Chapter 20 (A/N: one: ''= telepathy. Two: ""= regular talk. Enjoy!)
When he finally managed to get to her house, he immediately went inside. Flashlights were flickering around as he found a dim light, and heard shouting. "Perfect! Just perfect! A black out on one of the few nights that I can invite almost everybody over!" A large groan came from the room. He smiled at Serena's complaint.
His burden stirred, and he remembered why he had come, and walked to the den. "Boys, where are you going to sleep?" A male voice he recognized as Michael's spoke up, "Here I guess. The phones are out, and the streets are flooded. So uh, Collin can we sleep in your room?" "Whatever. Get your stuff. Oh, you didn't bring anything did you?" He wondered who else was there, but he knew he would soon find out.
Just then, he arrived in the barely lit room. Everyone was walking around and a large lantern was on the coffee table. "Excuse me?" All heads turned to him. Those heads included: Derek, Collin, Michael, Chris, all the daughters, and even Jimena. Catty was the first to notice the half naked woman he was carrying. "Who is that?" Stanton shook his head. "I don't know. I found her on the beach. Can I use the guest room?"
Taking the hint, Serena nodded and got a flashlight. They went up to the guest room, and apparently everyone was so curious about the visitor, that they all followed holding the lantern. He found the bed, and laid the girl on it. "Can you get me something to clean her face? And we'll need some extra blankets, and she might need a nightgown." Shocked by Stantons strange take-charge, they did as they were told.
Tianna went to the bathroom to get a washcloth, Collin and Chris got into the closet for blankets, and Serena went to snag a spare nightgown. He picked her up as Michael and Derek folded back the sheets. He set her down again, when Tianna and Serena came back. "Here, I'll do her face." Vanessa took the cloth, and caressed the strangers' face, noticing the smeared blood. She smoothed back her hair, then jumped.
Everyone but the sleeping beauty gasped. Her face was completely smooth. Her lips were lush and red, made for kissing. Her eyes were hidden under lids that were swept with long, thick lashes. And just then, they softly opened, as if aware of their gaze. They were red, but that failed to shield the pure aqua marine, just like the ocean. The ocean...her eyes closed as if that took all her strength.
"Oh my god. She's an angel." Jimena said in wonder. No one could argue with her. She was a true beauty. Serena broke the silence, her own voice breaking. "I got the nightgown." Finally, everyone came back to reality. All the guys turned their heads as Serena fitted the gown on the stranger. "What's the story?" As Stanton explained he turned back. The stranger was a vision of loveliness in the white strapped gown.
When he was done, just about everyone had wide eyes, except for Serena who was busy tidying the sheets. "Okay, that explains a lot." Chris said. Stanton nodded. "I can't even get into her head. Serena stood up, "Well, I think there's some good food in the kitchen. We'll talk it over better on full stomachs." She seemed somewhat agitated. As the others headed to the kitchen, Stanton grabbed Serena's wrist.
"Are you ok?" He asked. She raised an eyebrow. "I'm fine. Not like your little beauty over there." She indicated the sleeping figure. Stanton went into Serena's mind, not happy at what he found there. "I didn't like the familiarity either Serena." She shook her head. "I know, I saw that too. Damnit! Who is she?" Stanton shrugged helplessly.
When they finished eating, they asked Tianna to guard the young woman as they talked about the strange happenings. When they went back to the den, Stanton felt a strange movement against his leg. He smiled down at Wally, and picked him up. As he petted him, Serena buried her face in his fur. She looked back at Stanton from the other side of Wally, and tried to smile at him.
'Sorry, I just got a little upset.' He smiled at her and stroked her hair, pretending to pet Wally's. 'I know. Don't worry about it.' Just as he said that, a loud scream, and thud were heard from upstairs. Derek leapt to his feet, and was the first to run out of the room. Stanton faded, and sped to the guestroom. But just before he did, he heard the shattering of a window.
When he came in, Tianna was against the wall, a trail of blood above her head, and the large window completely broken, it's shards on the floor. At first Stanton went to Tianna, but then went to the window. A beautiful creature in a white night gown was running into the night. 'I'll find him, I have to! My times almost out,' wound into the night.
