Fairy Tale Confessions, page 12
“Whatever you want, baby,” crooned the handsome brunette with the deadly smile. Adele giggled and snuggled close.
“You okay with this,” asked the older, black-haired brother as he stared into Gwen’s eyes. She became lost in his gaze for a few seconds before answering.
“Absolutely!” She snapped out of it.
The couples radiated pure joy as they entered the golden club. Music bumped and people swarmed the dance floor. The girls and their dates wasted no time joining the frivolity. They danced all night, just as they had for the past month, practically wearing the heels of their shoes down to nubs. At the night’s end, each sister received a single kiss from their dates and reentered the tunnel that would return them home. Once again at the base of the stairs, they listened and heard their father rooting around their room, throwing his usual fit. He’d knock things off their dressers, throw pillows, and toss their blankets onto the floor. They waited patiently until he left, slamming and locking the door again. Entering their room, they hid their worn shoes and party clothes in the closet, then crawled into bed, giggling and sharing stories with each other about their night.
“Colin is so amazing. He trains horses,” Adele boasted.
“Frederick is an artist and says he wants to paint me,” Jana giggled.
“Liam is a musician and says he’s going to write a song about me,” Gwen added.
As their heads hit their feather pillows, they gave a collective sigh and drifted to sleep.
* * *
“Wake up, you fool!” Richard bellowed as he shook Claymore by the shoulders. “The girls are gone, again!”
Claymore woke slowly, rubbing the back of his neck and shaking his head to clear his thoughts. Being pulled from an unplanned sleep, took some effort.
“They’ve disappeared again and I have no idea how. You have to find out where they are going. It’s a matter of life and death.”
Claymore mumbled his understanding and slipped on his shoes, following Richard down the hall to the girls’ room. Richard turned the skeleton key in the lock, and they both crept inside. Claymore looked from bed to bed, seeing all three ladies sound asleep. Just as Richard reached for Gwen’s blanket, Claymore grabbed his arm, stopping him from acting on his rage. Claymore shook his head and pulled him from the room.
“What are you doing? I want answers, and I want them now,” Richard demanded.
“Terrorizing them won’t get you answers. Let me do my job, sir.”
“If you had been doing your job tonight instead of sleeping, I would already have the answers I seek,” Richard spat.
“Getting to know my targets takes time, and trust me, I’ve learned a fare deal in just one night. Return to your room and act as if nothing is wrong in the morning,” Claymore instructed.
Richard flipped the lock and stomped away, while Claymore returned to his room, taking a moment to throw the tainted glass Jana used to drug him with into the fireplace.
“Well played, ladies.”
The girl’s woke, surprised at the fact that their father wasn’t standing at their door with his belt in hand. As usual, he knew they’d escaped again, and punishment was always dealt out first thing the next morning.
“Perhaps he doesn’t want to show his guest what a monster he truly is,” Jana surmised.
“Yes, that’s probably right,” Gwen agreed. “Still, let’s do our best to not provoke him at breakfast. Be on your best behavior, understand?”
Jana and Adele nodded in agreement, then followed Gwen down to the dining room with their eyes downcast and their lips sealed. Dealing with their father lately had been a nightmare, but dealing with him when you had no idea what was coming was downright torturous.
“Good morning, Father, good morning, Claymore,” Gwen greeted.
“Good morning, girls,” Richard replied.
While Claymore offered nothing more than a cordial nod to Jana and Adele, his gaze was locked on Gwen, inquisitive and heated. “Good morning, Gwen.”
Gwen scrunched her brow at his pointed attention as she claimed her usual seat at the table. There was something different about him this morning that Gwen couldn’t put her finger on.
“What are your plans today?” their father asked.
Gwen shot a panicked glance at her sisters. Never before had their father showed an interest in how they spent their days. He was always too busy to care. Besides their morning chores, they were free to roam the estate until the sun went down. Dinner was served promptly at 6:30p.m. and that had been their curfew for as long as they could remember.
