Gypsy Designs Ch. 06

Gypsy stood at the door of what would soon be her new shop waving at Karen and Rebecca when they pulled out of the small parking area. Closing the door she looked around the large open space mentally making notes of what she was going to need to be able to get the business up and running.

Grabbing her note book and sketch pad she walked into the back room, looking around making some sketches of the racks she wanted to build to hold bolts of fabric she'd need. Satisfied with her list and the drawings she made sure the door was locked behind her before walking to her SUV. She flipped open her phone and frowned realizing it was only three in the afternoon, she wasn't going to be able to call Megan and tell her about her first clients and their orders until late that evening.

Pulling into the turning lane she waited for the light to change so she could make a visit to the used office supply store for tables and a desk. Watching all of the cars moving around her she suddenly felt alone, even with all the random people going about their business and lives. Shaking her head she laughed, in fifteen minutes she could call Sophie but she knew now she'd be in with the therapist who visited Vince daily.

Absently she wandered through the renovated warehouse space making note of the items she thought would work in the shop. Two large tables and a few chairs that she figured had come from a waiting room area of an office, finally she found a large wooden desk that would fit perfectly in the shop. Paying for everything, setting up a time the following day for delivery, she walked back out to her car, heading home the feeling of wanting to sneak in and curl up in the darkness beside Caydn almost overwhelming.

Sophie and Vince were sitting at the kitchen table with she got home.

"Well how did the meeting go?" Vince asked seeing the frown on her face.

Gypsy smiled slightly, "It was great," she forced a laugh, "I've now got to find some place I can buy fabric other than just the local stores," she shook her head sitting down across the table from them with a sigh.

Sophie looked at her a frown on her face, "Well for someone who's officially just launched her own business you look anything but pleased," she said quietly, "What's the matter dear?"

Leaning forward she propped her elbows on table her face in her hands. "Nothing really, I guess everything from the past week's finally hitting me, today as soon as I was alone I started to call Megan and tell her about it, only to remember now I can't," she said her voice slightly bitter, the sadness apparent in her eyes, "I knew you were in with the therapist, when I got done buying the tables and things I'll need for the shop I figured I'd save my news for when I got home," she smiled, the smile still not reaching her eyes.

Sophie patted her hand, "It's an adjustment dear, I know because I remember feeling the same way when I couldn't pick up the phone and call Jazleen any time of the day or night I wanted to," she said gently, "You feel alone," she said meeting Gypsy's eyes when she looked up at her.

Vince nodded, "I kept trying to make Sophie feel better, I think all I did was annoy her," he laughed, "Even though I was here she wanted to tell Jaz something and couldn't until later by then the excitement was gone."

"I had this sudden urge to come home and go to sleep, hoping when I woke up everyone would be awake, and things would feel more normal again," she groaned, "As if being awake all night was normal," she chuckled.

"Why don't you go upstairs, lie down and relax and then when you do wake up things will feel as normal as they ever do around here," Sophie laughed.

Nodding she got up and hugged each of them before walking out of the kitchen toward the stairs. Hesitating at the bottom of the stairs she turned, walking quietly to the door of Caydn's study. Opening the door she sighed, stepping into the darkness doing her best to block herself so that if he hadn't already awoken he'd continue to sleep.

Closing the door, she walked over to the large love seat, sitting down reaching for the soft woven throw lying across the back of it. Curling into a ball she closed her eyes feeling peaceful as she drifted to sleep.

Caydn woke slowly, listening to her heartbeat knowing she was calm and peaceful, more than likely directly above him in her room napping since she'd been spending as much time awake at night as she had during the day.

Stretching he climbed from bed hesitating before walking to the bathroom to shower and get dressed. Glancing toward the door leading to his study he frowned. Gypsy's thoughts seemed to be traveling, she was having a nightmare, and he could sense the increase of her heart rate as well as the tensing of her muscles while she fought the urge to flee from what ever was haunting her. His senses jolted him when he felt the same rush of darkness he'd read in her memories, the same forbidding danger that had surrounded Roland.

