| Chapter 15 �Please, please let there be SOMETHING.� Brenda flung open cabinets. The refrigerator was of course empty since there was no power. Brenda�s hopes fell as she opened the first two cabinets and found them empty as well. �Damnit! They aren�t going to have to hunt us down and kill us, we�ll die of starvation first.� Jason frowned at her as he began going through the bottom cabinets. �You�re a man, go out and kill something.� Brenda crossed her arms. �Like what?� �I don�t know. A steak sounds nice.� �Did you see any cows, Brenda?� �Okay, a wild boar, a chicken�.� �Ya, I forgot about that herd of wild chicken we passed�.� �A squirrel, but not a rabbit. I can�t eat bunny.� Jason looked up at her, �But you�d eat squirrel?� �At this point? Sure.� She shrugged. �They�re like big rats with fuzzy tails.� She squinted at him. �You�re not man enough to kill a squirrel, are you?� �Depends, are you woman enough to cook it? With no stove, I mean, because we don�t have ELECTRICITY!� Brenda spun around and began opening cabinets again. �Do they even have squirrels in Greece?� �I don�t know. I want Greek pizza.� �Well, go kill one of those and I�ll eat it.� Brenda started opening drawers in desperation. Jason found a closet. Nirvana. He emerged with one jar. Brenda�s face lit up. She ran across the kitchen towards him. �Gimme!� �It looks like fruit.� �Preserves. Peaches maybe?� Brenda huffed and puffed and tried with all her might to twist the lid off the jar. When she was near purple, she gave in and handed the jar back to Jason. �Open!� Jason popped the lid with no effort at all. She frowned, �I hate it when men do that.� She took the jar back and smelled. �Are they any good?� Brenda smiled. In her rush of going through the drawers she discovered there were no utensils. She drew out a slice of peach with two fingers and popped it in her mouth. She threw her head back and moaned. That was when Jason felt it. His entire body went tense. She had no idea. To the naked eye, he appeared the same. He stared, like he always did, as Brenda grinned and peach juice covered her lips and dribbled down her hand. She turned and sauntered over to the counter in the middle of the floor. She hoisted herself up and helped herself to another slice. Jason felt his mouth water and followed her. Her legs swung back and forth, she looked as happy as a little kid. Before he knew it, he was standing directly in front of her. Brenda frowned. He wore that same intense expression he always did only he appeared to be leaning toward a pout. Now she was starting to read his nearly non-existent facial expressions. Not good. �I guess I have to share.� Jason didn�t say anything, just continued looking at her. She shook her head and pulled out another slice of peach and popped it into his mouth. His lips closed around her fingers and he sucked the juice off as Brenda quickly moved her hand back. She gave him a shocked look, �Down boy. I know you�re hungry but no biting.� The peach was good, her fingers tasted better. Sitting on the counter top she was eye level with him. She smiled as she bit into another slice. Her hair was starting to dry in little ringlets around her face. How did it do that? He�d assumed she spent hours and hours on her ridiculous hair. And then several more on her face. His theory was blown all to hell. The theory that she was hideous underneath all the layers of make-up. The theory that her beauty came from a jar, or a spa or was simply an illusion painted on. She was luminous. And he knew there was no make-up. Her nose was shiny, just a hint of sunburn. He was red all over. He�d be itchy the next day, he could already feel it. A long cold winter in Port Charles had not prepared him for a day of island sun. But her skin only glowed. He was standing so close her foot tapped him as it continued to swing. For each slice she ate, she offered him one as well and didn�t seem to notice that he continued to let her feed him. There was silence like he hadn�t known in ages. No buzz of electricity, no sounds of traffic or other people around. Just the sounds of breathing and little sighs coming from Brenda who smelled like sun and shampoo. �The light is fading, we should look for some candles.� What would she look like by candle light? �Almost gone.� She looked down at the bottom of the jar. Jason leaned over it too and their foreheads bumped. How close was he? A breath away� �Ouch.� She leaned back and Jason reached up and rubbed her forehead. �Sorry.� �Last slice.� She reached her hand in and pulled it out. She offered it to him. He kept rubbing his thumb over her forehead. �Jason, do you want it?� He shook his head. �There is more in the closet.� �What?� �It�s��.it�s full.� Brenda�s mouth fell open. She pushed him back and jumped off the counter. �Why didn�t you say so?� �You just grabbed that one��.� Brenda opened the door. �It�s not a closet it�s a pantry and we hit the mother load!� Brenda dove in and started searching for anything that didn�t require cooking. She came out with her arms loaded down. �Looks like the island squirrels will sleep safe tonight.� He shook his head as he watched her. Felt his head clear a bit. �Well don�t just stand there! Find some candles. It�s going to be kind of hard to eat in the dark.