Mystery Man Revealed (Now Published so sample only)

Chapter 4

© Sandra Corton 2013

Chapter 4

She paced her room for hours on end, unable to sleep through the anxiety, the questions and the memory of those red eyes. She was glad her room was at the front of the house, she felt more secure knowing Aiden was out there. But should she feel safe? She still had no idea what she was involved in here.

Just the thought of Aiden had her mind wandering back to their dance. When he had smiled which was breathtaking. The way he held her as though she was the most precious thing in the world to him. She sighed and paced the length of her room again. She had to start thinking beyond how wonderful she had felt when dancing with him.

With the early hours of the morning starting to arrive she flopped onto her bed with a groan. At least she had decided some things, so her lack of sleep was worth something. The most important decision being that she didn’t want to know whatever he was, or at least not yet.

Secondly she would move in with him, though she was still hesitant about that one. Lastly she had to avoid this attraction she kept feeling for him. Time to face the music, she thought as she quickly got changed and crept out the front door of her parent’s house to talk to him.

“Honey.” His voice washed over her warmly from behind so she turned to face him. How did he not look at all tired? Did the man even sleep?

“Hello Aiden.” She said softly.

“You didn’t sleep.” He chided as he gently touched beneath her eye with his cool finger.

“I couldn’t. What happened last night really scared me.” She admitted quietly.

“As it should.” He answered calmly.

“I’ve made up my mind.” She said simply taking a small step towards him and he sighed.

“I figured as much. May I ask what you decided?” He asked as his hand reached out to touch her hair, almost of its own accord. She stood there mesmerised by his presence for the longest time. “Honey?” He questioned and she snapped from her dream world.

"Um if you want me to live with you then you get to tell my parents about Rosie's will. I'm not sure they would believe me." She stuttered out the words and he frowned.

"You didn't tell them?" He asked in surprise.

"I wasn't sure how to explain it to them." She replied her voice full of uncertainty.  

"That is fine, I am happy to talk to them about what Rosie arranged." He agreed with a nod.

"I don't want to know whatever it is that you are." She said the next thing in a frightened whisper and he sighed.

"You will one day whether we like it or not." He told her sadly.

"I also don't want to know how I fit into this picture. I think the less I know the better, especially now that we will be living together." She said determinedly.

"It would be better if you had some idea." His frown deepened.

"I can't right now. I'm still too freaked out about this whole thing. I don't ever watch horror movies because the replay in my head for weeks after. I couldn't sleep last night because all I saw were red eyes. You need to understand that." She insisted as she lowered her head in thought.

"I agree. I will not say a word until I think it is too dangerous not to." He replied astutely.

"Thank you." She said with a small sigh.

"When would you like me to call in on your parents?" He asked as he fingered the sleeve of her shirt.

"This morning sometime." She replied and he nodded.

"I will be here." He promised. "You must go in, your family is stirring."

"You can hear that?" She asked in amazement.

"I heard you pacing the floor all night Honey." He said in answer. "You don't want to know remember." He told her with that glimmer of a smile that was gone before she really noticed it.

"Hmmm that's true." She murmured as she stepped back towards the house.

He shooed her off with one hand, looking as normal as any man would making the same gesture. She tipped her head to the side wondering if she was being silly for not wanting to know about him. Then the red eyes of that man flashed back into her mind and she shivered. She was better off not knowing.

"Will you tell me one thing?" She asked as she stepped up onto the curb.

"That depends on what you would like to know." He answered cautiously.

"Will your eyes go red too?" She asked fearfully and he looked relieved.

"Honey my eyes will not go red. If and when they do you will know all about it." He vowed and she let out a breath. "Now go."

At his order she headed back towards the house. She glanced back to him only to find him gone, disappeared. She let out a gasp, not sure what to think. She never had a chance as Hannah attacked her as soon as she entered the door. 

"Who is that super-hot guy you were talking to?" Her sister whispered while jumping up and down excitedly.

"Shush." Honey snapped as she dragged her sister inside and shut the door quietly, not wanting to disturb the rest of her family.

"No way! Tell me what's going on." Hannah whined.

"You'll find out soon enough." Honey said as she walked into her room.

"I'll tell Mum and Dad." Hannah threatened making her sister laugh. 

"I'm the adult here remember." Honey said dryly to which her sister poked out her tongue.

"You are no fun at all." Hannah huffed which only had Honey grinning from ear to ear.

"Good now get out and let me sleep."

She dozed fitfully as the sun began to rise in the sky. Sometimes she would jerk awake, recalling the events of the night before. The last time it happened she couldn't stop herself from shuddering.

She got up then, still feeling sleep deprived as she yawned and glanced at the clock. She was surprised it was only mid-morning. She snuck into the shower then, glad that the other girls were either sleeping or doing something else. She hated sharing a bathroom with her sisters; they were always in here primping which drove her crazy.

