Chapter 3
After dinner, as Marshall cleared the table, the dark clouds outside opened up and began to pour. The band had made their escape before the rain had started to pour. Alec envied those bastards. He wanted to bang his head against the table when Lady Charlotte announced she had cancelled their hotel reservations and that they would all be staying in the Heywood manor for the rest of their stay.
Alec tried to look for any excuse to get out of the ordeal but Lady Charlotte would not have it.
"Nonsense," she whispered. "It's raining horses outside....you can't leave."
"Just a little rain," Alec tried with the lady. "Nothing I wasn't trained for."
Eden watched him through her lashes over Lady Charlotte's shoulder. Her chin rested on the woman's bony shoulders as she swayed to some music only she seemed to be hearing.
"Should I show him to his room, grandma?" She asked.
"Yes, darling," the old woman said nodding. "Take him upstairs."
"Okay," Eden perked up. She looked at Alec and beaconed with her hand, "Follow me."
Alec looked to Rose for any type of help but she just frowned and mouthed how sorry she was.
As she did so, Alec suddenly felt cold hands wrap around his wrist. He jerked in surprise as Eden began to tug at his arm.
"Let's go," She said.
Alec bit down on his jaw as he pulled his hand away from her. Did she have no sense of prive space? He had hoped his scowl and action would have sent a loud message to her. But to his luck, she didn't seem to notice anything. The smile on her face didn't waver.
"Lead the way," Alec said, defeated.
He followed the girl out of the room, his frown deepening with each step he took after her. She zigzagged through the living room, going out of her way to avoid certain spots. Various times she knocked over picture frames, vases, lamps..... Alec was beginning to notice how everything in the house has at least on crack or dent.
"Does thunder bother you?" Eden asked as she began to climb the stairs.
"No." Alec said in a clipped tone.
"It doesn't bother me either," The girl said as she swung her arms from side to side. "I like loud sounds."
Alec rolled his eyes. "I've noticed."
"You have?" Eden looked over her shoulder.
"You asked the band to play louder over and over throughout dinner."
"Yeah," Eden laughed. Her brown eyes fell on her fingers as she began to pick at the skin around her nails. "The music helps."
Alec almost asked her what the music helped with, but he reminded himself she would never shut up so he kept his mouth shut.
"Tell me about your father,"
Eden's sudden request caught Alec off guard. He stopped where he was on the stairs and peered up at her, "Excuse me?"
"What was he like?" Eden asked. She turned around on the step she stood on in front of Alec. Her bare feet hung off the edge of the step as she balanced herself. Alec knew she would fall any second, given her clumsiness. He was annoyed to his bones knowing she would probably fall towards his direction.
To avoid such a headache, he side stepped her quickly and climbed ahead. But just as he passed her, his senses felt the air shift around Eden. It was as if someone had moved the still air between them. Eden's body hunched forward and her arms flared. Alec watched as she was headed for the bottom of the stairs head first.
Even when he tried, he couldn't avoid such a mess. Alec reached out with his quick reflexes and grabbed Eden's upper arm.
"WOah!" Eden laughed as he steadied her. "How did you do that?"
"I'm a werewolf," Alec reminded her. "Reflexes."
"Right," Eden nodded, still laughing. "Well thank god for you.....the last time I fell down these stairs I had to get nine stitches on my arm. And the time before that I got four."
"How many times have you fallen down the stairs?"
"I don't think anyone kept count," Eden shrugged. Alec's concern grew as she began to bounce up the stairs ahead of him. He shook his head in disbelief as he followed shortly after.
"How old were you when your father died?" Eden brought up the topic again as she started walking backward facing Alec.
"How did you know that?"
"You're a Radacovick," Eden pointed out. "Your brother is married to the Queen.....your family is kinda well known."
Alec shut his mouth. He pressed his lips tightly together and prayed they would arrive at the room soon.
"Do you remember him?" Eden just would not get the hint.
"I don't like talking about him." Alec grumbled.
"Do you remember playing catch with him? In the snow field in Russia?"
Alec's feet froze. His green eyes narrowed at the girl in front of him as his hands balled into fists. The muscles in his jaw jumped as he tried to keep his temper in check.
