Chapter Fifteen

Written by Daphne

Billie unconsciously wet her lips. "Uh, what am I wearing tonight?" She echoed Bo's question. Her skin tingled where his arm rested against hers. "Oh, I don't know... but the invitation did say to dress in formal attire."

"In other words, I'll be stuck in a penguin suit, and if I know you, you'll be decked out in something very tight and very sexy." Bo's voice was low and husky and his eyes were locked on hers.

"Oh, Bo," she whispered breathlessly. He was so close that she could easily lean over and press her plump lips to his. She hadn't kissed him in so many years and she wondered if his mouth was still as warm and inviting as she remembered.

Bo's hand covered hers and he gently stroked the skin of her fingers. "Billie, I -" He broke off when Carly suddenly appeared in the doorway.

Carly's eyes went wide at the sight of them huddled together on the sofa. "Oh uh... I'll come back."

Bo quickly jumped to his feet. "Don't go, Carly."

Billie's heart thudded painfully in her chest as Bo riveted all his attention on Carly. Billie felt like such an idiot for thinking Bo might have actually wanted to kiss her. He hadn't been interested in her in that way in decades.

Bo cleared his throat. "Carly, are you alright? I thought you were resting," he said.

"I was... but I had such a terrible dream."

"What was it about?" Bo asked.

She looked terribly sad and remorseful. "I dreamt Lawrence was alive... Blood poured from his chest and his arms were outstretched to me. His lips were white and his face was so very pale. He kept asking me over and over again, 'why, Katerina, why? Why did you ever let me go?'" She shivered. "I couldn't go back to sleep after that."

"God, that sounds awful," Billie said.

Carly nodded. "It was ... Being back in Salem again... It's brought so many feelings up to the surface. I am nervous about seeing Nicholas tonight. He knows what I did to his father. I can't figure out for the life of me why he is throwing a party, now of all times; let alone why he invited me to it. He should be furious with me."

"We'll find out what's going on," Bo promised. "You and Billie … just promise you'll both stick close to me tonight."

"You act like we're in danger from Carly's son," Billie said.

"Not from Nicholas, no," Bo said. "But from someone else, maybe … Something about this whole thing feels -"

"Sinister," Carly filled in. "I feel it too. Whatever my son is mixed up in, I have to extract him from it now - before it's too late. I can't lose him."

"You won't lose him," Bo assured her. "I'll help you out in any way I can."

Billie looked between her ex and his ex. "I'll help out too," she said quietly.

xoxox

Cassie's incredibly handsome new friend Nicholas had given her free reign of the gigantic mansion, with one exception. He asked her to stay away from the fourth floor. He explained that everything up there was in a complete state of disrepair. "It's very drafty and dusty, and the floorboards are so old, they are coming apart in certain places. For your own safety, I have to request that you don't go up there until the whole space is renovated."

Cassie agreed to his request as she was not about to upset her generous host. Still, she couldn't help but think that there was a certain air of mystery surrounding the estate; like something out of one of those old gothic movies Rex would watch from time to time.

Just the thought of her brother had her hopping mad all over again. How could he still want to be with that loser Mimi after all the pain she had caused him? Why couldn't he see how bad that little blonde was for him?

Not wanting Nicholas to see the full brunt of her anger, she made an excuse to go up to her room and fix her face before the party guests started to arrive.

She had chosen a huge, expensively furnished room on the third floor; decorated with lush, velvet draperies and an old-fashioned four poster bed she could imagine happily rolling around in for hours.

She picked up her make up case and started to rifle through the tubes of lipstick, rouge, and mascara. She wanted to look especially gorgeous tonight. Not only because she wanted to impress Nicholas, but also because she wanted everyone to know she was having the best time, even without her twin present. Salem was a gossipy little town. Anything she did tonight would certainly reach Rex's ears and she needed him to know she was doing just fine without him.

As she traced her pouty lips with a red-tipped pencil, she couldn't help but glance over at her cell phone. There were no texts or phone calls. Not from Rex, anyway. He really was upset with her, wasn't he? She sighed. "Oh well, Cassie, he made his choice. If he chooses to let 'Meems' into his life again, it's on him. You did try to warn him she'll only break his heart again."

She sniffled. The thought of Rex, her twin; her other half; possibly resenting her forever suddenly seemed almost too much to bear. She told herself not to cry. Cassie Brady did not cry. She would not let herself be so pathetic.

She blinked furiously and dabbed at her long, thick eyelashes. She couldn't think about Rex and Mimi a second longer, for her own sanity's sake.

She spun away from the large vanity mirror and moved over to her suitcase. She searched inside it for something appropriate to wear to tonight's event, but all she had brought with her were a few mini skirts and one sparkly red number cut up to there. It was hardly fit for polite company, but it was the only thing she had on hand.

She peeled off her top and reached for the dress. She suddenly froze in place when she heard a soft scraping noise above her. She looked upwards. The sounds were clearly coming from upstairs. From the fourth floor.

