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BACK TO FRASER'S FRACTURED FICTION Adventures in Decorating, part 9by A. Fraser and J. Hontz
© Copyright 2005 A. Fraser and J. Hontz. All rights reserved. "How are you feeling, Julian?" The first question Gideon asked. He and Josh had risen, showered (not without some splashing and fooling around) and dressed, and joined the others out in the common room to prepare for the victory party. Not having a party was unthinkable. "I am giving up being the good guy," Julian replied, nursing yet another goose egg on his head. "It hurts too much." "Wimp," Mitch taunted. "I can easily share the pain," Julian threatened. "Now, now, children," said Josh, grinning. "No beatings tonight. It's a party." Fred and Denis arrived, looking even younger in civvies and without the sigils on their foreheads. Denis looked a bit scared of Julian; after all, he had knocked the mage cold. "Denis," Julian said in his best deep-voice deadpan. I'm sorry?" squeaked Denis. Julian drawled back, "Next time I'm going to make certain you're in the vanguard." Denis, who didn't have a military bone (not to mention thought) in his body, looked a bit panicky. Fred patted his hand, "It's a joke," and led Denis over toward where Mabel was setting out drinks. "You're sure?' they could hear Denis ask. "So, Adele, Gabby and Spence went out for munchies for those of us who indulge," Julian commented to the Oakwoods boys. Then quietly he added, "I don't quite know how to thank you for all the help. Taking out the garbage can sometimes be such a hassle." "Our pleasure," replied Gideon, with a slight bow. "So, Jules," said Josh, with his perpetual grin, "did you still want your place redecorated? French provincial ought to go nicely with Mabel's Uzi." "Heh. I'd advise you to let her have carte blanche in the kitchen though." There was something of a hubub in the hallway and suddenly the door opened to admit Adele, Gabby and Spencer loaded down with bags. Hey, they weren't only feeding themselves, but a werewolf. The food smelled wonderful. Chinese. Yes, I know. Paris has the best Chinese food in the world. Adele announced, as everyone interested was digging in, "I've reservations at a club. I did promise Mitch to show him Paris. We've a big table. And I want to see Josh and Gidsy dance." Gidsy did his best to hide the shudder. Julian, still a bit shakey on his feet, sat back down with his plate. He stared at the food but didn't appear all that interested. The door opened again and Genevieve and Jean entered. Jean and Julian's eyes locked across the room. Julian said nothing as the two vampires greeted everyone. But as Jean came closer to where he sat he said quietly, "Thank you, Jean. You saved my life. I knew I could count on your experience and your abilities. But I confess I didn't guess that those abilites would be my own salvation. Thank you." Jean was so caught off-guard that he gaped, and quite possibly goggled, as well. Then he recovered, and bowed. "My pleasure," he said. "Thank you for trusting me." He spotted Gabby, bowed again to Julian, and took off to intercept the chauffeur. Gen moved into his vacant spot, and kissed Julian. French style. No, the other French style. "You look terrible," she said. "Why thank you, darling, all the better to get sympathy from beautiful women," Julian drawled. "I cannot stay long," she said regretfully, "I must get back home tonight. But I had to come to see you all again. I have grown very fond of Adele already." "She's very fond of you as well," Julian replied. "And not the only one." He watched Jean, who wasn't comfortably enough out of range. "Stay for a little while," he said quietly. "I beg a private audience." Her eyes flicked to her knight, as well. "Yes," she agreed. "For a little while. But it is a long drive to the Loire, and I do not relish becoming a pile of dust on the highway." "And what a waste that would be." Jean must have heard a bit of that for he looked up, frowning. Gen moved off to go and talk to Gids... Gideon and Joshua. Jean found himself happily surrounded by Gabby and Adele. Spence and Mitch looked none too happy about this development. Julian got up and sauntered over to the open windows. He stepped out onto the small balcony. Gen, seeing this excused herself from Josh and Gideon who were having a fairly obscure conversation with Denis, who, it turned out, knew quite a bit about antique shops in Paris. She stepped out onto the balcony and Julian took her in his arms. "You promised me a large bed," he said, just before he kissed her. "I said it was possible," she corrected him when she could talk. "And, is it possible? Tomorrow night." "Yes, it is possible." Her eyes met his. "Do you need directions?" "I could find you with both hands tied behind my back." She kissed him, then, and said softly, "A bien tot, cher Julian," before walking past him in a gentle cloud of freesia. Which, he had to admit, was an improvement over the way anyone had smelled last night. "Mes fils," she rejoined Gideon, Josh, Denis and Fred, and