Disclaimer: Characters do not belong to me, but to the Stratemeyer Syndicate and Simon & Schuster. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay!! I never expected to finish this holiday story before the holidays were over, but I had hoped to have more out:( Well, I guess I'll just have to keep a little bit of the Christmas spirit going for however long it does take me to finish! Thanks for the kind reviews on the first chapter, and I hope you enjoy reading this one just as much!
****
Dance of Death
by Kristen Elizabeth
****
There was an unfamiliar car in the snowy driveway as Nancy pulled up to her childhood home in her sporty blue convertible. It was a dark green SUV, a standard issue yuppie gas guzzler, and it most likely belonged to Penelope Creel. She shook her red head as she turned off the engine and opened the car door. It was going to be a very long holiday.
The front door of the stately house opened and Hannah Gruen ran out to greet her with arms wide open. "Nancy!"
Her mood lifted as she embraced the woman who had raised her after her mother's death, mindless of the flour on Hannah's apron that was now all over her jeans and cashmere sweater. They hugged for a long minute before pulling back. "Baking already?" Nancy teased the older woman.
"Child, I've been baking since the first snowfall, it seems." She took hold of Nancy's arm. "Leave your things in the car for now and come inside to get warm."
There was no sense in arguing with Hannah when her mind was made up, so Nancy simply followed her into the house. The rich scents of cinnamon apples and pine needles surrounded her as soon as she set foot over the threshold. She had to admit that being home for the holidays had some perks, even if it still hurt that she wouldn't be seeing Frank.
Every decoration had its particular place where it had been every season for twenty years or more, and Nancy took delight in seeing that nothing had been changed. It was like stepping back in time to her childhood. The nine-foot tree held all the family ornaments, and there was already a hefty load of presents underneath the branches. With Hannah's apple pie in the oven, a cheerful blaze crackling and popping in the fireplace and Bing Crosby singing in the background, it was finally Christmas.
"Where's Dad?" she asked, unwrapping her scarf from around her slender neck. "At the office?"
"No, he's here. He's upstairs with the…um…his guest."
Nancy paused for half a second as she shrugged out of her coat. "What do you think of her, Hannah? And be honest."
"Ms. Creel?" Hannah reached for the coat and scarf to hang them up. "She's quite lovely."
A scowl rested on Nancy's face. "I suppose she's so lovely that he can't bear to tear himself away from her long enough to come out and greet…"
"Is that my daughter I hear?" Right then, Carson Drew came down the stairs, a broad smile on his gently aged face. She had to return the grin. Her father looked nothing short of festively handsome in his black and white snowflake patterned sweater. His hair was still thick, with distinguished brushes of gray at each temple.
"It's me." Enfolded in her father's arms, the last bits of her resentment faded away. How could she be angry about getting to spend Christmas with her family? "Hi, Dad."
Carson studied her with an exaggerated eye. "You look smarter, so I take it your college fund is being put to good use."
"I'm chock full of new knowledge," she assured him. Smiling again, she continued, "It is really good to be home."
"And we're so glad to have you here." Taking a step back towards the stairs, Carson cleared his throat a bit louder than necessary. "All of us."
She didn't have time to wonder about his wording. As soon as he spoke, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs and then, almost before she time to take another breath, Frank appeared behind her father, his hands in his pockets and his brown eyes twinkling.
"Surprise," he said. His deep voice was like music to her ears.
"Frank," Nancy whispered. She glanced at her father, who looked quite pleased with himself. "Oh…Dad." With tears threatening to spill over, she ran for her boyfriend, throwing her arms around his neck.
Frank gathered her up, burying his face in her fragrant, fiery locks. "Hey," he whispered in her ear. "Miss me much?"
"Every now and then," she whispered back. A few stray tears wet his shirt as she hugged him even harder. "If this is the only present I get this year, it'll be enough."
"I know what you mean." He pulled back to see her face. "There's no mistletoe right here, but…" Conscious of the fact that her father was standing only a few feet away, Frank closed his eyes and touched his lips to hers in a soft, sweet kiss. "And there's more where that came from," he promised her, speaking as lowly as possible.