“Nothing specific, Father. Is there something you’d like us to do?” Jana piped up.
“No, no. I was just curious. I have a few business meetings this morning, but Claymore will be around. If you could be sure his needs are met while I’m out, I would appreciate it.”
Gwen cringed at the smirk on Claymore’s face, and realized the punishment they thought they’d escaped this morning had just taken a different form. It took everything she had in her to agree to her father’s request.
“Of course,” Gwen replied, sinking into her chair.
“Good. Then it’s settled. Claymore, if there’s anything you need, just ask the girls.”
“Thank you, Richard. I’ll do just that.”
Gwen, Jana, and Adele all spent the rest of the meal in silence, eating their breakfast and contemplating what their father had up his sleeve. Jana actually cringed when he finally bid them farewell with a jovial wave.
“If you’ll excuse us, we have to attend to our chores, but we’ll be back shortly,” Gwen stated flatly.
“Of course. Take your time,” Claymore replied.
* * *
“What the hell? Why do we have to babysit this guy all day?” Adele plopped down on her bed.
“I think it’s more about him babysitting us,” Jana stated with a lifted brow.
“Whatever the reason, we need to be careful what we say,” Gwen instructed. “Hopefully he’ll just want to hang around the house, and honestly, there’s really not much to do here so it should be fine.”
Jana and Adele agreed, then each headed off to attend to their chores. Gwen made all the beds, while Jana scrubbed down the bathroom, leaving Adele to address the laundry. Once done, they all changed out of their work clothes and into casual sundresses and flats, returning to the dining room in under fifteen minutes.
“That was quick. You all look lovely.” Claymore placed his napkin on the table and rose from his chair.
“Thank you,” Gwen replied. “Is there anything you need at the moment?”
“I’m not sure. What do you have planned?”
Gwen looked at Adele and Jana, then quickly supplied an answer for them all. “We were just going to go read in the library.”
“That sounds pleasant. Mind if I join you?” Claymore asked.
Gwen sighed. “Not at all.”
Jana grabbed Adele by the hand and walked towards the library located at the end of the main hall. Gwen followed just a few steps behind with Claymore hovering close at her side.
“Do you all read every day?”
“That’s an odd question.” Gwen couldn’t contain her building frustration.
Claymore laughed. “Why is it odd? I just wondered if you read because you have to, or if it’s something you all enjoy doing.”
Gwen relaxed slightly. “We enjoy it. Some of us more than others.” A small smiled played at her lips as she thought about the long talks she and Liam had shared, discussing their favorite books and poems.
“Well, I for one, love to read,” Claymore expressed. “What other way can you escape to a far away land and fight dragons or rescue a princess, than by losing yourself within the pages of a book?”
The sisters shared a knowing glance and giggled. What other way, indeed?
“Do you dream of fighting dragons and rescuing princesses often?” Jana laughed.
“But of course, it’s my job.” Claymore winked.
The strange statement caused goose bumps to break out over Gwen’s skin as she entered the library. “Well, here you are. Take your pick of adventures, dragon-slayer,” Gwen replied in an attempt to play along with his teasing.
The rich mahogany shelves and tall glass windows were impressive, but not nearly as much as the vast the selection of books rising from floor to ceiling. The classics were there of course, but in addition to Shakespeare, Dickens, and Leroux, there we more modern selections as well.
“Wow. This is fantastic,” Claymore said as he glanced around, taking in all the room had to offer.
The sisters quickly grabbed their favorites and each took a seat upon one of the many settees. Adele chose Alice in Wonderland, while Jana grabbed her worn copy of Poe. Gwen’s go-to book, however, was a modern title about three sister witches. Gwen didn’t see the title Claymore finally chose after a lengthy perusal of the shelves, but what she did notice––after an hour of being stared at––was that Claymore didn’t seem interested in reading anything at all. He just kept sneaking peeks at each of them, looking at their books, their clothes, their hair, and she simply couldn’t take it anymore.
