Fright Night (1985)

Twist of Fate

Chapter Five

by

~GaGa4FrightNight~

~Vendhela~

Three Years Prior

Thea and Dandridge's courtship continued when their typical daily lives ended in the evenings. Thea became an expert dodging Tayte's questions and suspicions. In the evenings when the staff gathered which always included Tayte, Thea scurried off to again secretly meet Jerry. Thea would make certain she was already in bed by the time Tayte retired for the night. It became tedious work continuing her daily chores as if nothing was amiss then in the evenings she was behind a closed and locked door continuing with that secret courtship.

Not until nearly two years into the secret courtship was it finally known by Tayte. An evening that Tayte realized her closest friend, her twin had hidden a secret that could devastate both their lives if it went wrong.

It was nearing the twenty-eighth birthday of the twins. The manor was with many guests who arrived for the first festive party in over fifteen years. Regine was still away, her letters arrived monthly with updates that weren't very pleasant for Jerry to read. His poor beloved sister suffered from an inability to conceive a child no matter the efforts that were being done. There seemed nothing physically wrong with Regine, no real explanation and it seemed even her husband Kristof was fit. Yet, no news of a future child was given. And also, Jerry was brought with other concerns from Regine's monthly letters, a particular woman, Kristof's sister Yolanda.

Every mention of this sister nearly made Jerry cringe. When he was a mere boy in Hungary his parents made an arrangement that Regine was to wed Kristof and he was to marry Yolanda. Yet, when his family fled Hungary upon the beginning of the Ottoman Wars then took refuge in England, they saw fit to make another arrangement, hence he married another. The marriage to a native woman from England was beneficial for their family and the marriage to Yolanda was revoked yet the marriage between Regine and Kristof continued as planned.

Jerry was not simply concerned about that revoked arrangement. Several years prior Yolanda had visited and she had hopes that she would again become arranged as his intended. Still lost in his mourning over his young wife when he too was young, he refused. The refusal was not taken lightly by Yolanda, a fury was ignited within the woman who left the manor without a proposal or promise of marriage. Yolanda returned to their homeland of Hungary with Kristof. But now Yolanda's name was again being written in Regine's letters, claims of oddities about Yolanda were indicated, her indifference had increased even towards Kristof.

Jerry kept those mentions of Yolanda to himself. He refused to allow Yolanda and her strange behavior from disturbing the beauty of what he had with Thea. Yes, it would be simple to again marry another from a wealthy family but that he didn't want. He wanted Thea no matter how frowned upon their relationship would be. No matter her station in life, Thea was more than he could have ever dreamed for a companion and potentially a wife. Yes, his intentions were to eventually make Thea his wife.

In those two years since she agreed to their courtship, his heart came to belong solely to her and that he was content with. And, yes, he knew her heart belonged to him. Yet, there were times he wanted to overstep set boundaries Thea was determined to be kept. His desire grew to bring their courtship into higher levels of passion. Petting and kissing certainly was becoming tiresome when you were simply a man after all and wanted and desired and lusted for so much more.

So, a celebration was held in the Dandridge manor. The guests arrived daily, families from all over the township came and stayed. All different individuals, men and women and their children. Many available women also were presented to Lord Dandridge but he kept his distance from such willing and wanting women. Yet, as the house filled, the guest rooms in both the East and West wings were overflowing, those nightly romances between Thea and Jerry waned.

The evening of the celebration blossomed with a grand dinner in the main dining hall where all the servants were kept busy serving each course and filling wine glasses at a constant pace. The drunkenness grew the more the wine was consumed which meant the staff were on high alert traipsing back and forth from there to the kitchen.

Once dinner ended the festivities spilled into the elaborate ballroom where the blatant mannerisms of the guests were brought to full light.

So many years and Jerry had never been involved in such festivities and felt nearly uncomfortable but kept his poise. He socialized as any good host did, moved about the guests, continued to avoid most of the womanly advances but there were moments he nearly felt trapped. Of course he was considered quite the eligible bachelor and many of the wealthy parents encouraged their daughters to flaunt themselves in hopes to catching his eye. Yet, his eye was always closely watching his only interest who was constantly on the move while weaving through the moving bodies of the guests. His eye was always in search of Thea and each time he caught a glimpse of her a soft smile would form across his lips.

