I was called to Saniya's bedroom, she was getting dressed looking through her large rack of clothing out on display in front of her.
She would look at one piece and move it to the side looking at the next article repeating the cycle over and over again. I watched her curiously waiting to learn why she called me over.
Pulling out a gown covered in pleats she quickly picks a belt to match, she undresses in front of me. I automatically shield my eyes with my hand.
"What's wrong…" Saniya asked.
"I didn't come here to watch you dress!" I argued.
"Oh right...I forgot it seems." Saniya stated, "We are getting a new house member today."
"Oh?" I answered.
"When he comes I expect you two to get along…" Saniya stated.
"Yes of course," I replied.
The doorbell rang, I found myself darting out to the living room when I realized Chara beat me to it. She shooed me away from the door ushering the new guest.
The tall figure has to dunk and bend down with his hands tucked in his pants pocket to fit into the small cottage's doorway.
"You gotta be kidding me…" I whispered.
"What of it brat…" He said in a gruff voice.
"Dominique!" Chara yelled, "Why are you here?"
He shrugged us off moving to the living room making himself comfortable on the couch. Pulling out a pack of smokes from his breast pocket.
"It was the plan all this long to bring you here…they would never relinquish the dusksong so I came up with this plan to get kicked and bring you both with us," Dominique explained.
"How dare you!" Chara shouted.
"Welcome Dominique, you came awful late you smarmy bastard…" Saniya announced from the doorway.
We both turn to her making her grand entrance like the diva she comes off as. Dominique rises from his seat to pull her into a hug.
"Hey, now big boy!" Saniya said, hugging him lightly.
Chara growled under her breath marveling at the two standing in front of us, Dominique bows to me pushing his hands to his hips.
"I want you to go back to the compound alone Christian." Dominique states, "Chara must stay."
Saniya unclasped the collar from around my neck, gave me a smile, and suddenly got chills I could not shake. She hands me a small box in which she quickly opens to show me a brooch inside shaped like a tiny replica of the dusksong sword.
"I can't! Whatever this is, I am not doing it!" I shout.
"You are doing it! Why must you be so stubborn?" Saniya stated.
"You don't have much choice, runt," Dominique answered.
"But let's wait for a little, it might seem too soon…" Saniya illustrated.
"Good idea…Chara fix us some tea please." Dominique said, snapping his fingers.
"I don't listen to a traitor!" Chara yelled angrily.
Nudging Chara away I wave to the two laughing anxiously along the way to the small cramped kitchen. I shut the door behind us to give some sort of temporary peace.
I could see deep in her eyes she was seething with anger, looking around I saw a kettle sitting high on the fridge slightly dusty. I retrieve it quickly, washing it off with soap and water in and out making sure it is well rinsed before filling it with water and placing it over the range.
Taking Chara by the shoulders I help her sit down on the small stool in the corner of the messy kitchen.
"Why is it us…" Chara asked.
"Chara…there is nothing we can do now." I said, "You really knew didn't you?"
"He blocked Alice's memories, but Everett would never fall for his tactics," Chara argued.
"I assume it was just enough time to buy him to get us where he wanted," I reply in thought.
"Let us just make the tea…" She said with dismay.
Chara opens cabinets and drawers trying to locate teacups and long-handled spoons for the saucers. Everything got stacked high into the sink to be washed.
Together we scrubbed and dried each piece before setting them on the monogrammed silver tray on hand, each cup was tended to with delicate hands.
The kettle whistles, Chara turns around the same time as me causing our heads to bump as I stop attempting to grab it myself.
We both laugh at the unexpected outcome, Chara gently touches the top of my hand releasing swiftly to move her fingers to the potholder, slowly taking the kettle off the fire and retrieving it.
Situating it on the dishtowel we hear a small thump against the door, we pay no attention to it taking out a small red discolored tin from a drawer to find a tiny pair of tongs to pick small pieces of dried tea leaves.
Chara lets the pincers clang against the fine china for each cup she fills with pride immersed in small duties that take her out of her temporary bad mood.
"I wish…we were home…" She said to herself.
"I know Chara, be patient please," I told her.
She picks the tray up steadying herself. We hear the thump again, we gawk up to see Dominique peeking in before opening. He grabs her by the waist twirling her around.
Dominique plucks the tray from her hands sitting it back down on the table, he grabs my wrist drawing a small blade from his pocket slicing it into my arm.
"Hey!" I yell.
"Dominique!" Chara scolds.
He squeezes tightly letting the blood drain down my arm to drip into all of the tea, Chara seizes my arm back from his grip to take one of the cleaner towels wrapping my arm in the warm cloth.
"Thank you, Christian, for once you are useful…" He says.
"I am not–!" Chara tried to shout.
I push my hand over her mouth stifling her fury, taking the tray myself. I send it out to the living room, placing it neatly on the coffee table. Saniya clutches me by the arm.
Looking at the blood trickling down my open wound she licks from the bottom to the top, washing away even the congealed bits. I could feel my face redden in her presence.
"I-I thought you were human Saniya!" I asked.
"I am…but something about you is intoxicating like an old memory…" She replied.
"Memory?" I answered confused.
I got lost looking into her eyes, her gentle words drew me the most with how she spoke. Everything felt like a daze around me, but her. I found myself taking her palm gently kissing it.
Her skin was so soft, once again I noticed a smell, a distinctly human one we all carry, but it was enticing to me into her arms. Pulling me into her embrace I couldn't resist closing my eyes as my body relaxed.
Her fingers ran through my hair, I grew so tired out of nowhere forgetting why I came. Images of her laying on a grande white pedestal entered my mind.
Saniya dressed like a goddess in white, her gown flowing against the elongated podium. Her breasts almost popped out with what little fabric held her chest up at the top of the garment.
Beckoning me I move forward inch by inch, an echo distracts me. I twist my head seeing a form cast in the distance. Her long dress meeting her ankles could be seen touching the ground creating a ripple effect against the ground.
"Stop…" The voice whispered.
I automatically woke up gawking at Saniya, I could see she was fuming. Getting up I realized she was trying to bewitch me, but I knew Chara was making sure I wouldn't be hoodwinked.
"I am sorry Saniya." I put it as gently as possible.
"Get out of my sight…you chose a maid over me…" Saniya argued.
"I have chosen no one and if your words can not be true then how do you expect me to be honest," I respond.
"What would a vampire slave know about witches anyway?" Saniya boasted.
Smiling back is all I could do, she did not understand the human heart. She was merely in denial is all I could think. Strolling back to the kitchen I find Chara is gone.
But I could feel her magick lingering here, the very first time I could truly fathom this awareness.
"So I see her enchantment didn't work on you..." Dominique states.
"That's because I have an angel watching over me," I answer.