When he finally managed to get to her house, he immediately went inside. Flashlights were flickering around as he found a dim light, and heard shouting. "Perfect! Just perfect! A black out on one of the few nights that I can invite almost everybody over!" A large groan came from the room. He smiled at Serena's complaint.
His burden stirred, and he remembered why he had come, and walked to the den. "Boys, where are you going to sleep?" A male voice he recognized as Michael's spoke up, "Here I guess. The phones are out, and the streets are flooded. So uh, Collin can we sleep in your room?" "Whatever. Get your stuff. Oh, you didn't bring anything did you?" He wondered who else was there, but he knew he would soon find out.
Just then, he arrived in the barely lit room. Everyone was walking around and a large lantern was on the coffee table. "Excuse me?" All heads turned to him. Those heads included: Derek, Collin, Michael, Chris, all the daughters, and even Jimena. Catty was the first to notice the half naked woman he was carrying. "Who is that?" Stanton shook his head. "I don't know. I found her on the beach. Can I use the guest room?"
Taking the hint, Serena nodded and got a flashlight. They went up to the guest room, and apparently everyone was so curious about the visitor, that they all followed holding the lantern. He found the bed, and laid the girl on it. "Can you get me something to clean her face? And we'll need some extra blankets, and she might need a nightgown." Shocked by Stantons strange take-charge, they did as they were told.
Tianna went to the bathroom to get a washcloth, Collin and Chris got into the closet for blankets, and Serena went to snag a spare nightgown. He picked her up as Michael and Derek folded back the sheets. He set her down again, when Tianna and Serena came back. "Here, I'll do her face." Vanessa took the cloth, and caressed the strangers' face, noticing the smeared blood. She smoothed back her hair, then jumped.
Everyone but the sleeping beauty gasped. Her face was completely smooth. Her lips were lush and red, made for kissing. Her eyes were hidden under lids that were swept with long, thick lashes. And just then, they softly opened, as if aware of their gaze. They were red, but that failed to shield the pure aqua marine, just like the ocean. The ocean...her eyes closed as if that took all her strength.
"Oh my god. She's an angel." Jimena said in wonder. No one could argue with her. She was a true beauty. Serena broke the silence, her own voice breaking. "I got the nightgown." Finally, everyone came back to reality. All the guys turned their heads as Serena fitted the gown on the stranger. "What's the story?" As Stanton explained he turned back. The stranger was a vision of loveliness in the white strapped gown.
When he was done, just about everyone had wide eyes, except for Serena who was busy tidying the sheets. "Okay, that explains a lot." Chris said. Stanton nodded. "I can't even get into her head. Serena stood up, "Well, I think there's some good food in the kitchen. We'll talk it over better on full stomachs." She seemed somewhat agitated. As the others headed to the kitchen, Stanton grabbed Serena's wrist.
"Are you ok?" He asked. She raised an eyebrow. "I'm fine. Not like your little beauty over there." She indicated the sleeping figure. Stanton went into Serena's mind, not happy at what he found there. "I didn't like the familiarity either Serena." She shook her head. "I know, I saw that too. Damnit! Who is she?" Stanton shrugged helplessly.
When they finished eating, they asked Tianna to guard the young woman as they talked about the strange happenings. When they went back to the den, Stanton felt a strange movement against his leg. He smiled down at Wally, and picked him up. As he petted him, Serena buried her face in his fur. She looked back at Stanton from the other side of Wally, and tried to smile at him.
'Sorry, I just got a little upset.' He smiled at her and stroked her hair, pretending to pet Wally's. 'I know. Don't worry about it.' Just as he said that, a loud scream, and thud were heard from upstairs. Derek leapt to his feet, and was the first to run out of the room. Stanton faded, and sped to the guestroom. But just before he did, he heard the shattering of a window.
When he came in, Tianna was against the wall, a trail of blood above her head, and the large window completely broken, it's shards on the floor. At first Stanton went to Tianna, but then went to the window. A beautiful creature in a white night gown was running into the night. 'I'll find him, I have to! My times almost out,' wound into the night.