Brothers 3

Chapter 4

The music was like a thread that spun around the room. James could feel his ears following it and trying to grasp onto the end. He was in his living room. It was the middle of the night. Classical music blared from the massive speakers and shook Orlando's drink which rested on the coffee table in front of them. Orlando himself was dancing with an invisible partner. He rested his head on their imaginary shoulder and hummed along to the music while he waltzed with them. He stepped on and off the old rug as he went around in a rough circle.

James held Ella in his arms. She was warm and flushed from the dancing. She laughed as James led her through the movements. He had showed her the steps before they began but she didn't learn fast, so he simply led the way and she willingly followed. They were dancing at the other side of the coffee table to Orlando. The curtains were drawn and the lights on a dim setting. Mrs Greene was in the kitchen and made herself known with the occasional pot clatter.

James rested his face in Ella's hair and imprinted her scent on his brain. She smelt like mint and soil. She dropped her ear against his chest. James chuckled.

"If you're looking for a beating heart you're going to be disappointed." He spun her under his arm and back. She rested against his chest again.

"I thought there might be something." She swayed with him, tightly holding his hand.

"Nope. Vampires are hollow." Orlando swept past them. He and his imaginary partner were dancing more of a tango than waltz. It was a strange pairing with the music.

James looked over the top of Ella's head at him. "Yea some of us are even hollow in the head."

Ella stiffed a snicker against James's chest.

"Little boy I am old enough to put you over my knee." Orlando took on a mock old man voice. He came towards James using an imaginary cane to walk with his back bent.

James put Ella between himself and Orlando. "Not in front of the lady."

Orlando winked. "You're right. Later when we are alone."

Mrs Greene came into the room. She had dressed up a bit for the visitor. Although James had been seeing Ella for just over three months, Mrs Greene had not been allowed to meet her till now. James claimed that she would put Ella off coming back because she mothers people too much.

"Boys." Mrs Greene held her dress up, so she didn't stand on it. It was a black one, without any jewels. "Stop being creepy around our guest."

"Why is she all dressed up?" Ella whispered to James. James knew that Mrs Greene could most likely hear them anyway.

"Just go with it," he said.

Mrs Greene placed a tray on the table with a cover on it. It was silver so she had wrapped a dish cloth around the handle of the cover to allow Ella to lift it.

"Let her go now James. Unlike us she needs food." Mrs Greene had to dodge the dancing Orlando to get to a chair. She sat down and folded one leg over the other.

James led Ella by the hand to the end of the sofa. As she sat down and reached for the tray cover, James used the remote and switched off the music.

Ella lifted the cover. Underneath was a rare done steak. A steady flow of blood leaked from it and hit the peas in the middle of the plate. The other side of the peas were some happy yellow mashed potatoes.

"Oh," Mrs Greene exclaimed, "forgot the gravy."

Ella was about to tell her she didn't need it, but James stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "She doesn't get to cook really at all. Let her do this." He patted Ella's shoulder.