Lullaby (The Fable Series, Book 2)

Chapter Nineteen

So basically you want to use him.

"I don't know if Jade sees it that way," I say. "I've known him for years and I've never seen him look at anyone the way he was looking at you. I think he's really serious about this."

Kitty's lovely hazel eyes widen, and her cheeks flush slightly.

"We only met for like... less than a minute," she says, her cheeks now as red as the roses behind her. "I don't believe in instalove."

"I guess Jade's a bit of a romantic," I say, thinking about his beautiful, euphorically swirling paintings, imbued with such fierce emotion.

"Well, I'll make sure he doesn't get the wrong idea. Really, it's nothing to get all serious about," Kitty says defensively, biting her lip. "It's just one date."

"What's this I hear about a date?" Alastaire says. He must have snuck up on us through the front door while we were talking, and is leaning in the doorway wearing nothing but Tommy Hilfiger Boxer shorts.

"Ew," Kitty says, flickering her eyes over his beautiful, lightly-tanned physique, her expression so twisted in disgust you'd never believe she's looking at People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. "Go put on some clothes Alastaire."

Don't listen to her Alastaire. You're fine just as you are.

"Not until you tell me more about this date," he says, striding across the porch and leaning against the railing on my left side, his bare arm brushing against my own. His skin feels hot, as if he's just gotten out of a warm bed or a steamy shower.

"It's none of your business," Kitty says.

"Awww, first you break my heart, then you're mean to me," Alastaire says, sticking out his lip in mock-sadness. "I thought I was your prince charming."

"Gross," she says.

"Jokes aside, I'm actually glad that at least someone around here's getting some action." He leans into me, and whispers loudly into my ear, "and between you and me Cupcake, she really, really needs it."

"I heard that," Kitty says.

"What?" Alastaire says innocently. "You need to loosen up Kit. Maybe a good rogering will-"

"OH MY GOD SHUT UP ALREADY!" Kitty yells.

"It's been what... six months since your last boyfriend?" Alastaire asks, oblivious to, or perhaps enjoying, how furious he's making Kitty. "Whatever happened to that snotty Oxford boy with the nice suits... Bootround? Buttend?"

"Bertrand!" Kitty snaps. "Turns out he preferred his other girlfriend. The one he told me he'd broken up with."

"Well it's for the best," Alastaire says. "He smelled like horses and whiskey."

"Whatever," Kitty says. "Anyway Ash, I was thinking we could get ready at your place. We'll get the dresses early, then we can-"

"Hold on a moment," Alastaire says. "What's this about we?" He leans into me again, his beautiful bare chest in dangerously close proximity to me. "You're not going too, are you Ash?"

"Well, it's sort of..." I start speaking, not wanting to commit to anything but not wanting to upset Kitty either. "Kitty didn't want to be alone so she asked me to come."

"Perfect!" Alastaire says, grabbing my arms and smiling widely, his clear blue eyes glinting in the bright morning sunlight. "I'll come too. It'll be a double date."

"It's already a double date, dipshit," Kitty says, apparently at the end of her tether after Alastaire teased her about her ex. "Jade's bringing along a friend."

Alastaire's smile disappears; he drops his hands to his sides.

Before I can open up my mouth to speak, a snarky, deadpan voice comes from inside the house.

"You're going on a date with a guy named Jade?" He says Jade's name like it's the most disgusting word in the dictionary, as he steps out of the shadowy interior of the house out onto the porch.

Felix's hair is slightly messy – he must have just woken up. Unlike Alastaire, he's fully clothed, in black jeans and a grey sweater. There are dark circles under his eyes, which flicker over to me and linger for just a moment over the spot where he bit me on my neck the other night, before he turns back to Kitty.

I guess that's the closest I'll get to a 'hello' from him.

"What the hell Fee," Kitty says. "This isn't a goddam team debate. Quit sneaking up on us and eavesdropping. Both of you guys actually. Just... go away."

"What sort of people call their son Jade?" Felix asks.

"I don't know," Kitty says, a note of frustration in her voice. "Hippies. Anyway, that's rich coming from a guy named Felix."

"What's wrong with Felix?" He asks, leaning against the doorway lazily.

Alastaire sniggers, which makes Felix scowl.

"It's a cat's name," Kitty says triumphantly.

"And Kitty's not?" Felix says, arching an eyebrow.

"Fine, we both have cat names," Kitty says angrily. "Mum wanted cats, not kids. Whatever. I don't see why you're judging the guy so harshly when you haven't even met him. In fact, I don't even get why you care."

"I don't," Felix says.

"Good," Kitty says. "We'll be back first thing tomorrow morning."

"I don't care what time you come back," Felix says, narrowing his eyes at Kitty before turning to face me. "But Ash is staying here."

"You don't need to go Ash," Alastaire says, his expression almost pleading.

"We're recording Darkest Dream today," Felix says coldly. "We need her. She's staying."

A mental image of the other Felix from my dream flashes through my mind. The sharp pain of the sword, then the arrow, then the silver scissors. The hazel eyes that spoke of immense regret and sorrow, but also longing, the feverish desire to possess.

"Actually, we'll do that tomorrow," I say, avoiding Felix's eyes. "I've got a date to attend."

"That's right," Kitty says.

Both Felix and Alastaire are wearing almost identical expressions of shock as Kitty then grabs my hand, and hurries me down the steps, grabbing my overnight bag as we march across the clearing, her bright red silk dressing fluttering in the breeze.

"Don't worry, my Amex is in my pocket," she says, a tight smile fixed firmly on her face. "I never go anywhere without it."

"But... but you're in your pajamas," I say, looking down in horror at her slippers.

"Not for long," Kitty says. "First stop – la Magie Rouge Dress Boutique."

Wonderful. So much for focusing on the music.