BACK TO FRASER'S FRACTURED FICTION

Complicated Lives

by A. Fraser and Jean Hontz

Part 5

© Copyright 2005 A. Fraser and Jean Hontz. All rights reserved.

Mrs. Jenkins didn't exactly look disapproving as she made breakfast for Adele, served it, and pointed out the nicer of the available guest bedrooms. But she didn't exactly look approving, either. Adele found the housekeeper something of a cold fish. She wondered if that was what happened to retired Nameless who had lived past their cycles and no longer were prey to the failings of the flesh. She hoped not. Evan was far too much fun to turn into a dried old stick like this one. Poor Alex, trapped in this dreadful house with this graduate from the Mrs Danvers school of housekeeping! It explained a lot.

The guest room was actually quite nice, much more cheerful than the rest of the house she'd seen so far. Someone had made an effort in here. She wondered who. A few elegant antiques gave her a clue; pity Alex hadn't turned Josh loose on the rest of the house. Of course, knowing Josh, he'd probably want to burn the wretched place down and start again.

She sank onto the bed. It was very comfortable. Really, really comfortable. She found her mind wandering, speculating on the arrangements in the master bedroom of Oakwoods. Absolutely none of her business, she chided herself; knowing the ones in the master bedroom here at Valley Mansion was enough.

When Adele opened her eyes again, it was just past noon. Mrs. Jenkins was knocking at the door.

"Sorry to wake you," the housekeeper said, not looking terribly sorry. "There's someone here to see you."

"Who on earth knows I'm here?" Adele asked.

"Miss Fairlawn."

"Bess, you absolute brat!" Adele exclaimed, wrapping the moose robe around her once more and running out to greet the other young woman. "How did you know?"

"All those innocent questions about Alex," Bess grinned at her. "So...?"

"Oh, goddess, Bess, I think I'm in trouble."

Bess grabbed her hand and led her down to the kitchen, where Mrs Jenkins had set out a pot of coffee and some small cakes. The retired Nameless One didn't really approve of the gentry sitting in the kitchen but she knew the Fairlawns liked that sort of thing. She left the two girls alone to talk. But she made sure to stay close enough to the door not to miss a word.

Once both girls had a cup of coffee in front of them, Bess leaned forward with a frown, "What exactly do you mean you're in trouble? Alex didn't..."

"Hurt me? No, of course not!" Adele assured her. Then she looked away. "It's just that, well, he isn't what I expected, you know?"

"Uh oh," Bess said. "It's those looks of his."

Adele frowned as she sipped her coffee. "No. Not really. I mean gorgeous is different for everyone. For instance I think Gideon is gorgeous. It's the eyes that get me." Then she fell silent.
"And?" Bess prodded.

"Oh, crap, it's that vulnerable look I saw in his eyes. I mean, I can't believe I agreed to stay here today. What's up with that? I don't even have a change of clothes! No makeup, not even a bloody toothbrush."

Bess laughed. "All of which can be supplied. Oh, I brought your clothes over. We washed them this morning. I should have thought about the toothbrush, but I'd bet Mrs Jenkins has every guest room supplied with one."

Adele giggled. "Well, it wasn't the actual thing. It's the whole idea of the thing, you know? Am I making any sense at all? Crap. He's going to think I'm some stupid air-headed idiot who's falling all over him," Adele added glumly. "Who else knows I'm here," she asked suddenly frowning at Bess.

Bess laughed out loud. "Everyone."

Adele turned bright red. "Oh, shit."

"You can't keep secrets around here," Bess said. "I only get away with it because I'm at college."

"What secrets _are_ you keeping?" Adele asked, grateful for the excuse to get off the subject of Alex and her confused feelings. "I saw what your mom said about a string of young men."

The other girl blushed. "Oh, that," she snorted. "Really. I go out with two or three guys and suddenly I have a string of young men."

"Any of them serious?"

"Nah. I'm waiting til I graduate and settle down in the business world."

