Temptation [A Young Writer's Prize Submission]

So... what really happened?

Chapter Fifty

Lucien relaxed, releasing my hands so he could tug me closer and mould his lips to mine again. I closed my eyes, absorbing the sound of his breathing, his heartbeat... the front door opening.

I stepped backwards quickly, tearing my lips from his, and hoping that my face didn't look too flushed as Susana entered, followed by Lauren supporting a devastated Debra.

"When did you two come home?" Susana asked us, but she was staring directly at me, one eyebrow raised in the expression I'd become accustomed to after living with her for so long.

"About five minutes ago," Lucien spoke smoothly, projecting that 'innocent' façade that could fool a lie detector. He sounded perfectly composed, even though I felt his excitement. I felt a warm glow as I felt the electric currents our kiss had set into motion.

"It was a beautiful service," Debra smiled weakly, seeming unable to say anything more before bursting into tears once again.

"Go into the lounge, Debbie," Lauren suggested, "I'm going to put on the kettle, and make some lunch."

"No, let me do it," my foster mother protested, delicately wiping her tears away from her sensitised skin. "I have to do something or I'm going to fall apart."

"You need to relax," Susana argued. "Go and sit down with Mercy and Lucien in the lounge, mum."

Debra stared her daughter straight into the eye and Susana stared back, not budging. "It's been a bad day for all of us, mum," Susana reminded her. "We need to make sure that you're okay, so go and sit down for a while. Tell Mercy about David."

"Who's David?" I asked.

Debra let go of Lauren's arm to grip the sideboard, and began to move slowly into the living room. I followed, half afraid that she might fall if she let go of the walls she was clinging to.

Once she'd seated herself and the sound of the kettle heating up began in the kitchen, Debra leaned towards me in her seat and explained: "David was an old friend of mine from school - and in fact, Susana's godfather. He went to study mathematics in University, where Thomas was studying, and it's thanks to him that we met." Her lower lip trembled a little, but she fixed her mouth in a determined manner and continued; "He's recently started his own building company, and he's offered to start rebuilding the hotel as soon as his current project is over, and he won't charge me a penny until the business has started again."

"That's a risky investment," Lucien pointed out, "Have you seen examples of his previous work?"

Debra frowned at him. "He's a friend - he'll do his best for me."

"But you need to see what his work is like, Mrs Isaac," Lucien advised. "If he's good, then it shouldn't be a problem for you, but in today's market, you need to find out what he can do for you and how much it will cost you."

"I see," Debra's face became blank, "I'll get Susana to take me around a couple of his properties this weekend."

"Are you sure you'll be up for it?" I asked her, concerned.

"I'm fine, Mercy," Debra insisted, petulantly. "I can walk around a couple of houses." The kettle stopped boiling, and Lauren walked in with the tea.

"Susana wants to talk to you in the kitchen, Mercy," Lauren told me. "She said something about the two hotel guests you knew."

My limbs locked in shock. Though I'd tried my utmost in the last few weeks to forget about the whole ordeal with Azrael and his friend, the encounter had never been far from my mind.