Page 5 of Iona's Christmas

“Okay,” Warden said.

I wanted to ask who Cécile was but knew better than to question Warden in front of club members. The frown on his face told me Cécile was someone he cared about.

“Babe, I hate to ask. Could you get the guest suite ready? If Cécile has left Louisianna, something is seriously wrong. And the fact she has not contacted me by phone means she’s travelling incognito,” Warden asked.

“Of course. Should I make up two rooms?” The question would let me know if this woman was someone Warden had once slept with.

“I have no idea. Nobody knows the truth behind Cécile and Etienne’s relationship and, not for lack of asking. All they ever say is Etienne is her anchor,” Warden replied.

“Anchor?”

“Yeah. Cécile says that strong psychics suffer for their gift. But if they discovered what is called an anchor, the pain lessens because the anchor absorbs some of the backlash. The anchor is someone that is their balance, that soaks up their overflow, but it doesn’t affect them,” Warden continued to explain.

“Am I yours?” I asked, desperate to know the answer.

“I’m not strong, babe, but I am calmer around you. My gut feelings seem tighter more focused than before you came along. So yeah, I guess you’re my anchor, even though I’ve never experienced pain. Not like Oracle and some of the others,” Warden said.

I basked in his words, happy to know I was helping him. Any burden I could take off him, I would.

Spice barrelled through the door and headed straight for Lindy. His eyes raked her face as he checked her over for marks and then picked up her hands. I winced as I saw she’d bruised and split her knuckled, and Spice looked at me.

“Clean her up,” he ordered and stormed into the kitchen. There were the sounds of shouting and then a loud slap and silence.

I led Lindy to a seat and, got the first aid kit and began cleaning her up.

Had Spice just hit Lolita? I gaped as he barrelled back out.

“She’s on her last warning,” he hissed, and Warden nodded.

“Did you hit her?” I whispered, shocked, and Spice turned to me in disbelief.

“Stupid girl. I’d never, not even a slut like that,” Spice spat angrily at me.

“We heard a slap…” I stuttered.

“I smacked a worktop,” he replied as he stalked over and crouched by Lindy.

“Don’t be mad at Iona. I thought you’d hit her too, and I know you won’t touch a female in anger,” Lindy chided.

Spice sent us both a look as he calmed down. He picked up Lindy’s hands, which I’d cleaned and put salve on, and kissed them.

“Use rings next time to mark them and save these precious fingers of yours,” Spice murmured.

“Didn’t quite have time to go and tool up,” Lindy chuckled.

“I’ll get you a coffee,” Spice said and strode off. Everyone else had returned to what they were doing, and the clubhouse had emptied quite a lot as they went off to their jobs.

“What did you want me for?” Lindy asked, turning to me.

I went to answer, but Warden tipped my head up and kissed me before stroking my cheek with a finger and disappearing into his office. I gazed after him, dumbfounded, as Lindy chuckled.

“Still feel that way when Spice kisses me,” she admitted, and I nodded slowly. “Why were you looking for me?”

“Christmas! Do you remember I mentioned it Halloween, and Warden claimed we could hold it? Warden had said it to keep me happy,, and I didn’t want to push him on it. I was going to get a tree and some food for dinner and keep everything basic,” I replied.

“But?”

“That’s not what I really wanted to do. I wanna go all out. Last night, Warden caught me looking at some old pictures and I realised he wants Christmas like the old days. But I don’t know how to plan it. Can you help?”