Violet sat wide eyed at her mahogany desk running her finger along the leather inlay on top. She held her head in her other hand wondering of she should vomit, just to get it over with.
Though her brain was as fuzzy as a bouncing dandelion on the wind there was still a sane rational part that screamed at the thought of having signed a contract with, of all creatures, a fucking wolf.
She stood up and began pacing as she wrung her hands and then bit a knuckle. The wheels of her brain turned as she ran her hands across her bookshelf fingering the section on witchcraft.
There was To Conquer and Vanquish, spells on love, hate and everything in between, To Be or Be Seen, how to disappear, reappear and travel long distances like a cat on the prowl and Carpe Diem, seize the day and anything else with witchcraft and wizardry.
She thought perhaps To Be or Be Seen, might have a spell on making a contract disappear and let her finger linger a moment on its black binding. Her thumb traced the gold lettering but she let her hand fall away.
It was no use, she needed the contract in order to host her weddings and no sense in trying to circumvent the situation.
There was a gentle knocking on her office door and then the brass knob turned making a little squeak.
Phoenix strolled in, his pale face laced with obvious concern and a crinkled up nose, "It stinks of old dog in here. I hope he's gone."
Violet placed her hands behind her letting them rest upon her desk as she leaned back using it for support. "I'm begging you. Please don't tell Damon. I was just about to get rid of ..," she stuttered, "his scent."
Phoenix crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, "You are a sight for sore eyes. And lucky for you the rest of the Triad hasn't arrived."
Violet thanked her lucky stars as the tension in her shoulders melted back into a relaxed position. "Go ahead and ask me."
"Ask you what?"
"Obviously your not just here to visit with your old best pal, me. Ask me if I had anything to do with the fire?"
Phoenix frowned as his eyes narrowed into a scornful gaze directed at Violet. "Has it been that long? I know you Violet, like I know my own self."
Violet smiled, "The rest of the Triad, Magnus and Calavose, won't be as kind to me. You are investigators and inquisitors, it's not your job to be nice."
"It seems someone was not only trying to burn your entire estate to the ground, they were also after the portal and prevented you or anyone else from using magic to put it out. They wanted it burnt to the ground." He moved forward and wrapped his arms around Violet. "I'm concerned for your safety."
Violet laughed as she hugged him back. "My safety. I have no enemies."
"We shouldn't take the chance. My recommendation is for you to return to Valharinune immediately."
She pushed him back on his chest, "Don't you dare. I work here. People depend on me."
Phoenix touched her face gently but Violet pushed it away. "If I have to leave from your recommendation I swear I will never speak to you again."
She tilted her head up and marched out the door. She loved Phoenix like her own brother but hell if she was going to take orders from him too. Damon was bad enough. It made her seethe just thinking of all the rules she had to follow.
She couldn't do anything without Damons approval. Ugh, she rolled her eyes and continued into the bar area where remaining guests were being served coffee to help them sober up.
She took a cup of coffee and began sipping. She knew mortals drank coffee to wake up but Violet loved it any time of day. It just made her feel better especially as she pondered her, sheltered life, as Lily had put it.
There was no tinder for her, no online dating, no dating actually come to think of it. Any guy Violet wanted to date had to go through Damon's checklist first, a background check then a meeting with him all before a first date.
Just wasn't fucking worth it. She wasn't even allowed to go past the town limits of Morgana's Veil. Her ass would be in deep trouble if she did.
Sometimes it made her so mad. It was as if her life wasn't even her own.
She moved into the entryway and stood by the door nodding and repeating the phrase, "thank You for coming to Enchanted Winery. Please drive safely." To everyone that passed through the doors.
Anytime she saw a guest that looked to tipsy to drive she lifted her fingers and threw a sobering spell their direction. She wasn't great at spells but she could do a few. In her business through she learned to perfect the sobering one.
Phoenix was the expert. He had taught her.
Finally all the guest were gone and Violet was free to do what she wanted as the servers and cleaners took care of the mess. She grabbed a warm wrap and a cup of coffee and headed outside for fresh air. She felt completely sober as she wandered out toward the pond which hadn't been scorched in the fire.
She sat down near the waters edge.
Damn it.
She didn't want to go back to Valharinune. She loved it there of course but she loved helping people here. She loved watching the weddings not just planning them.
Her father understood.
He loved it at the Winery. But her mother seemed to hate it. It was as if mortal soil was too beneath the queen.
But her father would bring Violet to the very spot she sat in and they would throw pebbles across the waves to see if they could get them to skip across.
Thinking of her father made her sad. Suddenly Violet heard a rustling sound. There near the pond was a large dog.
Violet whistled, "here boy," and the dog came bounding up. It was a large Irish wolfhound. "What on earth. Are you lost?" She said as she ran her hands across the fur petting and rubbing the dog which sat at her feet.
"What a good boy, " she said talking to the animal.
She loved animals and especially cats and dogs. She'd grown up with pets in Valharinune and once had a dog at Enchanted Winery.
After skippy her last pet died she was so depressed for two weeks that Damon banned her from ever owning a pet again.
Ugh, it made her angry just thinking of it.
Suddenly violet began giggling in a fit as the dog began to lick at her ankles. She touched his snout gently and tried to push him away but he pushed back.
"No," she told him firmly and the dog sank his head down as if he knew he did something bad. "It's ok she said rubbing his ears, "it's just that it tickles." She leaned down and whispered to the dog, "don't tell anyone my secret but I like getting my ankles licked."
The dog hung his tongue out and wagged his behind as if he were thoroughly pleased with himself.
Violet laid back and stared at the stars jus as she had done in that very spot with her father to many times to count. Thinking of him brought tears to her eyes and her new friend seemed to sense her sadness.
The dog licked her cheek where her tears fell and then nudged against her as thunder crashed and rain began to fall from the sky.
Just then she heard Phoenix yell out her name with concern, "Violet."
She turned to answer him and as she did the dog bolted away. She sighed. She was hoping he was lost and she would have to take him in as her new pet.
But he probably had a home with people that loved him. She cleaned her tears and placed the warp over her head to shield herself from the now harder falling rain drops.
She just had to accept she would always be sheltered and bossed around and stuck in Morgana's Veil or Valharinune fro the rest of her life.