Octavia's Choice [The Klawinken 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (9 page)

She watched the landscape pass as the train was traveling through Providence, Rhode Island. It wouldn’t be too long, and she would be in Boston. When she spoke to Evenela on the phone, she hadn’t told her about Mathieu or Tobias. That was something she wanted to discuss with her in person. She knew her sister would not be happy, but when she told her what Mathieu had called their mother, maybe she would feel differently. She was counting on her sister to help her find Tobias Morgan. She must know him. He was Klawinken, and if Mathieu knew him, it stood to reason that she would, too.

When the train pulled in to the South Boston train station, she was more than ready to stretch her legs. When she walked up the stairs from the platform, Evenela was there waiting for her.

“Octavia, you’ve finally come. You don’t know how happy I am to see you.”

They hugged, and she turned to see the man who could only be Carl looking at her expectantly.

“You must be Carl.” She smiled.

Giving her a hug, he said, “It’s nice to meet you, sister-in-law. I’ve heard a lot about you. Here, let me take your bag. The car’s just out front.”

Their house was beautiful. It was right of the pages of a magazine. Octavia followed Evenela from room to room, each decorated more beautifully than the last with flowers and modern furnishings. Evenela was in her element playing the lady of the manor. Octavia was so grateful and filled with joy that her sister had found happiness. She hated that her news was going to make her rethink what she thought she knew about the Klawinken.

“Now, let me show you your room. It’s up the staircase and to the left. I call it the lavender room. I think you’ll like it.”

It was not only painted lavender, but it had the scent of lavender along with white lace curtains and Queen Ann furnishings. “Oh my god, this is gorgeous. I feel like I’m a princess in a fairy tale. You’re unbelievable. You know that? I just love your house, and especially this room.”

“I hoped you would.” Evenela smiled at her sister. “I designed this room with you in mind. I hope you’ll visit often, that is, until you and Mathieu have your own house and hopefully nearby.”

Octavia sat down on the bed. “Sit down with me a minute? I have something I need to talk to you about.”

“What is it? But by the look on your face, it’s not pleasant.”

“Mathieu and I broke up.”

“No!” Evenela’s surprise and unhappiness was written all over her face. “I thought things were going well. The last time I spoke to Mathieu, he said as much.”

“Mathieu is not my one true mate as he thought I was his. I couldn’t give him what he wanted, and he finally realized I never could.”

“I don’t understand. You both dreamed of each other. It just doesn’t make sense.”

“He dreamed of me, but honestly I didn’t dream of him. I dreamed of another.”

“How could that be? That’s not possible.”

“Well, unfortunately it is possible, and I think you might know the man I dreamed of. His name is Tobias Morgan.”

“Tobias Morgan,” Evenela said, taken aback. “You have got to be kidding. He’s not your type at all.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Why? Because he’s a rock star and he’s got women hanging all over him. He’s not the kind of man to settle down, and from what I’ve heard, he doesn’t believe in the concept of a one true mate. And it was Mathieu who dreamed of you, not him.”

“Mathieu knows Tobias wanted to, using his words, fuck me.”

“Octavia,” Evenela said, her eyes wide. “That’s a horrible thing to say.”

“Mathieu told me that Tobias had told him that he was going to fuck me. Maybe they had some kind of rivalry, I don’t know. But in my dreams, Evenela, he did. I never felt anything like I experienced with him in my dreams. Mathieu couldn’t compete with him.”

“Are you in love with Tobias?” She could feel her sister’s indignation and disgust.

“I don’t what I feel anymore. I thought I was, and now all I want to do is tell him how much I hate him. I need to forget him, but I need your help.”

“I’ve only met him once, and that was at my welcoming party. He said hello and some other things I can’t remember. He was there and gone along with his mother, brothers, and sister. They’re all high profile. Magda Morgan, the movie star, is his mother.”

“I know. I’ve read the rag magazines. I had a crush on him when I was in high school.”

“Forget about him for a minute and tell me about Mathieu. Have you talked to him since your quarrel? I mean are you sure it’s over? I know he must be hurt, but can’t your relationship with him be salvaged? With Tobias out of the picture, maybe you two can find true love.”

“There’s nothing to talk about where Mathieu is concerned. He hates me. He also told me that our mother was Beaucomp, a Klawinken whore.

“Mathieu said that?”

“Yes, he did when he told me I was just like my mother.”

“How could he say such a terrible thing? It’s a lie.”

“I know. Mom and Dad told me our mother was anything but a whore. They said she and Dad were not happy together, but that it wasn’t because of infidelity.”

“They know.”

“Yes, they know that I know I’m Klawinken. They also know that I’m not deserting them.”

Evenela began to rock back and forth on the bed. “Oh, Octavia…how could everything have gone so wrong? One minute everything seems as it should be, and the next I feel like I’m reliving the past again.”

“What do you mean? Everything’s still fine for you. You have Carl and your wonderful life. None of that has changed.”

“But don’t you see? I thought I finally belonged and was accepted. But none of that is really true. Now I know why some of the Klawinken have not been as welcoming or friendly toward me. I wonder if Carl knows about what people have said about our mother. They must look at me and wonder if I’m like her.”

“Evenela, you’re not listening. Our mother was not a Beaucomp or whatever they call her. You mustn’t think that.”

“It explains why the Andreas have never been in touch with me.”

“Who cares about them? They can go to hell as far as I’m concerned.”

“I feel so ashamed.”

“Stop it, please, Evenela. You have nothing to be ashamed about. You’re not thinking straight.”

“You’ve ruined everything, Octavia. Why couldn’t you just love Mathieu?” Evenela’s voice rose as she threw herself across the bed.

“You don’t mean that,” Octavia whispered, tears escaping from beneath her lids.

