Chapter 29

Giantess meets a vampire

A few weeks after their return from Induna's funeral, the phone rang.

Roger reluctantly laid down the report he was reading and answered it.

"Hello?!"

"My name is Anna Karlsen, may I speak to Roger Tate please?"

The woman's voice was mellifluous, the accent cultured and indefinable, the name rang a bell, he'd heard it recently.

"Speaking." he replied.

"I understand you have an interest in a property of mine."

Leaning back in his chair, Roger replied, "If it is the property I'm thinking of, I was told the property is not for sale, although I may be allowed to make use of it."

Anna's cultured voice replied, "That is the jist of my agreement with Rachel Thompson, yes."

Roger smiled to himself and replied, "So far, we're still on the same page. Admittedly, I have not been on the property though my companion has, for a brief time. She related to me that it is heavily overgrown and she never saw any buildings while looking around."

He heard a soft chuckle, then she remarked, "She was not meant to see any buildings, there is a sort of guardian 'charm' placed on the property to discourage trespassers."

This time Roger chuckled and he replied, "Considering some of the things I've seen in recent years, I would not be the least bit surprised."

"Oh? And what, pray tell, have you seen?"

"Well" began Roger, "My best friend and closest thing I have to a brother, is married to a lamia. They live on a ranch in Arizona with her family and several arachne's living near by. I briefly dated a former claymore warrior, well, more like had a fling with her, but we're still friends.

"I now live with a girl who is a frost giant and more recently we became friends with a wood wife and her giant wolf companion. So, I guess you could say... I've seen a few things."

Anna's soothing voice replied, "You sound quite interesting, I'm going to enjoy meeting you!"

"Meeting me? How?"

"By coming up to Portland of course!"

Roger straightened up in his chair and asked, "When is this going to happen?"

There was a pause then he heard, "In a fortnight, I have several book signing engagements in Portland and this will be a perfect opportunity to meet and talk."

"Okay...What are your hotel arrangements?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Freya and I live in a big old house with several empty bedrooms, you're welcome to stay with us while you're here."

"That would be lovely! I'll take it!" She replied happily.

Roger grinned and said, "We'll see you in two weeks then!"

It was nearly eight O'clock when Freya got home from practice with the women's volleyball team at Portland U.

The team captain Ingrid Hansen, had given her a ride home after she had gotten out of school and taken the bus to the college campus.

Roger had had misgivings about letting her go by herself on public transportation, but her size was an advantage, no one bothered her.

Ingrid came in with Freya and Roger said cheerfully, "There's drinks in the fridge if you'd like something."

Ingrid grinned at him and replied politely, "Sorry, we've got a big game coming up and I'm in training. No fun allowed!"

Roger grinned at the pretty, six-foot-four inch tall blonde and replied, "We have water, if you're allowed that."

Freya's seven-foot-four inch tall form loomed over her as she reached a long arm into the fridge, snagged a couple of water bottles and handed one to Ingrid, who grinned in appreciation.

She took a couple of sips and said, "I gotta run, thanks for the water...See you guys this Friday?"

Roger laughed and replied, "I'd be dead meat if I didn't show up, she'd clobber me!"

Ingrid winked and said merrily, "And I'd help her hide the body!"

After a late dinner, the two were relaxing in the living room.

Roger said pleasantly, "I heard from the owner of that property next door, today."

Freya looked up from her book, "And?"

"It seems she's coming up to Portland in a couple of weeks for a book signing engagement." "Och? Whit's 'er name?"

"Anna Karlsen"

At her shrug Roger commented, "She writes mostly Gothic romance stuff, not really something you'd like I guess."

Freya looked thoughtful for a moment then said, "Ah ken who she is noo, a couple ay th' girls oan th' team hae mentioned 'er books."

"I invited her to stay with us while she's here."

Freya gazed at him steadily and he continued, "She wants to meet both of us and I figured why not? She can show us around her property when she's not out signing books."

Freya glanced around the semi tidy living room and commented,"We'll hae a bit ay cleanin' up tae dae afore can start thes weekend."

"Yes ma'am." replied Roger with a grin.

