Outside Chinook, Annik's Bedroom in the Manor, Mid October
The next evening Annik woke up in the bedroom that Nic had said was hers. Wiket was curled up next to her purring like a chainsaw. Annik had been amazed when she entered the room just after dawn. It was all almost too much to take in to be honest. As tired as she had been when Nic had brought her here, Annik nonetheless had needed to tour the room. She couldn't help it. Stretching carefully so she didn't wake up the cat, Annik luxuriated in the feel of the sheets. They were so soft Annik wondered what the heck they had been made of, she'd never felt any fabric so soft. The sumptuous bed was topped in a rich blue colored duvet that complimented the deep emerald green color of the wallpaper. Was that wallpaper made of silk? At least the only move Wiket made when she rose was to purr even louder.
The size of the bed blew her mind, as did the rest of the furniture. The antique furniture was made from some kind of wood and stained a dark color. The room was big enough that all the dark stained, heavy furniture didn't make it feel crowded. It all somehow fit together and Annik liked it. Not that she had any experience with this kind of set up. Annik had never been in such luxurious surroundings before. She had only seen furniture like this in museums. Everything in the room looked like something from a BBC special about the royal family. And that was just the bedroom area.
The bathroom was equally amazing but completely modern. There was a huge shower with more shower heads in it than a gym locker sported. The spa tube looked like you could swim in it. The double sinks sunk into the marble counter that was big enough to sleep on was almost prosaic in comparison. That the toilet had it's own room was something that Annik wished had been available to her when she was living with her mother. After all no one wants to do their business in front of others, especially a parent. Never mind that they taught you how to do that business in the first place.
The drawers in the sinks vanity was the best part though. They were stocked with just about every personal product ever made. From soap and shampoo, to toothpaste and mouthwash, as well as more make-up than Annik had ever seen in one place. It was like someone had dumped a Rite Aid in little baskets. All of it neat and tidy as a display. The floor to ceiling cabinets of each side of the sink were full of towels and such. The whole thing was a set up every girl, or guy, could ever want.
The decor in the suite of rooms was so far out of her experience that she felt like she was in a fairy tale. Was Niculai the prince in the tale? Or was he the villain. Even though she had only his rescue of her to go on, Annik still felt like he was the hero in the story and was going to go with that. Otherwise it would be more like a horror story than a fairly tale. Annik realized that she was intentionally not thinking about her conversation with Nic. Was it really less than twenty four hours ago that she had met Nic? It felt like it had been days, months, maybe even years since he had rescued her from that stinky ass hole from her mothers fairy tales. Which it turned out weren't fairy tales at all. But a reality that her mother had hidden from her all of her life.
It had been well after dawn by the time the two had been done talking. And Annik was still processing all of the information that she had been given. It wasn't often after all that you found out that not only were Halloween monster real but that you were one of them. As much as Annik didn't want to think about the revelations Nic had told her last night and this morning. The thoughts were churning away anyhow.
When Nic had told her that she was going to have to take a vein as he called it. Annik had been fairly certain that she was having a nightmare. It just couldn't be true. That she was still in shock when Nic had told her all of this had been the only reason that she hadn't run screaming out of the mansion, again. Not one of her proudest moments, although Annik was hard pressed to know whether it was the running or the coming back that she was most ashamed of, probably both. Annik still wasn't sure if she could do it, if she could drink someones blood. Right now the idea was so repellent it made her vaguely ill. But Nic had assured her that when her Tempering hit, her body would take over and she wouldn't have a problem doing what she had to. Annik wasn't sure if she believed him though, because just yuck.
Everything was just so unreal Annik decided looking at herself in the large mirror over the sinks in the well appointed bathroom. It's all like a dream and yet it feels so very real. She wondered if maybe she was hallucinating. But no, this was all too real wasn't it. I'm not Human. I'm going to have to drink blood in order to survive and I'm not Human. Annik knew that Nic had told her a lot of things but her brain was currently stuck on the drink blood, not Human hamster wheel. And it was probably going to be a while before that changed. People like her didn't end up in castles with knights, albeit with fangs. They ended up in the gutter if they were lucky.
Annik had just come out of the loo when there was a quiet knock on the door. A gentle voice on the other side came through the door. After a moment of thought Annik recognized the speaker as Mikal Nic's major domo. She had met him the first time when he'd brought her mother's book to her and Niculai in the library. And the second time when he'd brought the two of them what he called third meal to eat while they were talking. She would have called him a butler, but according to Nic, Mikal was much more than that. He apparently ran the mansion and everyone who lived there.
