Chapter Eight

The lift doors opened as Peter and Charlie ran down the hallway and headed toward the lobby. Peter skidded to a halt and Charlie nearly slammed into his back as Peter scanned the lobby for any sign of Cassandra. He didn't know why but he felt like she was in danger when something flew overhead and a loud squawking sound made him look up. Sitting on one of the poles that had the banner promoting his show was Cross and Peter pointed. He held his wrist out as Cross looked down at him and flew to his wrist. Peter was surprised that Cross didn't dig its talons into his wrist as he looked at the falcon and Cross titled its head side to side.

"Where is….?" Peter asked when he heard a woman screaming and looked toward the people, who were watching as Cassandra came running through the lobby and she was looking behind her. Cassandra had ran after whoever that man was took another step and she saw him running after her. She pumped her legs faster then stopped when the man stood in front of her and his red eyes shimmered in the blackness in his eyes.

"Stay away from me!" she shouted as the man moved closer and softly smiled.

"Now why would I want to do that?" he asked while Peter flicked his wrist and Cross flew into the air. The falcon screeched as the man turned then hissed and ran off. Cross flew to Cassandra as she held her wrist out and Cross landed on her wrist. Peter and Charlie ran toward her as Peter told the security guards that he would handle it and stopped in front of Cassandra.

"Are you alright?" Peter asked as he took Cross off her wrist and pointed for Charlie to hold his wrist up. Charlie held his wrist up while Peter placed Cross on Charlie's wrist then wrapped his arms around Cassandra. He placed her head against his chest when he felt her body go limp and he looked down, seeing that she had fainted. Carefully, he picked her up then shook his head as they walked across the lobby and headed for the lift.

Cross' screeching echoed in her head when Cassandra softly moaned then rolled onto her side and sighed.

"Shut up," she mumbled then opened her eyes and blinked her eyes a few times. Sitting up, Cassandra pulled up the black duvet with golden silk leaves stitched on it and looked around the bedroom. The ceiling and walls were black with silver and gold leaves and branches shimmering against the black paint and the black curtains hung in front of the windows. The overhead lights were on as she looked up at the in ceiling lights and blinked. The furniture was made of black wood and had gold handles and a black carpet spread over the floor. There were two doors but both were closed and a wide variety of crosses were nailed to the walls. The only color in the room came from the paintings on the walls and the white marble pots in the corners of the room. She wasn't sure if the plants in the white marble pots were real as she looked at them then looked at the bedding. The sheets were a black silk as well as the pillow cases and the four poster bed was made of a black wood. Above the bed was a gold dragon with its head chasing its tail and the eyes of the dragon were blood red. Cross was perched on the head of the gold dragon as it screeched and she hushed the falcon.

"Where am I?" she whispered when the bed moved and she jumped, looking to her right. Peter was lying on his side on top of the duvet as she looked at him and some of his chocolate brown hair was in his eyes. She remembered looking into his chocolate brown eyes after he wrapped his arms around her and she saw the same sadness that she had seen in Peter Vincent's eyes. "No, it can't be."

Peter softly sighed when his eyes slowly opened and he looked up at her. Blinking his eyes a few times, he smiled at her when he stretched and yawned. Cross screeched as he looked up at the falcon, sat up and held his wrist up.

"Come down from there, Tweety. The last thing I need is falcon shit on my silk sheets," he said with a small smile when Cross flew down and landed on his wrist.

"Did you…Did you just call him "Tweety"?" Cassandra asked.

"Shit," he said as she touched his arm and he looked at him.

"Peter?" she asked and he nodded his head.

"You have to remember that I'm an illusionist. Nearly everything about me is a lie," he said as he gently brought his legs up and stroked Cross' chest.

"Well, I can see how walking around like that would make you stand out in a crowd," she teased and he slightly smiled.

"Yeah, when I'm out of makeup and wearing normal clothes, I can walk around the casino and no one bother's me," he said with a nod of his head then looked at her and sighed. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok. Who was that?"