Thea was typical, her sweet charms always pushed forward to keep the guests happy. Yet, there were moments she wished her sweetness wasn't so, moments when crude wandering hands thought their right to intentionally touch or brush against her. Each time she returned to the kitchen she would shiver with disgust and make a quick complaint which would trigger complaints from the other staff. Tayte was a different story, she barely smiled or gave any pleasantries which warded off any advancements from unwanted hands but there were moments some well intoxicated hands mistaken her for Thea. When Tayte returned to the kitchen, her complaints were loud and angry and she would blatantly find herself spitting into the next flute of wine which would get a joyous rise out of the staff.

There came a point in the evening that poor Thea was roughly rammed into by a severely intoxicated female guest, the entire contents of a flute of wine spilled and stained her from bodice to skirt hem. She rushed off after the woman blatantly laughed at the mishap. She stormed through the kitchen and shouted she had to change, her pretty pale green dress ruined by the red wine. She marched into the servant's corridor and stomped angrily already in process of unraveling the petite ribbon of the bodice.

She entered the room she shared with Tayte, complained under her grumbled breaths. She back kicked the door closed and continued removing the stiff bodice. She paused to remove the stained skirting, left both pieces on the floor, then marched to the porcelain water basin. She hated the stink of stout wine and eagerly soaked and wrung a cloth then began to clean the sticky sweetness from the bare portion of her chest. Her face twisted with disgust then made mocking faces towards the crude woman who caused the mishap. "Clumsy oaf." she grumbled.

A knock sounded on the door.

She guessed it was Tayte checking up on her and without looking to the door called out, "Come in!" she continued to scrub away the stench of wine and heard the door come open then loudly complained, "She did not even bother to give an apology, not a damned word." she paid no attention as the door clicked closed, "The dress is likely ruined, my favorite it was too." She softly pouted.

"A new dress you will have." Jerry spoke up.

Thea loudly gasped upon hearing Jerry's voice then she spun around with her eyes wide with surprise. "What are you doing in here?!" she loudly asked then quickly panicked, stood only in her corset and pantaloons and white stockings and slippers. She quickly looked around the small room and darted for the bed to snatch up the blanket to cover herself. "You should not be here!" she said with panic clear in her voice.

Jerry chuckled as he watched her scramble across the short distance to the bed. Again he laughed the moment she fought to tug the bed linen free. "I came to make certain you were alright." he stated with his smile broad, "I witnessed what happened and apologize on behalf of my intoxicated guest."

She stumbled back the moment the blanket jerked free from it's firm tuck then clumsily wrapped herself. "Still, it is quite improper for you to have come into my room." she said, wrapped her arms over her chest to keep the blanket up, "Tayte could happen in at any moment, she I thought you were."

"I knocked." he stated a fact then reminded her, "Then you granted me permission to enter." He thought she looked positively lovely in such a panicked state.

He stepped forward away from the door, admired her wide nervous eyes. "And aye," he spoke, "Quite a shame about the dress, that shade of green I am quite fond of when worn by you."

She stood frozen and awkward. Yes, many times they had kissed and petted but not once had she ever been that undressed before him, actually never. "It is not wise, you should leave before Tayte decided to check on me too." she urged him but he continued to step forward with his hands tucked behind him, "There is much work to still be had this evening and I must redress and return."

He stepped before her. "Not a single one will notice your absence nor mine." he said with an admiring glint in his eyes, "Nothing but chaos at the moment and I have undoubtedly made my many rounds as host. Besides," he brought his hands from behind his back, "It has been days since we have been alone. Shall we not take advantage of this moment?"

She recognized the glimmer in his eyes as they shifted from her face and glanced down studying her entirely. "Tayte will take notice, that I am certain." she stated, "And you were the wise lord who decided to put on these festivities which obviously has, aye, made it impossible for we to be alone. Sacrifices, My Lord, is that not what is needed during times of hosting guests?"

"Aye, but no more sacrifices at this very moment." he countered, knew she was truly fearful of being caught by Tayte, the more stern of the two of them, "A simple drop of the latch and not a single one could enter."