"But you _have_ slept with at least one them, haven't you?"

Bess turned even redder, then nodded shyly. "Only... it wasn't that great," she admitted. "So now I'm waiting for a guy I really click with." She stood up abruptly, still blushing. "Why don't you get dressed, and we'll go have lunch in town?" she asked. She nodded significantly in the direction of the kitchen door. "Somewhere nobody's listening in."

"Oh!" Adele responded, realizing she really really didn't want a lot of her confusion spread all over the Cliff Road. "I'll be right back."

Adele dashed up to the guest room and found Mrs J had left them long enough to lay out the clothes for her on the bed. She did indeed find a toothbrush in the bathroom. She'd have sworn it hadn't been there so obviously earlier. At any rate, she dressed quickly and rejoined Bess in the kitchen. "I wonder if we could stop and let me pick up a few things. Makeup, a change of clothes... Oh, I don't have any money with me."

Bess, patted Adele's arm. She wasn't sure if she should be amused or alarmed at how flustered Adele appeared to be about all of this. "I've got a card with me. You can repay me when you get a chance."

"Oh, Bess, you're a doll. So, tell me about Guy. Maybe there's something there? He was watching you rather intently. Well, until Maggie started to close in on him, and then he seemed more worried about self-defense," was what she was saying, and giggling about, as the two of them exited Valley Mansion, to climb into the car Bess had driven over, and headed for Fletcherville.

"Guy..." said Bess thoughtfully, equally glad to be off the subject of _her_ sex life. "Guy's cute, and interesting, and that tattoo is quite the turn-on. But..."

"I knew there'd be a but."

"Well... I know you're from another alternate world, like he is, but _you_ can just switch over whenever you want, and he can't. He doesn't belong in this world; he doesn't really fit in the way you do; and he can't decide whether he wants to go back home or not. I don't want to sound mean, but I'm not sure I want to get involved with him in those circumstances."

Adele frowned. "Yeah, I guess. He's fine, though. Damn, I really wanted to talk to him a bit more than I had a chance to. He must be really feeling at sea. I know how weird everything seemed to me at first."

"Well, maybe tomorrow you can come by and see him."

"True," Adele answered.

"I have to head back tomorrow after dinner, though. Graduate school waits for no girl."

They hit the local café for lunch and giggled their way through their meal.

Then they hit the stores. Fletcherville didn't exactly have the same shopping opportunities as Manhattan or LA or even Boston, but it had sufficient for Adele's immediate needs. As the two young women watched a particularly magnificent specimen of manhood walk past them in the department store, they both sighed, and then Bess remembered something Adele had said.

"Adele," she asked. "Really... Gideon?"

Adele grinned. "Oh yeah. He's a little short but that's not always a bad thing. He hits right about the right height." Adele stuck out her chest and almost caused Bess to choke she was laughing so hard.

"See! Seriously, I love his eyes."

___

Alex opened his grey eyes. One advantage to being a vampire was that you were always digital--either on or off. There was no in-between period; no solid-state, no fuzzy logic, no static. He swang himself out of his regrettably empty bed (although that didn't surprise him; he'd said it himself. Few people are willing to cuddle with a corpse), and went to take another shower.

Had she stayed? He must have been out of his mind to ask. But last night... last night had been more than just great sex.

Hadn't it?

He really liked Adele. She was funny and sweet, and stood up for herself. He had the distinct feeling that she wouldn't let him get away with much nonsense; yet she made him laugh. And she had said she liked to hear him laugh.

He dressed himself carefully, not that Alex ever looked sloppy, and hunted frantically before locating his cigarette case and lighter. He refilled the case from his stock; noting he'd soon have to order more. The company that made his panatelas was always happy to get an order from him.

He'd never met a woman who actually liked smoking the things before.

Unlike Adele, Alex knew that beyond a doubt everyone in the Brotherhood and half of Fletcherville knew by now that Adele had spent the night with him. They'd all be waiting to see what happened next. There was almost certainly a betting pool.

