Gypsy Designs

I'm terribly sorry for the delays I've been having, but it's becoming increasingly harder to manage to write and edit during each quarter of school!

Chapter 15 has been started and I'm hoping within the next week to have it finished and ready to go.

~ Shadow~

*

Gypsy closed her eyes, rubbing her temples to relieve some of the throbbing that had been building for what seemed like months in her mind. Hearing Mrs. Cavanaugh's voice, she wondered why, she hadn't noticed how grating the sound was when they'd met.

She fought the urge to stick her fingers in her ears in an attempt to block out all the sounds echoing through the house. The banging and thumping of furniture being rearranged, and the constant chatter of the crew as they worked like busy worker ants, transforming the large library on the second floor for the photo shoot Mrs. Cavanaugh was orchestrating.

Taking a deep breath she sighed. It seemed like months since the party they'd attended at Dominic's home, and the mayhem that had followed. Thanksgiving a few days later, also seemed like a distant memory, not something that'd passed a week before.

Opening her eyes, she saw Sophie smiling as she carried a large tray of sandwiches for the photo crew. She loved having people to cater for, after so many years of she and Vince living in the house alone. As much as she wished all of this would go away, she knew Sophie deserved some happiness.

She leaned her head against the wall, trying again to one by one tune out the massive flow of thoughts and emotions bombarding her. Victor had given her some exercises before he'd left, flying home for a few weeks, those along with the help she was getting from Claire had allowed her not lose her mind, to this point.

Claire stepped out of the kitchen, carrying a pitcher of herbal tea and cups to go with the sandwiches Sophie had made. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs she looked around the rail to the tiny alcove area it created. Seeing Gypsy sitting on the floor as if hiding, she handed the pitcher and cups to one of the crew men on his way up stairs.

"Mind if I join you for a minute?" she asked quietly, stopping beside Gypsy.

Gypsy smiled without opening her eyes, knowing the minute Claire had spotted her. "I know it's not considered correct to hide from your own party," she chuckled, "but I needed a break."

Claire slid down the wall to sit beside the obviously stressed young woman, reaching over she patted her hand.

"If you weren't hiding, I'd think there was something wrong," she laughed. "I don't think in all my years I've ever met a woman who was as overbearing or as non-listening, as Grace Cavanaugh. It makes me wonder where Dominic ever met the woman, let alone tolerated her," she laughed quietly.

"Apparently she's on the board of one of the many committees Dominic sits on," Gypsy explained, opening her eyes, glancing toward the window of the study where she could see the sun now brushing the tree line.

"He also seems to find her equally amusing and annoying. The first I think is his form of entertainment, feeling far superior to mere humans. The second is his reaction to the woman's voice that never seems to stop. Or at least that's what he was thinking when I told him earlier that since he'd sent her to me, he could deal with her," she laughed, remembering the expression on his face.

"Are the blocking methods not helping?" Claire said looking at her closely; she could feel a subtle vibration of overwhelming emotion radiating from Gypsy.

Shaking her head, Gypsy closed her eyes. "Someone up stairs is silently whining over Sophie's using Swiss cheese on the sandwiches, they don't like Swiss. The photographer thinks his work will one day launch him into Life magazine, and Mrs. Cavanaugh still thinks I'm being unreasonable about the photo session she wants taken of me. Dominic also had to relieve one of his men earlier when he wanted to bite the decorator Mrs. Cavanaugh brought in," she laughed quietly.

Opening her eyes, she looked around. She saw the men Dominic had called and placed throughout the house, preventing members of the crew from wandering where they had no business.

She regretted Caydn had chosen to sleep down in Lucien's dungeon. The others also taking some of the private chambers far below them, so as to not be disturbed during this impromptu photo shoot, set up to help promote her designs and work.

"Oh this isn't going to end well," she muttered with a frown. Glancing at Claire, seeing her questioning look, she laughed. "Dominic's decided to walk past his own men and slip down to Lucinda's room so he can wake her," she explained.

Claire forced a laugh, not sure how else at the moment to react. She wasn't sure if it was the thought of her daughter being woken by the man she 'claimed' to hate, or at all of the information surging through Gypsy's mind uninvited.

