clean and fresh; it was his Ehlena.
Ehlena opened her eyes slightly and pulled her lips into a lazy smile. Unless he was up at the colony, he was always the first thing she saw when she woke up. Rehvenge dropped his head and captured her lips. He pulled away slowly and smiled down at her.
"Good evening my love." he purred.
Ehlena raised a hand and cradled it against his cheek, "Good evening Hellren mine."
Rehv felt his body respond to her touch and she welcomed him inside her. No doubt they would be late to First Meal.
Ehlena had just gotten dressed in a comfy pair of charcoal gray pants and a light pink cashmere sweater. Rehvenge had just entered their bedroom. She arched an eyebrow seeing as he was dressed as if he were going out. He was wearing a dark Armani suit with a tailored overcoat and his cashmere duster over top. It always made her chest ache knowing that because of the medications he took to keep his Sympath side suppressed, that he suffered so. The medicine did what it was supposed to but it left him without sensation and cold. She smiled as he approached her, taking her hand and pulled her close so he could embrace her.
"Have I told you that you look beautiful my female?" he purred.
Ehlena looked up at him with adoration and love in her eyes, "Only a few hundred times, but I never tire of hearing it!"
"I have a surprise for you my love, so I need you to pack a few bags and be ready within the hour."
Ehlena suddenly thought about her duties toward Doc Jane. Since living at the Brotherhood Mansion, she'd been helping Doc Jane, the shellan of the Brother Vishous.
"Well, I should probably check to see if it's alight with Doc Jane."
Rehvenge smiled so that the tips of his fangs showed, "No need, I've already spoken with her and she'll be fine without you for a few days. I also took it upon myself to call and check with your Father and Lusie and both are doing fine and Lusie said for you to relax and we are to have a fun time!" The wicked look in his eyes seared her.
Ehlena grinned, "Well then I guess you've covered all the bases then! I'll just pack a few things and be ready."
***
She wasn't sure how long they had been driving. One thing was for sure, Rehvenge had gone out of his way to keep his road rage leashed, and for him that was saying a lot! She almost had to pray to the Scribe Virgin when a man who was apparently texting cut them off on the expressway. Rehvenge had let out a growl so fierce it had even made her cringe. She loved her Hellren though, even if he was a candidate for Road Ragers Anonymous. They had left Caldwell and were heading toward Buffalo it looked like. That was one of the things she loved about her Hellren though, was the fact that each day with him was an adventure.
Rehvenge stopped only momentarily at the chic Left Bank Restaurant in Buffalo. He had made the reservations and they had made it with still forty-five minutes to spare. Ehlena was stunned by the classy decor and design. True to Rehvenge's taste, everything right down to the service was nothing short of the absolute best. The hostess showed them to a table that had a RESERVED placard on the table. It had to be the best in the house. The hostess gave them two menus and the wine list.
In the middle of their dinner, a jazz band took to a small stage and began to play an all too familiar song! It was Pat Martino's What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life. It was one of the first songs they danced to after they were officially mated. Rehvenge took her hand, so small and smooth in his larger one and lifted it to his lips and kissed her knuckles and then held it to his cheek. Tears brimmed in Ehlena's eyes. They didn't need words, they both knew the love that was in the heart they shared. When the song was done, they had decided to skip dessert and pay the bill. The quicker they got to their destination, the quicker they could get out of their clothes.
After leaving the restaurant, Rehv hit a country road. He stopped half way and pulled out a blindfold. Ehlena raised an eyebrow.
"Humor me, would you? It's a surprise, remember?"
Ehlena thought he was being silly but she played along. It wasn't the first time he had pulled out a blind fold, but she would rather not get down and deep into the kink in his Benz. Once it was secured and he knew she couldn't see anything, he proceeded down the road.
