Free Dhampir Love by Shirlee Lewis Page A

appreciate it.”
         “No problem, Jess.  I have the number in case I need to get a hold of you.”
         “Thank you.  We’ll be back in a week,” I said.
         “No problem.  Good bye Jess.”
         “Goodbye Detective.”  Detective Sean hung up before I could say his name.
     
         “Are we ready?” Tony asked checking the back door and windows.
         “It’s a long flight, but I’m as ready as I can be.”
         Tony and I arrived at the airport just in time to get our bags checked in and catch our flight to England.  The stewardess was going through the safety procedures as we buckled our seatbelts.  I slept for the whole flight.  Tony shook me when we landed at Heathrow.  “We’re here, sweetie,” he whispered in my ear.
         I opened my eyes and smiled.
          It was drizzling rain when we got off the plane, I couldn’t see London for the fog. Last time I was here, it was so green and I could see for miles.  Jennifer was waiting at the limo when we exited the airport.  “Did you have a nice flight?” she asked.
         “Yes we did, mother,” Tony answered.
         Arriving at the house, Tony and I went to the elevator.  He pushed the button for the third floor.  When the doors opened the room was exactly as I remembered.  William and Catherine’s wall clock chimed when I stepped into the room. 
         “Mother has breakfast waiting for us.  Shall we join her?” Tony said, carrying our luggage to the bedroom.
         “Sure.”  I looked at the wall separating the third floor.  Charlotte was no longer behind it wanting me.  “Will the wall come down now that William and Charlotte are no longer here?” I asked.
         “I haven’t a clue.  Father hasn’t said.”
          Tony and I went to the dining room on the first floor.  Jennifer patiently waited for us.  Before we sat down, Jason came to the door.  “Mr. Mureaux would like to speak with Tony,” he said, and then left.
         Tony kissed me and left the kitchen.
         “Jess, is a date set for the wedding?”
         “June twenty-fifth.”
         “You’re more than welcome to have the honeymoon here if you’d like.”
         “Tony and I haven’t discussed the honeymoon.  We have too much going on with the blood bank to even think about a honeymoon.”
         “The third floor is always open to you and Tony,” Jennifer said, taking her plate to the sink.
         “Thank you.”
         “Let’s go to the living room.  I have something to show you.”
         Setting my plate in the sink, Jennifer and I retreated to the living room.  Open on the Victorian coffee table was a book of fabrics.   “I’m going to remove the wall dividing the third floor.”  Jennifer said, and then pointed to a red and a maroon fabric. “I like these colors, but I can’t decide which one I like the best.”
          Looking over the colors, I pointed to the maroon color.  “I like this one.”
         “I do too,” she said, and closed the book.  “Will you help me?”
         “You don’t have to ask, Jennifer.  You know I will.”
         “When Victor and Tony leave in the morning, we’ll get started.”
         Tony came back to find us in the living room.  He walked over to me and said, “Father and I have urgent business at the blood bank.  I’ll see you later.”
         “I’ll see you later.”
         Tony gave me a kiss on the cheek and left with Victor.
         “Jess, I have some phone calls to make.  Please, make yourself at home,” Jennifer told me. 
            I went back to the third floor and unpacked my suitcase.  Thirsty, I went to the kitchen and grabbed a soda.  Sitting at the dining room table looking at the lake, I decided to go for a walk along the shore.  The morning fog had lifted and the rain was slowly coming to an end.  Stopping at the boat house, I turned