Blue Moon.

Chapter 32

My heart fluttered in my chest as I pulled up to the mansion in my car; I was elated that this time, the people inside the mansion were expecting me. I tried to steady my hands as I rolled down my window and reached out to press the red button set inside a metal plate on the stone pillars on either side of the mansion's black iron gates. I pressed it with my index finger and a voice crackled through the speaker on the silver plate. "Name." the voice said and I cleared my throat.

"Aubrey Locke." I said, and without another word the gates were opening up. I waited until they clanged all the way open before driving forward, up the black concrete drive. I took my foot off the accelerator as I came up alone side the threshold where a man clad in black stood with his hand up to stop me. I immediately recognized the man's size and vaguely his face. It was Cliff, the man who stopped Liam from attacking me in his werewolf form.

My cheeks flushed as I took in his features. He was easily in his late fifties, his hair mostly a light shade of grey, a fluffy bundle of curly hair that sat neatly trimmed on top of his head. He had sunken cheeks, but kind, wide eyes that were brown, the skin crinkling at the corners as he smiled at me. "Miss Locke?" he asked me, leaning towards my open window. I smiled sheepishly at him in reply. "Master William is inside waiting for you in the foyer, if you'll allow me to park your car into the garage." He offered kindly.

My mouth hung open with surprise. I didn't know that Cliff offered a ballet service, and who the hell was Master William? I shook my head at myself with a nervous chuckle and put my car into park. I took off my seatbelt and stepped out of the car, looking graciously at Cliff. "Thank you." I said to him with a smile. He bowed his head at me before ducking into my car and shutting the door behind him.

He drove off steadily with it and I turned on my heel, facing the ancient mansion, taking in its unworldly beauty at full blast. I had never been this close before.

With wobbling legs and a stupid grin plastered on my face I walked up the steps leading to the threshold, held up by smooth white pillars. As I stepped under the tall stoop I saw the front doors were made with a satin-smooth mahogany frame with assort colors of stain glass that filled square cut outs in the door. One was already halfway open, and as I stepped numbly into the doorway, I knocked against the frame to announce my presence.

I didn't know what I had expected the interior to look like, maybe damp, dark, and empty, but I was certainly taken aback by what I stepped into.

From what I could see, mostly everything was lit by candles, minus the magnificent chandelier hanging above me from the cathedral high ceiling, made with glimmering crystals, gold, and small light bulbs. Directly in front of me was a huge staircase that forked in two places, one that led to a second floor and the other reaching towards the third floor.

The walls had all kinds of candles handing from them on more mahogany shelves, different paintings hung up on some of the bare places on the walls which were painted peacock blue. The rich color of the walls really accented the deep black carpet of the staircase which looked fluffy to the touch. As I looked all around me I felt very underdressed, like a peasant stranded in the middle of an extravagant ballroom.

However as my eyes fell onto a handsome boy leaning against the mahogany staircase banister, all my discontent vanished. Liam stood like a Greek god in a plain, grey v-necked tee-shirt and torn jeans held up by a black studded belt. His skin was golden as always, and his hair was so untidy it looked intentional. His glacier eyes were observing me with curiosity as I took everything in, my insides contorting.

I looked at him and felt a smile linger on my lips, my heart hammering in a frenzy of excitement. We stared intently at each other, neither of us moving or speaking until I heard a huff come from behind me. Cliff was bustling inside, shutting the huge doors behind him eagerly. "It's getting much too cold outside." He chuckled to himself, turning to set his kind eyes on me. "My name is Cliff, Miss Locke." He said, offering me his hand.