The Second Time Around Ch. 10

*Tick*

*Tick*

*Tick*

Brigitte sat up alert in bed staring into the darkness of the bedroom. Her slumber was awkward at best. There were no nightmares, there were no good dreams—in fact, there were no reveries at all, yet somehow it had been unsettling. The house was at peace. She could feel it; however, she couldn't explain why everything else was speaking louder than thunder. She looked down at the peaceful body of her lover, gently caressing his shoulder, and smiling when he sighed, before exiting the bed. She found her robe wrapping it about her physique, taking hesitant steps out of the bedroom and into the corridor.

Her feet felt cold and clammy on the wooden floor, clinging to the boards as if they weren't too privy to moving. The wind howled outside and her neck snapped towards the window as she advanced towards it, pulling back the curtains to stare at the empty streets. Only streetlights illuminated the night. They flickered erratically as Brigitte's vigilant eyes surveyed the sidewalks.

A shadow.

It manifested and vanished so quickly that she doubted whether she had even seen it in the first place. But upon a second glance she noticed its approach. The figure, adumbrated by the flashing lights seemed to stop in its tracks to regard her. There were no eyes where there should be. In place of a mouth was jagged stitching as if the lips had been sown together with ragged thread. The ears had been cleanly chopped off and the head completely bald.

Brigitte knew this man—or entity. Her inner Collaborator recognized him as a nemesis she had fought against two hundred years ago. Someone she thought had been eradicated, but apparently he had only been in hiding. They stared at each other; he waiting on her to make her move, she stationary as if fixated to the floor daring him to infiltrate the barrier shimmering under the dim moon light. His head twitched taunting her, daring her to ensnare him. Brigitte did the next best thing. She had no intention of leaving and tickling his fancy. She opened her mouth releasing a soft mist from her lips that vaporized through the window to engulf him. She watched him with a smug smile as he quickly disappeared.

Wimp, she thought bringing her attention to the padded footsteps drawing nearer.

"What are you doing?" Caid's soft voice infiltrated the noise buzzing within her thoughts.

"Did you feel him too?" she asked referring to their little visitor.

"Yes. He's not the only one."

"I know." She stepped to the side so that Caid could do an inspection before pulling the curtains closed.

"Come back to bed," Caid said grasping her hand to pull her behind him. "Let the rising sun bring tomorrow's problems. Until then leave them to sleep."

Brigitte nodded her head prepared to follow him until she suddenly stopped. She looked in the direction of Gina's room, breaking contact with him to stop before her door. Holding her hand against the hard wood, she pushed seven times then repeated her actions in the hall right before the steps. "You can never be too sure," she told him when he regarded her with an inclined eyebrow. She was certain that Dante and Mamma were peacefully sleeping in their rooms which put her even more at ease. They were safe and well protected.

She tried returning to sleep finding that it was impossible. The noise just wouldn't stop. Someone was attempting to contact her. Who, she did not know, but she had an inkling that it had something to do with Paul. Thinking of him made her shiver in disgust. Since Caid had helped her escape, she had yet to set a foot back inside of that horrid house. Maybe that day was steadily advancing upon her.

"I can't sleep."

"I see," Caid replied releasing a yawn. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. The static disappeared. He leaned forward and planted another soft kiss to her right eye then did the same to her left. They became weighted almost impossible to remain open. "Sleep."

She did. Heavily.

Caid on the other hand had transferred her worries to himself, gritting his teeth against the blaring inside of his head. He willed peace into his mind then sighed when the disturbance became a soft buzz. It was easier to sleep, but he still had the sentiment of an annoying mosquito hovering about his head. He awoke just after dawn to find his mother already bustling about in the kitchen. She was preparing a big breakfast making him wonder if they were expecting a large gathering.

"Mamma, who will eat all of this?"

She stopped her cooking, startled out of her thoughts as she stared up at her youngest. "Why you, Dante, Gina, Brigitte," she listed then turned back to the pot.

"What about you?"

"I ate a fruit salad. It was delizioso!" He chuckled leaning over to kiss her cheeks several times which had her giggling. "Such a mamma's boy."

He scrunched his face into an adorable smile that had her pinching his cheek. "You should eat more, Mamma."

"I do eat, mio cuore. Besides, I have early morning croquet with my friends."