Stepping to the door he opened it silently knowing as soon as he did he'd find her. Her thoughts and her emotions were not coming from her room but from directly outside his door.

He felt something inside him tighten seeing her sleeping on the loveseat in his study. Moving across the room without a sound he knelt beside her seeing the frown creasing her brow when the nightmare tried to take deeper root in her mind.

Gypsy felt herself sinking, being pulled further and further away from the safety and calmness she'd felt since she'd moved into the estate. She refused to look at who ever it was that had such a tight grip on her, the chill danced over her skin making it feel as if her hands and arms were covered with crystals of frost and ice. Instead she kept her eyes locked on the house, searching each window looking for someone who would help her since her screams had gone unanswered.

She was about to give in facing her abductor to begin formulating a new plan to escape when a movement caught her eye. Caydn had stepped to the window calling her name, but no matter how hard she struggled she couldn't make a sound to call out to him, her throat raw and hoarse from screaming earlier.

Feeling the hand tighten around her wrist she fought back scratching at her attacker as she tried to get away, to run back to the house where she knew Caydn would do his best to protect her.

Kneeling beside the couch he reached for her hand, she struggled to pull it from beneath the blanket covering her. When his hand encircled her wrist she immediately tensed, her other hand coming out quickly to grab him, her nails digging deeply into the back of his hand and wrist while she tried to pull away from him. The accelerated rate of her heart let him know she was slipping further into the dream and away from him.

Grabbing her shoulders he called her name sharply, no longer worried about startling her, just wanting to wake her so he could reassure her it'd all been a bad dream.

"Gypsy wake up!" he said firmly, his hands now holding both wrists trying to stop her from fighting him. "Gypsy come on you can wake up its okay, nothings going to hurt you it's just a bad dream," he felt his throat tightening when he experienced the darkness entwining itself around her.

Flashes of her nightmare thrust themselves in his mind, she was looking toward the house, seeing him in the window calling her name but not moving to help her. Struggling to pull her hand free she finally looked back at who was holding her only to freeze suddenly. The mans face seemed to be a vision that danced and faded coming into focus from time to time, when it did it was first the face of her mother then that of her grandfather.

Caydn slipped his arm under her lifting her when he stood, turning sitting back down her held tightly in his lap, her hands held tightly in his when she continued to try and fight him.

"Gypsy wake up, everything's okay just wake up and you'll see for yourself," he said holding her against him, her body turning toward him as if trying to reach for him. "Come on wake up," he whispered brushing a kiss over her temple feeling the throbbing beat of her pulse.

She could suddenly not only see him but she could hear him calling her name, turning toward him she fought harder to reach for him, one hand coming free as she felt as though she could feel him touching her.

A tear slipped from the corner of her eye tracing a slow path along her cheek bone before coming to rest against his chest where she was resting against him. His heart tightened feeling the wetness, seeing the trust she'd placed in him when she felt she was in danger.

"Gypsy wake up, just open your eyes," he said his mouth brushing her cheek capturing the next tear that escaped.

The grip on her wrist faltered for just a second, that was enough for her to be able to pull away, reaching her hand toward him she felt the strength and heat radiating from him, slipping her hand over his shoulder wanting to bury her face in his neck and hide from who ever was trying to take her away. A bitter coldness flashed through the room when Gypsy succeeded in escaping its grasp. Caydn wondered if its presence was felt by the others, making a note of speaking to them all later when Gypsy went to bed, he dropped his face to her hair inhaling deeply bringing her scent into him.

The sob threatened to choke her when she felt his fingers intertwine with hers, pulling her to safety, his voice soothing as the sobbing escaped her.

He knew when she'd finally broken free of the nightmare. He'd experienced all of it through her thoughts while he'd held her. When she'd wrapped her arm around his shoulder turning her face toward him he felt the shaking begin just as the terrified sobbing sound erupted followed instantly by a cascade of tears.

Gypsy hid her face against his chest, feeling his arms tightening around her. She shifted slightly so she could slip her arm behind him holding on to him for safety and security. She tried to stop the tears but for some reason they refused to stop, with a shaky sigh she accepted them, crying until all tears were shed.

