Chapter 35

They found Anna sitting alone in the kitchen, a fresh cup of tea in front of her.

She rose from her chair and embraced Freya fiercely while murmuring, "I sooo wanted to really hurt those idiots for what they did. I don't regret what I did by feeding on that lout, he's lucky I didn't drain him."

Roger laid out cups and saucers, spooned out tea leaf portions, poured the hot water and got out a box of tea biscuits for a nibbly.

He looked up at Freya and Anna and was struck by the height difference between them.

Anna stood about five foot four while Freya now stood several inches over seven feet tall.

After separating and sitting down to tea, Anna remarked casually, "Josie's gone off to bed, I'm afraid I've tried her patience tonight and I'll make it up to her somehow. I just couldn't ignore your anguish Freya dear. I just could not, not help someone I care for, in so much pain."

She smiled at the giant girl-child sitting across from her and said, "I know we've just met, you and young Anita, but I feel a sense of friendship with both of you and would like to develop those friendships."

She paused while Roger, in his host capacity refreshed her tea and got out more biscuits.

"I want both of you to be involved with the refurbishment of my house and the establishment of it as a research library. There will be additional buildings added as time goes by and you both could easily make it a career, if you're so inclined."

Roger smiled and remarked, "Let's not forget my original intent for wanting your place to begin with."

Freya rolled her bright blue eyes and remarked, "He's got a crush oan a lassie a third his size, a lassie an' 'er big wolf."

Anna grinned and commented, "I wouldn't know about that dear, he cares very much for you. Are you sure he's not more interested in that 'big wolf' as you describe her?"

Freya grinned at her and replied, "He's always puttin' his hans oan 'at big wolf, he scratches behind 'er lugs an' she gets all tongue lollin' out ay 'er mouth an' 'er eyes close up an' she lays doon oan th' fluir all limp like."

Anna burst out laughing and gleefully replied, "And what female of any species wouldn't enjoy getting a good scratching like that! Nevermind roses, give me a good back scratching any time!"

Roger grinned, winked broadly and replied, "You found me out! It's all about getting my hands on that giant wolf. Nevermind the little cutie who rides her, I'm just toying with her heart to get to that big wolf!"

Freya looked at him with a deadpan expression and remarked. "If Ah didnae ken ye verra well, Ah'd think ye were serioos."

Anna giggled and said lightly, "I suppose you're using her granny's books as bait to reel me into your clutches?"

"Those and my boyish good looks. How're they workin'?" quipped Roger with a grin.

"Let me get back to you on that." retorted Anna gleefully.

Fighting back a yawn, Roger commented, "I don't know about you two, but I'm feeling my age here. I'm calling it a night and I'll see you lovelies in the morning."

Anna smiled at him and said, "I'll be up a little while longer, I want to jot down a few thoughts about today, and I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Freya stood up at the same time he did and announced, "Ah'm goin' tae bed too, Ah'll see ye oan th' morrow. Guid nicht!"

As they left the kitchen, she caught his hand and held onto it.

Roger glanced up at her and said softly, "You may stay the night with me if you wish, I always have room in my bed for you."

Freya smiled back at him and nodded in reply.

At the top of the stairs, they went to the left to his room, instead of her going to the right and her room.

Anna noted that and smiled to herself, they did love each other very deeply, even if they wouldn't acknowledge it.

She found herself feeling a bit envious of Freya, so secure in her relationship with Roger.

Feeling a little peckish, Anna opened up the portable cooler she'd brought with her and lifted out a soft pouch filled with a thick, dark, reddish fluid.

She idly noted there were five pouches left, enough for ten more days of travel time.

Extending her sharp fangs, she bit into the pouch and began sucking out the nutrients inside.

The type A-positive blood was delicious, freely given blood was always sweeter and she was quietly thankful for the connection she had made with the blood bank.

Her letter of approval for blood withdrawals came from the office of Stephanie Chin Md, county medical examiner for the City of Los Angeles, California, her adopted hometown.

Sunday morning and the sun rose through the morning clouds.

It was cool in Roger's bedroom or it would have been if not for the large presence of Freya sleeping alongside him, her well over seven foot length stretched out and her long arms holding him close to her.

Roger enjoyed the warmth of her large body against his for a little while after he woke up, then nature's call intervened and he slipped out of the bed to pad softly down the hall to their bathroom.

With the pressure now relieved and his face washed and dried off, he returned to his bedroom and gazed briefly at Freya's long limbed form lying there, sleeping like an angel.

He paused a few moments, then he gently shook her awake while saying, "C'mon sleepyhead, we've got breakfast to make for our guests."

Freya's bright blue eyes opened and she looked up at him with a smile as she said, "Thenk ye fur lettin' me sleep wi' yer lest nicht."