“Can I help you with something?” Gwen snapped.
“No. Why?” Claymore calmly replied.
“Because, you keep looking at us as if we’re going to explode.”
Claymore laughed. “That’s an interesting choice of words, since I was just wondering what makes you all tick.” Claymore rose and returned his book to the shelf then stood in front of them.
“It’s obvious you have a flare for the dramatic.” He gestured to Jana who huffed. “And you,” he pointed to Adele, “are a lover of all things artistic.” He turned to Gwen. “But you...I haven’t quite figured out.”
Gwen slammed her book shut and pushed to her feet. “Why exactly do you need to ‘figure us out’?”
“I find it makes my business trips more pleasant if I get to know my hosts. Isn’t there anything you want to know about me?” he asked.
“Yes, actually,” Jana interrupted. “I asked you before and I’ll ask you again...what business do you have here?”
Claymore straightened his shoulders. “Ask me anything else and I’ll be happy to answer, but my business dealings with your father are not up for discussion.”
“Then it looks like we won’t be getting to know each other after all.” Gwen gestured to her sisters then walked out the door, leaving Claymore behind with nothing but a smirk on his face.
* * *
The room shook as Jana slammed the door. “Damn that bastard! I want to know what Claymore is doing here,” she cussed.
“I’m curious too, but you heard him, he won’t be sharing. And you know Father’s always been secretive about his business. Sometimes I wonder if we’re the daughters of a German crime-boss.” Adele threw herself across her bed.
“It doesn’t matter,” Gwen interjected as she flipped on the TV. “It’s not like we ever leave this house anyway, so let’s just continue to act normal and ignore him. If he wants to stare at us while we read, whatever...other than being totally creepy, what difference does it make? As long as we get to go back out at night, I couldn’t care less what that man does during the day.”
Jana and Adele agreed, then settled in to relax as their favorite show started to play on the flat screen. Gwen missed the opening credits and the first ten minutes, finding herself lost in thought, instead. Claymore was a conundrum. She meant what she said, she didn’t care what he did while here, but one minute he seemed interested in her, then the next, he was giving Jana a rigid response to a simple question. He had Gwen confused, and the fact that he was attractive wasn’t helping to clear her head.
* * *
Standing alone in the empty library, Claymore dialed his phone. “Madame Vizol, are the items I requested ready?”
“Yes.”
“Fantastic! Please have them delivered to the Von Brandt house this afternoon. I’m in need of your expertise.”
“Of course, my apprentice. But conceal the magic well, for the task at hand requires stealth and patience.”
“Thanks for the advice. As always, I’m honored to be your student.”
Gwen awoke to a soft knock.
“Is everything okay?” Claymore whispered from the other side of the door.
Gwen rose and opened the door, peeking through the crack. “Yes, everything is fine. My sister’s fell asleep.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt your afternoon respite, but I’m in need of some assistance. Would you mind helping me?”
Gwen felt a chill and rubbed her hands down her arms. “What exactly do you need?”
Claymore motioned for her to exit the room, placing a finger to his lips as if not wanting to wake her sisters. Gwen eased the door open and slipped into the hall, placing her back against the thick wood.
“How can I help you?” she offered.
“I have some clothes that need repair, but when I looked for someone to ask, I only found the kitchen staff, and they informed me there wasn’t a tailor in town. Do you know of any good shops where I could replace my tattered items?”
Gwen cocked her head to the side and frowned.
“What’s wrong?” Claymore asked.
“I’m just trying to figure out why you sound like you’re from the 1600s.”
Claymore laughed. “I’m sorry if my formality irritates you. I was raised with the old world manners of my mother, and it’s simply a part of who I am.” He gave a quirky little shrug.