"Luc can take care of herself, even when it comes to Dominic," she said patting Gypsy's arm. "What I'm concerned with is how sensitive you're becoming. It seems to be increasing when it should be decreasing with the additional blocks Victor and I've shown you," she said, the concern obvious in her voice.

Gypsy nodded her head, "Caydn's been telling me all day to relax and calm down, it will all be fine," she said, hearing his voice brushing through her mind right then, repeating his earlier comments. "I've done nothing but disrupt his life since I got here," she said softly.

Both women jerked, hearing a loud crash coming from the large library upstairs, where all the redecorating was happening. Claire patted her arm with a smile when someone yelled, saying nothing was broken.

Sitting there in silence, Gypsy leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her knees. Closing her eyes, she tried to force her mind to concentrate on the gentle methodical motions Claire was making along her back to help relax her.

Taking a deep breath, she forced her mind to cement her blocks in place, sighing at the silence filling her mind, if even for only a few minutes.

"I can't do this anymore," she whispered, fighting the tears threatening to escape. Opening her eyes, hoping she'd see understanding in Claire's eyes and not condemnation.

Emotions caused her throat to clench tightly, she nodded, her understanding. Clearing her throat she forced the words beyond the constriction. "Dear you have got to talk to everyone, force them to see that they have to control themselves right now, because you can't," Claire said quietly, taking a breath as she felt Gypsy's blocks fading. The energy she'd felt radiating from the young woman easing as she gave into the overwhelming tidal surge of thoughts.

"Caydn's agreed," Gypsy said softly, her voice echoing the desperation she was feeling. "Can you gather Cameron, Lucien and Lucinda?" she asked, standing up, offering her hand to Claire.

"It's done," Claire said with a smile. "Lucien will be here as quickly as possible, Lucinda and Cameron are dressing as we speak. Lucien will be going by to get Megan and Christian also."

Taking a deep breath Gypsy stiffened her spine, hearing Mrs. Cavanaugh calling her name for what was possibly the five hundredth time in the past hour.

"I'm right here, Mrs. Cavanaugh," she said, forcing a smile. "I went to the shop to look for something. I'm going to be having a meeting in a few minutes, so I'll leave the final arrangements to you," she said cutting the woman off before she could start on another rambling conversation.

Glancing toward the hall she saw Caydn standing there, his eyes locking with hers. "I want this to go as quickly as possible once the final set up is completed Mrs. Cavanaugh," she said firmly, leaving little room for dispute. "We've kept Marisa from her husband all day, while she's been kind enough to model the gowns and I'd like to finish ASAP. Now if you'll excuse me," she said turning abruptly, walking toward Caydn's private study, his hand falling gently on her back.

***************

"It isn't the disruption you seem to think it is," Caydn said leaning against the edge of his desk, pulling her into his arms before burying his face against the column of her throat to nuzzle it.

Leaning back, he chuckled, placing his finger over her mouth before she could reply. "What was a greater disruption was the panic and confusion swirling through your mind all day," he said quietly, his eyes watching her closely.

She allowed herself to relax into his arms. Her cheek brushing against the hard muscled chest reassuringly, absorbing his cool confidence to help bolster her own, closing her eyes, her arms wrapping around him of their own accord, as she waited for everyone to arrive

Caydn watched closely as one by one each of them filed into his office. Feeling the increase in energy coursing through her mind and body, he held her tighter. His eyes locked with Christian's as he followed Megan into the room, knowing he'd be able to detect the same waves radiating from Gypsy.

Clenching her teeth when her mind became a swirling vortex of thought and emotion, she knew everyone was present since each of them marched through her mind as if it was their own.

Leaning back she looked up at Caydn, feeling his mind still holding her securely, even as she stepped back, turning to face the room, filled with extraordinary people.

"What's wrong Gypsy?" Megan said quickly, seeing the strain on her best friends face and reading the conflict in her eyes instantly.