generously included the last two in this address, "I must leave you now. You will be staying in Paris for a few more days?" "Yes, Gen," Josh replied, "after all, I haven't actually decorated Julian's house yet." Everybody laughed, even Denis and Fred, who had no idea what Josh was talking about. Mabel had heard this last bit, and bore down on them. "About the kitchen..." she began, and hauled Josh off. "Adele, cherie," Gen herded her away from Jean, "I must say au revoir, but I insist that you come out to the Loire and visit me. Only," she gave a furtive grin, "not tomorrow night." Adele's eyebrow rose. "I see." They both looked over toward Jean who looked as if he knew something was up but just couldn't quite figure out what. "I see," Adele repeated with a rather wicked gleam in her eye. "I think I may be in desperate need of a dancing partner for the next few nights." "Ah, cherie, we understand one another?" Adele nodded solemnly. "Oh, we do indeed. And I promise to come to visit you very soon indeed." Goodbyes are always bitter... Er difficult, so everyone kissed and wished god speed and waved brightly to Gen even as they thought how sad that she was leaving alone. Jean made a move as if to forestall that, but Adele was there to wrap her arm around his waist and whisper into his ear. Gen slipped out under that velvet cover. Once Gen was gone, Adele began herding the rest of the party toward the exits. Dancing awaited, and she was determined to find out just how good a dancer Gideon was. "How are you feeling, Julian?" The first question Gideon asked. He and Josh had risen, showered (not without some splashing and fooling around) and dressed, and joined the others out in the common room to prepare for the victory party. Not having a party was unthinkable. "I am giving up being the good guy," Julian replied, nursing yet another goose egg on his head. "It hurts too much." "Wimp," Mitch taunted. "I can easily share the pain," Julian threatened. "Now, now, children," said Josh, grinning. "No beatings tonight. It's a party." Fred and Denis arrived, looking even younger in civvies and without the sigils on their foreheads. Denis looked a bit scared of Julian; after all, he had knocked the mage cold. "Denis," Julian said in his best deep-voice deadpan. I'm sorry?" squeaked Denis. Julian drawled back, "Next time I'm going to make certain you're in the vanguard." Denis, who didn't have a military bone (not to mention thought) in his body, looked a bit panicky. Fred patted his hand, "It's a joke," and led Denis over toward where Mabel was setting out drinks. "You're sure?' they could hear Denis ask. "So, Adele, Gabby and Spence went out for munchies for those of us who indulge," Julian commented to the Oakwoods boys. Then quietly he added, "I don't quite know how to thank you for all the help. Taking out the garbage can sometimes be such a hassle." "Our pleasure," replied Gideon, with a slight bow. "So, Jules," said Josh, with his perpetual grin, "did you still want your place redecorated? French provincial ought to go nicely with Mabel's Uzi." "Heh. I'd advise you to let her have carte blanche in the kitchen though." There was something of a hubub in the hallway and suddenly the door opened to admit Adele, Gabby and Spencer loaded down with bags. Hey, they weren't only feeding themselves, but a werewolf. The food smelled wonderful. Chinese. Yes, I know. Paris has the best Chinese food in the world. Adele announced, as everyone interested was digging in, "I've reservations at a club. I did promise Mitch to show him Paris. We've a big table. And I want to see Josh and Gidsy dance." Gidsy did his best to hide the shudder. Julian, still a bit shakey on his feet, sat back down with his plate. He stared at the food but didn't appear all that interested. The door opened again and Genevieve and Jean entered. Jean and Julian's eyes locked across the room. Julian said nothing as the two vampires greeted everyone. But as Jean came closer to where he sat he said quietly, "Thank you, Jean. You saved my life. I knew I could count on your experience and your abilities. But I confess I didn't guess that those abilites would be my own salvation. Thank you." Jean was so caught off-guard that he gaped, and quite possibly goggled, as well. Then he recovered, and bowed. "My pleasure," he said. "Thank you for trusting me." He spotted Gabby, bowed again to Julian, and took off to intercept the chauffeur. Gen moved into his vacant spot, and kissed Julian. French style. No, the other French style. "You look terrible," she said. "Why thank you, darling, all the better to get sympathy from beautiful women," Julian drawled. "I cannot stay long," she said regretfully, "I must get back home tonight. But I had to come to see you all again. I have grown very fond of Adele already." "She's very fond of you as well," Julian replied. "And not the only one." He watched Jean, who wasn't comfortably enough out of range. "Stay for a little while," he said quietly. "I beg a private audience." Her eyes flicked to her knight, as