The Stronghold

Dancing Queen

WARNING! I told (some) of you that I would do this and here it is. But it isn't too bad...

***

I heard the door slam and grinned to myself. Georgina was only just getting over the fact that I had spoken to her and then snatched her from the hall in three seconds flat.

"Please never do that again," she begged. I raised an eyebrow slightly and took hold of her other hand, guiding it to my shoulder, letting it rest there. In my head I could hear music and then I realised that I could hear it in reality, too. Georgina's imagination had overflowed again and was playing some kind of classical song, something she heard on Strictly Come Dancing, no doubt.

"When is Brucey going to shuffle off this mortal coil?" I murmured, rotating on the spot.

"He's immortal," Georgina said. "Probably some sort of vampire."

"What is it with you and vampires?"

"I recognise my own kind."

"If I remember rightly, your sister was the one with vampire teeth..."

"You never met my family," Georgina said, tapping her fingers on my back.

"I researched them," I said, sounding cunning.

"Oh? And what happened to them?"

"Your parents are still alive, your sister is a successful businesswoman-"

"But she'd be about eighteen," Georgina frowned.

"It confuses me too," I admitted. "But your brother frightens me."

"Oh? What happened to Sam?"

"He got arrested."

"For what?"

"Pedophilia."

Georgina was quiet for a minute. Then: "Oh."

"Yeah. But let's not dwell on that." I smiled again and spun Georgina around, holding her close to me.

"Let's dwell on now. The present."

I kissed her, my smile growing. She offered no resistance as I wrapped my arms around her lower back, breaking from the dance. The music faded out as Georgina managed to control her imagination, settling against me.

I am invading your brain, Tom sang in my head. And- no, no, don't put that there! Ewwwww! No, stop!

I'm not doing anything, now piss off.

His laughter echoed around my mind and I physically shook it away, ruffling my shirt in the process. Georgina had vanished once again and I growled playfully, hearing a door close lightly.

"Ding dong, I know you can hear me," I sang under my breath, walking across the room to the door. I caught my shirt on the sharp edge of the countertop and succeeded in ripping it. I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity and took it off, unbuttoning it and tossing it over a chair.

I've told everyone to stay out of your head, Tom informed me. I told them you were busy doing people. Georgina, for example.

I thought I told you to piss off?

Tom's presence disappeared and I grinned to myself. Creaking open the door (and ridding my face of any emotion) I found Georgina stood just behind it.

"Were you waiting, by any chance?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, my lips twitching into a smile.

"Did you want me to?" was her reply. I let the smile show and took her by the waist, half pushing her down onto the bed.

"What do you think?" I whispered in her ear.

*

Later on, as night began to change to dawn, I finally managed to drag myself out of bed to answer my ever-ringing phone. Leaving Georgina curled up beneath the covers I walked normally across the room so as not to cause a draft. Finding my jeans discarded on the floor I pulled them on, wandering through to the dining/living area and answering the fifty billionth phone call.

"Hello?" I said, sliding across the floor back to the bedroom. There was silence for a long time and just as I considered hanging up someone spoke.

"We are always watching," a harsh voice hissed before my phone blew up in my hand.

I jumped away from it with a yell, stumbling over my trainers and landing back on the bed with a thud. My left hand was coal black and the smell of burning flesh and singed hair perfumed the room.

"What the hell just happened?" Georgina asked, resting her chin on my shoulder. I raised my hand to my face and turned it over, examining it in wonder and shock.

"I have no idea," I said weakly.

That's when we heard a second ringing noise.

I turned to look at Georgina. She had a confused frown on her face, staring at the wardrobe. It was certainly where the noise seemed to be coming from and as I watched the door opened slowly.

I got to my feet and clenched my fists, ready to punch whatever came out of the closet. It definitely couldn't be Shaade or Josh, that's for certain.

A glowing light shone out and snowflakes drifted to the floor. I frowned and paced forwards, eyes narrowing.

"Who's there?" I asked in a low voice.

"The dancing queeeeeeeeeeeeeeen, young and sweet only seventeeeeeeeeeen," a voice sang out of the lights. I barely had time to register what had been sung before the door slammed shut and Georgina's laughter interrupted my thoughts.

"You really thought that there was someone in the wardrobe," she giggled. "Abba went to Narnia!"

I folded my arms and shook my head. "You are unbelievable," I muttered, going back to the bed and lying on top of the covers. Georgina moved closer to my side and I put an arm around her, hugging her through the material.

"I aim to please," she grinned. I raised an eyebrow, beginning to smile.

"Do you really want me to respond to that?"

"Go ahead, dancing queen."

"Hey!"