Her heart skipped at least one beat and all the dreams she'd been having came back to her. Warmth pooled in her stomach and at the center of her body, radiating out to the tips of her fingers. She was fairly certain that a blush colored her cheeks, but she hoped her desire wasn't too visible. Her father might have approved of the relationship, but he probably wouldn't be so approving of how far she wanted to take it.
"This is amazing, really," Nancy told them. "But what about your own family, Frank? Were they okay with you coming here?"
"Why don't you ask them?" Frank looked back at the stairs. "It's okay; you all can come out now."
Joe Hardy came down the stairs first, looking quite good himself in his jeans and long sleeved T-shirt. "Took you long enough to get here, Nan," he teased her. "We've been up there smelling Hannah's cooking for an hour now!"
Giving him a short, but strong hug, Nancy laughed. "That is torture, I must admit."
While they were hugging, Fenton Hardy and his lovely wife, Laura, followed their sons down into the living room, holding hands and looking quite merry. They greeted Nancy with warm embraces. "I can't believe you're all here!" she exclaimed.
"It was Frank's idea," Fenton told her. "He was determined to get his mistletoe kiss."
"Dad, c'mon." The pink tinge on her boyfriend's cheeks made Nancy hug him even harder. "I just wanted you to have it all," Frank told her.
Her eyes watered with happiness. "Thank you all, so much. This is…beyond wonderful."
"Oh, but there's more," Carson said. "Bess is coming in tomorrow, and tonight…" His smile was broad. "You'll all get to meet Penelope. In fact, I'm surprised she's not here yet."
Nancy looked away. Frank caught the change in her demeanor and took her hand in his, squeezing lightly. "Traffic was bad," she said, squeezing back, grateful for his strength. "She might be caught in it."
"Probably." A worried shadow crossed her father's brow. "I think I'll give her cell phone a call. Excuse me for a moment, everyone." He headed out of the living room, towards his study.
Fenton glanced at his younger son. "Joe, let's head into the kitchen and see if we can't convince Hannah to let us have a cookie before dinner."
Joe nodded, knowingly and shot his brother a mischievous smirk. "We're going to the kitchen, Frank," he called out as he followed their parents backwards into the kitchen. Before he disappeared through the door, he added a quick, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
As soon as they were alone, Frank reached for Nancy, pulling her into a much deeper, much longer, and much more satisfying kiss. "That's better," he said, drawing back with reluctance. His thumb brushed across her bottom lip. "You didn't really think I'd just accept spending Christmas without you, did you?"
Nancy sighed happily. "I shouldn't have, but when everything got thrown out of whack…" She kissed him again. "Oh, I'm just glad you're here now." Her gaze darted away briefly. "I wasn't sure how I was going to get through meeting Dad's new girlfriend without someone to lean on."
"It's upsetting you that much?"
She lifted her shoulders. "He's my only parent. I've never wanted to share him, I suppose."
"You know you'll always be his very first and very last thought, Nancy."
She had to nod, even though her tears threatened to start up again. "Besides," she said, flippantly. "How could any woman possibly be good enough for my father? Especially someone he met at the grocery store!"
Frank laughed. "Hey, he was there, too, so what does that say about him?"
She poked him in the ribs. "It's not the same thing, Hardy."
"Oh really?" With one quick motion, he scooped her up into his arms. "How so?"
"Frank! What are you doing?" Nancy protested with half-hearted movements. Truthfully, it was wonderful to be in Frank's arms. Like a princess being carried off by her knight in shining armor, she felt safe and desired. But still, she went on, "Put me down!"
"All right," he agreed easily. But instead of putting her back down on her feet, he laid her onto the overstuffed couch in front of the fire and leaned over her. A moment passed. "Nancy…"
Her heart pounded fast. "Frank," she whispered, reaching up and cupping his face in her hands. Without another word, she drew him down until his lips touched hers. His mouth was warm; her tongue sought out his with growing urgency. Nancy slid her hands down the broad planes of his chest, frustrated at the layers of clothing that kept her from touching his skin. When he moved his kisses to her extremely sensitive throat, she threw back her head against the couch cushions. "More, please…"
Frank paused. "Nancy, both of our families are just a room away," he murmured into her neck.
"I don't care…" Her fingers toyed with his belt buckle. "It's been too long, Frank."