"Where is the room, Eden?" Alec almost growled.
Eden paused as she heard the traces of anger in his voice, "Are you angry with me because I asked about you father?"
Alec wanted to laugh in her face. It had been so long since he had been this irritated. Maybe it was the combination of his wolf being cranky that made Eden so irritating.....or maybe it was just all her.
"The room." Alec said as he tried to keep his voice calm and low.
Eden's plump lips pulled down into a frown as she pointed to the door next to her.
"This is it?" Alec asked as he took a step forward.
Eden nodded. She stepped aside as Alec rushed into the room and slammed the door shut in her face. The sounds echoed through the halls for a few seconds as Eden stood outside. She could sense him standing by the door on the opposite side. She wondered if maybe he would open the door and ask for something. But as a few more seconds passed, she shook her head and hurried down the hall to her room.
Alec waited until the girl was gone to let out the breath he had been holding. He ran a rough hand through his hair as he heard her words in his mind.
Do you remember playing catch with him? In the snow field in Russia?
Alec didn't have many memories of Ivan. He was only four then the man had passed away. The only memory Alec did have of his father was in a snow field. How did.....
Alec, Grace's voice opened up his mind-link. You there?
Yeah, Alec sighed. I'm here.
Long day?
The worst evening.
Do you want to talk about it?
I rather not, Alec walked into the room and sank down into the twin bed. Distract me, please. Talk to me about your day.
__________________________________
Eden laid in bed with her head hanging over the edge as she held the noise canceling headphones firmly around her ears. Her favorite cello piece was playing and she needed to hear every second of it.
Her long hair created a puddle of gold on the floor as a little black kitten poked his head out from under the bed. The curious little thing swapped at Eden's locks as it moved in the wind.
Eden had left the french doors to her balcony wide open. She liked the way the stormy air felt trapped in her room. It was wild and reckless, going around and round. The thundering rain poured in, soaking her curtains. The kitten scurried up to the bed as splashes of the cold rain carried in by the wind hit his face.
"Hey there, Binx." Eden said, picking up her head. She removed her headphones before she picked up the little fur-ball and placed it on her chest. "Where have you been all day?"
The kitty responded by licking it's paw and swiping it over his nose.
"We have guests in the house, Binx," Eden said as she scratched the back of the kitten's ear. "Dad brought Rose. She's so beautiful....but of course mama was prettier."
Eden quickly sat up in bed as unwanted memories of fire and cold frozen grounds threatened to engulf her in the darkness of her room. She quickly used her mind to flicker on all the laps and tea-lights in the room as she pulled Binx closer to her chest.
"We don't think about that stuff," Eden shook her head. "Grandma said we shouldn't. I promised I wouldn't."
The kitten began to purr from the warmth of Eden's chest. She looked down at it as her heart began to calm down.
"Tall, dark, and handsome," Eden laughed looking down at the kitty. "Just like Alec."
The beady green eyes of Binx made Eden's cheeks warm as she remembered Alec's eyes. She wondered what he looked like when he smiled. He was always frowning....
"What's the deal with Ivan and Ivan, Binx?" Eden wondered as she pulled the kitty away from her chest and held it up in front of her face.
"Snow cover field....baby bottles.....hospital beds.....diamond rings....." Eden said the words slowly, trying to make sense of them.
The kitten began to toss and turn its head in Eden's grip as she got carried away with her thought. It wasn't until the little thing bit down on her thumb with it's harmless teeth that she realized he was asking to be put down.
Eden laughed as she placed him on the pillow net to her and laid down on the bed.
"He's perfect, Binx....." She said as she grabbed a spare pillow and hugged it to her chest.
_______________________
Alec tossed and turned all night as the heavy rain beat against the roof of the old house. Through his window, he saw the flashes of lightning light up the gulf as massive waves crashed against the shore.
After failing to sleep, Alec sat up in bed and groaned. He had a full day of work ahead of him. He couldn't afford a sleepless night. But sleep was a stranger.
Alec got off the bed and walked to the window. He leaned forward as he watched the water below, tossing and turning just as he had. He didn't know for how long he stood there, but as he watched the rain, he wondered how all that water didn't fill up the ocean in front of him.