She shook her head, he was stubborn and persistent. "You must leave." she tried to stay firm then mumbled, "Latched the door, I should have."

"Oh," he laughed, "That is rather offensive."

"Is not," she quickly argued, "Would have been smart then we would not be in this awkward situation of possibly being caught by my sister."

"Okay, I will latch the door." he said with a grin and quickly turned then took the few steps to the door.

"No, do not!" she whined then heard the latch dropped, "Oh but you did."

He turned on his boots then coyly grinned and confessed, "Aye, I did."

She huffed then again shook her head. "Why must you be difficult?" she asked, "Are not things complicated enough?"

"No," he quipped then again stepped towards her and pulled back his black satin overcoat, "Let us make it all the more complicated, hmm."

"You, My Lord, are doing that quite well at this very moment." she commented as her hands tightly gripped the blanket, "If I did not know any better, seems you enjoy heightening complications."

"Aye," he confessed and begun to undo the buttons of the matching black waistcoat.

Her eyes slightly rolled then she commented, "Yet, there lies the problem, another complication for I do not wish to heighten not a thing."

He studied her suspiciously and made his own observation known, "Ah, but you are wrong."

"Am I?" she asked, "And why am I wrong?"

His grin broadened as the vest fell behind him and he stated, "You would be a bit more persistent to have me let you be if you had no wish to complicate things further."

She again huffed, he always managed to turn things around on her. "You will see things your own way." she commented, "For you are stubborn and beyond determined."

"Aye, that I am." he agreed, now stood before her and lifted his hands then grabbed hers, "And I shall be stubborn and beyond determined until I am satisfied with my moment alone with you."

She slightly cringed the moment he pried her hands free from the blanket. "This highly inappropriate, you know this." she tried to firmly state then asked with a little whine, "Why must you be like this?" Her eyes tightly closed the moment the blanket dropped to the floor.

His eyes scanned down at her lovely petite figure more revealed by the undergarments. "Why," he spoke with a sly melody, "Because a long nearly two years and finally the perfect opportunity has arisen that I can admire more of your beauty." His eyes lifted and looked to hers but they remained closed. "I am but tired of imagining what has been hidden beneath those dresses." he confessed, "And I but delighted for what I see before me, very lovely."

She kept her eyes closed as he continued to hold her hands then guided them away.

"Aye, very, very lovely." he said with admiration then leaned down but did not bring his lips against her.

Far too long he wanted to feel her skin against his lips. Very gently he pressed a soft kiss against the exposed top roundness of her left breast. The wine scent was very slight but was enticing to his senses. He shifted his lips and pressed another kiss against the soft flesh of the right lifted breast. He sighed with a pleased smile over his lips as they grazed against her chest, pressed a gently kiss against that prominent cleavage and felt the heave of her chest.

He leaned back and looked to her face. Her cheeks were lovely, blushed a soft pink. "That was not so bad, was it?" he asked her and watched her first nod then shake her head, "Was much more than I had anticipated. You taste quite sweet and the wine undoubtedly enhances that sweetness."

Her eyes remained close then she finally spoke, "Now leave."

He laughed then refused, "No."

Her eyes snapped open then frowned. She asked with a whine, "And why not?"

"Is it not obvious?" he asked her in return then stated, "I have only just begun to enjoy my moment alone with you."

She softly pouted then asked, "How much more enjoyment are you suggesting?"

"Oh, much, much more." he answered with confidence, "Shall we continue?"

"No," she quickly answered.

"Aye," he countered then swiftly moved forward and gathered her hands behind her. He looked down into her lovely hazel eyes. "To pleasure you shall bring me much joy." he blatantly confessed and watched her eyes widen with surprise, "I have but wanted nothing more than to give you the pleasure you so deserve."

"Ah," she mumbled, "You cannot do that."

"Aye, but I can and that I am confident." he said with true confidence, "Have you not ever known what it is to be pleasured?"

Her eyes frowned, his blatant speaking towards such intimacy was nearly shocking. "I..." she again mumbled, "I, well…"

He grinned more, found her innocent fumbling with words charming. "You have not ever pleasured yourself?" he inquired and watched her eyes again look to him with further shock, "Have you not thought of me when alone and felt excitement from those thoughts?"