"Nancy…"
The doorbell rang, bringing the moment to an end before it really began. Frank sat up and Nancy struggled to do the same. Her senses were still spinning from the subtle scent of his cologne, the heat of his kisses, and the strength of his body underneath her hands. "It's probably her," she muttered.
Frank ran a hand down his face to clear his own mind of her freesia perfume and the strawberry taste of her mouth. "Give her a chance. She might surprise you."
"She's a ballroom dancer, Frank. You know…those huge pink feathered skirts and chins held so high that they would drown if they were caught in a rainstorm."
"Don't hold back, Nan. Tell me how you really feel about your dad's new girlfriend." She stuck out her tongue at him. Laughing, Frank stood up and held out his hand to pull her to her feet. "Come on."
They reached the foyer just as Carson did. "You're going to love Penelope, Nancy," her father assured her, as he pulled the door open.
"Yeah," she agreed half-heartedly. "Sure."
"Penelope!" Carson exclaimed in the most excited tone Nancy had ever heard out of him. But his happy demeanor dropped like lead when he saw the look on the petite woman's face. "Penelope…what's wrong?!"
Nancy watched this stranger fling herself into her father's arms, and found herself surprised at the quick stab of jealously that hit her. Penelope Creel looked to be about forty-five; she was slender, dressed in the height of fashion and had what Nancy suspected to be bottle-blond hair. She was probably very attractive…when she wasn't crying profusely.
"Carson, it's just horrible!" she sobbed into his shoulder.
Nancy and Frank exchanged a look just as the rest of the house entered the foyer. All eyes were on Carson's girlfriend as he gently held her at arm's length. "What's horrible, Penelope? What's happened? Are you all right?"
"There was…there was an…attack. At the school today. Our top couple, Alice and Andy…they took the American championship last year and placed fifth at Blackpool…" She stopped herself, putting a hand to her mouth for a long moment. "Someone attacked them after their practice session! Andy…they had to…take him to the hospital. Carson…" She shook her head, tears flowing rapidly down her cheeks. "His legs…they were mangled! I can't imagine how he'd ever be able to dance again!"
****
To Be Continued
Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay!! I never expected to finish this holiday story before the holidays were over, but I had hoped to have more out:( Well, I guess I'll just have to keep a little bit of the Christmas spirit going for however long it does take me to finish! Thanks for the kind reviews on the first chapter, and I hope you enjoy reading this one just as much!
****
Dance of Death
by Kristen Elizabeth
****
There was an unfamiliar car in the snowy driveway as Nancy pulled up to her childhood home in her sporty blue convertible. It was a dark green SUV, a standard issue yuppie gas guzzler, and it most likely belonged to Penelope Creel. She shook her red head as she turned off the engine and opened the car door. It was going to be a very long holiday.
The front door of the stately house opened and Hannah Gruen ran out to greet her with arms wide open. "Nancy!"
Her mood lifted as she embraced the woman who had raised her after her mother's death, mindless of the flour on Hannah's apron that was now all over her jeans and cashmere sweater. They hugged for a long minute before pulling back. "Baking already?" Nancy teased the older woman.
"Child, I've been baking since the first snowfall, it seems." She took hold of Nancy's arm. "Leave your things in the car for now and come inside to get warm."
There was no sense in arguing with Hannah when her mind was made up, so Nancy simply followed her into the house. The rich scents of cinnamon apples and pine needles surrounded her as soon as she set foot over the threshold. She had to admit that being home for the holidays had some perks, even if it still hurt that she wouldn't be seeing Frank.
Every decoration had its particular place where it had been every season for twenty years or more, and Nancy took delight in seeing that nothing had been changed. It was like stepping back in time to her childhood. The nine-foot tree held all the family ornaments, and there was already a hefty load of presents underneath the branches. With Hannah's apple pie in the oven, a cheerful blaze crackling and popping in the fireplace and Bing Crosby singing in the background, it was finally Christmas.
"Where's Dad?" she asked, unwrapping her scarf from around her slender neck. "At the office?"
"No, he's here. He's upstairs with the…um…his guest."
Nancy paused for half a second as she shrugged out of her coat. "What do you think of her, Hannah? And be honest."