“I want you to leave.”

“She’s not going anywhere.”

They both turned to see that Carl had stepped through the doorway where he had been watching them.

“You need to calm down, Evenela. Octavia’s right. You’re not thinking straight. I know you’ve had a terrible shock. I should have told you myself about the rumors about your parents, but I wanted to protect you.”

“You knew, and you didn’t tell me,” Evenela sobbed. “Oh, Carl, you knew all this time and you still married me.”

“I love you.” He came to sit down on the bed next to Evenela. “I’ve loved you always from my first dream.”

“But my mother, weren’t you afraid I would be like her?”

“What happened between your mother and father is something we will never know. You can’t live your life in the past. Octavia has told you that the mother and father that brought you up knew your mother and they said she wasn’t a whore. Why don’t you believe her?”

“Because”—Evenela sat up—“the Andreas believe it and I think others do, too. Obviously Mathieu knows, so a lot of others must know. I feel humiliated.”

“Evenela, my love, I understand your pain, but it will pass. Right now you have to think of Octavia. She’s the one that needs you. She’s the one in pain.”

Evenela threw herself into Carl’s arms. When she turned to Octavia, she was still sobbing. “Oh, Octavia, what I said about you ruining everything, I didn’t mean it. Can you forgive me?”

“Of course. I know you were in shock.”

“We’ll help you anyway we can, you know that, Octavia,” Carl said softly. “You’re family.”

“What I need to do is confront Tobias Morgan, and I need to do it by myself. However, I was hoping you could tell me where he lives.”

“I know where he lives,” Evenela said, lifting herself from Carl’s arms. “I doubt that he’s there. I mean, he travels all over the world. I wish you wouldn’t see him. He’s a dangerous man.”

“Thank you, Evenela. I know you wanted me to mate forever with Mathieu,” Octavia said sadly. “I thought I wanted that, too. But things don’t always work out as we plan. Believe me, I know Tobias can be dangerous. I found that out when I met him.

“You actually met him?”

“I went to one of his concerts in Philly, and my friend and I had backstage passes. I thought if I met him, I would stop dreaming about him. It was a weird night. He invited to an after–party, and for the life me, I can’t remember any of it.”

“What do you mean you can’t remember anything? Did he drug you?

“I don’t know. At first I thought I just drank way too much, but now, who knows what really happened. I have to find out.”

“Octavia.” Evenela took her hand. “I don’t think you should go see Tobias. If he wants you again, well, he’s not the kind of man to deny himself what he wants.”

“She won’t be alone,” Carl said, looking at Octavia. “We’ll be with her.”

“Thank you, Carl. But I have to do this myself. And call it Klawinken intuition or whatever, but as dangerous as he may be, I know he will not hurt me or do anything I don’t want. I just know it. You have trust me.”

“From what I’ve been told, he has a number of houses. But the place he calls his real home is a mansion not far from here where his mother and sister also live.”

That night Octavia tossed and turned. She dreamed of Tobias, but not in the usual way. She caught glimpses of him but always in the distance. It was as if he were running away from her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t run fast enough to catch up with him. In the morning, she woke tired. She dressed and went downstairs to breakfast where Evenela was waiting for her.

“We’ll leave after breakfast if you still want me to take you to his house.”

“I do. I have to do this.”

Evenela shook her head. “I think I understand. But it’s your choice to see him, and I’m here for you whatever happens.”

Octavia hugged her sister and then sat down at the kitchen table. She needed coffee. She felt like a mass of nerves. She just hoped she had the strength to see him and then walk away.

* * * *

Evenela drove. She made a right into a long driveway. There was a gate. She pressed the button and stated her name. The gate opened.

“I guess someone must remember me,” Evenela said, surprised. “I wasn’t sure they would let us in.”

When the house came into view, it was nothing less than magnificent. It reminded her of a plantation house from
Gone with the Wind
. Her nerves were working on her. She held her hands to keep them from trembling.

Evenela pulled up near the front door and stopped the car. “Okay, this is it. You know I can just keep going if you want me to.”

“Thanks for doing this. I appreciate it, especially since I know you didn’t want to.”

“I love you, Octavia. I just want you to be happy, and if seeing Tobias is the first step in that direction, then so be it.”

“It is.”

Octavia opened the car door and smiled back over her shoulder at Evenela looked her as if she were about to watch her sister walk the plank. “I’ll be fine,” she tried to reassure her.

The front door was opened by a servant who showed her into a library after she had asked for Tobias. When she heard footsteps, she could feel her heart beating more rapidly. However, it was Magda Morgan who entered the room, not Tobias.

“I’m Magda Morgan, Tobias’s mother. How can I help you?”

“My name is Octavia”—she hesitated and then decided to use her Klawinken name—“Andreas. I believe you met my sister, Evenela, when she arrived in Boston a few years ago.”

“Yes, of course. How is your sister?”

“She’s fine. In fact, she drove me here. But I guess you know that since she gave her name at the gate.”

“William said you wanted to see Tobias?”

“Yes. We met at a one of his concerts. I know this is unexpected, but I was hoping he might have a few minutes he could spare for me.”

“I’m sure he would if he were here. You see, he’s on tour in Japan and won’t be back home for another a month.”

“Oh.” Octavia felt her whole body deflate. She had really thought she was going to see him. “I’m so sorry that I bothered you. Please forgive the intrusion.”

“Nonsense. It’s not an intrusion. I’m glad we’ve had a chance to meet. I know you’ve lived away as your sister did. I hope you’re here to stay now.”

“No. I’m just visiting. I live with my parents in upstate Pennsylvania.”

“I knew your real parents. I liked them very much. I was so sorry when I heard about their accident. They died so young.