Solar Eclipse - Book 5

Silent Nights

While the vampires and wolves in the house began going over strategy and plans us half breeds were excused to our rooms. Tonight I wasn't in the mood to sleep because of the rising anxiety in the house. Every minute that passed was just another bucket dump of tension in the already unstable environment that was supposed to be my and Nic's home.

Moving in together was supposed to be so we could enjoy each others company and get to know one another before we tied the knot. Whenever that was to happen, at least. There was supposed to be no drama, no stress, just learning and eventually loving. But like always, in my life, whenever we gained some ounce of serene happiness and stability it was ripped out from underneath us as if we didn't deserve any of it.

Luckily I had music though, without that and reading there would be no escape for me.

"Tea, Renesmee?" Nic said as he came waltzing gracefully into the piano room carrying a tray adorned with pastries, ornate tea cups and a tea pot steaming with water.

I smiled, keeping my eyes on the ivory keys that my fingers danced across. I loved a good cup of tea after playing the piano. That and some music or a good classic to read.

When I first started ending my piano sessions with a cup of tea my father told me about his human life and how he would do the same thing. 

Great Grandma Mason taught him how to play the piano when he would go to her house to visit. After the lessons she would make tea and bring out some home bakes and she would tell him stories about her youth and how she met her late husband.

These visits continued until he was ten years old, then she passed away. The piano playing and tea stayed with my father until he became a vampire. He continued playing the piano but stopped drinking tea. But that didn't stop him from taking up a hobby in collecting teas from all over the world when he traveled and learning to make blends of his own.

My fathers favorite tea blends were Oolongs. He would tell me about how Grandpa Mason would go on business trips to Aurora Illinois and bring him back fancy teas for him as a gift after Great Grandma Mason had passed away.

Sniffing the air lightly, I tasted the aroma coming from the kettle on the tray. It was French Spice Quartet.

This Oolong tea blend was made from the fame Quatre Epices of France. The blend consisted of the perfect portions of cloves, nutmeg, ginger and sweet cinnamon, with black peppercorn, Madagascar vanilla and peppermint. It was perfect for nights like these when there was nothing but stress to deal with.

The sweetness would effortlessly relax me while spices filled my heart with warmth. Usually after I drank this it was a matter of time before I would succumb to a sleep.

My fingers grazed over the keys for the final two measures of the song and then I turned to face Nic, placing my hands in my lap.

"I thought we were out of French Spice?" I smiled as I reached out and took the cup he handed to me.

"We were, yes. But I had more delivered." Nic replied casually as he poured himself a cup.

"We don't have mail delivered to our personal residences, we have-"

"P.O. Boxes. This I know."

I nodded my head as I took a long sip.

"I am not aware if you have ever heard of Teavana."

"Of course, my grandma Esme bought me some tea from there a few times."

"I bought the company." I watched him pick up a piece of formal paper and hand it to me. "This is the deed for the company, it is yours now."