When the car had stopped she listened as he got out of the car and opened her door. She put her hand in his and let him lead her out. Rehvenge was excited. He'd been planning this for weeks! He'd purchased this property several years ago as a possible safe house for his Mahmen or Bella. He'd kept it because for some reason, he was drawn to it. He'd hired groundsmen to make sure thousands of beautiful white and amethyst twinkle lights were strung on the many trees and bushes. Every kind of night blooming flower had been planted. Inside he'd had Fritz oversee a whole fleet of Doggens to clean up the place and fill it with food, wine, and all the essential luxuries. It had been way too long since he and Ehlena had any real time to themselves outside of the Brotherhood Mansion.
During the times he was away ruling the colony up north, Ehlena had passed those nights without complaint and by helping Doc Jane in her duties. Rehvenge hated being at the colony because it was the one place that was not safe for her among his subjects-his people. Symphaths were sociopathic psychos that relied on strong psychological strengths rather than brute strength like vampires. He was a half-breed, but his vampire side thankfully was more dominant. King Wrath liked the peace though within the colony since he had become King of the Symphaths, but he knew the very second any weakness was revealed just how quick his subjects could and would turn on him. It was like co-exsisting with a pit full of rabid dogs-you never knew when one would launch out and strike and it was because of that very reason that Ehlena was kept well away from the colony.
"Rehvenge! The suspense is killing me here!" Ehlena chuckled breaking him out of his own thoughts.
How he loved her! He pulled the string to the blind fold and let it drop. Ehlena was spell bound for a moment or two. The whole place looked like some sort of fairy cottage from a book. She stood surrounded by urns and flower beds with night blooming roses and other night nocturnal flowers, thousands of twinkle lights that added to the whimsical feel, and a grand Victorian style home that looked as if it had been copied from a fairy tale book.
"It's beautiful Rehvenge!" she said as she wrapped her arms around him. He steadied his cane and wrapped his arm around her.
"I am glad you like it! I thought we could do with a few days away from everything. I've missed you my Leelan!" and with that he lowered his head and kissed her.
A cool breeze blew and Ehlena could feel the slightest bit of it touch Rehv, so she broke the kiss and wrapped her arms around his one and let him walk her into the house. The house smelled of pine with motes of fresh baked herb bread, candle wax, and cotton. It wasn't quite as big as the mansion, but it was still grand. Rehvenge took her jacket from her shoulders and placed it on the banister of a winding staircase with ornately carved rails. He gave her a quick tour of the house. Ehlena felt warm and comfortable here. At any moment she was half expecting a little old woman named Mother Goose to spring out of any of the eight rooms. Rehvenge laughed but he had explained to her that he had purchased the house for his Mahmen or Bella if there was ever a need for a safe house. The only improvements he had made other than updating the electrical wiring and plumbing was having an underground tunnel system dug and metal shutters that slid into place on an electric timer when dawn was approaching.
"I also bought it because it's ghost story interested me," he added.
Ehlena's eyes got wide. "Ghost story? Really, you bought a house for a camp fire tale?"
Rehvenge gave her a wicked grin and leaned close, "Don't you believe in ghosts?"
Ehlena playfully elbowed him. "No, and you're too old to be believing such tales!"
Rehvenge grabbed for her and nipped at her neck. "You know vampires aren't supposed to be real either, but here we are."
Ehlena pretended to be so mature and without a hair out of place so when she wiggled her fingers and crossed her eyes at Rehv and went "Boooooooooo Rehv!" all he could do was laugh.
"No seriously, the house has a legend to it. Would you like to hear it while I make a fire?"
Ehlena nodded. "Yes, might as well." She said as she sat down on the love seat.
Rehvenge bent down, carefully keeping his balance with his cane and lit the logs that had already been arranged. Once the room warmed to the degree to which he could remove his duster and undercoat, he sat next to Ehlena with his arm around her shoulders.
"Okay, when I first bought the house, and Saxton had sent the portfolio of information containing everything connected to this house, I ran across some vintage news articles and had seen where it was a local haunt. The story is that a man by the name of Josiah Thomas built the house for his bride to be. When the house was finished, they were married. They lived happily for a few months, until his wife Elizabeth was murdered. The murderer was caught and hanged, but Josiah never did remarry. It's said he went off to war hoping he'd get killed since his reason for living was gone."
