V
"What time is it, Belle?" Chloe, who was wearing a new floral sundress, asked looking into the vanity mirror at Belle who doing her hair for her. Belle took this make over thing serious, she had applied just a touch of make up to Chloe's face, not a lot but just enough to bring out her naturally beautiful features. "Belle?"
"Huh... what?" Belle looked up from admiring her beautiful creation, of course the fact that she was drop dead gorgeous to begin with only added to the effect.
"I asked what time it was?"
"It's early, Chloe not even five yet, we have to go out for a little while to show off your look..." Belle just knew that Chloe was going to have to fight off the men of this town and she wanted to at least introduce her to a couple of nice ones.
"I have to be home before dark, it's a rule."
"What kind of rule is that?" You're eighteen years old, I'm sure your father wouldn't mind... he'd probably let you stay here tonight if you just asked..."
"Belle..." Chloe raised her hand to stop her before she went any further. "Belle, I'd love to stay over but I can't, not tonight, I have to be home before dark."
A look of defeat shown in her eyes, and Belle knew she had lost, but then just as quickly she had another thought and the smile returned. "Ok... so you have to be home by dark... it's summer, Chloe... it doesn't get dark till nearly nine we have four hours to be out there on the prowl."
On the prowl, if she only knew Chloe thought, "Ok well I'm ready but are you going looking like that?"
Belle looked down at what she was wearing, her shopping wear, "Oh my gosh you're right!" she began to frantically run about the room pulling out drawers pulling out clothes her mouth still running a mile a minute and grinning like madwoman. "Don't worry, I'll be ready before you know it."
In the mean time down stairs, Brady had just walked in the door. He had spent most of the day with Dr. Wesley who had told him stories with such vivid details he could still see the images in his mind. Except now is mind was reeling. "She's here." Her smell had assaulted him the minute he had stepped over the threshold of penthouse door. His heart raced as the smell enveloped him. It wrapped itself around him in a loving caress. He had never felt this way before, it made him want to howl out loud in pure ecstasy. "Beeeeellllle," he called, well practically howled, he just couldn't help it.
Chloe stopped suddenly still, looking with wide eyes at Belle for an explanation. "Who was that?" She verbally asked while her mind asked what was that?
Belle never even stopped moving just kept pulling out clothes and essentials, "Oh that's my brother," her stuff finally gathered she headed toward the bathroom, "Go down and tell him I'm in the shower, just give me he half an hour..." and with that she was in the bathroom leaving Chloe standing there.
When Chloe stepped out into the hallway and made
her way down the hall her head began to swim. She slowly began to
descend the stairs toward the living room.
Brady, who had been
circling the living room following the trail her scent had left,
stopped frozen in his tracks and looked toward the stairs locking
eyes with his destiny.
Everything slowed down, and Chloe stared down at Brady, a myriad of emotions flooding her mind making her grow weak. Instant attraction mingled with fear and anticipation. She didn't even know this man, how could he make her feel this way? For that matter why did he make her feel this way? She could barely breath when she croaked, "Hi... I'm... umm... Chloe, Belle's friend..."
Brady stood speechless not breathing, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Several seconds had passed, Chloe knew that he wasn't mute; she had heard him call for Belle. She decided to help him out, "...and you are?"
Brady was snapped back to awareness and smiled broadly, "I'm Brady, and I knew you were here."
"You did?" Chloe took one more step down, as Brady took the stairs swifter than the blink of an eye. Suddenly they were together on the stairs not a hair's breath between them. Brady had his face nuzzled into her neck. A shiver of apprehension flowed through her as his breath tickled the hollow of her neck while he inhaled her scent.
Brady turned his head, slow, to whisper in her ear, "I could smell you."
Brady had to quickly snake his arms around her waist because Chloe's knees began to wobble and give out. His words, "I could smell you," kept running through her mind. Then just as suddenly she realized that the wonderful smell she had been experiencing the past few days was Brady. Was it possible? Was he like her? Now he stood oh so close and she couldn't help but tremble.
Brady stared into her eyes, he wasn't sure she had understood what he had told her, then he felt her attempting to push him away. "Please let me go." She asked. He immediately complied and though it had been what she'd asked for, she immediately regretted it, the loss so overwhelming. She wanted them back around her, the comfort she had never felt before to engulf her once more.
Brady felt the loss too. In her arms everything had felt right almost peaceful. Now with his arms empty and Chloe walking past him on the stairs to make her way down to the couch. Fear of rejection flowed into him like a dam bursting; he sat down on the steps his knees now taking a turn at feeling weak. "I'm sorry if I was too forward. Forgive me?"
Chloe had her back to him as she neared the couch a slight smile began to grow on her face as she reached up to run a finger over the spot that his breath had touched on her neck. She twirled around to see the look of longing that played across his face, the same feeling echoed in her mind as well. She didn't know what to say but her mind was on autopilot and habits of politeness were all she could muster as she took a seat on the couch. "There's nothing to forgive. Belle will be down in a few minutes, we are going out for a while."
"Oh ok," Brady said never taking his eyes off of her, he had propped his chin on his hands who where laced together with his elbows resting on his knees. Several minutes passed with no words being said between them only their eyes memorizing each other's every last feature. Suddenly as the quiet was closing in, Brady said, "Where are my manners, would you like something to drink?"
"No, thank you."
"Ok well if you don't mind," Brady said raising to his feet and coming toward her. He just had to be closer. "Can I wait with you, I haven't seen Belle today, I was out all night."