"Ms. Creel?" Hannah reached for the coat and scarf to hang them up. "She's quite lovely."
A scowl rested on Nancy's face. "I suppose she's so lovely that he can't bear to tear himself away from her long enough to come out and greet…"
"Is that my daughter I hear?" Right then, Carson Drew came down the stairs, a broad smile on his gently aged face. She had to return the grin. Her father looked nothing short of festively handsome in his black and white snowflake patterned sweater. His hair was still thick, with distinguished brushes of gray at each temple.
"It's me." Enfolded in her father's arms, the last bits of her resentment faded away. How could she be angry about getting to spend Christmas with her family? "Hi, Dad."
Carson studied her with an exaggerated eye. "You look smarter, so I take it your college fund is being put to good use."
"I'm chock full of new knowledge," she assured him. Smiling again, she continued, "It is really good to be home."
"And we're so glad to have you here." Taking a step back towards the stairs, Carson cleared his throat a bit louder than necessary. "All of us."
She didn't have time to wonder about his wording. As soon as he spoke, she heard footsteps coming down the stairs and then, almost before she time to take another breath, Frank appeared behind her father, his hands in his pockets and his brown eyes twinkling.
"Surprise," he said. His deep voice was like music to her ears.
"Frank," Nancy whispered. She glanced at her father, who looked quite pleased with himself. "Oh…Dad." With tears threatening to spill over, she ran for her boyfriend, throwing her arms around his neck.
Frank gathered her up, burying his face in her fragrant, fiery locks. "Hey," he whispered in her ear. "Miss me much?"
"Every now and then," she whispered back. A few stray tears wet his shirt as she hugged him even harder. "If this is the only present I get this year, it'll be enough."
"I know what you mean." He pulled back to see her face. "There's no mistletoe right here, but…" Conscious of the fact that her father was standing only a few feet away, Frank closed his eyes and touched his lips to hers in a soft, sweet kiss. "And there's more where that came from," he promised her, speaking as lowly as possible.
Her heart skipped at least one beat and all the dreams she'd been having came back to her. Warmth pooled in her stomach and at the center of her body, radiating out to the tips of her fingers. She was fairly certain that a blush colored her cheeks, but she hoped her desire wasn't too visible. Her father might have approved of the relationship, but he probably wouldn't be so approving of how far she wanted to take it.
"This is amazing, really," Nancy told them. "But what about your own family, Frank? Were they okay with you coming here?"
"Why don't you ask them?" Frank looked back at the stairs. "It's okay; you all can come out now."
Joe Hardy came down the stairs first, looking quite good himself in his jeans and long sleeved T-shirt. "Took you long enough to get here, Nan," he teased her. "We've been up there smelling Hannah's cooking for an hour now!"
Giving him a short, but strong hug, Nancy laughed. "That is torture, I must admit."
While they were hugging, Fenton Hardy and his lovely wife, Laura, followed their sons down into the living room, holding hands and looking quite merry. They greeted Nancy with warm embraces. "I can't believe you're all here!" she exclaimed.
"It was Frank's idea," Fenton told her. "He was determined to get his mistletoe kiss."
"Dad, c'mon." The pink tinge on her boyfriend's cheeks made Nancy hug him even harder. "I just wanted you to have it all," Frank told her.
Her eyes watered with happiness. "Thank you all, so much. This is…beyond wonderful."
"Oh, but there's more," Carson said. "Bess is coming in tomorrow, and tonight…" His smile was broad. "You'll all get to meet Penelope. In fact, I'm surprised she's not here yet."
Nancy looked away. Frank caught the change in her demeanor and took her hand in his, squeezing lightly. "Traffic was bad," she said, squeezing back, grateful for his strength. "She might be caught in it."
"Probably." A worried shadow crossed her father's brow. "I think I'll give her cell phone a call. Excuse me for a moment, everyone." He headed out of the living room, towards his study.
Fenton glanced at his younger son. "Joe, let's head into the kitchen and see if we can't convince Hannah to let us have a cookie before dinner."