He smiled at her and replied, "Not a problem dear, you're always welcome. You know that of course?"

She rose from the bed and padded off to the bathroom first, and then to her own bedroom to dress.

Roger soon had a large skillet filled with eggs and bacon and hash browns all sizzling at once, while he deftly filled the coffee cups with freshly brewed coffee and buttered the toast as it popped out of the toaster.

Freya and the others, lured by the cloying scent of his cooking, entered the breakfast nook one by one and took their seats while Roger loaded their plates with food.

Josephine blinked at her plate of food and commented glumly, "I haven't eaten a breakfast this big in a long time, I don't think I'll be able to even come close to finishing it."

Freya glanced over at her plate and remarked cheerfully, "It's nae problem Miss Josephine, jist give me whit ye dornt want, Ah'll eat it."

Roger joined them and as they ate, Josephine declared firmly, "We changed last night's book signing to tonight, so don't be haring off on some wild adventure now...Anna, I'm talking to you!"

Anna grinned at her long time publicist and replied with a twinkle in her bright blue eyes, "Yes ma'am! I'll be good, I promise!"

Josephine simply smiled and sipped her coffee in reply.

Anna turned to Roger and asked, "What are your plans for today?"

He set down his coffee cup and replied, "I thought I would do a little cutting away of some growth around the doors and windows of your old house."

Anna grinned at him and teased, "Can't wait for the landscapers, eh?"

Roger just grinned back at her, "Yeah, something like that. I want to get some good photos of the house as it is, to send to my boss.

"That way, she'll have something to show to the board of directors, so they'll cut us some funds for the work to be done before opening the house up as a library."

The phone in the hallway interrupted with its jangling ring and Freya quickly answered it. She turned away and talked in low tones for a few minutes while the others finished up the remnants of their breakfasts.

Finishing the call, Freya hung up the old fashioned ear piece and said quietly, "That was Anita, Ah tauld 'er were gonnae tae be daein' some yard work next duir an' she still wants tae come onie way."

Roger merely shrugged and commented, "I hope she realizes that Goth-loli clothing isn't suited for brush clearing."

Freya smiled slightly and remarked, "Ah did tell 'er 'at an' she said she understuid."

Anna just smiled and said amiably, "I think she just wants to visit, we can let her see the old house in all its decay. I think she'll get a real charge out of the experience."

Roger laughed and said cheerfully, "Oh yes, a haunted mansion will be quite an experience for her. When is she coming?"

Freya glanced at the wall clock and said, "In aboot thirty minutes or sae."

Roger grinned and remarked, "Good. We can have all the tools and our lunch ready by then."

Anna grinned and rose from her seat, Josephine looked at her in surprise and asked, "And where are you going?"

Anna smiled at her incredibly tolerant publicist and said happily, "Why, I am going with them to help out a little bit. It is my great grandmother's house after all.

"Don't you fret none Josie dearest, I'll be back in plenty of time to bathe and play dress up like a proper author going to her doom!"

To everyone's surprise Josephine declared, "I am coming too, I want to see this house that all of you are fretting over. It isn't a long hike, is it?"

Anna laughed gaily and said happily, "No Josie dearest, it is not a long hike at all."

She grinned at Josephine and remarked, "We'll make an adventurer out of you yet!"

Josephine just wrinkled up her nose and retorted, "This is a one time deal, I just want to see this house you've all talked about. Don't get any ideas!"

With that detail settled, lunches were packed and drink was arranged while Roger collected a few tree trimming tools for the house.

Anita Larsen's mother pulled her car up into their driveway and she got out with her daughter Anita in tow.

The two of them stood still while looking over the lines of the outsized craftsman house Freya called home.

Seeing them outside looking around, Roger stepped outside and waved, "C'mon in, the house is fine!"

Helen Larsen grinned at him and replied, "I didn't know you guys lived here! This house was built for a retired circus giant couple, they were both over eight feet tall and the house was built to fit them."

As they entered the house, she remarked, "I've never been inside here before, this is pretty cool!"

Anita looked around inside the house with her pale blue eyes very wide.

Roger smiled at noticing her wearing faded jeans and a long sleeved top, much like Freya's typical daily wear with stout shoes covering her feet.

Roger grinned at her and asked, "Are you ready to go see Anna's great grandmother's house?"

Anita's wide grin was her reply and he commented, "I'll take that as a 'yes'!"

Helen smiled at Roger and said amiably, "I had heard that Freya's house was described as like being in a museum and frankly, after seeing it. I think it is way cooler."

So what time do I come back to get you?" Helen asked Anita.

The girl shrugged and replied, "I'm not sure, we're going to look at this old house this afternoon and I don't know how long it will take."