He was waiting to see what would happen next, too. He took a deep, unnecessary breath and opened the bedroom door.

----------

Adele had spent a lot of the afternoon trying to figure out exactly what to do when Alex awoke. She'd toyed with the idea of being in the room with him, but then thought better of it. Not doubt he'd prefer a bit of privacy?

Then she hemmed and hawed about what to wear. Should she wear the outfit she'd worn last night (before the snow scene) or just the jeans and sweatshirt she'd bought today? She opted for the jeans and sweatshirt (a grey one that said Maniacs on it - she hadn't had much of a choice), but she did put on the new lacy shell pink bra and panties under them. Her hair...

Should she tie it up, leave it loose? Well, she didn't really have anything to tie it back with. That was solved. It tended to get a bit wild if left on its own... Oh, well, too late to worry about that! And makeup. Should she do the whole face? Or just the minimal makeup she usually wore. Minimal she decided nervously.

By the time the sun was ready to set she was so nervous she was afraid she was going to lose the lunch she'd enjoyed with Bess.

Now where to be? His den she decided, and raced down the stairs sliding across the polished floor, since she was barefoot, to artistically arrange herself in a chair by the fire. She sat there, trying to catch her breath, and then decided she really needed a book to look casual so jumped up to check the shelves. She finally found something that looked appropriate.

She didn't realize it was a volume of Shelley's poetry until she was back in the chair by the fire, and she thought she heard voices in the hallway.

She took a deep breath, and opened the book. She didn't notice it was upside down.

Alex came in and looked at her quizzically for a moment, obviously trying to make out what she was reading.

"As the moon's soft splendour
O'er the faint cold starlight of Heaven is thrown,
So your voice most tender..." he broke off laughing.

"I always found Shelley somewhat inaccessible," he said, "but he is perhaps a bit easier to understand if you read him rightway up."

Adele blushed beautifully then threw the book at him, accurately hitting him mid-chest. She flew at him immediately afterwards, laughing.

As he caught her in his arms, entirely in self defense, she said, "You've already forgotten my name? Adele. A.D.E.L.E. I am not Jane!"

"Adele..." he tried to look puzzled. "Oh, yes, you're that brat that tags around after Julian, I remember. Whatever are you doing here?"

She picked up the book from where he'd let it fall to the floor and hit him with it again. "Leave the acting to Adrian," she suggested. "You're lousy at it."

He took possession of the book this time, and put it safely out of her reach. "I'm glad you stayed," he said. He kissed her, and his hands strayed up under her sweatshirt. "'Maniacs'?" he asked.

"I went shopping with Bess," she explained when she had her lips free, "it was this or 'Maine Rocks'!"

"Hmm." He released her, grinning. "Have you had dinner?"

"No, not yet. Mrs. Jenkins said she was cooking something, but I got the feeling I wouldn't get served until the lord of the manor was up and about."

He shook his head. "She has such old-fashioned ideas," he said. "It's not as if I eat dinner, after all."

On cue, the housekeeper stuck her head into the den. "Dinner is served," she said. She eyed Adele's sweatshirt and jeans with disfavour.

"You don't dine formally, do you?" Adele asked nervously.

"Only on very rare occasions," Alex replied. "Don't worry about it." He extended his arm to her. "May I escort you to the dining room?"

She took his arm and he walked her to the dining room. Mrs. Jenkins, stickler for propriety, had set two places; although the head of the table had only a placemat and wineglass at it; no cutlery or napkin. Adele found herself being served a quite nice meal; Mrs. Jenkins poured a glass of something viscous and red for Alex.

"L'chaim," said Alex, lips twitching, as Adele's own wineglass was filled with white wine, to go with the chicken.

"Is that...?"

"Pig's blood, with an anticoagulant," he supplied the answer. "I _am_ a vampire, Adele."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I have dated Francis, Alex. And I've spent some time with quite a few _other_ vampires." The temperature in the room was not quite frigid.

"Sorry," he said.

