AN: I'm back (for now)! I hope you enjoy Chapter 12!
Chapter 12:
After a couple of minutes of staring off into space, I got up and went to the cabinet. Opening up the doors, which didn't make one of the annoying squeals like really old hinges did, I looked inside and quickly took an inventory of everything inside it.
There were medical scissors, bandages, splints, needles, medical thread, a mirror, tweezers, ointments of all colors in all sizes of jars (some with a distinct odors), and some medical tape. Sighing, I quickly took and inventory of what I had with me and thought up a plan, one that didn't involve ruining the dress completely. The only way I could see it was to cut off the shoulders straps, and then have the guys cut a square out of the back (preferably the ruined part) and then work on my back. I sighed at the waste of a good dress before I cut into the straps, smiling at my fortune of the fabric being thin and easy to cut through. Turning to the door, I said, "You guys can come back in." The door opened up a minute later and Jarrett and Wolfe walked in. I crossed my arms over the front and said emotionlessly and quickly, "OK, the plan is that you two will cut a square around the ruined part and then start working on my back." Jarrett nodded and took the scissors from where it laid on the bed and turned to look at me expectantly. I lay on my stomach and tried not to flinch as the cool metal of the scissors cut into the material, the cool metal lightly skimming my skin, which was a big, bloody mess.
I didn't see his face after he stopped cutting to stare at my back, which probably resembled wrapping paper after Christmas morning, I just laid there and waited for him to continue. After a minute Jarrett came back to earth and asked Wolfe quietly to get a washcloth and a bowl of lukewarm water. I heard the door open and close. Soon my curiosity got the better of me and I turned to look at Jarrett, who was looking at the floor, not really focusing on anything except the floor. I sighed before starting to hum again, waiting for either Jarrett to speak or for Wolfe to come back with the washcloth and the bowl of water. I heard Jarrett sigh before getting up and starting to pace. Right to left; left to right. I soon got tired of it and said finally, "What are you thinking of now Jarrett?" He stopped for a minute before starting his circuit again. I sighed and lay my head on the pillow, closing my eyes, trying to drift to sleep.
"Don't go to sleep Jessica."
I kept my eyes close and started to count sheep in my head. I heard Jarrett sigh. "Please Jessica, don't do it. You'll regret it." At that, my eyes flew open and I said, "Why? What are you going to do?" He smirked at me before saying, "That." It took me a couple moments to realize that he had won. Again. I cursed his name before turning on my side so then I could face the wall; ignoring the feeling that made it seem like I had needles poking my bare wounds. I heard a small laugh and then the sound of him pacing once more. I closed my eyes and was determined to go to sleep, but soon gave up at the sound of the door opening and closing again, most likely Wolfe. I flipped back onto my stomach and looked up to see the smiling face of Mabel. I smiled up at her and said, "Hi Mabel, what are you doing here?" She looked at the wounds on my back before shaking her head saying, "Child, what have you done to yourself? It looks like a tiger came up and decided to rip into your back. Good Lord, it is in ribbons." I kept on smiling at her, not sure of what to say. She put her hands on her waist, her brown eyes looking determined, before she said, "Hmm…" and started inspecting my back with her eyes.
I fidgeted underneath her hawk-like gaze, feeling like a kid who had gotten caught with their hand in the cookie jar. When she was done, she turned to Jarrett and said, "What happened?" Jarrett shrugged his shoulders as he said, "I don't know, to be honest, but I think Jordan-,"
"Mr. Jordan, dear."
He sighed, "I think Mr. Jordan cornered Jessica here up in Mistress Lia and Mistress Cassandra's attic, whose window was broken and it cut up Jessica's back." I thought about it before nodding my head in agreement with his summary. Mabel tsked for a couple minutes before she turned her head and looked at me. "Jarrett," she said, still focused on me with a curious eye, "Why don't you go and find Wolfe?" He glanced at me. "Why should I?" She glared at him, her eyes as cold as snow, before he said nervously, "Hmm… maybe I should. I'll be back in a couple minutes." He turned and left, the sound of the door closing seeming like a death sentence as I was left alone with Mabel.
As we heard Jarrett running down the hallway, Mabel turned to me and stared at me. It wasn't the motherly stare I first saw her with, yet it was a cold empty stare, it was more like a scorning mother stare that made little kids nervous and fidgety. This one worked because I would shift a little, and then a couple seconds later I would shift again.
The awkward silence hung in the air for about five minutes, of which Mabel would stare at me and I would keep my eyes down and my hands moving, to hide them shaking. Finally, thank god, she sighed and said, "What happened?" I looked at the wall as I answered her.
"Well, Lia and Cassandra-,"
"Mistress Lia and Cassandra," she corrected almost simultaneously.
"Mistress Lia and Cassandra," I continued, now looking at her, "Came by the house…. Yesterday? Today?" Mabel waved her hand in dismissal seeming to say, It isn't important, now continue. "Anyways, and they took me to their house."
"Did they have the consent of Mr. Jordan?"
I shook my head and said, "No ma'am."
She nodded and waved her hand again.
"Then, after about five hours Mr. Stephan and Mr. Sergea came in and told us about meeting with Jordan. Right after that, we heard Mr. Jordan and several horses come down the driveway. Then, we (Mistress Lia, Mistress Cassandra, Mr. Stephan, Mr. Sergea and I) went up to the attic to hide, fearing Mr. Jordan's wrath." Mabel shook her head as she put it in her hands. I turned back to the wall before ending my story, "Then Mr. Jordan found us and Mr. Stephan and Mr. Sergea took Mistress Lia and Mistress Cassandra and jumped out of the attic and ran into the woods. Then Mr. Jordan spoke a couple words to me and then jumped out of the window, with me on his shoulder. It scared me to death, to put it lightly. When we landed, he threw me off his shoulder and told Jarrett to get me ready for an audience with him once we got home." Mabel was still shaking her head when I turned to face her. I buried my face into the pillows, ashamed, as I waited to get a tongue-lashing from the older woman. Instead, I heard her walk over to me and I felt her touch my shoulder. Looking up, I saw a couple tears in her eyes. Confused, I just sat there while she looked over my back again.
After her second look-over, she turned to me and said, "I can't say I'm not angry, yet I can't exactly say I'm angry." She sighed before she continued. "But, I can say that Jordan did the right thing, to an extent." I looked at her like she was a mad woman. She smiled back at my look and said, "Well, deary, there is one thing you have to learn; vampires are very territorial." I guess I showed my confusion when she sighed and said, "OK, what would you do if a sibling stole something of yours?" I thought about it for a minute.
"Well, if it was me, I would've gotten the thing back."
She smiled at me and said, "Exactly, don't you think that is what Mr. Jordan was doing? Taking back his toy?" I looked at her face, which was still smiling, as I thought about it. It made sense, but that still didn't mean he had to be an asshole about it. Still slightly confused, I sighed and nodded my head. Mabel's smile grew a couple more inches and she said, "Good, now I think your friend and Wolfe are back." Just as she uttered the last words, the door opened and the gruff looking Wolfe and a petulant looking Jarrett came in, Jarrett closing the door as Wolfe handed Mabel the washcloth and held the bowl of water. I watched as Mabel turned to me, a determined gleam in her eyes, and said, "Now, let's get you cleaned up Jessica, you have an audience with Jordan later, and we don't want you to go in looking like a tattered rag doll."
AN: Well, that is chapter 12 :D I hope you guys enjoyed, though the dialogue could've been better in my opinion. Anyways, review!
Love ya'll,
Twi :D