"Aw, that is so sad. Did he get killed in battle?" Ehlena asked as she scooted closer to Rehvenge.
Rehv shook his head. "No, instead he came back after being wounded and grew into old age as a hermit. He very seldom left and it was rumored that in his last years he was hospitalized after ranting about seeing the ghost of his dead wife. When he died the house had a few more owners but they never stayed long. So the house fell into ruin until it was restored by the last owner and sold to me. I have never stayed here other than to come and check the security system and refurbish it a bit." he exclaimed thoughtfully.
"That has got to be one of the saddest stories I have ever heard, Rehvenge. So is that where the ghost story comes in?" she asked.
"No, apparently over the years it's been said that the lights seem to come on by themselves and people that have entered the house feel a cold wind even in the hottest part of the summer."
Ehlena was not one to be superstitious but she took a cautious look around the living room. "Have you ever seen or felt anything?"
Rehv laughed softly. "No, but there were a few reports from the security company of lights flickering. I had the whole house rewired and new boxes installed."
"Well, you've done quite a wonderful job with the house and if there is a ghost, I hope she stays to herself," Ehlena replied with just a tinge of anxiety.
Rehv pulled her closer to him and held her tight. "I'll protect you, Ehlena. It's just a story, and a story that has been the subject for the town gossips to spread."
Ehlena tilted her face up and kissed his cheek, which earned her a deep, passionate kiss from her mate.
***
Elizabeth watched from the shadows at the couple kissing in front of the warm glow of the fire. She'd listened to the man talk about her house. Part of her wanted to scream but down deep she didn't wish ill upon such a couple that were so in love. In all the years since her death and that of her dear sweet husband, not one person had honored the house with love. Some had purchased the house for nothing more than property. Once a man had bought the house thinking it would be a nice place for a brothel. Well she had changed his mind! A smile played about her ghostly features remembering him running and screaming into the night. There was something different about these two though. They looked human, but there was something slightly off. The man was large-muscular, as if he was built from brick and mortar. He had an odd hairstyle, but even odder were his eyes. They almost seemed to glow a peculiar shade of purple that reminded her of amethyst. He had strong features and even though he was being a tender lover to his woman, she had a feeling that he could be cold and cruel if he wanted to be.
The woman was beautiful in a clean cut sort of way; maybe she came from a farm or something. The woman had peculiar eyes as well; almost like a soft amber but maybe that was the firelight. She watched as the woman moaned while the man touched her, and Elisabeth knew she should leave-yet she couldn't. She watched them and felt the ache in her heart, she missed her Josiah. She had hoped that after he crossed over that they'd finally be reunited, but she was still alone and bound to this house. The house had been filled with their laughter, their hopes, and dreams. In one night, when that man had come-Devereaux Hughes, had changed everything. A surge of pure hatred and anger surged through her and before she could stop herself an energy blast shot through the house and everything that ran on an electric circuit was shorted out.
Rehv and Ehlena jerked up in surprise when the lights flickered and they could hear the appliances in the kitchen come to life and then a loud popping noise erupted, followed by nothing but darkness.
"What the hell was that?" they said in unison.
Rehv closed his shirt back together and grabbed his cane. He stood and he motioned for Ehlena to stay where she was. He started to look through the house but saw nothing. There were no Lessers and he couldn't sense any humans about, but he sensed a slight difference in the air. He let his Symphath abilities sift through and sure enough there was the hint of an emotional grid. He knew it wasn't Ehlena, so who? Then just as it had happened, the out door generator kicked in and the lights came on once more. Ehlena rushed to the kitchen to turn off a few appliances that had begun running the instant the generator had kicked in.