"Always moving, Mamma. Take a break sometime."

"Okay, after this week."

Caid rolled his eyes with a smile. "Want me to help?"

"Yes," Mamma replied signaling that he should sit down at the counter. After he did, she grabbed a plate and loaded it with food, enough to feed two and a half people, before setting it down in front of him. "Eat and get strong."

"Thanks Mamma." He leaned into her kisses not at all irritated by her over affection as she tousled his hair and repeatedly kissed his temple. It made him feel cherished. If only most parents could be this way.

"Mamma," Dante whined upon entering the kitchen. "What's left for me if you give all your kisses to this guy?"

Mamma smiled spreading her arms wide for him and endowing him with just as much love and affection as she gave his little brother.

Dante was more than content by the time she pulled away to set his breakfast before him. "Thank you, Mamma."

"Wow, we are all early risers," Gina commented entering the kitchen with Brigitte right behind her. "Hi Mamma," she greeted kissing her mother's cheeks.

Caid watched Brigitte kiss her temples and did the same to an astonished Dante before taking a seat beside him. Although she had been living with them, she was still too timid to give either of them a pat on the back. But today was different and he knew that it had something to do with last night. She had covered them with a spiritual barrier of protection. With their situation getting more serious, she didn't want to be too lax.

"Do you need help?" Brigitte asked Mamma standing to look over her shoulder.

"Yes, I do. You can sit back down with the others," she said shooing Brigitte away then walking to her with two plates piled with food for her and Gina.

"Do you have any plans for today, Mamma?"

"Of course, I do. I'm going to exercise."

"Oh. Okay."

"Did you want to come?" Mamma asked when she saw the disappointed look on Brigitte's face.

"No, no thank you." She began to consume her breakfast, her stomach crying out thank you as the delicious food slid down her throat. Maybe this was a good thing that Mamma would be gone. Maybe she could think of a way of getting Dante out of the picture as well so that no harm would come to him. She had plans on going to Paul to talk. The thought to see him had struck her the night before and it was still weighing heavily on her mind. Caid would probably have a fit, but she was still going through with it.

"Don't forget that Ilenia is coming over. I'm going to pick her up for you today," Dante reminded his brother.

"I'll do it myself. I need to have a few words with her beloved mother." Caid was ready to set Susan straight.

"I can feel your enthusiasm," Dante replied. "What am I supposed to do while everyone is gone?"

"You can hang out with me," Gina suggested. "We've barely spent any time together in the past several weeks." She pouted and batted her eyes when it looked as if he would say no.

"All right, I guess I could make time for my little sister. We can finally repaint your room like you've been asking me to." Gina wiggled about her seat in joy, nodding her head vigorously in agreement.

"What about you, Brigitte? What are your plans?"

Brigitte swallowed the food in her mouth then chose her words carefully. If she said that she was going to see Paul all hell would break loose. Everyone thought that it was best to keep away from him especially with his refusal to sign the divorce papers. They were worried that if he saw her, he would try to imprison her or something. So Brigitte did the next best thing, she fibbed.

"I'm going for a walk. It's beautiful outside."

"That sounds nice."

"Yeah, it's been a while since I've had some exercise."

"Really now?" Caid mumbled for her ears only, almost sputtering with laughter when she choked on her orange juice.

Be quiet, Brigitte thought then frowned at him.

Caid dropped his fork, his attention no longer on his plate. "Did you say something?" he asked her in confusion. He swore that he just heard her voice.

"No, not really."

"Yes, you did," he said staring at her until she was staring back in exasperation.

"I promise you that not one word left my lips." Looks like someone is about ready for the looney bin.

Caid glared at her suspiciously, "You did it again!"

"Adriano, Brigitte hasn't said anything. Are you sure that you're feeling well?"

He frowned looking down at his plate. He could have sworn that he heard Brigitte communicating with him. "Sto bene, Mamma," he said pushing his food away. "I'm going to get ready to leave." He walked away shaking his head in consternation. I swear on my own grave that you were talking to me.

Brigitte's head snapped up to follow Caid's exit as her mind finally illuminated with comprehension. Their telepathy had returned. Strange. With the red string of fate severed, he shouldn't be able to hear her thoughts. In fact, their thoughts shouldn't be able to be transmitted to each other, any other Collaborator, or any supernatural being at all. No telepathic speaking, no telepathically sent images, no telekinetic tricks, nothing. Was Caid's powers returning? There was only one way to find out.