With a heavy sigh, he moved away from the window and reached for his bottle of water, only to find it completely empty.
"Grate," Alec mumbled in the dark.
Tossing the empty bottle in the bin, he opened his door and crept out into the halls. The house was silent as a mouse. Other than the booming thunder outside, nothing could be heard.
Alec's eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness as he felt his way along the wall and down to the main floor. He was surprised at how little the floorboards cracked under his feet. He had expected an old house to play like a broken bagpipe as he moved. But other than a little squeak here and there, there was no other sound.
By some miracle, Alec found his way into the kitchen. He opened the large fridge and found everything except a bottle of water. After a few more minutes of searching, he decided to abandon his hunt and just be satisfied with tap water.
Now where were the glasses......
"The cups are in the cupboard above the sink," Eden's voice spoke out from somewhere in the dark.
Alec turned his head and found her standing by the entrance to the sunroom. A flash of lighting sparked across the sky illuminating her tiny face.
"What are you doing up?" Alec asked.
"What are you doing up?"
"I need water."
Eden clapped her hand twice and the light in the room flickered on. Alec watched her as she walked to the cupboard, pulled out a glass and filled it with water from the filter.
"Thank you," he said as she handed him the glass.
Eden nodded as she avoided his eyes.
As Alec watched her face he wondered if she was upset from his behavior earlier. She wasn't saying much....
"Why are you up so late?" He asked.
Eden's brown eyes flickered up to his as another flash of lightning moved in the sky.
"I'm working on a spell," She said quietly as she scratched her head. "Just trying to put it together in my head."
"So you are capable of thinking in your head," Alec couldn't believe he had just let that slip. He didn't mean to say it out loud.
"It just gets so loud in here some times," Eden said, not taking any offense to his words.
Alec nodded. His eyes watched the little v between her brows before Eden turned abruptly on her heels and walked away towards the sunroom.
"What spell are you working on?" Alec couldn't understand why he was engaging her in a conversation. Why was he even following her into the sunroom?
Eden sighed dramatically as she rubbed her face. Alec found the gesture odd as it strongly reminded of Clare when she was cranky from sleep deprivation.
"This," Eden said as she leaned over the wooden table in the room. Other than the little oil lamp in the middle of the table and the reflection of the rain pouring down the glass walls, there was no other light.
Alec followed Eden's eyes to the peculiar things arranged around the table. Various herbs, dried wildflowers, lavender, a copper pot of boiling water, a green frog, a dead bird, a macbook air, a polaroid camera, and a broom stick.
Alec picked up the broom stick carefully. He turned to Eden and raised a brow, "Really?"
"It's for cleaning," Eden's laugh filled the night. "I don't fly around on a broom stick.......anymore."
"Anymore?"
"Yeah," the girl sighed. "Last time I flew, I got stuck on Mr. Batemen's chimney.....we had a hard time explaining to him why I was up there all night in the morning."
"I'm surprised your story didn't end with you getting stitches," Alec couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of him.
"No stitches," Eden shook her head. "Just a broken rib from how I flew into the chimney."
"Jesus."
"He was definitely not on my team that day."
Alec couldn't understand the girl in front of him. Her age and her strange sense of humor couldn't be the only things that made her seem like an alien to him.
"Cookie?" Eden asked as she held out a plate. There was still a deep frown on her face as her eyes scanned the materials in front of her.
"What kind?" Alec asked as he reached for a cookie.
"Chocolate chip," Eden said. "I made them."
"Thank you."
"Yep," Eden sat the plate down on the table.
Alec took a bite of the warm cookie as he watched her chew on the pencil she had picked up. For the first time in the darkness of the room, he noticed the constellation of freckles across her nose.
"What are you trying to do?" Alec asked.
"I'm trying to change the frog into a bird."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"When will you ever need such a spell?"
Eden thought about his question for a second before she shook her head, "Magic doesn't have to make sense."
Alec laughed as he took the last bit of his cookie.
"Ah...what the hell?" He suddenly said as he bit into something hard in the middle of the cook. He spit it out in his hand and stared at the green hard shell . "What is that?"