Josephine cleared her throat and said, "Anna has a book signing this evening and we have to get back around three to get her ready for the signing. So we shouldn't be too long."

Roger chimed in with, "Anita's welcome to have dinner with us if she likes. We'll probably eat out rather than making anything for dinner."

Helen grinned broadly and said, "That's fine with me, just give me a call when you're ready to come home, okay? Honey?"

Anita nodded a 'yes' enthusiastically and after giving her mom a hug, Helen got into her car and drove back down the hill.

They stopped at the heavy gate to her property and before Anna unlocked the gates, she turned towards Anita and Josephine and declared, "You are welcome here!"

The gate groaned somewhat more politely this time as it opened.

Leading Anna to remark, "A few more applications of oil and regular use and this gate will no longer complain so much."

Stepping through, they paused briefly while Anna locked the gates back up.

The trail this time was much more distinct and before long, they stood en masse before the great crumbling manse of Anastasia Karloff, AKA Anna Karlsen.

Both Josephine and Anita stood still, taking in the view.

The ground floor had a twelve foot ceiling and a row of ground level windows and vents hinted at the basement underneath the big house.

A second floor had ten foot ceilings while the third and final floor had eight foot ceilings.

The central part of the house was a great octagon some eighty feet across, with three wings radiating out from it like a hub.

The walls of the octagon reared upwards some thirty five feet and was surmounted by a sort of pyramidal shaped roof capped by a glassed in 'lantern' atop the entire house.

Architecturally simple, yet still imposing.

The house itself was one hundred eighty feet wide and stood about fifty five feet high at the lantern.

Towering Rowan trees obscured the bulk of the house from view and it was Anita who broke the silence, "Ohhh Myyy Gawdd! This is sooo freaking coooll! I can't believe no one lives here, what a great house for haunting! Please tell me it has ghosts?"

She turned with pleading eyes to Anna.

Anna chuckled and said gently, "Sorry dear, there are no ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night, in this house. I hope you're not too disappointed."

Anita stuck out her lower lip in a brief pout but said amiably, "I don't really believe in that stuff, but it would've been cool!"

Josephine asked more practically, "Any idea how big it is? Bedrooms, bathrooms and closet space? Are those basement windows I see?" she asked.

Anna replied, "I have no idea about all that, we went inside the other day, but didn't go too far into the house. Parts of it inside are pretty dark and Roger had his flashlight out."

Anna held up a stout key and grinned, "Want to look inside?"

Josephine blanched visibly and asked nervously, "Are there spiders inside? I can't stand spiders!"

Freya suddenly chuckled and said drily, "Then ye wooldnae loch me friend Zenobia, she's an arachne."

Josephine looked at her blankly and asked, "What's an arachne?"

Freya grinned slyly and replied, "She looks loch a spider aboot eight tae ten feet across an' taller than Roger haur."

Josephine blurted out, "Oh, hell no! No, no, no! I'm not dealing with any spider that big!"

Freya grinned evilly this time and commented, "Ah guess Ah shooldnae gab aboot me friend who is a lamia then."

Josephine stared at her and said hesitantly, "Lamia? That isn't one of those 'snake goddesses' Anna wrote about is it?"

With an innocent look to her bright blue eyes, Freya replied, "Aye ay coorse!"

Josephine shuddered and remarked, "What other weird creatures do you hang around with?"

"A wood wife an' 'er great guardian wolf."

With a sigh of relief, Josephine commented, "A wolf sounds fairly normal to me, but what is a 'woodwife'?"

Anita spoke up this time in answer, "A wood wife is like an elf, they live mostly in the forests, but some will form a bond with a family and they'll help out around the house in exchange for food and shelter."

Anna finally came to her publicist's rescue and said amiably, "You two, stop teasing my friend here, she has enough on her mind besides worrying about spiders and the like."

Anita grimaced and said contritely, "Sorry if I upset you, Miss Josephine."

Josephine smiled at the young girl and said gently, "It's okay, hearing about weird stuff kind of goes with the territory when you work with an author like Anna."

Freya meanwhile, had joined Roger in carefully trimming away the dense ivy that had partially blocked the front doors.

The two tugged and clipped and pulled and clipped some more until the front doors stood clear of the enveloping ivy.

For good measure, they cleared away a couple of the tall windows on each side of the doorway, to let in more light.

Without being asked, Anita had joined them in carrying away the clippings while Anna and Josephine watched and took photos.

Stepping back to admire their work, Roger grinned at Anna and said, "Madame, your key, if you please?"

Anna smiled at him and slipped her key into the heavy doors.

Moments later, there was a soft clattering of lock internals and she pushed the doors open with nary a protest from the hinges to reveal a gloomy interior.