Rehv still wondered where the source of discord had came from but dismissed it as he was going to seriously get into a certain electric company's ass! He'd paid good money for this place to be wired with nothing but the best and he didn't like it when he paid for something he didn't get. Ehlena went and calmed her Hellren before he started dialing digits.
"I think maybe our ghost didn't like us talking about her," Ehlena mused playfully.
Rehvenge couldn't override his protective instincts for his mate. It took him another fifteen minutes to loosen up enough to where he could relax. He hadn't gotten where he was today by not being cautious and down-right paranoid. His sister, Bella, had once called him "anal retentive" when it came to details. He still couldn't believe his beautiful baby sister at the tender age of twenty-five had let that fall out of her mouth, and he'd spent a good time growling to cover the shock. Thankfully her rebellion had been short-lived because he was pretty sure he would have gotten a full head of gray if it hadn't.
Later that night after several hours of love making, Ehlena and Rehvenge drifted off to sleep just as dawn began break the horizon. Elizabeth moved about the house to learn more about the newest visitors to her home. She found that the man must be sick with all the medications that were secured in a bag, and she felt compassion. She was no stranger to sickness. When she had been a child, she'd watched two of her brothers sicken and die from typhoid fever. A year later she had been sick herself from Tuberculosis. She kept browsing through their things and she came to another conclusion-these people had money! The woman's clothing had a mixture of silks and well tailored pants. Elizabeth hadn't seen the draw for pants-in her day it would have been unheard of. However, she looked at them and found them to be quite feminine. She could have gasped when she saw the diamond bracelet, gold and jeweled earrings, a classy and expensive looking watch with the name Cartier etched on the face, and some costly looking necklaces.
Next she went to the bathroom where the woman's make-up bag, lotions, and perfume was set out. She herself had never worn much make-up. Perhaps a little rouge here and there but nothing else. Elizabeth didn't bother with the lotions or creams since she was a ghost. She did however, sample the perfume. She used a small measure of energy to decompress the puffer on the atomizer. She got a faint whiff of lemons and freesia. It was a light but clean scent. This woman was definitely one of class and refinement. She was a woman that Elizabeth had once wanted to be with her adoring Josiah.
Ehlena was sleeping when she felt a cool breeze against her skin. She also smelled what seemed like her Burberry perfume. She raised her head and opened her eyes and she almost screamed at what she saw! Standing in the bathroom, levitating her atomizer bottle, was a translucent woman. She had on what appeared to be a pale yellow plain dress that went to her ankles with tulip sleeves that left her arms bare. Her hair was in a loose bun with tendrils hanging down around her neck and framing her small face. Now Ehlena was no stranger to ghosts. She'd been around Doc Jane enough to not be shocked, but she didn't think humans could become ghosts-well then again, Doc Jane had been human, but still humans didn't have the Scribe Virgin. Was this the work of the Scribe Virgin? Carefully, she tapped Rehvenge's arm and softly whispered his name. Immediately he came awake and rested his face against her shoulder. His hand began to make its descent from her stomach to lower.
"Rehvenge, not now! Look!" She hissed in a whisper, stopping his hand before he could take away her focus.
Rehvenge groaned but when his amethyst eyes caught the ghostly woman in the bathroom, his protective bonded male nature took front and center stage. He pulled Ehlena closer to him and raised up like a lion ready to defend his pride. Ehlena could feel the strength in him tensing for a fight if need be, but how was he going to fight a ghost?
Elizabeth was having quite an amusing time looking at the electric shaver, the electric tooth brushes, and rummaging through the drawers and cabinets. She stopped suddenly as she heard what sounded like a low growl. She hadn't remembered seeing a dog with the happy couple. When she turned, she saw the large man crouched on the bed and if she wasn't mistaken, his teeth were bared and two of them were extremely large. She put a hand to her mouth and let out a screech and disappeared.
"I think you scared her, sweetie," Ehlena mused.
Rehvenge relaxed to a degree and looked down at his Shellan. "You think?"
Ehlena giggled and made a gesture with her index finger and thumb. "Maybe just a little!"