All of which made Annik think about Nic. God, she really didn't want to think about him right now. She was confused about her feeling for Nic. He was the most gorgeous guy she had ever seen. He was also the most frightening. Not just because of everything she had learned about him, and herself. No, he was a truly imposing man. So tall and strong, built like he was a body builder or athlete. Everything that he had told her just made it all more frightening. As soon as they had reached the mansion, Nic had removed the leather tie that held his hair back. He had absently put the thong in his pocket with the casualness of long habit. How she longed to run her fingers through those soft waves. that his hair was almost the same color as the furniture in the room she was standing in amused her to no end. When Mikal didn't enter Annik realized that she hadn't answered the butler.
"Come in," Annik said, walking towards the door to open it.
The man who came in was tall and thin, especially when compared to Niculai. It was obvious that there were muscles under the butlers uniform that was straight out of central casting. His long frame was almost delicate looking but Annik guessed, correctly, that he was far stronger and more robust than he looked. Long dark blond pulled back at his neck framing his gentle, friendly face. His smile was sunshine and butterflies personified. Making Annik feel like she was welcome in the mansion. He reminded her of every description of a favorite uncle that she had ever read. Which was odd since he didn't look at all like any of them in reality. It was the vibe he sent out, the way he made the people around him feel. Annik felt protective of him even though she had just met him. In his arms was an assortment of clothes that Annik didn't recognize.
"What's all this?" Annik asked, confused.
She'd brought clothes with her after all. Was there a dress code that Nic had forgotten to mention or something? Nic had been dressed in leather pants and a tee shirt after all. But then he was a fighter of some kind wasn't he? Why hadn't Nic mentioned something about it last night. Annik shut that line of thinking down immediately. She didn't want to think about anything she'd been told last night. Not until she'd had some coffee at the very least, and maybe some food. Definitely coffee at the very least, no thinking about any of the weirdness until I get some coffee in me, Annik decided.
As soon as he saw that all she had on was a pair of yoga pants and a tee shirt Mikal spun around so fast he almost seemed to teleport rather than turn.
"Mistress," Mikal's voice was gentle and slightly nervous. "You should have waited until I was out of the room before coming out. It isn't appropriate for a male to see you in your bed clothes."
Annik laughed, a deep throaty laugh, truly happy for the moment. "Mikal, it's alright. I sleep in yoga pants and a tee shirt. Nothing to see here." Not that there was anything to see even if I was naked, Annik thought to her self. "So, what's with the clothes?" Annik asked, not wanting to think about her looks. Annik hated looking like she was fourteen years old at best.
Mikal turned to Annik and gave a small bow then walked over to the bed. Carefully placing the clothes neatly on the bed. "I thought you might want more selection mistress."
"Please Mikal. Don't call me mistress. I'm not rich, famous or important in any way. I don't need to be catered to in any was shape or form." Annik said, uncomfortable with the deference being shown her.
Mikal frowned, disapproval and distress marking his every line. "You are a guest of Niculai. And as such you are very important."
Annik didn't want to argue with the kindly, gentle man so she dropped it. Turning to look at the clothes that Mikal had placed on the bed. Truly grateful that all of the clothes were just jeans and other comfortable stuff. She had been afraid that the clothes would be fancy dresses and such. I wouldn't know how to wear any fancy stuff, Annik thought to herself. I would probably look like a poser if I tried. She'd never worn anything other than casual clothes. Looking around as she walked over to the bed, Annik realized what she hadn't noticed last night.
"Mikal?" Annik asked looking around the room again.
"Yes mistress?" Mikal replied solicitously. "How may I help you?"
"Where's my luggage? I can see some of my stuff but none of my clothes."
Annik had seen her hairbrush and other sundry items. Annik kept her voice calm, even though she was feeling anything but. She was a private person both by inclination as well as upbringing. She didn't want people going through her things. He had probably been acting the way he would with any guest in the house so Annik wasn't going to get mad about it. Mikal most likely just wanted her to feel welcome.
"I put your things away mistress. It wasn't appropriate to leave them it out."