Caid?

She watched him stop in his tracks then turned back to look at her even more confused than before. "Did you just call me?"

Brigitte almost answered until Mamma, forever the mother hen, jumped out of her seat and marched towards her son with a no nonsense look on her face. "Okay, it is back to bed for you. I don't know what is going on in that head of yours, but it is obvious that you need more rest. Upstairs," she said shooing him forward.

"Mamma, I'm not a child anymore," Caid whined. "And I really am hearing things."

Wrong thing to say.

"Oh mio dio!" Mamma gasped throwing her hand over her heart and staggering back dramatically. "Dante call the doctors. Maybe this is some sort of dormant side effect of his reawakening. We need brain scans!"

"Mamma."

Dante was already scrambling from his seat to get to the nearest phone while Gina stared on intrigued yet wary. I hope that he's all right.

He's fine. Gina, Caid's telepathy has returned. Our telepathy has returned.

Gina's grey eyes bulged as she heard Brigitte inside of her head. "You mean...Caid is not going crazy?" Brigitte nodded her head, her eyes riveting between an arguing Caid and a shocked Ginevra. "Maybe I'm just hearing things," Gina said after realizing that Brigitte's lips had not uttered a word.

No, you weren't. I am sorry, I am not purposefully inside of your mind. You are leaving yourself open to me and I keep receiving your thoughts, Brigitte explained silently as they stared at each other.

"How is this possible?"

I have no idea, but I think that it has something to do with you being a medium. Your psychic abilities seem to be amplifying the more you are in our presence. A normal human would not be able to neither hear nor respond to me. I apologize if you are somewhat panicking.

Gina shook her head and smiled like a greedy wolf. Telepathy was something that she always doubted and now here she was communicating without anyone being the wiser—except for the fact that it looked as if she was conversing with herself. "This is freaking sweet!"

Should we help Caid? Brigitte asked now that Dante had thrown him over his shoulder and was carrying him upstairs with Mamma fervently praying in Italian and doing several signs of the cross.

Gina laughed shaking her dark head, nah let him squirm. We'll apologize later.

Brigitte giggled then slapped a hand over her mouth. Caid was going to kill them.

After fifteen minutes of reassuring his relatives that he was one hundred percent healthy and not going insane, Caid was now glowering glumly at his devious girlfriend and sister. "You are sorry?" he asked incredulously while they stood before him with their heads bowed, their toes digging into the carpet. "Mamma and Dante think that I'm nuts and it's all because of you two," he fiercely whispered then plastered a big smile on his face when they both popped their heads in to check on him.

"What is going on?" he demanded when they left. "Did you two plan this?"

Brigitte eyed him sheepishly, "No, we did not plan anything, my love," she told him stepping forward to cradle his jaw while her eyes glowed golden. It was becoming easier for her inner Collaborator to tap into her consciousness instead of only making an appearance when needed. "I too was just as befuddled as you upon discovering that you heard me. I realized that our abilities are reawakening faster than we thought possible because of our..."

"Our what?" Caid asked his eyes flashing a stormy greyish blue.

"Our consummation," Brigitte said looking back at Gina bashfully. Luckily, she was busy pretending not to eavesdrop on their conversation which, although Brigitte was aware of, still comforted her.

Caid smiled, nodding his head in understanding. "But we should not be capable of this. Our cord, I destroyed it."

"Perhaps the bond is reestablishing itself. I cannot explain, but watch this," Brigitte told him eagerly as she signaled for Gina to close the door. "Telepathy is not the only gift to return." She lifted an arm and slowly levitated Gina from the floor to hover at the ceiling. "Is this not amazing?" she asked breathlessly from wonder not fatigue.

"It is. Please be careful with my sister."

"This is freaking cool!" Gina exclaimed for the second time that morning. "Do the other one," she said eagerly, wiggling above their heads.

"What other one?"

This one actually took more concentration. Brigitte closed her eyes and willed the atomic particles in the atmosphere to abide by her authority as she made Gina disappear altogether then connected her spirit to the room.

"Where is she?"