A tiny spark of interest flared in Gwen’s mind. Maybe Claymore wasn’t as bad as they thought. “All we have is the kitchen staff to attend to our meals, and they’re right, there isn’t a tailor in town. But, if you’d like, I can help you do some online shopping later to get your things replaced.”
“Thank you. That would be great.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll meet you back in the library later.” Gwen turned to open her bedroom door when Claymore grabbed her by the arm. Spinning to face him, her breath caught when she saw the look in his eyes.
“You asked me why I needed to ‘figure you out’ early today.” He dropped his hand back to his side. “What I said was true. It does make my visits more pleasant. But with you...it’s something more.”
Gwen watched him walked away. Slowly, confidently, and in no way apologetic for the feelings he’d just shared. A blush spread across her cheeks, but she instantly felt remorse. Her heart tightened when she thought of Liam.
Gwen jumped as the door opened under her hand. Jana and Adele stood grinning from ear to ear. “That sounded...interesting,” Jana teased.
Gwen pushed into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. “Whatever. It was odd. He doesn’t even know me.”
“Sure sounds like he wants to, though,” Adele added.
“Well, that’s just too bad.” Gwen plopped down onto her bed. “Because I’ve got a date tonight.”
The sisters squealed in anticipation at meeting the guys again, quickly forgetting about Claymore, and their father’s rules. A night of dancing in the arms of their boyfriends was exactly what they needed to unwind.
* * *
“Girls, how was your day?” Richard asked from across the dinner table.
“Fine,” Gwen replied. “We did some reading in the library, watched some TV, and took a nap. Then this afternoon, I helped Claymore with some online shopping. We were lucky to find a local store that would deliver same day for free.”
Richard glanced at Claymore––finding his gaze transfixed on Gwen––and nodded in approval. “Well, thank you for taking care of our guest while I was out.”
Gwen, Jana, and Adele ducked their heads and, as usual, continued their meal in silence. All the while, pining for the evening to come to a close so their night could actually begin. Their father seemed pleased to excuse them early, most likely to discuss business with Claymore, but all to the girls’ advantage. They raced back to their room and pulled out their hidden stash of clothes.
“I think I’ll wear the stiletto boots tonight. They’re sexy!” Adele bounced back into the closet.
“They would look great with that new skirt Gwen just got, though,” Jana winked at her big sister.
Gwen couldn’t contain herself and laughed. “What? Did you think I wasn’t going to take him up on his offer of payment?” Gwen held up a fur-lined leather vest and a pair of killer high heels.
“Sure looks like you got the better end of the deal,” Jana added.
“I definitely did. The only things he had me order for him were a pair of strange military pants made out of some weird material, and more button-down shirts.”
“Military? Do you think he’s some kind of soldier, then?” Adele asked. “I mean, he did make that comment in the library about rescuing princesses being part of his job.”
“I don’t know and I don’t care.” Gwen’s tone was indifferent as she stuffed her newly purchased items back into the closet.
“Tuck in, ladies. Father will be here shortly.”
They didn’t have to wait long for their father to bid them goodnight, stating his nightly demand, and locking their door. Within seconds, they shot from their beds and pulled on their chosen outfits.
Gwen let Adele borrow her skirt, while she donned her new heels and a killer dress she’d been saving for Liam. Jana threw on her favorite pair of leather pants and paired it with a backless halter and a pair of wedges. With one twist of the bedpost, they descended into the tunnel that would lead them to their suitors.
Adele stopped short just after reaching the bottom of the stairs. “Hold on. I think I heard something.”
Gwen and Jana froze, listening intently. “I don’t hear anything,” Jana stated. “Come on, let’s go.”
They continued forward, ignoring Adele’s warning. The tunnel seemed longer tonight, which was most likely due to their eagerness to reach the end. Finally, they arrived at the door and stepped out into a cool evening breeze.“Good evening, ladies. You all look beautiful,” Liam said as he took Gwen in his arms. The world fell away as he stared into her eyes, the intensity of his gaze setting her blood on fire.