She looked sorry for taking offense. Then she went back to her meal, keeping her eyes off of Alex. Once she'd eaten some and drunk some of her wine she did look up and meet his eyes, commenting, quite calmly, "Does Mrs Jenkins always stand just outside the door and listen in, or is it because she doesn't trust me not to run off with the silver?"

Shooting a glance toward the door, where a shadow quickly moved, he sighed.

"Always," he said. "I can't seem to prevent her. It's a small town, and the Cliff Road is an even smaller community. Everyone knows everyone else's business. Nobody's had anything to gossip about here since Guy came."

"Poor Guy. I imagine he feels quite disoriented enough without Maggie stalking him."

"Ah, Maggie," Alex said with a grin. "She does like to disconcert people. Rather like Nimue." He glanced towards the doorway again, but this time didn't catch Mrs. Jenkins eavesdropping. "At any rate, everybody's going to know you spent the night here."

She met his eyes and he noted a somewhat dangerous looking glint in hers. "So Bess told me. Bets all round too, she warned. I think we ought to give them something to really talk about."

Alex swallowed, and not because he was taking a sip of pig's blood. "Such as?"

She ran her tongue over her upper lip in a way that made Alex perk up in interesting places. "Well, we could throw the food and the plates onto the floor and you could ravish me right here on the dining room table. Mrs Jenkins could then give a blow by blow of our activities to everyone interested. Why I could even probably, with a little effort - I'm not nearly as good a witch as I might be, too lazy to study you see - magic up a camera for her so she could get some really good shots of the whole affair which she could then share with everyone on the Cliff Road or even with everyone on the Telegraph. What do you think?"

He looked at her without blinking, without twitching a muscle, for several seconds. "Okay, fine," he said, sweeping his arm toward her plate.

She snatched it quickly out of his reach, so that only her fork went tumbling to the floor. She caught her breath. He'd taken her seriously! _And_ he was willing to do it!

Then he started to laugh. Adele shook her head at him furiously, and began laughing too. "How did you know I wasn't serious?" she demanded.

"My dear Maniac," he replied, graciously picking up her fork and returning it to her. "I have been playing at casinos since you were knee-high. I know a bluff when I see one."

Mrs. Jenkins came into the room, carrying a bowl of chocolate mousse adorned with raspberries. "Do you want dessert on the table?" she asked, deftly removing Adele's dinner plate. "Or should I just put it on the floor to save you time?"

Alex and Adele both burst into laughter. Having made her sting, the housekeeper sashayed out again.

"Oh, she's awful," said Adele. She ate the mousse. It was delicious. "But she's a good cook."

"I wouldn't know," Alex sighed. He drained his glass, making a face. "How do you like your wine?"

"Delicious. Chateau de Monet?"

"It'd be worth my hide not to serve it," he laughed. "Actually, it's quite decent wine even without the connection."

"Connection..." Adele mused. "I wasn't quite sure how to tell you this, but you remind me of Genevieve."

"Well, she is my great-grandmother."

"What?"

"Not literally. In the blood, so to speak. You know she turned Jean?"

"Yes, she told me that."

"He turned my turndam."

She frowned thinking that over. Then her eyes seemed lost in the distance.

"What?" he asked.

She came out of her reverie and sighed. "I've... I've no idea where I came from. My only relative, at least the only one I know of is my .. Well, he's my brother now but he was my father." At his look she explained, "He's not a vampire but he doesn't age. He takes on different identities. As my father he was Cecil Broome. I imagine you understand how hard it is to ...."

"How is it you don't know where you come from?" he asked. "He has a title, you said."

"Yes. Earl of Avery. But... He had an accident when he was quite young. He fell. A hunting accident. Cracked his skull I'm told. He didn't die, as he might have done if he'd been normal. He lost his memory. He's no idea where he came from. How he got to be what he is, why he is what he is... Why so many people hate him. Or if I'll ... Be like he is. It was years before he realized he was a magician. He found a hidden doorway to a hidden library. There he found what he had to relearn." She shrugged. 'It's all beastly boring, but I tend to envy those with connections. Like the Brotherhood. You are so lucky, Alex. To have friends you can count on. And from whom you do not have to hide what you are."