By day's end that Saturday, the house was less cluttered.

Roger had hauled a couple of loads to the recycling center and the green waste yard, while Freya with her great height and an extension pole reached up into the corners and gathered the few cob webs she'd found in the corners.

Roger dusted the display cases and straightened the various artifacts in them.

There was a reason why her school mates called her house a museum, being a craftsman home it had many book and display cases, which Roger obligingly filled with his books and artifacts collection, hence the museum moniker.

Not feeling like cooking after the scurryfunge, the two drove off to a nearby burger stand where Freya happily chowed down on their finest offerings, while Roger ate more sedately.

People that knew her were always amazed at her appetite, but then they looked at her slender, towering frame and shrugged, she was still growing like a weed and needed the protein, fats and carbs.

Besides, she burned it all up with her energy on the playing fields at school.

Two weeks later, Roger and Freya stood patiently waiting while the passengers disembarked from the afternoon flight Anna Karlsen was on.

Roger hadn't bothered to make up one of those "Waiting for -" signs, he'd figured that Freya simply standing there would be sufficient.

Presently two women approached them, one was dressed in a long sleeved, light resistant outfit with a broad brimmed hat covering her head and dark glasses covering her eyes.

She was slender and moved with a lithe, dancer's grace.

Roger recognized her at once even though he had never seen a picture of her, it was her movements that revealed who she was.

The other woman was a bit more dowdy in appearance, her light brown hair was cut short and permed into a sort of bouffant style.

With her tan pantsuit, handbag and matching shoes, she was the perfect supporting character in a two character play.

Anna extended her hand in greeting, "You must be Roger and Freya!" she said as their hands briefly clasped.

"And you must be Anna!" he replied, "And you are?" he asked the other woman.

She grinned and said, "Josephine, Josephine Dumont, I'm her publicist." their hands also clasped briefly.

Josephine briefly looked up at Freya's towering height and quietly remarked to Anna, "And I thought your friend Sheila was tall, this girl is...Incredible!"

Freya politely ignored her comment.

A short time later, they were seated in the living room of the large craftsman house Roger and Freya called home.

Anna sipped at the tea Roger had served them and nodded her approval, it would suffice.

She looked around the spacious living room, her bright blue eyes dancing from display case to book case, lingering over an artifact hanging on the wall and back to another display case.

She smiled and said, "You have led an interesting life, are all of these artifacts yours?" as she directed her gaze at Roger.

He grinned and replied, "Not all of them, some of these are Freya's and were given to her by her late grandmother."

He lazily waved a hand at the book cases, "The books are mine though."

Josephine smiled and remarked, "It's quite a collection you have, I don't know any of the authors at all."

He chuckled and commented, "Most of the books are for my research and would be found in a university library rather than a bookstore."

He glanced around and remarked, "I'd have more, but I donated much of my collection to the Museum of Cryptozoology a couple of years ago."

At Josephine's blank look, Anna said quietly, "He's friends with George and Mia Bryce, and was until recently, working mostly in the Sahara Desert region."

"Ah" was her response.

When the grandfather clock chimed the hour of ten, Freya rose from her chair and said, "It's time fur bed, Ah hae tae be at skale a wee bit early in th' morrow. Guid night everybody!"

She leaned over Roger and kissed him on his forehead before bounding up the stairs and into her room.

Josephine remarked quietly, "So early to bed? That's different."

Roger simply shrugged and replied, "Well, she is still in middle school."

"Whaaat? She's in middle school?" came Josephine's near instantaneous exclamation.

Her slightly plump face screwed itself into a question mark and she asked, "How old is she?"

"Twelve, she'll be thirteen this summer."

At Josephine's open mouthed expression, Anna chuckled and said softly, "So she is, a frost giant after all."

She leaned back in her chair and smiled, "I'm liking this all the more! Another mythical creature story in the making here. Please...Tell me more!"

Josephine having recovered from her shock and after a fortifying sip of tea and a bite of her scone.

Asked, "How many other 'mythical creatures' are out there waiting to be discovered?"