well. "Yes," she agreed. "For a little while. But it is a long drive to the Loire, and I do not relish becoming a pile of dust on the highway." "And what a waste that would be." Jean must have heard a bit of that for he looked up, frowning. Gen moved off to go and talk to Gids... Gideon and Joshua. Jean found himself happily surrounded by Gabby and Adele. Spence and Mitch looked none too happy about this development. Julian got up and sauntered over to the open windows. He stepped out onto the small balcony. Gen, seeing this excused herself from Josh and Gideon who were having a fairly obscure conversation with Denis, who, it turned out, knew quite a bit about antique shops in Paris. She stepped out onto the balcony and Julian took her in his arms. "You promised me a large bed," he said, just before he kissed her. "I said it was possible," she corrected him when she could talk. "And, is it possible? Tomorrow night." "Yes, it is possible." Her eyes met his. "Do you need directions?" "I could find you with both hands tied behind my back." She kissed him, then, and said softly, "A bien tot, cher Julian," before walking past him in a gentle cloud of freesia. Which, he had to admit, was an improvement over the way anyone had smelled last night. "Mes fils," she rejoined Gideon, Josh, Denis and Fred, and generously included the last two in this address, "I must leave you now. You will be staying in Paris for a few more days?" "Yes, Gen," Josh replied, "after all, I haven't actually decorated Julian's house yet." Everybody laughed, even Denis and Fred, who had no idea what Josh was talking about. Mabel had heard this last bit, and bore down on them. "About the kitchen..." she began, and hauled Josh off. "Adele, cherie," Gen herded her away from Jean, "I must say au revoir, but I insist that you come out to the Loire and visit me. Only," she gave a furtive grin, "not tomorrow night." Adele's eyebrow rose. "I see." They both looked over toward Jean who looked as if he knew something was up but just couldn't quite figure out what. "I see," Adele repeated with a rather wicked gleam in her eye. "I think I may be in desperate need of a dancing partner for the next few nights." "Ah, cherie,we understand one another?" Adele nodded solemnly. "Oh, we do indeed. And I promise to come to visit you very soon indeed." Goodbyes are always bitter... Er difficult, so everyone kissed and wished god speed and waved brightly to Gen even as they thought how sad that she was leaving alone. Jean made a move as if to forestall that, but Adele was there to wrap her arm around his waist and whisper into his ear. Gen slipped out under that velvet cover. Once Gen was gone Adele began herding the rest of the party toward the exits. Dancing awaited, and she was determined to find out just how good a dancer Gideon was. They let themselves be herded with a good will. All the food was gone, anyway. Various vehicles were employed and they were off to the club. The group was a bit male-heavy, so none of the women, even Mabel, lacked for attention or dance partners. Since this was Paris, nobody in the club cared if two men danced together, either. Denis was too shy to dance with anyone but Fred at first, which the others found very sweet. Josh was trying to joke him out of it. Gideon was watching his hubby with an unfathomable expression on his face; Adele hoped he wasn't jealous. It was obvious, though, that Josh's interest in the two boys was purely avuncular. And not that kind of avuncular. Coming back from a dance with Julian, she grabbed Gideon's hand before he could protest and pulled him onto the dance floor. It was a rare slow dance. Gideon held her tenderly. She melted into his embrace and they moved fluidly and as one. Jean sputtered. Mabel moved in then, and Jean found himself embracing a woman who knew how to wield an Uzi. Suddenly that appealed to his darker side and he and Mabel whirled across the dancefloor with full abandon. Adele laughed softly in Gideon's ear, watching them. "Gideon," she said. "Yes?" he asked. "I only hope one day I'll find a man as gallant and brave as you." | GO TO TOP OF PAGE
Note: this story has two endings. Ending 10A is extremely sexually explicit in quite glorious detail and very, very hot. If you like your stories like that, then choose 10A.
if, however, you prefer not to read sexually explicit material, or if you cannot due to being at work (we warned you, should you choose A and the boss catch you!), or due to mail filters, firewalls, parental controls, or an inbred Puritanism, read sexually explicit material, then choose 10B.
Also, if you have always seen Genevieve in a certain light, and would prefer her to remain up on that impossibly high pedestal, an ideal rather than a real woman with real needs and desires, if you have always pictured her as the soi distant great lady floating through her castle in Dior and don't think she should ever have any wild sex, then choose 10B. Or better yet, end the story here. It's a good enough ending.
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