"A cardamom." Eden said calmly.
"Why is there a cardamom in a chocolate chip cookie?"
"Cardamoms are a symbol of good luck in your food," Eden said. "I put them in everything."
Alec was bewildered. He didn't know what to say as he rinsed his mouth with his glass of water.
"Well....." he flung the cookie into the trash bin under the table. "Sorry for taking your luck."
"That's okay, I still have 13 more in here somewhere."
"Right," Alec nodded. "Well, good night."
"Wait!" Eden called out, stopping him. "Don't you want to see my spell?"
"Not really."
"I gave you a cookie."
"With cardamom in it."
"Still a cookie," Eden frowned. "Please stay.....I'm not supposed to do spells alone. Sometimes things catch on fire."
"So you need adult supervision."
Eden furrowed her brows. "No. I need just supervision. I am an adult."
"Get on with it," Alec still couldn't understand what he was doing. Why did he even come into the sunroom with her? He should have just taken his water and headed upstairs. Not mingle with a half insane witch eating cardamom cookies.
"The fire extinguisher is under the table," Eden said as she hopped off the stool and opened up the macbook. Alec laughed under his breath as she watched her scroll down the pages.
"What's so funny?" Eden asked.
"I've never seen a witch use a macbook for her spells."
"It's easier to keep track of this this way.....I rather carry this then five spell books."
"Fair point."
"Okay, here is the spell...." Eden zoomed into the photo of a scanned spell and positioned the laptop in front of her.
Alec reached for the fire extinguisher as she started to recite the Roopcian words. He watched the frog in front of him as the ancient words of the spell poured out of Eden's lips.
After a few seconds, Eden gasped as the dead frog in front of her started to tremble. Alec took a step closer as the metal plate upon which the frog laid quacked with it's movements. Was it really going to sprout wings and change into a bird?
As Eden's chants started to reach its peak, the frog began to swell up.
"I think you should stop now," Alec said with worry as the green belly of the frog puffed up like a balloon.
Eden didn't stop.
She kept changing and changing.
The frog kept growing and growing.
And then.....BOOM.
The slimy little creature exploded all over Alec and Eden's face.
"Ah man," Eden whined. "Again?"
Alec set the fire extinguisher down and turned his angry green eyes towards the witch, "You knew this was a possibility?"
"Well yeah, duh."
"What is wrong with you?"
Eden opened her mouth but then closed it back up, "Is that a trick question?"
Alec shook his head. "Unbelievable."
"Where are you going?" Eden asked as he began to move towards the door.
"To wash prince charming off of me."
________________________
By some divine miracle, Alec was able to sleep through the rest of the night after a hot shower.
The next morning, he woke to the sounds of waves breaking against rocks and seagulls. The sun had appeared again as if the day before it hadn't abandoned them. Alec hopped into the shower once more and scrubbed to get the stink of the frog off his skin. He was pretty sure it was all in his head, but his nose kept twitching. Once he was ready for the day and had a car called to pick him up, Alec headed downstairs.
"I'm pretty sure we're out of dried daisies and roses," Eden's voice greeted him as he slowly made his way down the stairs.
"But I bought two jars last weekend," Marshall argued.
"I used them all."
"On useless spells."
"Hey!" Eden yelled. "They are not useless. I am learning. And there is no shame in that."
Alec groaned under his breath. Why was she so loud? It was way too early for such ruckus.
As he stepped foot onto the bottom of the stairs, his eyes immediately fell on the broken vase on the floor. Alec looked up and found Eden smiling at him.
"The vase hit me," she said laughing.
"Of course it did," Alec mumbled as he set out to find Rose.
"Did you sleep well?" Eden started to follow him down the hall.
"Yes."
"Good, good." The girl nodded. "Are you in the market for baby bottles by any chance?"
"What?" Alec asked in confusion.
"Just wondering."
"Why? Are you selling baby bottles?"
"No," Eden chuckled. "I don't sell baby bottles. I sell love spells."
"Good for you."
"Do you need a love spell?"
"No." Alec sighed. "Eden, where is Rose?"
Eden stopped walking and stared up at the Queen's guard, "What did you call me?"
