Her Danse Macbre

Chapter 4

Returning home she walked in to her mother standing there at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea. In the living room the sounds of the cleaning crew could be heard, picking up the mess. Her mother was dressed in a crisp suit and pearls. “I have a house to show. The crew is cleaning up the mess. I need you to go up and do your homework and go to bed.” She said crisply, being still clearly angry about the mess. Jamie walked in and threw his bag aside.

“Good job with the living room. I had no idea you would go scanners on us” he mocked her and took a seat on one of the bar stools.

“I have called a therapist that you have to see, Heather. What you did to the living room is beyond a teenage outburst. I won’t take arguments from you. I blame myself that you don’t have a father and now that you are a teenager its coming out. Now I have to go to work.” She told her in a firm voice and looked at her watch and grabbed her purse. Heather was furious but there wasn’t much she could do. She had told the cops that an intruder had done it (which wasn’t far from the truth), but of course they didn’t believe her. Trying to explain that a supernatural wolf had crashed through the window would lead her to more than just a therapist, but to padded room. Instead she growled softly and watched as her mother disappeared out of the house.

Heather shook her head and headed up to her room well her brother went to raid the fridge. She was getting into her home work when there was a knock at the door. Getting up she opened the door seeing Jamie standing there with a letter in hand. “This was at the front door. I didn’t see who dropped it off, but it says it’s for you.” Heather took the letter and turned it over in her fingertips. “Thanks.”She said and shut the door on her brother who grumbled about her being ungrateful.

Sitting down on her bed she slowly opened the handmade envelope and pulled the piece of paper out of it. Written in old fashion scrawl was a note penned in black ink.

“Heather,

Meet me at the side of Lake Capal. My folks own a cabin there and I want to spend more time with you. Come at seven. The door to the cabin will be open when you arrive.

Sean”

After the talk they had earlier that day she was pleased to see this. She knew Lexi wouldn’t be pleased but maybe he would dump her. All the hope rushed into her. Placing the note aside she grabbed a coat and was heading out the door, trying not to make enough noise for her brother to hear her breaking her grounding.

The old dingy creaked on its molded tether rocking with the movement of the water under it. The cabin was gorgeous and used by Sean’s family for vacations. It was school year so the maintenance wasn’t up to date. The other water crafts were put up on the beach until they would be set out to sail again. Now only that small wooden boat was the testament to a warmer time. Sliding a hand in her already messy hair she shifted from toe to heel then back again before approaching the door. Another note was taped to the door in the same scrawl as the first. So, he wanted to play a little game. Well she would play along for now and see where it goes. Flipping the note over in her hand she smiled brightly. Her instructions were to go to the end of the dock that he would be with her shortly. Holding the note in hand she nodded to herself and looked left, then right to see if he was watching her from behind a tree. Upon seeing anyone she walked over to the wooden deck.

The temperature had dropped by the time she was standing next to the dingy in the water. Wishing she had brought a sweater she stroked her arms with her fingertips and wiggled her toes in her high top sneakers. What happened next hit her like a brick. Her body lurched forward and she hit the water hard. Cold immediately leeched into her body as she felt the pain in the back of her head. Her breath was sucked out of her as she struggled to bring herself to the surface. She tried hard to will her limbs to work, but she felt herself sinking into the murky darkness. Feeling herself slipping away she raised her eyes at the surface that she could not reach.

Hands reached out and grabbed hold of her, sliding around her sleek waist. A strong, lithe figure pulled her to the surface and seemed to glide through the air and onto the shore. Fionn gently deposited her on the shore, strands of his long wet hair clinging to his porcelain cheek. His suit clung to his body as he laid her in the grass.

“You are not very good at self-preservation my friend.” He remarked as he stroked the back of her head checking for wounds. Even though the back of her head ached his touch was gentle and warm.

“Well you are not very good at watching over me. I thought you swore to protect me or something.” She commented softly, not sure where the barb came from. Instead of looking insulted though he chuckled quietly under his breath.

“Perhaps you will are more of yourself then I thought. I think you will be alright. I have failed you in the past though. I have been forced to watch you die over and over. I won’t let you suffer.” He said quietly, his long fingers reaching up and touching her cheek. Hearing something he backed up and suddenly she was alone lying on the shore, trying to catch her breath. Sean came running down the embankment and to her.

“Heather? Oh my god, what happened?” he cried and bent down next to her. She tried to get the words out as he helped her up and into the cabin nearby. After sitting down wrapped in a blanket with a cup of tea in hand she explained to him what happened. Luckily the letter from the door had fallen out of her hand before she fell in. Sean left her for a moment and came back holding the letter in hand and studied it carefully taking a seat again at her side. Heather was unsure what happened, the details a blur in her mind. Closing her eyes her brow knit as she tried to fight back the searing pain in her nose and throat.

“Heather…I didn’t write this.” He exclaimed holding the letter out. His eyes were wide in fear. She could have gotten hurt and the realization that he could be blamed was hitting him. Heather studied his expression and shook her head. “It’s okay. I broke curfew. If my mother found out I would be in big trouble. This wasn’t your fault.” Her shoes made a squishing sound were she shifted her weight slightly. Heather wasn’t sure if she was more embarrassed or afraid.

“Can I at least give you a ride home?.” Sean was leading her to his motor scooter. The attack by that creature that destroyed her living room and the fall into the water she didn’t feel safe despite Fionn being nearby. Taking his offer though would be known come Monday and she didn’t want to be seen as pathetic. “Thanks but I will walk…really I’m fine.” She walked away leaving him staring after her puzzled.

The trees felt as if they were closing in on her as she slogged along the concrete path, weighed down by her soaked clothing. She was seriously regretting not taking up his offer. The idea of holding onto him tightly with the wind in her hair made her bite the corner of her lip bitterly. A whooshing noise made her realized that Fionn was walking at her side in perfect pace. The fae was clad in a black suit with a midnight blue tie as if going to a white glove party. His hair was tied back as it had been the other times she saw him.

“Asking for something foul to come out and eat you? Kids these days.” He commented making a tsking noise. She shivered as she walked the breeze making her muscles ache.

“You changed your suit.” Her teeth chattered as she forced the words out. Fionn looked at her with a calm expression. “Yes I did. I am impressed you noticed.” With a fluid motion he had his suit jacket off and over her shoulders. The scent of rose petals filled her nostrils and filled her with a comforting feeling that warmed her up a bit.

“Well you were chatting up that boy I did some investigating on who was behind your swim in the lake. If I didn’t do so much I wouldn’t be useful now would I? It seems that it wasn’t an assassination attempt by our supernatural foe. It is something even more devious” he told her with eyes narrowing a bit. A smile touched his lips when she looked at him, ready to ask him what he was talking about.

“Your swim was thanks to the owner of this bracelet.” He announced holding up a double braided band with silver skulls on it. It belonged to Lexie Cleary.

This didn’t make her feel any better as would have been expected, but made her feel worst. Lexi and her friends had made a fool of her and she could do nothing about it. If she told her mom she would be the one who got in trouble. The mean girls had made their feelings loud and clear.