My blood approves

“You know I didn’t buy this, right?” Jack turned to look back at me as we walked past the four other vehicles in the garage (Mae’s black Jetta, a green Jeep Wrangler with a canvas top, a black Lexus LS, and a shiny silver Audi TT Roadster). Then he gestured to the impressive collection of cars. “I didn’t buy any of this. None of it’s really mine.”

“Then who did buy it?”

“Ezra, mostly. And Peter.” We had reached the huge wooden door that presumably led into the house, and he turned back to grin at me. “Mae and I are just eye candy.”

“I see.” There was something comforting in that. If that were true, then maybe his brothers weren’t as attractive as him, and I wouldn’t have to worry about making a fool of myself over them.

Jack threw open the door, shouting hello. I had barely crept in the house behind him when a giant mass of white fur flung itself at him. It caused a mild flashback to the night before and I almost yelped, but Jack was scratching the dog and telling her how pretty she was, and I realized that it was just his gigantic Great Pyrenees.

“Matilda!” A warm voice with a soft, British accent filtered through the house, and then I saw her rushing in to greet us. She was beautiful, probably in an unconventional sense, but that almost made her more stunning. Her long, light brown waves of hair had been clipped back to keep it out of her honey colored eyes. Her skin looked like white porcelain, but there was a warmth coming off her in comforting waves. She went over to the dog, pushing her down off of Jack with ease, and in a slightly scolding tone, she said, “Oh, Matilda, do be a good girl. Please.”

“Ah, she’s alright.” Jack crouched down to continue scratching the dog’s head. Watching him play with her, I realized for the first time how hard it must’ve been for him last night to kill that dog. It had never really occurred to me that he had been hurt too when he was forced to protect me.

“I’m so sorry,” she apologized breathlessly, putting her hand over her heart to show how sincere she was. She looked at me for the first time and smiled at me. “Matilda’s still a puppy.”

“Mattie’s always a good girl, aren’t you?” Jack’s voice was verging on baby-talk, and Matilda licked his face appreciatively.

“Well, look at you!” She exclaimed, and her smile grew broader and warmer. “You’re lovely!”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment. She was far more beautiful than I could ever hope to be, and I didn’t know really how to respond to her open affection.

“Oh, sorry.” Jack gave the dog one final pat before standing up. “Alice, this is Mae. Mae, this is Alice.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I floundered. There was something about her that made me feel safe and oddly loved, but it was so unexpected that I didn’t really have time to collect my thoughts and respond.

“The pleasure is all mine!” Mae gushed, placing her hand over her heart again. “You really have no idea.”

“What have you been saying about me?” I gave Jack a sidelong glance, wondering what he possibly could’ve said to get her so excited over me. He was the one with all the magical powers. I just argued with him and got myself in ridiculous situations.

“Not that much,” Jack shrugged, but he didn’t seem embarrassed or surprised by Mae at all.

“Shall I give you the grand tour?” Mae offered, suddenly looping her arm through mine. Then she looked over at Jack. “Would that be alright with you?”

“Yeah, do what you want.” He had already started playing with the dog again, seemingly contented to let Mae kidnap me and do with me as she pleased.

“This is the entryway, obviously,” Mae gestured to the vaulted ceilings and marble floors around us, and the rings on her fingers flashed in the light.

Then she started to lead me into an adjoining room, which appeared to be some kind of expansive living room. The rest of the house had dark golden oak wood floors and cream colored walls. Somehow, it managed to combine a warm modern motif with touches of a castle. It was beautiful and perfect and really, so utterly Mae. “Here’s the living room. Windows, fireplace, etc.” Before I could even really take it all in, she started leading me into the kitchen. The tiles were granite in natural neutral colors and the cupboards matched the hardwood floors. Off the back of the kitchen, there were giant windows and glass French doors leading out to a massive stone patio and revealed a beautiful view of the lake that stood right off the backyard. “This is the kitchen, and the view.”

“That is truly breathtaking.” I pulled away from her just enough so I could peer out the window. It was dark out, so I couldn’t fully appreciate it, but the backyard was lit with several large lights and I got a glimpse of it.

“That’s why Ezra chose this place.” Mae put her hand on my arm when she returned to my side, and I noticed that her skin felt the same as Jack’s — silky soft, but completely temperatureless, like touching a doll. “This land, anyway. He built the house.”