Witching Tree (Alice Gray Book 1)

27

By the time Anne brought me a change of clothes, I'd cleared my mind by concentrating on the disordered music of the silver leaves. The tree was safely back in its box.

I wasn't quite ready to share everything with my long-lost family.

Anne gave me a black long-sleeved sweater dress. Fortunately we shared a dress size. Unfortunately, Anne was several inches shorter, so its hemline was far higher than I would have liked. It also had a low-scooped neckline, and I had plenty there to show. She assured me that it was decent.

I only half believed her.

I emerged upstairs to an uneasy stand-off in the kitchen. My presence broke the tension, as both sets of eyes turned to me.

Thomas's burning gaze almost turned me right back around to get changed into my crumpled work suit. I tugged at the hemline of my skirt, hyper-aware that his eyes were constantly on me. I longed to be in my own clothes, protected by my scruffy camouflage of a hoody and jeans.

With the prospect of a confrontation with Stephen and Emily to look forward to, things were only going to get worse.

The sun had yet to rise on the cold November morning. Dark clouds were just visible, suggesting the day would be wet.

We took Anne's car to the priory, a red Mini Cooper. I rode shotgun so Thomas had to fold himself into the back seat. It was no easy feat, but he managed it somehow. I felt a little guilty, but I couldn't trust Anne and Thomas to sit side by side. The last thing that we needed was another outbreak of hostility.

And I certainly wasn't going to trust myself or him in close proximity when the memory of this morning sizzled between us.

An uncomfortable silence descended. It was a small space for three people with so much tension hanging between them. None of us trusted each other completely, and it showed in the glances that darted around the small space.

Personally, I believed Thomas's claim that he meant us no harm. But damn, that guy had a temper. Plus, I was certain that he had an agenda. I just hadn't worked out what it was yet.

Several times Thomas attempted to catch my eye in the rear-view mirror – conveniently dispelling one vampire myth.

Competing emotions of shame and anger prevented me from holding his gaze. My blush crept back each time I noticed him looking at me. I was mortified that I had such little control over my physical reactions.

Thomas maintained a front of easy nonchalance throughout the journey. Attempting to be as helpful as possible, he offered Anne directions to the priory. She had no choice but to accept them, as I didn't know the area well enough to direct us.

As we neared our destination, the sinking feeling of dread became acute. We pulled into the parking lot, and sure enough, Stephen's car was there.

There was no way to avoid it now. All the way, I'd been clinging to the hope that we would be able to deal with Emily alone. I was so not ready to see Stephen.

My mood was bad, and I didn't care. I clambered out of the car. Thomas slid out of the backseat effortlessly, and shot me an amused grin. I glared back, daring him to make me the source of his entertainment. He tried, unsuccessfully, to look sombre.

Anne took my arm encouragingly, and we marched up to the front door. Thomas followed close behind. We let ourselves in and I led the way straight upstairs to my apartment.

"Anne, can I have a quick word? In private," I asked, looking pointedly at Thomas.

He retreated to the window, and gazed out. Not quite what I had in mind, but it would have to do.

"I need to make sure that we're on the same page," I began. "I want to get away from this place for a while, but after this morning, I don't want to impose on you unless the offer is still open. No pressure, I'm happy to find somewhere else".

"Of course," Anne said, a look of genuine surprise on her face. "You belong there, with me."

My anxiety level dropped down a notch. With everything else, I hadn't realised just how important Anne had become to me.

I needed her to teach me about our family, to help me make sense of it all, but it was more than that. She was my family. We belonged together, and that was a new sensation for me.

I looked around my apartment, I'd had such high hopes for my life here. It took a lot to admit to myself that it wasn't going to work. Independence was not what I needed right now, and that was a humiliating admission.

"Ok, you two. I want to get my stuff packed up before we speak to Emily."

"Thomas, you box up my books. Anne, come with me into the bedroom."

Thomas turned to me with surprise. He may not be used to being ordered around, but if he was going to follow me around, he could make himself useful.

The bed was as I'd left it, unmade and strewn with my clothes. Looking just like I'd been rolling around on it, having fun.

Anne raised an eyebrow at me and grinned.

An unexpected feeling of guilt washed over me. Evan and I were not exclusive, we were barely even dating, but that was no excuse. I knew that he would be disappointed that I had kissed Thomas. I had never led a man on before, never mind two men (if I could even describe Thomas in that way).

Things were so much easier when I was invisible to good looking men.

Uh oh, Alice is feeling guilty. Should she have kissed Thomas? What will Evan say?
Read on to find out, and don't forget to ⭐️.