Roger smiled slightly and replied, "That's what the museum is trying to find out. George and I were sent to Algeria where we met Mia and her family. A couple of years ago I was sent up to Canada where I met Freya and her family, they in turn, asked me to take her with me. I have also met a woodwife and her giant lupine companion. There are many more out there and we are looking for them."

Anna grinned broadly and asked eagerly, "Are they anything like wood elves? The wood wife I mean?"

He chuckled and replied, "She is only about two feet tall and quite adorable I might add. Her wolf is a real eye opener and her kind are likely the origins of the Norse myths about Fenris, the giant wolf that ate Odin during Ragnarok."

"Are they here?" asked Anna with her eyes all but shimmering in her excitement.

"Sorry, they're still up in Canada, we have no room for both them and Induna's library in this house."

Anna smiled and remarked drily, "And this is where I get involved...Well played Mr. Tate, well played."

Josephine sat looking back and forth between them, a question on her face. "Am I missing something here?" she asked.

Anna chuckled and replied, "Roger is interested in a property I own, I've already said it wasn't for sale, but since I'm a sucker for a hard luck story, I agreed to let him have access to it."

She smiled slightly and remarked, "You're lucky I like you!"

"And for that, I am grateful Ms. Karlsen." He replied with a boyish grin.

The chiming of the eleventh hour interrupted their conversation briefly and as the last notes died away, Roger declared, "That's my cue gentle ladies. I have to be up to make breakfast and get her to school by seven A.M. I'll show you to your rooms and we'll talk more in the morning."

Josephine spoke up suddenly, "Anna tends to stay up quite late and will sleep for much of the day. Could you just show us where our rooms are and we can take it from there?"

Anna smiled at him and said, "I stay up late because that's when I do most of my writing. I can be up early if you wish, I'll just be a bit groggy before I've had enough coffee."

Roger grinned at her and replied, "I have no problems with you sleeping in, it's not like you have to be up early tomorrow. You have your book signing appearances all scheduled for the late afternoon, if I recall aright. Go ahead sleep in, we'll just be quiet."

Roger then showed them where their rooms were situated in the roomy house, and left a light on in the downstairs guest bathroom for their convenience.

Stifling a prodigious yawn, he toddled off to his bed.

Five thirty a.m. arrived before he was really ready for it, like always.

Turning off the incessant alarm, Roger left his thoroughly slept in bed and sleepily entered the upstairs bathroom.

The sounds of running water told him that Freya was already up and in the shower so he relieved himself quickly and paused before flushing.

With the century old plumbing in the house, a hot shower quickly turned into a deep freeze if a toilet was flushed or a spigot opened.

They always waited before flushing.

Moments later, Freya stepped out of the shower and toweled herself off, utterly unconcerned about Roger seeing her in the altogether.

It was another adjustment he'd had to make.

Roger waited until he had the bathroom to himself before taking his own shower, while she didn't care, he did.

He just wasn't ready to be naked in front of a twelve year old pubescent girl, even if she stood towering over him by nearly a foot and a half.

By six a.m. they entered the kitchen and saw Anna Karlsen seated at the table, sipping at her tea while deeply involved with a book.

She looked up as they entered the kitchen and Roger was struck by how attractive she was with her pale skin, flaxen hair, vaguely elvish look and bright blue eyes twinkling with merriment.

"Good morrow!" she said cheerfully "I found this delicious tea and this wonderful old book and now I fear I've been up all night!"

Roger glanced at the tea cannister chuckled and commented, "I'm not surprised. You've been drinking some of Gudrun's herbal tea, that one she calls 'night watch'. It'll keep you up and alert all night if you drink it at night."

Anna smiled and remarked, "It certainly lives up to its reputation. Is it available anywhere?"

Freya said quietly, "Me mammy makes it up, it was a favorite ay me granny's."

"So it's hard to get isn't it? I'm sorry for not asking first, but it was so delicious! I hope you don't mind."

Freya smiled and replied, "It's nae sae hard tae get, me mom makes it fur uir folk sae Ah can get plenty more. Ah dornt mind an' Ah'm glad ye loch it."

Roger, who had manned the stove during this called out, "Grab yourself a plate, the eggs are almost ready and there's toast and bacon already done."