"That's partly why the Brotherhood was formed," he said. "Knowing my connections isn't all it's cracked up to be; I always have the feeling Gen's standing over my shoulder shaking her head at me." It was a feeble joke, and also not true. He got up and took Adele's hand. "I can't imagine not knowing my roots or my family. But Adele, you do have friends you can count on. We may be a bunch of terrible old gossips and even make bets on each other's personal lives, but there's not one person in the Brotherhood who wouldn't help you if you were in trouble or needed someone to talk to. And you don't have to hide what you are with us."

She smiled, but there were tears in the corners of her eyes. "Yes, I know. And it is so wonderful. I was alone for so long..." She angrily wiped away a tear. "And I don't believe a word of what you say about Gen. So, what's up next, since we can't make love on the dining room table? I'm at your...Command, Count."
 
Alex smiled and, still holding her hand, led her out of the dining room. "It's been quite awhile since I spent any what you might call quality time with a charming young lady," he said. "What would you like to do? We could hole up in the den and read Shelley to each other; or I have several movies on tape or DVD we could watch, or we could go chase Mrs. Jenkins through the snow..."

Adele laughed at that one. "Tempting."

"Adele..." he touched her hair. He loved doing that; it was wonderful hair to touch. "I'll be upfront with you; half the problem with relationships these days is that the couples all tiptoe around each other and don't say what they really want."

"And what do you really want? Please tell me it's not to ravish me on the dining table."

"I want you for more than just a couple of nights of great sex. I'd like us to _be_ a couple."

Adele's steps faltered and she came to a stop. She was looking down at her bare feet. She was very still. She took a couple of deep breaths. "Goddess, you don't beat around the bush, do you." The comment was made as if she didn't really expect an answer.

She tugged on his hand and towed him into the den where she pulled him down to sit on the rug in front of the fire next to her. He didn't remember ever sitting on the rug, at least not on purpose. Not like this. She had her knees pulled up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. One hand still held his. It felt warm and comforting.

She finally looked into his eyes. "Alex, that is the greatest complement you could give me, but... We hardly know one another. I'm in school; the Sorbonne is very demanding. One of the things I swore when I discovered this time was that I would learn as much as I could. I wasn't allowed to attend real schools there. I'm sure you understand how limited women's lives were back then. I need that, Alex. I want that. If we can work around that, I'd be more than willing to see you more than just for a quickie. I'd like to get to know you. I don't even know what your favourite color is, or what your dog's name was when you were a child, or even what the name of that cologne you wear is, or what brand your socks are. I want to learn all of that. I'd like you to come to Paris and meet my friends there, eat, okay just go with me while I eat at my favourite bistro, browse the bookstalls, wander the museums. I'd like you to teach me what you've learned over your long life, tell me about what makes you cry for joy or scream in frustration. I'd like to watch you shave, do you shave? I'd like to tickle your toes. If all that sounds possible, I'd be willing to give it a try. If I can give you what you want. Tell me what your needs are in this?"

Alex looked slightly gob smacked, but soon recovered. "Adele, I wasn't asking you to marry me," he said with a gentle smile. "At least... not yet."

Her turn to look gob smacked. Obviously that was something she hadn't thought of at all.

"I like the idea of us. Of us working around things like your going to school and my only being around by night. Of learning about each other. And teaching each other. Hopefully you can teach me not to be a total cad to women. One thing I have in quantities is time; I hope you have equal amounts of patience."

She was clearly thinking about this; he held her against his chest, listening to her heart beat.

"By the way, Fidelius."

"Your dog?" she blinked.

"My socks."

Before she could answer, the doorbell rang. A minute later, Mrs. Jenkins was in the den, frowning at them. Adele figured she no doubt didn't approve of sitting on the floor. She's see about that. Get used to it, Mrs J.

