Alec

5. LOST IN STEREO

The next day I slept in late due to jet lag. It was well into the late afternoon by the time I awoke and Alec was gone. He left a note on the pillow next to mine with a small black box and a single blood red rose in mid-bloom along with it. Gently a picked up the note and unfolded it to his delicate, clean handwriting.

Annabelle,

I'm away on business today but I will be back by nightfall to take you out and get some things for your room. Heidi will see to you today and give you a tour of the castle as well as get you some proper clothing. You mean the world to me, and that little box next to you is one of many to come. Wear it with pride, it belonged o my mother.

Yours Always and Forever,

Alec

I smiled wondering what I had done to deserve him. He wasn't as bad as they said he was at heart, but he had to do everything that he could to defend his family. I opened he box slowly and gasped. There inside lay a beautiful ruby shaped into that of a heart surrounded by a cluster of diamonds, all set in gold and laced with a golden chain that was twirled into an intricate twist.

"Oh my-" I started but a knock at the door interrupted my epiphany. "Yes?"

The door opened to reveal a beautiful woman, obviously a vampire by the way her skin sparkled and how her blood red eyes shined. She was graceful and deadly but at the same time welcoming. Her dress was that of a really short red skirt and a white dress shirt. Almost like a candy cane. I also noticed the rack of clothes that she brought with her. I mean a whole rack, as if she had stolen it from a store. My eyes widened. Crap.

"Oh… Hello." I slid off the bed and realized that I was still in my old rumpled clothes from yesterday. I blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry. I just woke up. You must be Heidi."

"Yes," She smiled at me and presented the rack of clothes to me. "We're going out this evening to get you some clothes but for now you can borrow a few of mine. I'm sure that you already know that you have quite a full schedule today."

"Yes," I said absent mindedly, looking back at the necklace and note. "I guess so."

I got up from the bed to look at all the clothes and my mouth dropped open. If I thought Alice was bad, this was nothing in comparison. This stuff was grandeur, expensive crap, imported from France and other countries. Skirts, shirts and dresses covered the rack from top to bottom. Beautiful pieces of clothing really, and they were for me to wear. At that point Heidi's cell phone rang, and quickly answered, talking swift and low. She took my hand and then put it down again, pointing to the rack. I picked out a pair of juicy couture jeans and a beautiful teal blue peasant top that went down mid-thigh, like most of my other shirts. 'At least there is some American brands that I actually know' I thought. I also selected a pair of undergarments from one of my suitcases and while Heidi's back was turned a quickly got changed into those clothes.

"Okay," Heidi hung up the phone and turned to me. "Nice, not bad kid, but this is Italy, and you will soon be royalty. That means you will have to start dressing like it."

I cringed. Maybe there is an Alice in every family. She grabbed my hand as I managed to snatch my beautiful rose from the bed, and traipsed off with me in tow. Down several hallways and corridors, I easily got lost within the first minute of stumbling behind Heidi, nearly breaking my ankle.

"Slow down Heidi, please!" I panted.

"Oh," she slowed her pace. "I forget that you're human."

"Thanks," I grumbled sarcastically. "I really appreciate it."

She snapped her fingers. "Felix, Demetri!"

Immediately the two oafs were there, on either side of me, grinning from ear to ear. I didn't like those smiles. They were really starting to creep me out. Heidi gave them a knowing smile and before I knew it they had picked me up by both of my arms and swinging me around like two crazy vampires on crack. I mean some serious crack.

"WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!!!!" They yelled in unison.

"Let me go !!!!" I screamed.

"Okay!" Felix grinned and they let me go. . . Sending me flying.

I screamed as I neared my very early death and was caught right before I hit the wall by some unknown savior. We landed next to Heidi and the two monkeys laughing hysterically on the floor. I glared at them, sending unseen lasers from my eye balls. Which they must have somehow seen cause it just seemed to tickle them instead of doing them the bodily harm I was wishing upon them because they just laughed harder.

"Where is Jane when you need her?" I grouched.

"You two idiots should be more careful. If you get her killed I will personally put you in your graves." A velvet voice lilted from above me, and I looked up in surprise to see Alec.

"A-Alec! I thought you wouldn't be back until nightfall!" I said in delight.

"Have you bothered to look outside?" He sat me down gently, gesturing to a nearby window, where it was turning to dusk outside.

"Oh," I said, and Alec pulled me in closer, handing me the rose that I had lost in the mayhem. "Thank you."

He stepped away to glare at the Felix and Demetri, and I had a feeling they were going to end up hurt later. I felt kind of empty without Alec right by me, even though he was less than five to ten feet away. I twirled the rose in between my thumb and forefinger. Alec had been smart, giving me a rose without any thorns, so as not to prick my finger on one of them. which is something I would do.

"Can we go now?" Heidi asked.

I sighed. Here we go, shopping. This was the point in the day where I wish that I was dead… and not in the vampiric way either.