"What?" she asked, had no idea how to respond to such crude questions.

"Hmm," he hummed then asked, "Thoughts of me do not excite you then?"

She again startled from his question then spat out, "I know not what you want me to say?"

"The truth." he simply replied, "Have you not thought of me in these two years?"

"Aye I have, of course." she quickly replied.

"Well, have these thoughts brought you any excitement?" he asked, loved each of her confused and struggled expression.

"I do not know." she confessed, knew what he was implying but didn't want to admit anything.

"When I kiss you, is there excitement?" he inquired, curious how he effected her.

"Aye," she quickly answered.

He leaned down, brushed his lips along the side of her heated face then paused at her ear. "Excite you, does this?" he slyly asked, his hands held hers firm against the small of her back, felt her fingers nervously fidget.

"Um," she mumbled, her breaths were deep and heart raced and entire body felt flushed.

He lightly kissed against her earlobe and felt her slightly shudder then asked, "Does this?" He gently suckled her earlobe.

She again squeezed her eyes closed then mumbled, "You must stop."

He again grinned then cunning whispered in question, "Why because I excite you, hmm?"

"Ah, I… you..." she couldn't stop mumbling. The very heat of his breath against her ear sent odd trembles over her entire body. She twisted her hands in his, wanted to free them so she could give him a shove back. Again she tried to speak, "You… Aye, just stop."

He had waited for quite some time for more excitement from her which in turn raised the bar of his own. He licked his lips, his eyes shifted as he leaned back then looked to her struggled expression. He recognized the expression, the effects of his actions and words were taunting her with temptation. His hands released hers but before she could gain leverage to shove him back, he planted a firm hand against the corseted small of her back and pressed her tight against him.

She desperately wanted to deny any type of excitement which was highly inappropriate. Her hands pressed flat against his chest, felt each of his deep breaths of excitement and the strong beat of his heart. She turned her head and held her eyes closed. Always his handsome face heightened those nagging temptations. The touch of his hand brushed against the side of her exposed neck, she shuddered and again felt a flush of heat ripple over her entire body. She clenched her jaw in response to the grazed of his fingertips as they traced along the shape of her collarbone then trailed down against the plump lift of her breast. A little strained whine sounded.

His eyes eagerly studied where his fingertips touched. "You exhaust me." he cunningly commented then lightly touched the tip of his tongue between his lips then elaborated, "Thoughts of you bring me to near exhaustion," his eyes continued to follow the motion of his fingertips then lifted the moment his fingers aimed down pressed against the stiff corset, "Yet, I am incapable of ceasing those thoughts and so I am left with no other option to satisfy the excitement every one of those thoughts provoke."

Her breaths heightened and heart raced. His words were beyond suggestive yet continued to strike her with raised excitement. Yes, many times she had experienced an abundance of heart pounding excitement every time they kissed and subtly touched but the current situation had developed into a whole other level. "Please," she managed to whine, fearful of how far the situation had gone and if it would go even further.

He again leaned down and brought his lips against her ear. He felt her hands tightly fist handfuls of his white ruffled shirt. Her body tensed against his. "Much pleasure I have given myself in honor of thoughts of you." he stated, his voice soft and heated, "Now, to pleasure you is my wish." His eyes closed and again heard her gasp. His head turned and his lips firmly pressed against the side of her neck. Again she gasped with a tremble. He brought his left hand from her back then maneuvered and firmly gripped the base of her neck. His right hand firmly slid back over her narrow waist and pressed down against the soft flesh loosely covered by the simple white pantaloons, nudged her firmer again him.

Her mind reeled and spun out of control. Never had she felt anything remotely as she did in that very moment. She was frightened and excited and nearly euphoric all at the same time. Was it wrong? Was it right? Her mind and body were conflicted to a nearly dizzying effect. Her eyes fluttered against the effects of everything. Felt the heat of his hands burn against her skin. Each kiss and suckle from his lips against the flesh of her neck triggered more of those confusing sensations.

She heavily breathed, "Need to…" she gasped, "Stop." She was taught his actions were wrong yet she was confused for they didn't feel wrong. Then he stopped his kisses and she felt her body relax. She leaned against him, felt weak and exhausted from such a tremendous physical and willful struggle, and desperately tried to catch her breath.

