Seraphina's Awakening

Chapter Fourteen: The Unexpected Date

Soundlessly, the oversize front door opens. That beautiful scent of Christmas hits her again. Nate is standing in the center of the foyer as if he were waiting for her. Dressed in a white collared shirt and slacks, he peers over at her. Again, Sera finds herself tugging on her blouse. His blue eyes illuminate when they meet hers.

"Please, come in." Even his voice is smooth and velvety.

Carefully, Sera takes a step inside the threshold of this grand foyer. Above her dangles a huge glass chandelier with crystals hanging from it, reaching down to her like fingers. She takes in the expertly crafted wooden floors, walls, and a high vaulted ceiling. On the right, a spiraling staircase wraps alongside the wall and up to a second level.

"I have your necklace right here." She didn't even notice that he wasn't beside her any longer. She follows him to a room on the left. The smoky scent of a fire meets her when she enters. Before her is a cozy room. Covering the walls are floor to ceiling bookshelves. The center hosts a large brick fireplace situated around it sits a plush green couch and two chairs that look an awful lot like the one at Jack's shop.

"It's right here." He picks it up from the chain off the coffee table; extending his arm toward her.

It's like she's back in that dream again, her feet take her around the couch to him. Her vial dangles from his fingers. Her eyes flick from his back down to the vial. It does have a glimmer to it that it didn't before, but it's not glowing as it had earlier. She finally takes it.

"Thank you. I would be lost without this."

"Can I ask where you got something like that?" He settles into the couch.

She hesitates. "It was a gift," she answers before sitting on the couch beside him. Not too close, but not too far away either. The scent of the fire isn't the only thing she can smell. His scent lingers around her as well. She can't really put a finger on the scent, no matter how hard she tries.

"A gift from whom?" His tone strains, but his eyes are still warm.

"It's been so long I can't seem to remember." With all the craziness of the past few days, she hasn't exactly had the time to hunt down the origin of her favorite necklace. Apprehensively, she glances around the cozy room. "Uh, well, I should be going." Sera gets up and walks around the couch back toward the foyer.

"Wait." Nate follows her. "You must be starving coming from work, I was just about to have dinner if you'd like to join me."

With a shake of her head, she replies, "I couldn't possibly—" Her words pause on her lips as her eyes follow his outstretched finger. The entire back wall of his house is all glass. His dining room table is lit only with the moon and the glimmering stars above.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, she's enraptured by the moon, causing her to walk mindlessly deeper into his house. The back of his house overlooks a cliff. She can just make out the endless forest and winding river below.

"Do you like it?" he asks from beside her.

"Are you kidding, it's gorgeous." Her eyes never leave the vast sight ahead.

He pulls out a chair, and she sits at the small two-person table. The moon filters light down onto them like a spotlight. He carefully seats himself across from Sera as he takes the liberty to run his fingers through his hair. A silence falls over them for a second as Sera takes in the table setting before her. Candles, wine, a table set for two.

She shakes her head, "Did you do all this for me?"

This mysterious dream-man meets her eyes. They widen with surprise at first then they appear to soften. "Yeah, all for you."