"I'm still here," Gina said sounding as if she was some all-powerful ruler inside of the room.

Brigitte focused her energy to make her materialize then breathed a sigh of relief that nothing went wrong like the first time. "Did you see?" she asked Caid with a grin on her face.

"I did."

"I have no idea what use that can be of, but I'm still happy that I can do it."

"You are adorable," Caid told her while she smiled with glee.

"This is great. And to think that this all started out with you thinking that you are going crazy. Oh by the way, the next time you hear me inside of your head, it is because you are actually hearing my voice. So can Gina. I think that our abilities are rubbing off on her."

"Now that is pretty cool," he said looking at his sister.

"I know."

Caid regarded his watch; he needed to leave to get Ilenia or Susan would act like a total bitch and say that he couldn't see her. "I have to get going. I will see you both later."

"Be careful of those voices," Brigitte teased blowing him an air kiss.

Bite me.

"I heard that!" she called after him, turning to Gina. "Speaking of heading out, I am going to get ready for my walk."

"Okay, Dante and I are going to buy some paint. You can always help us if you come back full of energy."

"That sounds like it will be fun. I will see you later." She quickly pulled a pair of sweatpants on and a plain white t-shirt before pulling her hair into a high pony tail and grabbing her sneakers. She brushed her teeth then walked through the door before she had the chance to talk herself out of going to see Paul. Her walk was short lived and Brigitte circled the neighborhood once before returning to her old house. The overwhelming feeling that something was wrong struck her as she stood staring at the house before unexpectedly teleporting inside.

Her breath barely squeezed out of her lungs as she coughed and wheezed for air. What was she doing inside? She wasn't responsible for transporting herself inside. And if it hadn't been her then who could it have been?

"Paul?" Brigitte choked out finally able to feel oxygen coursing through her lungs.

"Brigitte? Is that you?" The voice didn't sound like how she remembered. It was weak and tired. When she turned around to look at him, she couldn't hide the gasp that slipped from her lips.

"Paul? What happened to you? You look horrible." He stunk. The odor was so terrible that her nostrils burned. His clothes were stained with some kind of indescribable bodily fluid that turned the bright fabric faded and moldy. His beard looked as if he hadn't shaved in several days. And his breath! Wow! What stench!

"You did," he said attempting to keep his distance and approach her at the same time. "But everything will be fine now that you've come back to me."

"I didn't come back to you," Brigitte remarked eying him in disgust. The man had really let himself go. "We need to talk. And after I have said everything that I want to say, I'll be leaving."

"No," Paul said shaking his head as he began to twitch. "You're not going anywhere."

Brigitte's eyes began to glow as this...villain, monster, whatever you wanted to call him standing before her, dropped his guard. This wasn't Paul. "Who are you?"

"Don't recognize me, Alexandra?"

She was perplexed. What was he talking about? "The name is Brigitte."

The Paul imposter released a horrendous laugh, one that held his head back and ripped away at the flesh of his throat. "The last time we stood face to face, your name was Alexandra. Remember."

Brigitte shook her head as images flashed through her mind. Images of one of her past lives. Images of her with a scepter swinging it down like a gavel upon a groveling—"Abdigar." She turned her glowing eyes upon him her legs itching to move. "What are you doing here in this realm?"

"That concerns me," he remarked snidely the rest of his fake skin melting away. He stood before her in all of his atrocious glory, waiting to pounce. "I have a proposition for you."

"And what would that be?" Brigitte asked leaning against the wall as if she had no care in the world.

"Return with me to the underworld or die. Your response?" His mouth dripped ooze as he licked his chops in anticipation.

Brigitte stared at him, disappointed that she had forgotten a being so ugly. Yes, the last time that she had entertained his presence had to be almost six hundred years ago when she, in the form of Alexandra Stevens, had banished him from the face of the earth. How he had been able to return, she did not know, but she had every intention as Brigitte Grangier—well, if we're being technical, Rivers (since her divorce had not gone through)—to send him back where he had escaped from. She pushed off of the wall, fist held into a tight ball as she swung forward. "You can go back to Hell!"

~*~*~*~~*

"Ilenia, will you leave Papa and Mamma alone for a few minutes," Caid said kissing his daughter's temple. He gave her a reassuring smile when she looked back worriedly at them. "It won't take long."