He was far from finished, there was a desire to personally deliver her into knowing pleasure unlike she had ever thought or known. His left hand combed his fingers deep into her bundled brown hair then gently gripped. He nudged her head back from his shoulder and his eyes made quick study of her heavenly expression riddled with conflict and pleasure. Swiftly his lips passionately buried against hers, felt her soft groan, and kissed deeply without unrelenting.

From that spot on the floor he swiftly shifted then guided her down against the bed, she gasped in surprise. Her hands continued to grip his shirt as if for dear life. She drowned beneath the strength and passion of his kiss. She softly whined the moment his right hand firmly gripped under the roundness of her rear, his fingertips pressed nearly guiding her arched upward off the messed bed. His lips kissed from hers, kiss after firm kiss along the slope of her neck, against the curve of her collarbone then again found the sensitive prominent flesh of her breast. More aggressively his lips kissed and tasted her wine scented breast as his hand kneaded the equally supple flesh of her rear. Her body overcame her mind and the conflict was nearly resolved.

His fingers curled and pressed their tips against her then with a firm graze his hand trailed over the curve of her hip. His lips lavished further attention over her sweetly perfumed chest. Her soft tones became frequent, told his success in giving her the pleasure she so deserved and he desired to give. His hand effortlessly discovered beyond those set boundaries, her gasp was loud with a multitude of emotions. Further he pushed beyond those boundaries, boundaries in which no other man had ever gone, where only he claimed discovery. The further he went the sweeter her song became.

Her conflict was still there, her hands released his shirt and fumbled frantically in attempt to stop him, to stop herself. Her head twisted to the side and eyes squeezed tightly closed. Her arms dropped down and her hands swiftly fisted the sheet.

His lips were again smothering kisses along the slope of her strained neck as his left hand tightly gripped the back thickness of her hair. Her body struggled against the strength of the pleasures that built layer by layer in effort to overpower her. Her head continuously spun out of control. She was consumed mind and body and all her attention drew focus solely on the newly discovered meaning to pleasure. She allowed herself to be conquered by pleasure for that threshold was crossed and there was no returning until the end was met by his giving.

He rose up and focused his eyes on the undoubted expression of pure pleasure that was etched throughout every detail of her features. Her lovely full mouth softly gaped and released soft gasps and whines. Her eyes were squeeze tightly closed, the strain across her brows expressed the truth that his goal would soon be met. His eyes scanned from her face down, studied in detail every slight motion of her body's responses to pleasure, the pleasure he was giving. Every deep expansion of her chest and gently motion of her hips proved his near success, the success not yet achieved.

Such a long time it had been since he witnessed the beauty of a woman in the midst of sublime pleasure that was driven by him. Yes, throughout those miserable years of existence he had women, bar wenches of all sorts. Yet, those women he wasn't aimed to please. He used those women to temporarily blind him to his pain when in the end the pain remained. The pain, misery, and heavy sorrow hadn't left until the moment he opened his eyes and clearly saw the most beautiful of visions, her. And now, that vision of beauty was surpassed by the throws of delivering her the first experience of sweet divinity known as physical pleasure.

Again he brought his lips firmly against hers, desired to feel and taste the moment she completely surrendered to pleasure. He felt her struggle to return the passion of his, her lips trembled as her breaths were erratic. He recognized the signs, her back arched followed by her body stiffening as she held her breath. Such a sweet ending sounded passed her full mouth against his. Yes, there was no pleasure greater than knowing another's was given so successfully. There was no sweeter reward than her final bodily reaction to the strength of his success. And the aftereffects were just as wondrous. The soft sighs she made within steady heavy breaths was heavenly. The nearly uncontrollable trembles throughout her overtaken body, so delightful to be felt.

His eyes opened and again he studied her expression, the tension gone yet her face was beautifully flushed. His lips feathery as they brushed against hers, indulged in the soft kisses from each of her nearly panted breaths. He sighed, "I love you."

What happened? She was dazed yet she heard his sweet words clearly. She lazily licked her lips then pressed them together. Her eyes fluttered open and looked directly into his rich brown eyes. "Aye," she managed to speak through the daze, "I love you, too." Her lips formed a slight smile. What happened, had it now changed the meaning of what they were? Her eyes softly frowned with question. They weren't married. Did all courting couples conduct themselves I that manner?