"Now that might be hard to believe but I think it was a vampire," he said and she gave him a suspicious look.

"Vampires aren't real," she said and he sighed, stroking the top of Cross' head.

"Believe me. Vampires are very real!"

"And how do you know?" she asked as she tilted her head to one side and crossed her arms under her breasts. That was when she noticed that she was only wearing a black, silk shirt and gave him a stunned look. "You…you undressed me?"

"Well, no, I just loaned you my shirt. Charlie's mom did the rest."

"Who's Charlie and why did his mother have to undress me?" she asked with a slight angry tone to her voice and he smiled.

"Charlie is…well, he is my apprentice of sorts and he and his mother live with me," Peter said and hoped she would believe him. He was glad when she nodded her head for him to continue and he brushed his fingers through his hair, making it stand up on his head. "You fainted and the only place I could think of to take you where that bastard could follow was up here."

"And where are we exactly?"

"This is my penthouse," he said and she nodded her head.

"And you slept…?" she said with a nod toward the bed and he softly smiled, got up of the bed, walked to the high back chair that was sitting near the door and placed Cross on top of the chair. She noticed that he was still wearing the clothes her wore the night before and he walked back to the bed, lying down on his back. "Thank you."

"Heh, no problem," he said and she noticed the dimples when he smiled. "So, are you hungry? Jane, Charlie's mom, makes a great tomato and cheese omelet."

Cassandra covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh at him wiggling his eyebrows up and down and he placed his hands behind his head. With a nod of her head, she watched him get up then head for the bathroom and opened the door. He turned the light on when he gestured with his hands for her to get up and get going and she laughed, moved the duvet back and got up, walking to the bathroom. She gave him a snotty look as she walked into the bathroom then closed the door behind her and he smiled, rolling his eyes and shook his head.

The smell of food cooking filled her nose as Cassandra walked down the stairs and slightly yelped at the cold floor. She looked around the living room when she walked to the window and looked out at the city. She had never seen Las Vegas from that high up as she smiled and place her hand on the glass. Even though it was early, the glass was warm and she felt the warmth wrapping around her. She thought about how nice it felt to wake next to Peter and how his long lashes feathered over his cheeks. She had noticed the scattering of freckles on his face and how peaceful he looked. Peter's reflection appeared in the glass as she turned around and he softly smiled at her. Cross was sitting on his shoulder as Cassandra tried not to laugh and he reached up and stroked Cross's wing.

"Looks like you made a friend. Cross doesn't like most people," she said and Peter looked at Cross, who butted its head against the side of Peter's head and made a soft cooing sound.

"Yeah, looks like," Peter said with a nod of his head then held his hand out and she placed her hand in his. His long fingers folded over her fingers as he led her to the kitchen and Jane and Charlie smiled at her. Charlie was sitting at the table while Jane placed the plates on the table and Peter placed his hand on Cassandra's shoulder. "Jane and Charlie Brewster, this is Cassandra Lake. Sassy Cassy, this is Charlie and his mother, Jane."

"Don't call me that," Cassandra said with a cool tone to her voice and Charlie softly laughed.

"Yes, Peter, that's rude," Jane said as Peter gave her a stunned look then rolled his eyes, smiled and nodded his head.

"Sorry!" he said with a snooty tone and everyone laughed. He pulled the chair out so Cassandra could sit then moved the chair in and Charlie looked at Cross sitting on Peter's shoulder and smiled. Peter looked at him then arched his eyebrows up and placed his hands on his hips. "What?"

"Shouldn't that be a parrot?" Charlie teased while pointing at Cross with the fork in his hand when Cross hopped off Peter's shoulder, walked across the table then stood near Charlie's plate and Charlie looked at him. Before anyone could move, Cross carefully climbed onto the plate, pooped on the eggs on the plate, gave Charlie a stern look then flew back to Peter's shoulder and gently dug its talons into Peter's shoulder. "Oh gross!"

"Guess he told you," Peter said as Cassandra and Jane laughed then Jane went to get Charlie a new breakfast and Peter stroked Cross' wing.