Caydn shifted cradling her in his lap while he continued holding her even after the tears had stopped her breathing calming. Running his hand up her back he slid his hand into her hair caressing her neck and scalp, brushing his cheek against her hair. His body tightened when her sigh brushed across the bare skin of his chest.

"Thank you," she whispered more in her mind than out loud, feeling his gentle squeeze she knew he'd heard her.

"Gypsy why were you sleeping in the study?" he asked brushing his lips over her hair when she leaned back brushing the tears from her face.

Ducking her head to not meet his eyes she shrugged her shoulders, allowing her thoughts to tell him why without having to voice her thoughts out loud.

"Why didn't you wake me?" he asked with a low growl, "All you had to do was open the door and walk in, I would've known it was you," he said shaking his head, slipped his hand under her chin making her lift her face to his.

"You didn't keep me awake yesterday I chose to be awake in case you needed me," he laughed hearing her thoughts bombarding him rapidly. "I can understand what it's like to feel alone I've felt that way much of my life, but when there's no reason for it it's up to you to prevent it," he said locking his gaze with hers.

"I hate feeling like a baby who suddenly can't seem to do things on her own," she frowned leaning back pulling away from him a bit more.

"I've been independent all my life, it's something I've always prided myself on and then today I felt like I was the only person in the world, all these other people couldn't see me or hear me even if I'd tried," she muttered twisting off his lap before standing, walking across the room.

Caydn leaned his head back with a heavy sigh knowing this wasn't going to be the easiest argument to make her understand. "Has it ever dawned on you the only reason you've lived like a nomad was you had very few other choices?" he asked sitting up on the edge of the couch watching her while she paced the dark room.

"There's nothing wrong with feeling like you might need someone or other people around you at some time, I think from what I can understand about you 'living' beings solitary is only for those less than stable minded," he chuckled having heard her thoughts how she now found herself feeling normal only when she was surrounded by those who'd be considered 'dead'.

Turning around to face him she straightened her back, glaring at him, "Would you stay out of my head and stop eavesdropping on things that aren't any of your business?" she snapped.

He stood up walking across the room, grinning when he saw her back up slightly knowing he was moving much as a predator would after its prey.

"I fail to see where your constantly thinking of me and the rest of us as 'dead' is not my business when I can assure you, and if given the chance I'd be very willing to prove to you exactly how misguided your thoughts are," he said stopping in front of her, his body pressing gently against her pinning her against the front of his desk.

She could feel the heat that seemed to blast from his skin, the sound of his breathing even the pounding of his pulse seeming to vibrate through out her body the closer he moved toward her, stopping with just a breath of space separating them from being fully pressed against one another.

"What's wrong with me? I feel as if I'm alone in the world when all of you aren't around me, I've never felt this way before? Who's put some sort of spell on me making me need you, I need all of you to even feel like there's a reason for me to be here?" she demanded glancing around for a means of escape.

Caydn laughed stepping back from the desk, but reaching he grabbed her hips, pulling her tightly against him, his head bending to her when she looked up at him. Everything around them seemed to fade when his eyes met hers before dropping to her mouth. Feeling her holding her breath he lowered his mouth tasting her, feeling her, needing her as desire raged through his mind and body the instant their tongues met in a seductive duel of power.

Pulling back he smiled down at her stunned expression, "Could it be that you've found yourself enjoying being in my arms a small percentage as much as I enjoy you being here?" he asked winking at her, turning and walking into his room to shower while she stood staring after him, her eyes traveling along the muscled planes of his back, caressing him with the low steady burn of desire he'd ignited.

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Gypsy was pouring coffee into mugs while Sophie sliced Vince a slice of the pound cake she'd made earlier in the day. With a silent sigh she realized she felt content with the non stop chatter from Samantha, Jaz and the occasional comment from Micah or Phillip as the women looked over the large stack of sketches she'd given them to view.