She heard his rumbling voice as she got dressed which started her heart racing. He had such a strange effect on her. It was nothing like she had felt for any other man. She made it to the dining room as quickly as she could. Her sisters all stared at him in open mouthed admiration as they sat around the dining table. Even pale Brooke sat there absorbing his every word.

"So your Aunt left property to Honey, correct me if I'm wrong." Her Dad grumbled out looking towards his daughter as she entered the room.

"That is correct." Aiden answered with a nod.

"But your Aunt stipulated that Honey must live and work for you to obtain that property?" Her Dad's suspicious voice just made her want to groan.

"Yes this is her will and the details of it." Aiden handed the man a pile of paperwork.

"Why didn't you tell us Honey?"  Her father sent her a stern look and she could do nothing but shrug.

"I wasn't sure how to explain it." Honey answered lamely.

The discussion continued heatedly until her mother had to head for her weekend cleaning job. Aiden had frowned then, not seeming to understand what was going on.

"She has to work because I'm sick." Brooke piped up and Aiden looked surprised at her words.

"Brooke hush." Honey said under her breath.

"We'll it's the truth." The younger girl said and the room went deathly quiet.

"Look Aiden I'll start moving my stuff in this afternoon and I'll start work for you tomorrow." Honey tried to diffuse the tension of the room but instead his eyes met hers. She felt the tension go up a notch instead. Her heart began to thrum and her stomach flutter at his intense silvery gaze.

"If that is what you have decided then I am here to assist." His words drifted over her and she had to prevent a shiver.

"Honey are you sure about this?" Her father asked with concern, his face wrinkling with worry.

"Dad I'm an adult. I had to move out at some point." Honey said wryly.

"This house will feel strange without you Honey, but you should go and live your life." Her Mum said as she gathered her daughter into a hug before rushing out to leave for work.

"Okay so with that decided, I guess I should pack. Come on Aiden, I'll show you out." Honey waved a hand towards the front door and Aiden looked relieved.

"Thank you." He whispered as they walked back through the house. "Will you need a removal truck by this afternoon?" He asked and she sent him an odd look.

"I don't actually own that much stuff. I'll just do a couple of trips in my car."

"Nonsense I have a van at home which I will go and get while you pack." He replied with a decisive nod.  

He was gone then before she even realised. She reluctantly made her way back to her room and dreaded even thinking about packing. Her sisters though were already there. Questions abounded about Aiden and the move.

Once Hannah mentioned she had seen them together earlier, then the questions became demanding. She had never told them about her mystery man. She had only ever told Polly. In a way he had always seemed almost unreal to her but now she was moving in with the man.

She had to admit to herself that she was as scared as she was excited about what she had decided to do today. Could she live with him every day and not be affected by the apparent attraction between them? That was the main reason she was still unsure about the move. Her giddy sisters were not helping her any. The older one kept making rather lewd suggestions which the younger ones kept giggling at.

Honey rolled her eyes as she threw stuff into a suitcase that she would need. She reminded herself that this arrangement was only temporary until the gatehouse was renovated. Then she would have her own place. She felt just as unsure about living by herself but couldn't wait for it to occur either.

"I have nothing to pack my stuff into." She said with a grumble as the suitcase was quickly filled.

"Yes you do." Aiden said as he knocked on the open door with his arms filled with flat pack boxes.

"Hi Aiden." Hannah said perkily as she twirled her hair around her finger.

"Thanks Aiden let me help you with that." Honey said as she rolled her eyes at her sisters flirting.

Their fingers brushed as she helped unload his parcel filled arms. She went still, sucking in a huge breath at the tingles that spread up her arm from that brief touch of his cool hand. She quickly glanced to his eyes to find him just as affected. She quickly pulled back with the boxes in her arms. She saw him flex his fingers as though he had been burned.

"Do you need help packing?" He asked seriously and she quickly shook her head. She didn't want him going through her most personal possessions.

"Tell me when you are ready to leave then. I will be waiting outside." He left then and she felt a bit anxious about saying anything more. She knew full well that he could hear everything from where he waited outside.

"So darn hot." Hannah exclaimed.

"Shut up Hannah." She muttered under her breath.

"Plus I think he's got the hots for you! That was a moment you two just had." Hannah let out a squeal.
 
Honey said nothing as the other two girls began chiming in about Aiden too. She let out a huff and proceeded to sticky tape the boxes together. To stop her sisters constant chattering she demanded their help which made them all grumble.

She breathed in relief as it distracted them from talking about Aiden. It restarted once Honey was going through her underwear and Hannah made some rather naughty suggestions again. At this Honey pushed the giggling girls out of the room so she could pack in peace.

"Now would you like a helping hand?" A wry voice asked from beside the window.

She poked her head out to see a very amused Aiden. He looked so distractingly handsome when he smiled and looked happy. It took away that fearful part of him that she had noticed the night before. He looked like a normal man instead of a creature of the night. Then she realised he was amused by everything her sister's had been saying about him, which made a blush fill her face.