He saw the question in her eyes and asked, "What is the matter?"

She slightly shook her head, unsure if those questions should be asked. "Nothing." she lied. She released her tight grip of the bed then lifted her trembling hands and rested them against the sides of his so very handsome face. In his eyes she could clearly read he loved her but would that love eventually lead where she believed it should, marriage? Or would they have no choice to continue as they had in secret? "Nothing," she repeated then guided him down to again delivered his amazing mouth against hers.

Tayte heard the troublesome news of Thea's mishap with one of the overly drunken guests. She knew her sister was quite a sensitive spirit and left the kitchen to check on Thea. She imagined her poor sweet twin pouting in their chamber upset about the obvious rudeness of the culprit guest. She moved down the servant's corridor preparing an uplifting speech in her head. She wished Thea was less sensitive, wished she was more like her with a tough skin. She continued down the corridor then heard voices. She paused and looked down the stretch at the far end.

Tayte's eyes widened with surprise the moment she watched Lord Dandridge step out from the chamber she and Thea's shared. Her eyes quickly shifted then she darted to the right and tucked within a sunken entryway to conceal herself. She peered with one eye and watched the lord turn and face the chamber doorway. Her eyes grew wider and lips gaped in shock the moment Thea stepped into view wearing only her underthings. Her lips angrily pressed together as her eyes narrowed, watched her darling sister share a very intimate kiss with their lord.

The two deceivers parted, Tayte ducked deeper into the entryway and pressed back against the wall. She listened to the lord's boots move down the corridor, louder as he came closer. Her eyes remained narrowed then watched him obliviously stroll passed while buttoning his overcoat. She leaned to the side and watched as he vanished, apparently returning as host after doing god knows what with her sister.

Her nostrils flared then she stepped out from hiding. She rushed down the corridor focused on the closed chamber door. She didn't bother knocking and shoved into the room just as Thea begun the task of putting on another dress. She slammed the door just as Thea looked to her, it became apparent Thea knew she was caught.

Tayte stormed the short distance then with anger, swung and struck the face identical to hers. "How dare you!" she loudly scolded her sister, "Are you now his whore?!"

Thea dropped back seated on the bed with her hand pressed against the struck side of her face. Her eyes were fearful of her sister's fury filled expression. "No!" she loudly denied.

"Liar, I saw you!" Tayte accusingly yelled, "You in your underthings kissing him outside our chamber door!" she aimed her finger at Thea, "A whore is what I witnessed!"

"Not a whore!" Thea defensively yelled back, "He be in love with me as I with him!"

"You fool!" Tayte again yelled then struck her sister a second time, "He does not love you! You are a damned fool if you think such a thing!"

Thea sat shocked, her head frozen in the position her sister's violent strike snapped it into.

"A mistress, his whore all you will be!" Tayte continued her ridicule, "Once he finds a suitable bride you will mean not a thing to him but something that occupied his fancies only temporarily!"

"No!" Thea yelled back, pulled herself out of her wounded position, "Not temporary!"

"What?!" Tayte snapped, "How long?!"

Thea straightened her poise and lifted her chin, "It be near two years, since the eve of our twenty-sixth birthday."

"You have been his whore that long and not said a word to me?" Tayte asked, felt beyond betrayed by her own flesh and blood let alone her twin. She frustratingly tossed her arms in the air and turned her back to Thea. "How had I not noticed?" she grumbled to herself. She spun back around and demanded, "End it!"

"No!" Thea refused then rose up, "I will not!" She defiantly shook her head.

"Aye, you will!" Thea again demanded, "This will not go on any further from this night!"

Thea started to fume with her eyes glared at her mirror image then again refused, "No! Continue it shall because I wish so!" she pointed at herself, "A grown woman I am and my decisions I shall make on my own without you dictating them!"

"Grown woman?" Tayte questioned then mockingly laughed, "A grown woman knows better than to attempt whoring above her station! He be a lord and you are..." She watched her sister's face twist with a fury she hadn't ever witness before.