� As his head cleared it hit him. The drug. The drug was affecting his BRAIN! That was the only explanation. The hot tingles. The hallucinations. Now he understood it. The reason someone became a junkie. Maybe it was in his blood. That draw to an addiction. He�d never thought of it before. He�d seen his share of junkies, gamblers and alcoholics. He never believed anything could be worth it. The way they threw away their lives for a fix. But the feeling was heady. It gave him a rush unlike he�d ever felt. An edge of danger like going too fast on his bike. �Jason, earth to Jason. Geez�.do I have to do everything around here?� Well the Cassadines weren�t turning HIM into a damn junkie with their tranquilizers. Why didn�t they just shoot him for real and get it over with? It would have been better than THIS! �Just stuff your face.� He huffed. �I�ll find some candles.� He stormed out of the kitchen. �Good, man go make fire, woman will continue to hunt and gather.� What the hell was his problem anyway? �Oh�olives!� ~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ �Oh! There he is.� Lady Brimbrook grinned. She grabbed a young girl�s arm and virtually dragged her towards Nikolas. Nikolas suppressed a groan. �Well, the servants may be hostile but it appears the guests are still equal opportunity ass kissers.� Alexis patted his arm. �You�re on.� She smiled as she drifted away. �Fine, abandon me in my hour of need!� He growled. She laughed and moved toward a little girl in the corner. Nikolas put on his best fake polite smile and took one last gasp for breath before Lady Brimbrook�s perfume sucked the oxygen from his vicinity. �Lady Brimbrook.� He gave her a slight bow and she grinned with delight. �Even more handsome than I remember. Nikolas, I don�t believe you were ever formally introduced to my Granddaughter. This is Cecile. Cecilia Gabrielle DuMont Brimbrook.� �A pleasure.� He bowed. It wasn�t. This was hardly a pleasure. This was exactly what living in Port Charles allowed him to avoid. The endless introductions to pretty, suitable young girls. The great look of expectation in the eyes of their relatives as they studied him too closely, desperately hoping he would instantly fall in love and sweep their little lovely off her feet. Thankfully, Cecile did not look inclined to being swept off her feet. He recognized the same polite smile with nothing behind it. She was a pretty girl, in a wholesome kind of way. Not at all like the over dressed, over made up heiresses and nobility he was used to being introduced to. He wasn�t interested. She didn�t appear to be either, maybe they could just be friends, go riding together or something until he found a way off the rock. �Stavros, I�ve been meaning to speak to you�� The professor made no notice of the ladies as he came to stand before Nikolas. Nikolas smiled, the man was even more daft than when he�d last seen him. �Professor, it�s me, Nikolas.� �Oh, of course.� He nodded. �Now your Father and I had a discussion last night regarding the erosion on the north beach. Mikkos seems to believe it may be affecting the reef as well�..� �Professor, I am Nikolas, remember?� �Yes, your son, I�ve met him, charming boy.� �No��.� Nikolas gave up. �What did Father say?� �He believes we need to send a team of divers out to investigate���..� The dinner bell rang. Everyone moved to take their seats. The banquet hall sat 50 and nearly every seat was taken. The room was usually reserved for parties or dinners of a special significance. In his childhood, most meals were taken in what they referred to as the breakfast room. It was a more intimate atmosphere. Dinners in the banquet hall took several hours and for Nikolas they were a bore. They usually meant tight, itchy clothes and boring adult conversations. Only, he was an adult now. He took his place at the end of the table, Stavros sat at the other end, what was officially considered the head. A large fireplace loomed behind him. It was a blaze and as Stavros stood to lift his glass Nikolas was reminded of Hell. �To my son and his triumphant, albeit late, return home.� The guests rose and lifted their glasses, Nikolas stood as well and took a sip of wine. His father was across the room, they were separated by mighty oak, a massive array of ancient china and dazzling crystal but their eyes locked in a challenge. The game is afoot. Everyone was seated. Nikolas noted that Gregor sat to his Father�s immediate left, traitor. To his Father�s right, was Xenia. This was important. He knew the players now. His true enemies. He considered Gregor a loss. But what would it take to move Xenia to his right? Alexis had traded. He wanted her by his side but he knew she never participated in these games. She�d moved the Professor near Nikolas so she could sit next to the little girl whom she seemed quite fond of. Next meal, he�d see that both Alexis and the child were closer to him. Guests in the middle of the table were the least important. It was like setting up a chess match. Every player had their place on the board. The closer you were to the two heads, the more important you were. Xenia watched Nikolas study the table. She wondered how many of the guests he even knew. She sat back and sipped her wine. She cast a weary eye to Cecile who was busy trying to peer down her evening gown. Cecile winked at her, Xenia smirked back. She�d nearly choked when she saw Lady Brimbrook dragging her granddaughter off to meet the young