He grinned and said to Anna, "I'd offer you coffee, but you drank enough of that tea to be up for a while!"

Freya handed Anna a plate and gestured for her to go ahead of her.

Anna smiled and gratefully accepted the freshly made omelet and added toast and bacon to her plate.

Soon, the three them were seated in the breakfast nook, spreading jam on their toast and making the food disappear.

Anna smiled afterwards and said, "This is sooo much better than staying in a hotel. I do enjoy bringing a story to life and seeing it become a book, it's the publicity part I could do without. I always get some 'aspiring writer' who wants to collaborate with me or the 'I could have written that part better' wannabe author.

"The worst are those who blithely tell me I'm charging too much or they can get it on Megazone for much cheaper."

She smiled and said cheerfully, "Josephine really earns her money when we do these book signing tours, she really does keep the weirdos at bay and I do appreciate her efforts."

There was a slight creak of the floor boards and they all looked over to see Josephine herself, standing there with a misty eyed look on her face.

She'd heard Anna's last remarks, she smiled and said amiably, "I'm a professional, it's what I do. Keep the weirdos at bay so you can meet and greet your adoring fans and I thank you for your kind words."

Anna grinned at her publicist and said cheerfully, "And I meant every word of it! I know some popular authors can be a real pain to deal with, I strive not to be one of them. You already have enough on your plate as it is."

Roger, glancing at the wall clock said, "Well ladies, I have to get Freya to school. If you can wait a few minutes, I'll make you something when I get back."

Josephine grinned and replied, "Or, I could make my own breakfast while you're gone. Just show me where the ingredients are and I can handle the rest."

Roger grinned at her and replied, "Help yourself!"

Pulling up in front of her school, Freya leaned over and kissed his cheek before exiting the van.

Roger watched as her towering, clad in faded jeans with a long sleeve, plaid shirt over a sleeveless top and the obligatory scuffed up sneakers form, strode purposefully into the school yard.

When he could no longer see her braided red-gold hair.

He returned to their craftsman home and their guests.

Entering the kitchen, Roger saw Josephine seated at the table enjoying her breakfast while Anna stood at the sink washing the breakfast dishes from earlier.

He remarked, "You don't have to do that, you're our guest."

Anna smiled at him and replied coyly, "Are you going to make me stop? I am a guest, I'll have you know. If you persist, I'll lodge a complaint with the manager."

Roger just laughed and said to Josephine, "Is she always like this?"

Josephine grinned at him and continued eating.

Anna chuckled and commented, "Josie knows better than to interfere when I'm enjoying myself with mundanities, it keeps me grounded."

He just smiled at her and poured himself another cup of coffee.

After breakfast, Roger took them to the car rental agency where they picked up the Toyota Josephine had reserved online and they followed him back home to prepare for the first book signing event that evening at Longfellow's Books, one of the newer book stores in Portland.

The remaining events would be held at Powell's City of Books, Cameron's Books and the finale would be at Carlson and Turner books.

Josephine would leave on the red eye that same night, while Anna would stay for one or two extra days, then fly back to Los Angeles on the afternoon flight, at least that was the plan.

They left for Longfellow's Books at the same time Roger left to get Freya from school.

Coming back from school Freya asked quietly, "Does Miss Josephine ken Miss Anna's true nature?"

Roger shrugged and replied, "I'm guessing she doesn't have any idea. Lamia's and other demi-humans are far more acceptable than the so-called 'undead'."

"Ah"

"So that means be discreet around Josephine, she's a nice lady and all, but she does not need to know certain things. Besides, I think she's more fascinated by you than her boss. You're new to her and I'm guessing she has not met any lamias or arachnes, just yet."

"Sae we 'act normal' then?"

Roger laughed and replied, "Define 'normal', our little household certainly doesn't fit the norm."

"Sae, dae ye wish tae abide 'normally' then?" said Freya with a slight frown and a flat tone to her voice.

Roger squeezed her hand and replied, "Not a chance kiddo, I like living with you. Living 'normally' would drive me bonkers!"

Her pretty face brightened into a warm smile and she squeezed his hand back.