"Eden," Alec narrowed his eyes. "Isn't that your name?"
"Yes," The girl nodded.
"Then what's the issue?"
"I like the way you say it."
And with that the girl skipped away, leaving Alec behind to follow. She led him through the messy sunroom and out onto the patio.
"Rosalinda," Eden sang. "Alec is looking for you."
"Good morning," Rose smiled up at the two. She sat wearing a white silk robe as oversized shades covered her eyes. "Breakfast?"
"Good morning everyone," Alec greeted. "No, thank you. I don't really eat breakfast."
"It's the most important meal of the day," Lady Charlotte whispered.
Alec gave her a polite smile as he moved his eyes back to Rose, "I'm headed out. I have to check in with some of the local packs and take care of some business."
As Alec spoke, he couldn't help but be distracted by Eden. The girl held out her hand in the sunlight as a monarch butterfly casually landed on her fingertips. She brought it up to her nose and set it down before moving it to her hair. And by some strange universal alignment, the butterfly stayed in her golden locks like a hair clip.
"The local packs?" Lady Charlotte asked.
"Yes," Alec moved his eyes away from her granddaughter and looked at her.
"Take Eden with you," The Old lady pointed to the girl.
Oh no, Alec thought.
"Thank you, but it's official business." Alec tried to explain.
"No, no," Lady Charlotte shook her head. "The locals know her, she will help you."
"Help me with what?" Alec's eyes flickered up to Eden who was still distracted by the butterflies.
"You never know," the old lady said. "Take the local guide.....please. I insist."
Alec looked to Rose for some help. Rose quickly took off her shades and tried to reason with Charlotte but the woman wouldn't have it.
"I'll meet you by the door in five minutes," Eden said casually as she walked back into the house.
I am so sorry, Rose mink linked him. If she gets too much, then leave her in the car.
Alec bit down on his jaw to keep his frustration in check. He gave the two women a tight lip smile before heading back into the house. Maybe he could sneak away before Eden came downstairs.....
"I'm ready," Her cheerful voice rang out as Alec neared the door. "What do you think?"
Alec turned his eyes to stare at the girl, "Are you kidding me?"
Eden laughed as she spun around in a red cloak. She paused and threw the hood over her head, "I'm little red."
"You're going to werewolf packs.....dressed as a red riding hood....." Alec said in disbelief.
"Oh I've been waiting for this moment forever!" Eden wiggled with excitement. "Let's go."
Alec looked up to the heavens and shook his head, "What is happening?"
"Oh I almost forgot," The girl said as she danced out through the front doors. Alec watched as she pulled out her bag from under the cloak and dug through it.
"This is for you," she said, handing him a little jar of clear liquid.
"What is it?"
"It should help with the frog smell." Eden laughed.
Alec rolled his eyes and mumbled under his breath as he made his way to the car. He knew the gentleman's thing to do was to open the door for Eden, but he was too irritated. He got into the driver's seat and buckled in his seatbelt as Eden climbed in.
"I'm starving," she started to complain immediately.
"Then maybe you should stay home," Alec thought he saw some light at the end of the tunnel. "You can have a nice big lunch."
"No need," Eden shook her head. "I bought some cookies.....do you want some?"
"Are they your good luck cookies?"
"Yes."
"Then no."
"Where did I put them," Eden clicked her tongue as she dug through her bag. "Here hold this."
She handed Alec a large mess of keychains. It was so heavy Alec feared he could knock somebody out by swinging it around.
"What is this?" He asked.
"Uh?" Eden looked up. "Oh that!"
She started to laugh as she pulled out a bag of cookies from her bag.
"I have a fear of losing my keys," she explained as she bit into a cookie. "So I make them as big and heavy as I possibly can with all those keychains.....that way I will never lose them."
"Fun." Alec said as he handed the wad of keychains back to her.
"Yeah....I tried wearing the keys on my necklace....but one time I-"
"Let me guess," Alec stopped her. "You fell and had to get stitches."
Eden blinked at him as if what he was saying was completely absurd.
"No," she shook her blonde head. "I forgot to put my necklace on and got locked out of the house."
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