It was cold outside, cold and gray. Lola curled up on her love seat with a blanket, a mug of steaming hot chamomile tea and a box of tissues on the end table. A fire helped against the chill, crackling merrily away. The very small sitting room didn't hold much else, just one more chair and an overfilled bookshelf. After all, her workroom filled most of the ground floor of the small house. She took a sip of tea and then opened the leather binding on this new diary. Every year since Lola was able to write, her mother had given her a blank journal for Christmas; when Mama died, Ollie had taken on the tradition.
5 January
My head hurts. I'm all over the place " there's too much going on and I haven't written any of it down, but I have to now. It's all scattered in my head and I can't even work on my loom because everything is a mess. Caroline is still taken, and Papa is being so stubborn about the money " he said it's because it's not just a flat price, that Anubis Karos really wants the Conglomerate to pay ten percent forever, that it's extortion.
But it's Caroline. How can we just leave her there" Ollie would be so mad if he knew what I thought about, sometimes. And it probably wouldn't even work. I think I'm thinking about it more now because I haven't been out of the house in days, what with this cold. I miss Caro. Christmas was a mess this year, and Maple Grove was all out of balance. Humphrey wasn't speaking to Papa at all, and as soon as Ollie got there Papa left, and Gigi was never there at all "
Cian's back in town " I saw him at the Inn, him and Gabi and Frank, and I'm glad I went up to see Gabi at the library before I caught this cold. She had Dom's new samples out and took pictures and made so many notes for me! She's so confident in the library. Cian was telling stories about his adventures, but I didn't hear them all because Silviu was there too. I need to see if he'll tell them again, or new ones. I love hearing Cian's stories.
And Silviu. Oh. If Ollie would be mad about my idea to get back Caroline " what is he going to think of Silviu" I didn't know, I swear I didn't realize " and Silviu was so kind, and utterly polite every time I asked to look at the materials. He wears such wonderful things, the colors, and the fabric is so much richer, so much better than anything I can make yet. And we only talked of simple things, and he told me a little bit of such strange places while he walked me safely home from the Inn " and then he asked to court me.
I haven't had anyone ask to court me, before. There was Brandon, while I was in Uni " but he never asked to court me, and after he tried" well. I didn't know what to do when Silviu asked, but I said that he may court me. I didn't know, then.
His heart doesn't beat, though he breathes. His hands are always cool against my skin. He's a vampire, and he promised not to hurt me. I believe him " oh, Ollie will be furious! " but now while I sit here, I remember something else Silviu said. "I'm a messy eater, when I'm too hungry." Something close to that. And when I remember it, I want to weep, or scream. Because that means" it means something horrible.
I don't know what to do. After he told me what he is, I was " I think I was a little in shock. I invited him here, to see what I do, how I work. And he came over the next night, and he overwhelmed my little house, just him, just his presence. I think he would overwhelm the Big House at Maple Grove. But he listened while I told him about the dyes, and watched while I showed him a little bit of the loom, and he was interested, I think. And hardly anyone is ever really interested in how I do what I do, though they like the things I make.
I find myself sleeping late, to noon or later, and staying up into the early hours of the morning, because I want to see Silviu again " and of course, he can't be in the sunlight. Well, the past few days it's just because of all the coughing, but even before then. I'm scared, not that he'll hurt me, but that he attracts me. I know what he is, he feeds on people and drinks their blood, and kills them, and still he attracts me. His hair feels like the softest silk, softer and smoother than a baby's. I want to tell Ollie about him, but I don't know what to say. I would ask Caro ? but Caro's gone. Jon is back from his trip over Christmas, I heard that, but I haven't seen him nor Gigi (I think Gigi would try to kill Silviu, I really do). I don't know what to do.
I suppose I'll try to sleep again, and then work on my new dress. It's such a lovely blue silk, really.
5 January
My head hurts. I'm all over the place " there's too much going on and I haven't written any of it down, but I have to now. It's all scattered in my head and I can't even work on my loom because everything is a mess. Caroline is still taken, and Papa is being so stubborn about the money " he said it's because it's not just a flat price, that Anubis Karos really wants the Conglomerate to pay ten percent forever, that it's extortion.
But it's Caroline. How can we just leave her there" Ollie would be so mad if he knew what I thought about, sometimes. And it probably wouldn't even work. I think I'm thinking about it more now because I haven't been out of the house in days, what with this cold. I miss Caro. Christmas was a mess this year, and Maple Grove was all out of balance. Humphrey wasn't speaking to Papa at all, and as soon as Ollie got there Papa left, and Gigi was never there at all "
Cian's back in town " I saw him at the Inn, him and Gabi and Frank, and I'm glad I went up to see Gabi at the library before I caught this cold. She had Dom's new samples out and took pictures and made so many notes for me! She's so confident in the library. Cian was telling stories about his adventures, but I didn't hear them all because Silviu was there too. I need to see if he'll tell them again, or new ones. I love hearing Cian's stories.
And Silviu. Oh. If Ollie would be mad about my idea to get back Caroline " what is he going to think of Silviu" I didn't know, I swear I didn't realize " and Silviu was so kind, and utterly polite every time I asked to look at the materials. He wears such wonderful things, the colors, and the fabric is so much richer, so much better than anything I can make yet. And we only talked of simple things, and he told me a little bit of such strange places while he walked me safely home from the Inn " and then he asked to court me.
I haven't had anyone ask to court me, before. There was Brandon, while I was in Uni " but he never asked to court me, and after he tried" well. I didn't know what to do when Silviu asked, but I said that he may court me. I didn't know, then.
His heart doesn't beat, though he breathes. His hands are always cool against my skin. He's a vampire, and he promised not to hurt me. I believe him " oh, Ollie will be furious! " but now while I sit here, I remember something else Silviu said. "I'm a messy eater, when I'm too hungry." Something close to that. And when I remember it, I want to weep, or scream. Because that means" it means something horrible.
I don't know what to do. After he told me what he is, I was " I think I was a little in shock. I invited him here, to see what I do, how I work. And he came over the next night, and he overwhelmed my little house, just him, just his presence. I think he would overwhelm the Big House at Maple Grove. But he listened while I told him about the dyes, and watched while I showed him a little bit of the loom, and he was interested, I think. And hardly anyone is ever really interested in how I do what I do, though they like the things I make.
I find myself sleeping late, to noon or later, and staying up into the early hours of the morning, because I want to see Silviu again " and of course, he can't be in the sunlight. Well, the past few days it's just because of all the coughing, but even before then. I'm scared, not that he'll hurt me, but that he attracts me. I know what he is, he feeds on people and drinks their blood, and kills them, and still he attracts me. His hair feels like the softest silk, softer and smoother than a baby's. I want to tell Ollie about him, but I don't know what to say. I would ask Caro ? but Caro's gone. Jon is back from his trip over Christmas, I heard that, but I haven't seen him nor Gigi (I think Gigi would try to kill Silviu, I really do). I don't know what to do.
I suppose I'll try to sleep again, and then work on my new dress. It's such a lovely blue silk, really.