"What the – Is that rats? Are there rats up there?" Damn, she hated rats.

She cocked her head and strained her ears to hear. Heavy footsteps creaked over floorboards. "That can't rats. Rats don't make that much noise."

Cassie wondered why Nicholas would warn her away from the fourth floor, but then go up there himself. Unless it wasn't him up there at all. Maybe it was his manservant - Igor, or Isaiah, or whatever his name was. Or maybe, it was somebody else entirely. The thought tickled the corners of her brain.

Without thinking, she stomped to the door of her room, planning to go upstairs. She needed to know who was moving around up there.

She ripped open the door and found herself staring into the handsome, surprised face of Nicholas Alamain. His eyes briefly swept over her breasts and she realized she wasn't wearing a shirt. She noted his appreciative expression.

"Oh, hello, Nicholas," she greeted him with a sultry smile. She leaned against the doorjamb. She was not the shy type. Far from it, actually. "Did you need me for something?"

Nicholas darted his tongue quickly over his lips. He loudly cleared his throat. "Actually, I wanted to give you something."

I just bet you do, she thought, settling one hand on her lean hip.

He flushed ever so slightly, and she smiled like the Cheshire cat. He was so good looking. She liked that she could ruffle his feathers just a little. He coughed. "Uh, well, I wasn't sure if you had a dress to wear tonight or not, so I took the liberty of having Ivan pick one up for you at Gabi Chic."

"You really shouldn't have done that. You've done too much for me already."

"You are helping me out with this party. It's the least I can do."

"That's hardly a fair trade." She smirked. "Now I guess I have to give you something in return."

He stared into her eyes for a long moment before he turned away. "You don't. Really, it's a gift without any strings attached."

He unhooked a garment bag from behind his shoulder and held it out to her. She brushed the tips of his fingers and his eyes turned smoky. She grinned at him.

"I hope it fits," he said. "I had to guess your size. I told Ivan not to pick out anything garish. He assures me the saleswoman at the boutique helped him find a gown that would, and I quote, 'make any mademoiselle feel like a princess'."

"In that case, I have to see it!" she enthused. She unzipped the white garment bag and pulled out the dress. It was a long, silky black number that looked to have arrived straight from the runway in Paris. "Ohmigod."

"Do you like it?"

"Oh no… I love it," Cassie said. "It's perfect." She checked the tag. "And it's my size! Thank you so much."

"I'm glad you like it." Nicholas backed up towards the hallway. "I'll let you get dressed."

Cassie suddenly remembered where she had been headed before she ran into Nicholas. "Nicholas?" She called after him.

"Yes, Cassie?"

"That guy, Ivan… Is he the only person living here? I mean, is there anyone else here besides you and me?"

Nicholas shook his head. "No, it's just the three of us," he said. He quickly closed the door, but not before Cassie had seen the truth in his pretty eyes.

He had lied to her. There was someone else on the property. Someone he didn't want her to know about.

Who could it be, and why was their presence such a big secret?

Xoxox

Ivan stood in the kitchen, anxiously shuffling his feet, as he poured champagne into fine crystal goblets. A terrible storm of guilt rumbled in his stomach. What was he doing? Nicholas had been very kind to him and to betray him this way… How could Ivan spit on the young man like this?

And yet, he knew his heart wanted what it always wanted. Vivian. He would do anything to appease his beloved and she wanted revenge. Tonight, he knew, she would try to get it too.

The backdoor slowly opened and Vivian herself skulked into the room. Ivan's eyes went wide. "What are you doing here, Madame? If the young Mr. Alamain sees you- "

"He won't see me, Ivan," she assured him. She shut the door and peered over his shoulder at the goblets filled to the brim with frothy liquid. "Not until the time is absolutely right. Now tell me, Ivan. Have you found him yet?"

"Nicholas?"

"Don't be daft, Ivan. You know exactly who I am talking about. Is he already here? He escaped well over a week ago. He's had more than enough time to get back to Salem. He won't be able to resist coming back here and trying to warn his precious little 'Katerina' about what I have in store for her."

"I haven't seen him," Ivan said. His eyes gouged out as Vivian withdrew a large pistol from her handbag. "Vivian, no! You can't -"

"Kill Carly?" Vivian's eyes gleamed wickedly. "Of course, I can. And I will. You didn't really think I came all this way to have a tea party with her, did you? I am finally going to get rid of her. Once and for all."

Ivan shook his head. "I don't like the sound of this."

"Don't worry, Ivan. Everything will be fine. Now," she said, almost lovingly pressing her palm to his cheek, "are you ready for tonight's festivities?"

He shook his head. "How can I be ready when I know what you're planning to do?"

"Ivan, my faithful servant, stop worrying so much." She dropped her hand from his cheek and fished around in her handbag. He expected her to withdraw another weapon from it's silken depths, but instead, she extracted a small bag of something that almost looked like spices.

"Is that -?"

Vivian nodded. "Why, yes, it is. Sprinkle it in that glass over there and make sure when the time comes, that it makes it to the intended person."