Caydn had excused himself to deal with a few business calls after everyone had descended upon his home and kitchen one more time. Walking back into the kitchen he met Phillip's eyes with a slight nod before glancing at his brother whose expression was one of concern.

Setting the mugs on the table she laughed when Megan burst through the back door.

"Good lord someone other than this ass to deal with," she laughed rolling her eyes not even glancing back at Christian when he followed her into the house, his face stormy.

"Would someone please tell me what the hell that was earlier?" he demanded after he closed the door easily, despite his desire to slam it until he saw the frown Sophie flashed him.

"Imagining earth quakes again Christian?" Caydn forced a laugh meeting his eyes quickly letting him know it was not open for discussion at the moment.

"Why do you try to do that?" she asked quietly turning to look at Caydn where he leaned against the counter, "I've known what he was thinking since they pulled into the drive, along with everyone else's questions before they even entered the house," she said with a sigh looking around the room at the now silent gathering.

Phillip leaned forward watching her closely, "If you can read that so clearly then maybe you can tell me where the usual bombardment of your random thoughts are this evening since I for one have yet to hear or feel anything from you, which is highly unusual," he said gently sensing Jaz's frown.

"It's okay Jaz, it's a fair question and not insulting," she chuckled smiling at her cousin who was sitting beside the brooding man she called a husband. "I knew immediately most if not all of you sensed what happened earlier this evening and to make sure no one else feels it if it happens again I've just closed it off, or blocked it as you'd call it," she explained sipping her coffee stopping near Caydn at the counter.

"How often has this happened Gypsy?" Christian asked taking a seat at the long table, "also how long has it been happening?"

She glanced at Sophie who sat beside Vince squeezing his hand showing her concern silently. "Its happened on and off most of my life but I guess you could say it got worse after my parents were killed," she said softly before clearing her throat, "but I'd rather not talk about it if that's okay. I'd rather just relax and enjoy myself so it'll go away."

Vince looked back at Caydn, "I think you should call Victor and see if he might be able to tell you anything," he said ignoring the stare Gypsy sent his way. "I haven't had a chance to talk to him since I've been in the hospital but there might be something he's heard that could be of a help."

Caydn pushed away from the counter, walking around to set his coffee mug near the sink. "I called him a few minutes ago and he's going to get back to me as soon as he can," he said avoiding the glare he felt burning into him from her.

"Victor? You mean you called my grandfather about this?" she asked her voice rising angrily, "why would you bother a man of his age with something like this?" she groaned shaking her head. "Does everyone around here automatically think something's cryptic and has a hidden meaning when they have a nightmare or something out of the ordinary happens?" she glared at everyone sitting at the table.

"If you'll excuse me I think I'll go get some work done and leave you to your ghost hunt and evaluation of my dream," she said slamming her mug on the counter, spinning on her heel she stomped out of the room.

"That went well don't you think Jaz?" Megan said sarcastically cutting her eyes at Christian who shrugged as if to ask what he'd done. "While you Neanderthal men sit and try and analyze every odd meteorological weather change that hits, I'm going to see if Gypsy would like to take me to the new shop and show me what she's got planned," she said smiling when Jaz and Samantha pushed back from the table to follow her.

Christian let out a deep sigh while his head fell back, his eyes closed. "Please tell me they get easier to deal with," he groaned when Micah laughed at his discomfort, "it seems like I'm always saying the wrong thing and she's quick to point it out to me," he shook his head meeting the eyes of the men around him.

"I told Caydn Samantha and I might extend our visit just so I could watch him wallow in his own mistakes with Gypsy," he laughed ducking when his brother reached for him.

"Caydn any idea what or who that was?" Phillip asked getting up to pour himself more coffee. "I haven't felt anything like that in centuries, and didn't like it then anymore than I do now," he said with a frown meeting Caydn's eyes.

Brushing his hand through his hair he shook his head, "I do know that near the end of the nightmare when she was pulling away from who ever had her, two faces flashed one I think was Evelyn and due to the resembles I'd say the other was Barton Currington, her paternal grandfather."