Well what do you know, she'd been right. It was courtesy. One that was probably given to every visitor the house had. It wasn't because she was special or anything. She was just a person that happened to be staying here until her change, tempering, whatever it was that Nic called, was going to happen soon. Annik figured that she would be leaving as soon as that was done. Not that she wanted to think about any of it, especially leaving. She didn't want to leave Nic, she wanted to stay, with him.
Don't go there girl she told herself sternly. You're going to have to leave. It's not like he's attracted to you at all, he just feels responsible because he rescued you and you are the same race he is. Plus the whole didn't check up on your mom. He'd told her the whole story last night, so Annik figured that she was here because of guilt, not attraction. There's nothing more pathetic than to go panting after a guy that isn't interested in you. Not that she had any experience with that after all. Nic was the first guy she'd ever been interested in but she had watched it playing out in front of her many times since she'd started working. Not to mention what she'd seen on t.v. or read in books.
Firmly putting any thoughts about Nic and everything they'd discussed out of her mind Annik focused on the clothes in front of her. They were all designer labels that Annik had only seen in magazines or on t.v. shows. Not a bargain brand in the lot. And damn, they were all in her size too boot. How had he known her size Annik wondered as she looked through the clothes. Annik looked at Mikal eyes suddenly narrowing in suspicion. Had he done more than just put her clothes away? or something worse? Annik's mind spun with all sorts of possibilities that even the most paranoid would find ridiculous.
"I'm very good at gauging sizes mistress. That is how I knew what size to bring." Mikal's whole demeanor was apologetic.
Annik felt bad for suspecting the guy no matter how briefly. Of course he hadn't done anything wrong. He was in charge of a huge household. Of course he could gauge size well.
"Do you read minds?" Annik asked.
If he did she was going to have to watch her thoughts around the guy. Maybe all of them, although Nic hadn't mentioned anything about mind reading being an ability that she would get after her Tempering or what ever it was called. If he didn't read minds how the hell had he known what she was thinking. And damn she was getting really tired of not knowing what the hell was going on around her, too her.
"No mistress, I don't read minds. I just anticipate very well."
Well duh again, and didn't she feel stupid for suspecting him twice in as many seconds. At this rate she was going to need to start wearing a tin foil hat so everyone would know what kind of wack job she was and take appropriate precautions. Can you kick yourself in the butt and not fall over Annik wondered. Probably not she decided and if you could you would look truly stupid. Oh wait, then she would look the way she felt.
At that point Annik decided to focus on the clothes that Mikal was showing her. And what clothes they were. She loved the colors and they styles were ones that would look great on her. And OMG they were new clothes. Not just new to her, but never worn before, brand spanking new. For someone that had always gotten her clothes from second hand stores the newness was almost a religious experience. it was a down right luxury in fact. Annik had thought that she would never wear, much less own new clothes. Such a simple thing that most people took for granted. Only people like her, the ones at the very bottom of the totem pole as it were, truly understood how she felt about the clothes. But how in the hell had he managed to get brand new clothes in her size so fast. did they have a department store here in this giant heap of stone?
When Mikal started to gather the clothes up to put away for her Annik stepped in and helped. She could see how uncomfortable it made him to have her helping. Telling him that she needed to see what and where everything was seemed to mollify him though. Mikal stepped out of the walk-in closet as soon as he had shown her were he had put things, mainly she suspected so she could change in peace. Annik chose new pair of Lucky you jeans and a light red women's cut tee shirt to wear.
Just as she was coming back from getting dressed in the walk-in there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," Annik said turning towards the door.
The door opened and her breath stopped as Nic walked in. He was just so handsome that it took all of her self control to not go over and touch him to make sure he was real. He was dressed in leather again much like he had been last night. Also just like last night he had weapons placed in holsters on his hips and sheathed on his chest. He practically oozed menace, but again like last night Annik didn't feel threatened by him. She felt protected, as if he would do or kill anything to keep her from being upset much less harmed in any way. She had no idea why or how she knew this but she felt it to her very marrow.
Boy did she wish that he liked her as much as she liked him. Or in the same way she liked him to be more accurate. She had never liked anyone the way that she liked him. Heck, she'd never even been mildly attracted to anyone before, male or female. Annik wasn't completely sure what to do with her attraction and wished that she was attracted to someone who was attracted to her. Figures Annik thought to herself. I would fall for a guy that only cares that my mom was someone he failed to keep a promise too. The only reason that you're here is because he wants to make up for what he thinks is his failure to your mother. Never mind that he has no reason to feel that way, Annik reminded herself.