"Mr. Calvert," she announced.

Alex stood up; so, too, did Adele. "If he lays one hand on you..." she began.

Francis mooched into the room, looking a bit sheepish. He raised his hands in supplication. "I came to apologize," he said, not quite looking at either of them. "I'm sorry I hit you, Alex. And I'm sorry I upset you, Adele. Um... really. I am really, really sorry." He stood there, looking incredibly young, then turned to Adele. "Um... if you still want to spank me," he said, "I wore sweat pants so they pull down easily."

She almost choked she was trying so hard not to laugh. Getting her face in order she said, very quietly, "Thank you for that apology, Francis. Very well done indeed. I think we can dispense with the corporal punishment. But... But I think I'm going to be seeing Alex more and I want you to assure me that won't ruin your friendship with him. If you can't, well, I'm not sure what I will do." The last was said in a mournful tone and a big fat tear coursed down her cheek. "Please, Francis. I do not want to come between friends. And I want, desperately want, to remain _your_ friend."

"Oh, don't cry!" said Francis, alarmed, while Alex put his arm around Adele.

"Geez. I will always be your friend, Adele." He licked his lips and finally looked at the older, taller vampire. "I hope I'm still Alex's," he added.

Alex let go of Adele, reached out, and gripped Francis' shoulder. "Of course you are," he said. "There should be no falling out among the Brotherhood. Let's just forgot this little incident."

Francis looked incredibly relieved, especially since he seemed to be getting out of this with all his skin intact. "I'll leave you two alone now," he said. "I just wanted to let you know I was sorry."

"And we appreciate it." Adele smiled at him.

"Let me walk you to the door," said Alex.

There was no gracious way to refuse. But Alex seemed perfectly friendly up to the point where he handed Francis the latter's leather jacket. Then he bent down, and whispered, very low, "If you ever strike me again, my boy, your ass is grass. Got it?"

"Got it," Francis nodded.

"Friends?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. Friends."

They shook on it. Francis put his jacket on and left. He didn't look quite so dejected. He'd been warned, but also forgiven.

Alex turned and went back in to Adele. "That boy's sailing very close to the wind," he said. "Last year he drugged Gideon, this year, he attacked me. Michael's not going to put up with much more nonsense from him." He dismissed Francis from his mind. "Now, where were we?"

"Hmmmm," Adele said, walking up to Alex and sliding her hands up under his sweater. Suddenly to his surprise, she was unbuckling his belt. "I think we were about here." Zip. Her tongue was trailing downward along the hair on his abdomen. Then she paused and looked up at him. "It isn't the dining room table, but it'll do." She pulled his underwear down and sank to her knees. "Only I get to do the ravishing. Any questions?"

Alex wanted to ask "What about Mrs. J?" but he quite suddenly didn't care. She couldn't have answered anyway.

---------------

Somehow, and even Alex wasn't sure how, they'd ended up back down in his bed. Adele hadn't let him take the initiative in their love-making even once. For a young woman, she had quite the imagination.

And now she was asleep, curled up against him, with that post-coital glow still on her.

Was she just a convenient woman? He'd been so lonely, so hopeless of ever finding true companionship, and Adele had been... there. He fought against the automatic despair, the depression that always threatened to overwhelm him.

When he'd gone over to Fairlawn the other night, with that damned rose between his teeth, what had he really been hoping for? Sex, yes, obviously; but what else? He had seen her many times; at parties, dating Francis, with Julian; and had only felt vague lust. Where had these new feelings for her come from?

She stirred in her sleep, sighed, and snuggled more tightly into him. It would be dawn soon, and he didn't have the heart to wake her. He wasn't sure this was love; it was far too soon. Alex didn't believe in love at first sight. But there were definite feelings of more than lust involved. He meant what he had said. He wanted to be a couple. And it wasn't just because Adele had been in view that he wanted her. She was unique.

Then dawn came, and he couldn't muse anymore.
 

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