"No not at all, please sit." She patted the cushion next to her and he sat down. The emptiness they had felt was draining away. "Where did you go?"
"Last night?"
"Yes"
"I went for a run, through the country side."
"At night, in the dark?"
Brady looked at her wide blue eyes, eyes filled with wonder and longing. She looked as if she had never experienced the pleasure of a midnight run in the moonlight or had but not in a very long time. "It wasn't so dark, the moon was out and it was full and it lit up the countryside. It was glorious, the wind was blowing slightly and I could smell every living thing and the dirt crunched beneath my bare feet."
"Wow," she said realizing he said bare feet. He must be like her, she hoped, if he was running in the moonlight with bare feet. From his description she could imagine that she felt what he had felt. In her minds eye she could see what he had seen. She wished she could run free like that.
"I'll take you sometime, Chloe, if you would like."
Oh that is never going to happen, she thought, she knew her mother would never allow it, but her heart wasn't listening to the reasoning in her head. "I would love that."
"Ok, it's a date," Brady's mind was swirling, she had said yes, "When would you like to go?"
"Oh... well um..." now what was she going to say? How was she going to explain that her parents lock her in at night, something that no one has obviously ever done to him. No a midnight run was impossible. Then she remembered something and a smile bloomed on her face. "I'm really busy right now but soon when my folks go out of town, I should have plenty of time."
So a midnight run would have to wait but until then he was going to spend as much time as he could with her. "Where are you and Belle going tonight?"
"I don't know, just to grab a bite to eat I think. I have to be home before dark, it's a rule."
"Oh," Brady was starting to get the picture, Chloe led a sheltered life. That's why they must wait to take that run till her parents are out of town. "I would love to take you out, how 'bout we do something tomorrow afternoon? I promise to have you home before dark."
"Ok, I'd like that." They both smiled into each other's eyes. It was as if they had known each other for eternity. They launched into a conversation about the various things to see and do on a Sunday afternoon in Salem.
A few minutes later, Belle approached them from the stairs but neither had noticed, they were too busy talking to each other and exchanging phone numbers. "Ok I'll pick you up about noon."
"Sounds good." Chloe said a light dancing in her eyes that Belle had never seen since she had met her. She could also see the same light emanating from her brother's eyes as well, she could tell he was smitten.
"Ahem." Belle cleared her throat to draw their attention. "I see you two met, would you like to go have something to eat with us, Brady?"
Would he? Of course he would, he wanted nothing more than to spend every waking minute with Chloe, but not with Belle there, he didn't want to share her attention. He would definitely hog Chloe's attention and that wouldn't be fair to Belle. "No, that's alright, Dr. Wesley invited me over to have dinner with him and Mrs. Wesley. You two go have your girls night out."
"Ok then..." with that Belle grabbed Chloe's hand and drug her from the penthouse. She noticed that Brady and Chloe's eyes were locked on one another until they had completely cleared the door. Then stepping into the elevator she also noticed that in Chloe's eyes the shining excitement had been replaced with an empty longing look. "Don't worry, he's hooked." She said placing her hand on Chloe's arm startling her.
"What? What do you mean?" Chloe's eyes went wide.
"Don't try to deny it, I heard you making a date with him, I can tell you are into my brother and he's into you too."
"Oh I don't think so... he's just trying to be nice." Chloe said shaking her head.
"Oh no," Belle shook her head smiling, "He's into you, you have him wrapped."
"Belle, we just met."
"I don't care," Belle had watched them for a few minutes from the stairs, "You two act like you have always known each other."
"Belle..."
"No, no, I know my brother, he's never just nice because he wants to be. For the most part he's downright arrogant and selfish except to those he loves, and he never dates casually, he feels a connection with you otherwise he wouldn't have bothered." Belle stepped off the elevator when the doors opened on the first floor.
Chloe stood there deep in thought. The things Belle had just said brought the fear and apprehension rushing back to ride the crashing waves of emotion in her head. Thankfully right along side of them was also riding a comforting calmness that hadn't been there before today. She felt complete.
"Miss, are you getting off?" An elderly lady asked who was holding open the elevator door open for her.
"Oh yes, I'm sorry." Chloe said rushing off the elevator to catch up with Belle.
"Brady, come on in." Craig said as he held his front door open for a beaming Brady.
"Brady Black," Nancy Wesley said enveloping him in a hug, she was a robust woman with warm auburn hair, "You look like the cat the ate the canary."
"Oh, Mrs. Wesley, I think I ate the whole damn flock." Brady just couldn't stop grinning, he had been grinning so much his face was starting to hurt.
"Oh really?" Craig said wondering what could have possibly happened since they had spoken earlier.
"Yes, Dr. Wesley."
"Brady, how many times over the years have I told you to call us Craig and Nancy?" Nancy said pulling him to the couch to sit down, Craig followed and sat down too. "Now tell us about this flock of canaries."
"Oh she's amazing!"
"Oh so this is about a girl." Craig said his interest piqued.
"Oh not just any girl... THE girl." Brady said with certainty
"This sounds serious, I've never heard you talk about a girl like that." Nancy said, what made Brady happy made her happy, she and Craig both loved him like a son. When they had entered his live at the time of his first change, Brady had instantly filled that void that the loss of her and Craig's daughter caused a few years before.
"I am very serious, this is very serious, there will never be another for me." Brady said looking into their love filled faces, "I can't wait to take her running in the moonlight."
Both Craig and Nancy looked at him with astonishment, then Craig asked, "Wait a minute Brady, are you saying that she is a lycan?"
"Yes..."
