Chapter 8 Faye
FAYE
Early Monday morning, Faye watched the sunrise outside the cottage on the porch swing, holding a steaming cup of tea close to her chest, unable to stop thinking about Peter.
Was it a coincidence that he was in Willow Valley when I needed help? How’d he even know that I would be there?
She couldn’t forget the anger and fear in his eyes when he’d confronted her in the bathroom.
Without Peter, Faye wouldn’t have been able to escape whatever terrible plans the group of vampires had had for her, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have questions, and Matherson Manor seemed the best place to find them.
Back inside, she put her empty mug in the sink, noticing that the basement door was still open.
Ian hadn’t come home. He probably went out with his friends after work and lost track of time.
The longer it was before she saw him, the better.
Pulling on her fluffy pink cardigan, she grabbed the keys and set off to soothe her curiosity.
At Matherson Manor’s reception desk, Faye spotted who she’d hoped to find amongst the magical folk and magless in the busy lobby.
She waited patiently for Suzy, the vampire manager, to finish checking out some guests.
It was surprising to see a family of trolls at the Manor, when there were many excellent caves in the woods.
Then again, she couldn’t blame them for seeking comfort in their travels.
The Manor had a special way of making everyone feel safe and welcome.
“Hi, Suzy. Do you have a minute?” she whispered, leaning over the tall counter.
Suzy hurried around the counter and embraced her. She was the only vampire Faye didn’t mind touching her – though she was afraid to hug her back too tight. She didn’t want to wrinkle Suzy’s immaculate navy suit.
“For you, I have two.” Suzy beamed, walking Faye towards the seating area by the blazing fireplace. “Is everything alright?”
Suzy had worked in the Manor for many years and could be trusted.
Long before anyone else, she’d noticed Faye was being fed on and recommended she start the blood transfusions.
Suzy despised what Ian did to her, and had offered to deal with him more than once.
Faye didn’t want to repay Suzy’s support by getting her kicked out of Foxford for harming another creature, though, even if she was tempted to accept the offer.
Suzy was much older and stronger than Ian, but vamps had their own strict rules about hurting each other, and she couldn’t bear for Suzy to suffer.
“Everything’s fine,” she said, putting her friend at ease. “I came by to see Peter. Is he around?”
“Peter? I haven’t seen him this morning, but he might be in the West Wing,” Suzy said. “I can call up and see. If you don’t have time, you can leave a message.”
“I can wait.” Faye smiled. “I don’t have to open up for another hour.”
Suzy returned to the desk and started dialling. She gave Faye a thumbs-up before hanging up.
“You rang?” Peter said, appearing at her side instantly.
“I hate it when you do that!” Faye snapped as she jumped. Her nervous system really didn’t need the extra adrenaline.
“Sorry.” Peter winced, and Faye couldn’t stay mad at him.
“Thanks for your help, Suzy! Your next coffee at Stoker’s is on the house,” she called back to her friend.
“Anytime.” Suzy smiled.
Peter glanced over his shoulder to Suzy, who winked at him. Faye felt like she had missed the joke, but she didn’t have time to worry about it.
“We need to talk,” she said, taking Peter to the side. “Somewhere private.”
“You’re starting to worry me. Is everything okay? Did something happen last night?” Peter looked her over as though looking for wounds.
“I’m fine!” Faye shrugged off his concern. She really wished people would stop looking at her like she was a china doll. “I just don’t want to discuss this in the lobby.”
“Okay. I know a place,” Peter said, heading for the grand staircase.
“What were you doing in Clover’s the other night?” Faye asked once they were clear of the lobby.
Peter turned sharply on the top step, and she stumbled. Peter caught her before she fell down the stairs. Carpet on stairs was never a good idea. His arm encircled her waist, holding her flush against him.
“Woah! Falling for me already?” Peter quipped, not letting her go. She felt his chest rising and falling.
“You can let me go now,” Faye instructed, terrified to look anywhere but at him. She didn’t want to see guests staring at them.
“Don’t worry, they can’t see us,” Peter assured her. He must have used the Reaper ability to turn invisible. She didn’t like how he had the uncanny ability to read her mind.
“You can still let me go,” Faye muttered.
“Sorry.” Peter quickly let go of her waist. The invisibility must have slipped away without his touch, because a few guests on the stairs glanced at them. “Let’s go out into the gardens,” he said, taking her hand.
