Accepting Fate - (Slums to Riches, Book one)

Chapter 25

The flapping of material preceded Cook's appearance, even after Angelique's suggestion of using a silencing spell. However, she tried hard to ignore the older woman without disrespecting the person who would ultimately teach her everything she needed to know.

"You can't ignore me, Angelique. You need to learn how to control your powers. You're exploding bulbs which I now have to replace."

"I can't right now, Cook. There are no words to explain how I feel. I haven't washed myself in three days. If I think too much about that, I'll scratch the skin off my body. I need a shower and a few hours of sleep. Even though I was unconscious for an entire day, I am exhausted. I promise to do whatever you want after I had some sleep." She looked into the woman's pale eyes, pleading with her to understand.

Logan pushed her bedroom door open, but before Angelique could enter, Andrew walked up to him.

"Our rules apply to all the girls, even though this is Angie's house."

"And I will abide by your rules when Angelique can sleep by herself without having nightmares."

"Everyone has nightmares."

"Hers are not natural, Andrew. From what I understand, she sees every person Thomas and Patricia killed over the last thirteen years. Every night. She needs rest. In fact, you all do. You experienced so much in such a short time. If you can't sleep, tour the house or learn the lay of the land. This is your home now."

"That does not change the fact that you can't go into her room," Andrew said, though his argument held less conviction.

"Will it help if we leave the door open? I swear to you, the only reason I am staying with her is to help her sleep. And Andrew, I need you to take a step back from me. My wolf is ready to show his dominance and I do not want that. You are Angelique's brother and I do not want to fight with you."

Andrew stepped back but still asked, "How? How do you intend to help her?"

"Like you, Stephan did not like me going near his baby girl. One night, when her nightmares got so bad, he could not get her to stop screaming, I walked in to see if he needed help. She stopped immediately and fell asleep. After that, he made me stay with her each night to make sure his daughter got the rest she needed. The nights I could not stay, she hardly slept. She only needs me near her. That's all."

Andrew rubbed his neck and nodded. "Okay, but the door stays open. I think I'll go look at that truck you mentioned. I need to see what I'm working with to know what I need to do to it."

Angelique rolled her eyes and walked into her room, but she stopped as soon as her toes sank into a fluffy blue carpet. The sheer blue curtains over the patio doors gave the effect of being underwater. Though she expected the sprinkling of gold threads in the carpet to scratch her bare feet, the fibers brushed softly against her skin.

They set up a lounging area to the left of the room with a two-seater couch on one side of a glass coffee table and a larger three-seater on the other. It had the same blue and gold upholstery as the seat of the rocking chair beside the round bed on the other side of the room. She walked towards the chair and picked up the pillow. Lemon scent filled her lungs with each breath. Her heart ached for a man she could not remember, except for his scent.

"It's the same chair and pillow your father used." Logan said from the doorway. "I had to re-varnish the wood, and Cook did a spell on the seat, but it's still the same chair. I thought you might like to have someone to remind you of him."

Angelique replaced the cushion and turned to look over the room. Apart from the rocking chair and an ugly green dressing table in the furthest corner, it looked exactly like the picture in the magazine Jamie obsessed over. They rarely splurged on themselves. Jamie bought her house and home magazine once a month, and Angelique bought her honey scented body wash and shampoo. The bars of glycerin soap she ordered would have served as her birthday and Christmas present to herself.