I laughed and plopped down on her yellow cotton sofa, threw down the letter on the coffee table, and hugged a pillow to myself.
She eyed the letter and then eyed me. “Well, now, baby, what’s wrong?”
I have always told her that her power was in her voice. Soft and soothing and her logic was always unassailable. I had come for some of that comfort food.
She has a way of putting things in perspective. “Auntie…did you do this?” I pointed at the letter. “I know you…it is just the sort of thing you would do to help me out.”
She picked up the letter but didn’t read it as she frowned and asked, “Do what, Bobbie my love?”
There it was, Aunt Elle being coy.
A knock on the open door drew our heads around. Rafael! I jumped up and ran to hug him. Rafael was a friend of both my mom and Aunt Elle for as long as I can remember. Also, he is a vampire. My mom spelled a charm he wears around his neck that allows him to travel in daylight. It is a well-guarded secret.
He is tall and beautiful, with silky dark auburn hair and amber eyes. Latin American handsome and very sexy, he was fond of telling me.
He hugged me and I noticed he was frowning. “What is it, Rafael?” I asked.
His voice was grim. “I’m here to warn you, Bobbie. I had just arrived at your apartment when I saw you get into a cab. I guessed you were coming here.”
“Warn me? Warn me about what?” I was astonished.
He looked at Elle. “You were right. Your instincts are always spot on, Elle. Someone was making inquiries about Bobbie’s mother, and trying to maintain a low profile while they were at it.”
“A witch?” my aunt asked.
“No, a vampire with a French accent. No one I spoke to knew who he was and as far as I can tell, he has already left NY. Luckily, the people he questioned are friends of mine and yours. They did not mention Bobbie’s existence and he did not seem to know about her. He left believing Bobbie’s mother was the last of her line.”
“I don’t like this, Rafael,” Aunt Elle said thoughtfully. “Why, after all this time, would someone…a vampire, be looking for Bobbie’s mother?”
He shrugged and plopped down on the sofa. “Dunno, but vampires looking for a witch…never a good thing.”
I plopped down beside him and he put his arm around me. I looked at Aunt Elle. “You knew?”
“No…I had a vision. Rafael checked it out for me. I don’t like this, baby.” She walked away, taking the letter with her and I saw her reading it.
“You take this job, Bobbie, you take it and leave right away,” she said.
“Job? What job?” Rafael asked.
I took his hands in mine. They are always so cold, but I didn’t care. I adore Rafael. He is like an older, caring brother. “In Scotland…managing an estate.”
“Oh, I like that. Yeah, take it. I’ll come visit you in jolly ‘ole Scotland.”
I laughed. “Jolly ‘ole England, not Scotland.”
“Why can’t Scotland be jolly?” he quipped playfully.
I turned back to look at Elle. She was pacing. Aunt Elle is many wonderful things, but she is also frustratingly secretive.
“Ok, give. What else did you see in your vision?” I demanded.
“Darkness and blood,” she said simply. “Now I know why.”
“Aunt Elle, did you arrange this job for me?” I asked.
“No, I did not, but…it has come just at the right time. I want you out of New York as soon as possible.”
“There is nothing some Frenchie vamp can do to hurt our Bobbie. I’m on it,” Rafael said, getting up to take Elle’s shoulders in his big hands. “Even if she wasn’t my little sister, I owe it to her mom.”