“Lead the way.” Faye sensed that he didn’t want to be stared at by staff and guests either.
He didn’t let go of her hand until they were hidden by hedgerows surrounding a fountain.
“You shouldn’t have come here to see me,” he said, keeping a reasonable distance between them.
“So, you can appear wherever I am, but I can’t come and find you?” she asked, crossing her arms across her chest. “Or will you lie and tell me that you showing up at Clover’s was a coincidence?”
“I didn’t follow you. I didn’t know you would be there,” Peter confessed.
If he wasn’t there for me, then why would he be in a vamp pub?
“You were watching Ian!” she realised. He couldn’t have known Ian would take her to work.
“I was keeping an eye on him.” Peter brushed it off like it was nothing.
“Why?”
“After putting the wardings in your new place, I wanted to ensure Ian kept up with his normal routine. That you were safe,” Peter explained, pacing back and forth.
“Why do you know his normal routine?”
He stepped forward and offered her his hands. She didn’t know why, but she was compelled to take them.
“It doesn’t matter.” His words softened as his eyes gazed into hers. The longer he held her focus, the more she felt her curiosity start to slip away.
“Wait a minute. Don’t use your Reaper voodoo on me!” Faye exclaimed, feeling the fog lift from her mind as she shook her hands free from him. “I’ve had enough of being manipulated.”
Looking shamefaced, Peter stepped back. “I like the bar. I know the owner. Ian works there, so I tend to notice the comings and goings of the bartenders.”
“Liar. You wouldn’t use Reaper voodoo on me if it were so simple.
Did Lucy ask you to look out for me?” It would make sense if Lucy had asked Peter to monitor Ian.
Who better to play babysitter to the narcissistic vampire than a creature who could decide when and how they were seen by others?
“I don’t need help, or you interfering with my plans.
Thank you very much for helping me with the warding and getting me out of Clover’s last night. ”
“Lucy had nothing to do with it.” Peter ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t explain my reasons.”
“Try!”
“I can’t.”
“Can’t or don’t want to?” Faye said, backing him up towards the fountain. She didn’t know why he was so desperate for space all of a sudden.
“Does it matter?” He clenched his jaw, refusing to speak further.
Faye took a step closer, and he recoiled and tripped.
He landed in the fountain amongst the lily pads with a huge splash, gasping as he rose back up above the water.
Faye’s hands flew to her mouth in horror, but seeing his shocked expression as he stood up frantically, his long coat soaked as his ashen hair stuck to his forehead, something snapped inside her and she laughed until her ribs ached and tears fell down her cheeks.
“Faye?” Peter asked gently, stepping out of the fountain. He seemed more worried about her frantic state than being drenched.
“I’m so sorry,” Faye struggled to say, unsure whether she was laughing or sobbing.
“It’s okay, you didn’t hurt me,” Peter assured her.
“Stop being so nice to me, worrying about me.” Faye sat on the fountain’s edge, trying to catch her breath, definitely sobbing.
What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I control my emotions around him?
Is it because he’s a Reaper? They had the power to control other people’s emotions – part of making death easier or something – but simply being around him shouldn’t affect her like this.
It felt like her laughter had opened the door for the rest of her long-buried emotions, and now she couldn’t close it again.
“Can you do the calming thing again?” she pleaded, reaching for him.
Peter hesitated as he sat down beside her. “I thought you didn’t want me interfering with your emotions?”
“Please – I can’t stop crying.” Her chest ached.
“Can I hold you?” Peter asked gently, crouching in front of her.
Faye nodded. He wrapped his arms around her, and her tears stopped instantly.
Her breathing started to level out, but being held made her want to cry all over again.
Hidden within the hedges surrounding them, she let herself sink into his embrace.
She shivered as his wet clothes soaked through her own.
However, his body pressed against hers kept her warm.
Only one word described how she felt in his arms. Safe.
Someone clearing their throat caught them both off guard.
“Sorry for interrupting. I came to feed the koi fish,” Lucy said, watching them break apart. Faye stared at her friend, unsure of how long she had been there and what she had heard.
“We were just—” Peter started, getting to his feet so fast he nearly knocked Faye into the fountain.
“No need to explain. This fountain has seen its fair share of meltdowns,” Lucy said, removing a small jar of fish food from her bright orange tote bag.
“Are you sure you can be trusted to be alone with the fish?” Peter chuckled. Faye felt like she was missing something. She stepped further away from Peter while Lucy fed the fish.