"No thank you." She said as she shut the window on him.

"I can hear through glass Honey." He said as he tapped the glass with that small smile on his face.

"I'm packing so go away!" She grouched and she heard the best sound that she ever had in her life, his laugh. It was intoxicating and mesmerising all in one. She opened her window again to peer at him.

"I've never heard that before." She told him softly.

"Heard what?" He asked curiously.

"You laugh." She said simply and he looked surprised.

"Let me help you and we can be finished before you know it." He persuaded.

She looked around the room and considered his words. At least her most embarrassing things seemed to be packed away, so she sighed and agreed. He climbed gracefully through her window and looked around the room.

Her scent in here permeated everything and he wished he hadn't volunteered to help. No he had to get used to being surrounded by that delicious smell, he thought after all she was coming to live in his house. He almost laughed at the irony of it. He had promised to protect her, yet he was perhaps the most dangerous creature she could be around.

After last night he knew that the pure blood in the bar that she had refused may come after her. Aiden had in fact taken a meal from them. Pure bloods did not take kindly to others stealing their food. The way the man had bared his fangs at Aiden as an outward threat still bothered him. It was why he had to keep her safe. She was his innocent after all and nobody else's.

"So what needs to be packed?" He asked as she stood awkwardly by the window. He reminded himself then that she had probably never had a man in this room and to stay his distance.

"Well do I need to take any furniture?" She asked quietly and he shook his head.

"Which room would you like in the house?" He asked and she shrugged, having not thought that far ahead. "What if we give you the upstairs furthest corner bedroom? The one that is painted that light mauve colour." He enquired while she just nodded.

He had no idea why he had suggested the room next to his. He used the excuse that he could get to her quickly if something went wrong, but he knew it was simply an excuse. He secretly wanted her close even though he would be tortured by her scent in every moment.

"That would be fine." She answered as she shuffled her feet.

"Then your job right now is to tell me what to pack where as you know what furniture there is in that room." He said seriously.

With a sigh she stood back and ordered him around. The man was fast, fluid and breathtaking. He had packed up what would have taken her hours in about fifteen minutes. She was rather flabbergasted by it in fact. Nobody could move that fast surely.  

She was wondering if he was real when Hannah burst through the door again. She stopped still as she stared between her sister and Aiden. With tongue in cheek she walked back out of the door grinning like crazy and Honey rolled her eyes.

"Sorry about them." She said with a grimace.

"They are but children." He said with a wave of his hand, dismissing the problem.

"I guess that includes me." Honey said and his eyes flicked to hers briefly.

"Are you sure this is something you want to discuss right now?" His stern warning made her instantly back up.

Gone was the calm, relaxed Aiden who had been in this room with her all this time. Returning was the dangerous one, the one that scared her but thrilled her equally. His silver eyes flicked over her, assessing every single part of her making her body shiver with delight.

"Um no....no I guess not." She said quickly.

"We will discuss all these untoward things Honey but like you said earlier today, you are not ready yet." He emphasised the last words strongly.

"Okay." She replied looking down at her clenched hands briefly.

"Let’s start packing this in the van." This time his voice went back to being relaxed and it was like the sun peering through the clouds.

"Sure." She picked up a box then and went to walk out of the door but his hand on her arm stopped her.

"I know this is confusing but I have to agree with you that the less you know the better at the moment." He told her his voice low and soothing.

She was enthralled by his eyes, taken by the simple touch of his cool fingers on her skin. He took a deep breath, looked a little ill for a moment before stepping quickly away from her. She felt disappointed by his abrupt removal and could only wonder at what had made him so uncomfortable in that brief second.

He turned his back on her and picked up two huge boxes at once. He walked past her out the door as though nothing untoward had happened. She frowned at his back, knowing that something had happened but she had no idea what. She followed him out but he was back to the van in the time it took her to do one trip.

Soon the van was loaded with boxes and suitcases that represented her life so far. Goodbyes to her family were harder than expected. Aiden insisted they were all welcome to visit anytime for which Honey was incredibly grateful. It felt surreal to be driving away from her home. The worst thing was that she wasn't sure what she was moving into.

She followed his white van with her little old, reliable car which had never let her down. She felt anxious yet free all at the same time. Her life was changing thanks to Rosie's generosity. She would still be there for her family, especially if Brooke got any worse but it felt good to be on her own. She wasn't just one of the Combes sisters anymore. 

She was Honey Combes, finding her own way on life. Her triumph turned to trepidation when she felt his eyes on her in his rear view mirror at the traffic lights. She might be free but at the same time she had become trapped. She was in a world unknown to her. It was a world that she wasn't sure if she even wanted to be in.

It was his world though, maybe she would be happy to be within his realm. One thing was for certain, she was about to find out answers to her questions and as much as it scared her, she wanted it. Her mystery man had been a source of fascination for her from the first day she saw him. Unravelling the very mystery that surrounded him had her intrigued and she couldn't wait to start.