Joe nodded, knowingly and shot his brother a mischievous smirk. "We're going to the kitchen, Frank," he called out as he followed their parents backwards into the kitchen. Before he disappeared through the door, he added a quick, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
As soon as they were alone, Frank reached for Nancy, pulling her into a much deeper, much longer, and much more satisfying kiss. "That's better," he said, drawing back with reluctance. His thumb brushed across her bottom lip. "You didn't really think I'd just accept spending Christmas without you, did you?"
Nancy sighed happily. "I shouldn't have, but when everything got thrown out of whack…" She kissed him again. "Oh, I'm just glad you're here now." Her gaze darted away briefly. "I wasn't sure how I was going to get through meeting Dad's new girlfriend without someone to lean on."
"It's upsetting you that much?"
She lifted her shoulders. "He's my only parent. I've never wanted to share him, I suppose."
"You know you'll always be his very first and very last thought, Nancy."
She had to nod, even though her tears threatened to start up again. "Besides," she said, flippantly. "How could any woman possibly be good enough for my father? Especially someone he met at the grocery store!"
Frank laughed. "Hey, he was there, too, so what does that say about him?"
She poked him in the ribs. "It's not the same thing, Hardy."
"Oh really?" With one quick motion, he scooped her up into his arms. "How so?"
"Frank! What are you doing?" Nancy protested with half-hearted movements. Truthfully, it was wonderful to be in Frank's arms. Like a princess being carried off by her knight in shining armor, she felt safe and desired. But still, she went on, "Put me down!"
"All right," he agreed easily. But instead of putting her back down on her feet, he laid her onto the overstuffed couch in front of the fire and leaned over her. A moment passed. "Nancy…"
Her heart pounded fast. "Frank," she whispered, reaching up and cupping his face in her hands. Without another word, she drew him down until his lips touched hers. His mouth was warm; her tongue sought out his with growing urgency. Nancy slid her hands down the broad planes of his chest, frustrated at the layers of clothing that kept her from touching his skin. When he moved his kisses to her extremely sensitive throat, she threw back her head against the couch cushions. "More, please…"
Frank paused. "Nancy, both of our families are just a room away," he murmured into her neck.
"I don't care…" Her fingers toyed with his belt buckle. "It's been too long, Frank."
"Nancy…"
The doorbell rang, bringing the moment to an end before it really began. Frank sat up and Nancy struggled to do the same. Her senses were still spinning from the subtle scent of his cologne, the heat of his kisses, and the strength of his body underneath her hands. "It's probably her," she muttered.
Frank ran a hand down his face to clear his own mind of her freesia perfume and the strawberry taste of her mouth. "Give her a chance. She might surprise you."
"She's a ballroom dancer, Frank. You know…those huge pink feathered skirts and chins held so high that they would drown if they were caught in a rainstorm."
"Don't hold back, Nan. Tell me how you really feel about your dad's new girlfriend." She stuck out her tongue at him. Laughing, Frank stood up and held out his hand to pull her to her feet. "Come on."
They reached the foyer just as Carson did. "You're going to love Penelope, Nancy," her father assured her, as he pulled the door open.
"Yeah," she agreed half-heartedly. "Sure."
"Penelope!" Carson exclaimed in the most excited tone Nancy had ever heard out of him. But his happy demeanor dropped like lead when he saw the look on the petite woman's face. "Penelope…what's wrong?!"
Nancy watched this stranger fling herself into her father's arms, and found herself surprised at the quick stab of jealously that hit her. Penelope Creel looked to be about forty-five; she was slender, dressed in the height of fashion and had what Nancy suspected to be bottle-blond hair. She was probably very attractive…when she wasn't crying profusely.
"Carson, it's just horrible!" she sobbed into his shoulder.
Nancy and Frank exchanged a look just as the rest of the house entered the foyer. All eyes were on Carson's girlfriend as he gently held her at arm's length. "What's horrible, Penelope? What's happened? Are you all right?"
"There was…there was an…attack. At the school today. Our top couple, Alice and Andy…they took the American championship last year and placed fifth at Blackpool…" She stopped herself, putting a hand to her mouth for a long moment. "Someone attacked them after their practice session! Andy…they had to…take him to the hospital. Carson…" She shook her head, tears flowing rapidly down her cheeks. "His legs…they were mangled! I can't imagine how he'd ever be able to dance again!"
****
To Be Continued