"Thank you so much, Raven. I love it!" she said, twisting her jet-black locks. It was as if she thought about hugging me but didn't know what to do. Instead, she flashed me a smile and hopped again on the chaise longue with Phantom.
"You don't have to thank me," I said. "I had a great time doing it."
Jameson came into the room and placed Stormy's luggage by the dresser. "I'll bring her coffin up, too." The Creepy Man was frail, and I couldn't imagine him bringing a casket up the Mansion staircase or even assembling one on his own. Fortunately, neither could Alexander.
"No," Alexander said. "I'll get that."
"Thank you. Dinner will be ready in a few moments," the butler said.
Stormy hopped off the chaise longue and straightened her skirt. Jameson left, and Alexander and I watched as Stormy surveyed all the trinkets I'd placed on her bookshelf.
She grinned slightly, and I could tell by her expression that she was really pleased with her new digs.
"So where is Raven's room?" she asked suddenly.
Alexander was taken aback by her direct question and chuckled nervously. "At her house," Alexander replied.
"You don't live here, too?" she asked me as if she was expecting I did.
"No," I said. "I live with my family. And they are not as exciting as yours. Believe me." Stormy seemed slightly relieved knowing I hadn't taken physical custody of the Mansion and she had power over her rightful territory.
"You must be hungry," Alexander said. "Let's hit the kitchen."
Alexander blew out the candles, and we followed Stormy out of her room until she paused at the top of the stairs and turned to look at us.
"Are you two getting married?" she suddenly blurted out like a typical younger sibling.
I laughed, and Alexander cracked a crooked smile.
Stormy and I waited to hear Alexander's response. I wasn't sure how she wanted him to respond, but I knew how I did.
Alexander put his hand on his sister's shoulder and guided her down the staircase. "Jameson!" he called. "We're coming down to dinner!" I think we were both disappointed not to get an answer.
We sat down to eat in the formal dining room, which was dressed with gleaming silver, fine china, and linen napkins. Several candelabras lit the room, and the red candle wax dripped like a bleeding wound. Alexander pulled out Stormy's chair, seating her to the left of him, and I followed suit at his right. Stormy and I faced each other across the table, with Alexander in the middle at the head of the table. Stormy, so cool and stylish in her lacy black fingerless gloves, placed her linen napkin gingerly on her lap.
Jameson pushed the dining cart in from the kitchen and served us a nice dinner of rare filets (medium well for me), twice-baked potatoes, and peas. Stormy had a blood-filled glass goblet garnished with a cherry and a purple sword, while Alexander also had a blood-filled goblet. Mine was filled with boring old soda.
When Stormy lowered her goblet after her first sip, red liquid dotted the corners of her lips. Alexander gestured to her, and she rolled her eyes at him. When she wiped it off, the dark liquid smeared the light napkin. I was shocked. I'd seen wine-stained napkins before, but this was the first time I'd seen a bloodstained one.
"So, what have you been up to?" Alexander asked as he cut his juicy steak.
"Nothing much," she said. "Home isn't the same without you there." Stormy cut her steak into tiny little pieces. She savored each bite.
"Oh, come on," Alexander challenged. "You are always busy with something."
She rolled her chocolate-brown eyes. "Well, you've been gone a long time. How can I tell you everything?"
"What do you mean?" Alexander took a bite of his meal.
"You were only supposed to be gone until the Maxwell feud was over," she said, pushing her peas around with her fork. "And it is. Once you took Valentine back to Jagger, it was over. But you didn't come home. You stayed here." She didn't look at me. She didn't have to. I could feel the tension from the younger Sterling as if she blamed me for his absence.
"I know," he said. "But I have a life here now, too. So what is so different without me?"
"The house is so big. I have no one to talk to."
"We didn't talk all the time," he said.
"I know. But it was nice having you there. That's where you live, remember?"