Prince. The poor woman didn�t seem to realize it was a lost cause. Xenia had no problem with lesbians in theory but Cecile was damned aggressive about it and while Xenia was lonely�..she was never THAT lonely. Xenia leaned forward to torture her some more. So it was a little fun to toy with her when she was bored. But it was a beautiful gown, a shame to waste it on relatives and women who never stood a chance. Now Gregor was staring at her as well. Too old. No one at the table interested her in the least. She�d been on the island for months and the itch was getting worse. She�d have to chance a trip to the mainland soon and work off some aggression. Stavros had chanced two such trips but the delicacies he�d found had obviously not held his interest long as he didn�t bring anything back. The island was becoming a tense place, and it wasn�t all political. But she�d be damned if she would succumb to Cecile�s advances. Alexis doted on the child to her right. She blew on her soup so it wasn�t too hot. Lydia took two bites and decided she was full, she asked to be excused. Her father, Edgar, ignored her request. Cousin Edgar. One of Alexis� least favorite relatives. She knew him vaguely but he�d always struck her as vain and petty. A professional dancer, he�d lost his looks completely. He�d been rather handsome at one time but now his hair was thinning and his skin sallow. He looked and sounded bitter. She noted Xenia�s presence next to Stavros. Alexis had moved to the center of the table to get a better scope of the playing field. She hated this nonsense but Stefan wasn�t there and someone had to look out for Nikolas. Her heart sank when she saw that Gregor was next to Stavros as well. A guard entered and rushed to Stavros�s side. He whispered in his ear and Stavros leaned back and sighed. �It seems they have found Dante.� Stavros announced. Most of the guests didn�t even bother to look up at this news. �I take it from you expression, he�s still alive?� Xenia asked him in a whisper. He nodded sadly. Drat! Stavros looked down the table. �Edgar, I�m afraid your brother has been injured.� Edgar looked up dully, �Really?� �Yes, a concussion.� Edgar sat his spoon down. �Well, there is nothing I can do for him, I�m not a doctor.� He shrugged. �Your concern is touching.� Stavros shook his head. �As is yours.� Edgar lifted his glass. Point taken. Dr. Lee popped up. �Well, I can take a look at him.� He offered. Damn, he might pull through. �What happened?� Xenia asked the guard. �It appears the two fugitives struck him with a rock and�and�stabbed him with one of the tranqs.� Xenia drained her wine glass. �Damn.� �What is it?� Stavros asked her. �I�m going to have to get up at the crack of dawn and hunt those two down and���� �And what?� ��and now I kind of like them.� She hissed. Stavros smiled and leaned back to the guard, �Take him upstairs, let Dr. Lee examine him.� Adonia peeked in to banquet hall. Alexis had moved. She made a quick adjustment to her chart and returned to her kitchen. The two serving girls she was in the process of training were still green. They hadn�t even informed her of the change. Thankfully, she�d numbered the plates. There was an art to this that no one else seemed to understand. Underneath each plate was a small piece of masking tape with a number on it. As each plate was returned she studied it carefully. All she ever needed to know about her art was left on those plates. It was easy rather easy to please the Prince, he approved the menus and made his preferences known. But to please the other fifty people at the table�..that took work. Stavros had a passion for the heavy types of food she rarely ever prepared anymore. Beef Wellingotn was a favorite. Rack of Lamb. He consumed massive amounts of rich, heavy food, gallons of port, pastries, cakes, anything and everything and he never gained an ounce. He had a ferocious appetite. Some things never changed. Xenia, ate exactly half of everything put in front of her. She skipped desert and opted for coffee. Adonia supposed it was to watch her weight. She fenced every afternoon, ran every morning. The woman was very disciplined. But she had a weakness. It had taken Adonia awhile to find it. She�d tried chocolates, pastries, all types of decadence. But it was an orange that betrayed Xenia. Anything citrus for that matter. Adonia supposed she could serve the woman a leather boot so long as she covered it in an orange glaze. And fresh squeezed lemonade would pry secrets from her lips. Nikolas was picky. He preferred French cuisine to Greek. He despised lamb and pork. But he loved scones. He�d spent his childhood charming extra ones out of her. Alexis was always amazed by anything set before her. She still acted like a good meal was a miracle. Adonia wondered if her Mother was a terrible cook or something. Alexis was easy to please. But now Adonia had to prepare a separate meal. A new one for a guest she did not know. She wondered what he would like, what his taste would run to. What would the man who charmed her Alexis like to eat? The man who impregnated her and abandoned her. The man who hurt her girl. She could see it in her eyes. She was wounded. Overjoyed with the child but haunted by something else. Someone else�. She took the tray from the serving girl. �I�ll take it up myself. I have a few things to say to our latest guest.� |