In the Blood [ON HOLD]

"Didn't He Tell You"

Charlie woke up with a start, sucking in a small breath as her eyes flew open. She was laying on her stomach, in a huge room she didn't recognize, and she was completely naked. 

Closing her eyes with a sigh, she muttered, "At least I don't have a hangover this time."

After another lazy moment, she finally sat up, groaning along with her muscles. After rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she peered over the edge of the bed to find clothes still strewn across the floor.

With a sigh, she flopped backwards onto the bed. She had the feeling that she had just set a terrible precedent with Remi—signing that contract then letting him do everything he'd done last night. Everything she'd done.

It didn't bode well for future interactions. 

Sunlight was beginning to creep through the windows on the wall behind her with some conviction, and she finally got out of the bed. Frowning, she found her underwear, then chewed at the inside of her cheek.

Her dress she remembered was in the hall, and she had no intention of walking out of this room in nothing but her underwear. Plus, the idea of fighting with the zipper was exhausting.

With a shrug, she snatched his ruined shirt up from the floor and shrugged it on, wrapping it around her torso. The tail came down to the middle of her thighs, maybe a little higher. Quickly she did up the buttons that had survived, then cracked open the door, peering out into the hall.

It would have to do for now.

Everything was dead silent. She snatched up her dress from where it had been left at the top of the stairs, then made her way down to the main floor. She ran her fingers through her hair a few times in an attempt to tame it, trying to find her way back to the kitchen in this ridiculously large house. 

"Hello."

The soft voice made her jump, and she whirled around to find a slim woman with dark hair and hazel eyes watching her keenly. Charlie relaxed when she recognized her from last night. She was the one Remi had talked to after sending her into the house ahead of him.

She regarded the woman with blatant curiosity. The woman smiled wryly, and said, "I'm Moira. I work for Remi."

"Charlie," she answered, her hand going up to her throat and her cheeks burning when her voice came out as a croak. 

Moira just grinned knowingly, then waved for Charlie to follow her. "That's something easily remedied, dear."

Still blushing furiously, she followed the other woman through a living room she vaguely recognized and into the kitchen. Moira pointed toward the island, and Charlie sat gingerly in one of the chairs as the other woman riffled through the refrigerator. 

She came back with a glass of orange juice, which Charlie accepted gratefully. After taking a sip that stung, then another that soothed her throat, she peered at the woman's watch and sighed in relief. She still had four hours before she needed to be at her first class. 

Moira was still watching her, making Charlie shift uncomfortably in her seat. She quietly drank more of the juice, then asked, "Where's Remi?"

"Around," Moira said cryptically. "I'm supposed to take you anywhere you need to go today."

This made Charlie blink in surprise. Then she shook her head. "That's very kind of you, but I—"

"Pardon me for being so blunt, love, but yes you do. Unless you'd like half of downtown New Orleans knowing you gave the devil a ride last night." She chuckled to herself, then added, "Not that they'd know who you were with, but still."