"Say it!" Thea urged Tayte, "Go on, Sister, say that I am, that we are nothing but common servants and that he be too damned good for the likes of me!" She took a step forward and burned her eyes into Tayte's, "You will not stop me from loving him. I shall continue to love him as I have loved him these passed two years."

Thea was fed up, knew that moment would come but didn't want to be told what to do with her life. She shoved Tayte aside and stormed towards the door. "There be no need to explain myself!" she shouted back at her sister. She swung the door open and paused to look back at Tayte then proclaimed, "Sorry I am that you found out this way but no, sorry I am not loving him." She stepped out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

Tayte stood fuming. Her eyes glared blankly forward. She was hurt, she and Thea never kept secrets and that particular secret was kept for two years. Had she noticed a single hint and turned a blind eye? Their sisterly twin bond typically made it easy for her to determine if there were something amiss. Yes, there were moments she thought something askew about Thea but she hadn't suspected it would be something as dire as an affair with Lord Dandridge.

She took a deep breath, slowly turned then sat down on the edge of the bed. Her hand rested against her trembling stomach. Her concerns were great. She sensed there would be nothing but heartbreak and trouble for Thea. How could she not have noticed in two years that her sister was drowning in the depths of a highly scandalous affair? She felt ashamed having not noticed. Her head dropped and eyes closed.

Tayte's eyes opened and she looked to the young man who had been restlessly asleep for most of the time since he was found. She deeply sighed, the troublesome concerns towards Thea and Lord Dandridge remained for three years. Numerous times she begged Thea to put an end to the affair but Thea showed only her stubbornness and determination to continue. She heard the gossip throughout the staff, they all knew about the scandal and spoke of it amongst themselves.

She adjusted the quilt over her lap as she sat in the high back chair. She waited for Thea to arrive and relieve her of the watch over the boy. Yes, she had heard the boy's constant mumblings which always seemed to focus on Lord Dandridge including mentions of blame that sounded ridiculous and so beyond far fetched. She sat studying the young man, wondered where he had come from and how he managed to find his way on the estate. He was a cute young man, eighteen at the most, she guessed. If she were his age, she thought then slightly laughed.

There had never been a man Tayte found attractive. Well, perhaps that was untrue. Her lips formed a slight smile. Yes, there has been maybe one but she had known him for so long that she assumed for him their bond was more along the form of siblings. She took a deep breath and heavily sighed. All her thirty years she focused on the survival of she and Thea and their combined lives. It wasn't until three years prior that she realized, their lives had gone separate ways. Surely they lived together in the same household but Thea's life had become consumed by the lord of the household and now she was an outsider.

Thea, after their confrontation, was given her own chamber. All their lives they shared the same room and bed but now they were separated and it was the lord that had done so. She knew Thea's fantasies would never see no blessing of light. She had a sinking sense that poor Thea would become severely heartbroken and devastated because what lord could marry a common household servant? Yet, it was Thea's choice and she reluctantly stood aside though she never would cease speaking her mind and attempt to convince her sister otherwise.

A knock sounded on the door.

Tayte stiffly rose up out the chair gathering the quilt.

Thea entered carrying a tray of breakfast for the still asleep young man. "Good morning," she cheerfully sang with her usual smile and stepped towards the side of the bed the young man laid, "How be our odd young guest this morn?"

"Asleep as it has been all night." Tayte answered as she stretched her arms then turned for the door and announced, "Aiden shall return at some point this day."

"Okay," Thea sang as she set the tray down on the bedside table.

Tayte nodded then left the room. Their lives and worlds were far distant and words were few.

Thea smiled down at the young man. "Charley Brewster," she chimed, "Breakfast I have brought you."

(Author)

Okie-dokie, now I hope y'all didn't mind the little tid bit of Jerry smexy time with Thea, hey at least it was classy not raunchy and if ya didn't like it.. I hope I didn't scar ya for life! :P Well, now we shall get into the gist of the story involving Charley. I need to add that little back story which explain the rift that was put between Thea and Tayte and Dandridge's developed relationship with Thea. So, buckle up and we shall commence with seeing if Charley's presence can stop our stunning Jerry from becoming a cursed bloodsucker!

Until the next chapter...

FRIGHT NIGHT FOREVA!