"Well I think we just met our ghost and she's sure not Doc Jane." Rehv replied as he laid back on his side cuddling with Ehlena.
"How is that possible? I mean I heard the story of how the Scribe Virgin brought Doc Jane back, but do human's even have a connection with the Scribe Virgin?" Ehlena asked clinically.
Rehv nuzzled her neck, breathing in her scent. "I don't know. I mean, I've spent a lot of time around humans and you know their lexicons. Perhaps there is something for them, but who knows? Maybe it's more scientific than religious. I just don't know."
Ehlena suddenly felt a little self-conscious. "I don't know if I like being in a house where a ghost can just come at will and hear our every conversation not to mention..." Ehlena sat straight up, "OH MY GOD! I bet she saw..."
Rehv let out a deep baritone laugh, a really good belly laugh. "Ehlena, you're as red as a beet!"
Ehlena slugged her mate playfully. "Rehv this is nothing to be laughing about!"
Rehv couldn't stop laughing. "Oh yes, yes it is! The look on your face is priceless, my shellan!"
Now Ehlena felt a little more perturbed, actually she felt her temperature rise.
Rehv sobered up almost immediately. An angry shellan was not a good thing. He smoothed things over with her and assured her a ghost wouldn't want to be voyeuristic. At least he hoped not. Although, there was nothing shameful about his Ehlena or the way he loved her!
***
Rehvenge was in a sitting room that had probably once been a parlor before he had made it into a make-shift office. He was speaking with his security company and the ones who had done the electrical renovations on the house. Ehlena was in the kitchen watching the two Doggens go about their work. One of them, an older Doggen by the name of Marilla, was preparing some roast Cornish hens.
"Marilla, may I ask you something?" Ehlena asked as she nibbled on a piece of warmed homemade bread.
The woman stopped what she was doing and bowed at the waist respectfully. Ehlena really hated the formality that some Doggens felt. After all, if it weren't for Doggens, those like her, would suffer. Doggens deserved much more respect than most gave them. Everyone she knew at the Mansion were all so very respectful of the Doggens and she adored the ones who took care of her father and Lusie. However, aristocrats tended to regard them as nothing more than hired help.
Softly Ehlena touched the woman's shoulder. "Thank you Marilla, but there's no need for all the formality."
Marilla looked up and smiled. "Thank you Mistress. What is it you would like to ask?"
"Have you ever seen a ghost here?" she asked.
Marilla looked over at her fellow Doggen, Agnes, then back at Ehlena. "Well, I have never seen one, but there are rumors that this house is haunted. There have been..." she looked back at Agnes who was still busy with cutting vegetables, "occurrences here."
Ehlena caught the drift that Marilla didn't like speaking of such things in the presence of the other Doggen so she let Marilla wash up her hands and urged her to follow her out of the kitchen.
"What occurrences?" she asked as they were safely out of earshot.
Marilla took a breath. "We come once a month to clean and dust. We always have dust covers on the furniture and when we come they're always off the furniture and there's been a fire made. Once Agnes left the door open to air out the house and it slammed shut by itself without a wind or breeze. Then last winter, Anton, who is the groundsman came after the police had contacted him about the lights being on and off. When Anton arrived the lights in every room were on and he swore he could hear what sounded like a woman weeping."
"Did you ever send word to Rehvenge?"
The woman got a bit pale and it was then that Ehlena realized why none of them had sent word to Rehvenge, or Trez, or iAm, or Xhex. A visit from any of them probably would have scared about ten years off the lives of the Doggen for having called any of them to come to check on the place. Ehlena gave the woman a comforting pat on the arm and urged her to go on. The woman again said she had never seen a ghost, but there had just been some odd things that had happened. Ehlena thanked her and let her go back to her work. She found herself humming the theme song to Ghost Busters.
(Part two next week…)
Wonderful job, Nikki - I LOVE it!!!
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT!!!!! PLEASE POST AGAIN SOON! <3
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