"I'm okay," Gypsy said with a forced smile, absently rubbing her temples to gather her own thoughts above those of everyone else. "I need to ask all of you something though, please put up any and all blocks you have, and quickly please," she said her voice strained.

Christian watched Gypsy closely as she took a deep breath. He'd felt everyone closing themselves off, and realized that seemed to give her a small amount of relief.

"I know all of you've been disrupted with this chaos and fiasco that's been going on today, and I'm so sorry," she said trying to smile at everyone, holding her hand up before anyone could say anything.

"Dominic I do thank you. This is a perfect opportunity for me, don't think I don't understand and appreciate it," she said looking at the tall darkly dressed man standing near the door. "How you tolerate the woman other than using her as your own amusement, I don't think I'll ever understand," she laughed at the shocked expression on his face. "And replacing your man who wanted to eat one of the camera crew was wonderful."

"What type of talents do you have, no one has informed me of?" he asked angrily, a frown on his face as he looked accusingly around the room.

Claire leaned forward from Cameron's side. "Dominic this isn't anything that was kept from you intentionally I can assure you," she said calmly, glancing at Gypsy. "These seem to be talents that are developing with each passing minute, and none of us have been aware of them either."

Gypsy looked at Sophie, sitting in the chair, Vince resting on the arm of it. Sophie's hands absently twisting in her lap, as she looked at her niece, the worry obvious.

"Sophie I'm going to be fine," she grinned at the woman who'd always cared and worried about her. "It's just something that's happening is all, no one did it to me," she explained.

Looking around the room she saw everyone watching her closely. "Thanks, I now remember what it's like to be under a microscope," she forced a strangled laugh. "For the past few days, hell maybe the past week, I've been having a harder time blocking out thoughts, and this time even things like emotions, even dreams," she said rubbing her temples, glancing at Lucinda, who blanched slightly.

"Megan you need to stop worrying about me so much or Christian's going to think the two of you living next door isn't such a good idea," she said with a smile. "You've adapted beautifully to your new life and it makes me happy to see. I'm adapting, maybe slower than you'd hoped, but its happening."

"Gypsy have you been allowing Caydn to feed from you again?" Christian asked ignoring the annoyed snarl from Caydn. "You're paler than normal. I can see the circles under your eyes even with the make up you're trying to use to hide them."

She flinched, feeling the anger roll off of Caydn at Christian's suggestion. Shaking her head she looked at Christian, her building anger obvious. "Him feed from me? You've got to be kidding. I was wondering if one of you had told him I'd been bleed intentionally, and all of it replaced with cherry kool-aid or something with the aversion he seems to have even when I ask him to," she snapped, looking over her shoulder to glare at Caydn.

"Luc I really don't see what you find so damnable funny about that," she said between clenched teeth, turning to pin the woman with an amber stare. "You have enough going on with nightmares that make horror movies seem like they're g rated," she said pleased when the tall woman dropped her eyes, hoping to avoid questions from both her father and twin.

"And you," Gypsy snarled turning to stare at Cameron. "If you'd stop being so damn pushy and overbearing, maybe your daughter wouldn't run from your advice and match making. There's a chance she might actually take a look in front of her and realize that the 'hairball' isn't such a bad guy after all."

Dominic realized as soon as he laughed out loud, he'd painted a target upon himself. Meeting Gypsy's eyes steadily he silently dared her to give him her best.

"You willingly want it?" she said with a sigh. "Okay, you know if you'd stop spending all of your time acting like a high school kid with a crush and spend some time talking to Luc. She might get to know the man you are, and not think of you as something to be swept up and thrown out," she smiled when she saw him pale.

"Christian I know you and Claire want nothing more than to be able to 'fix' me, but I can assure you I've been 'broken' longer than even I can remember," she smiled at each of them.

"Cameron in case you didn't know, I'm going to tell you," she said watching the large man stiffen visibly. "You need to drop to your knees and kiss the ground and thank god or the darkness or what ever the hell it is you'd think of as a higher power, that you have this woman," she said waving toward Claire. "And also thank your ass that she hasn't thrown you out, to bake in the sunlight for as hard headed and obstinate as you can be."

"All of you keep thinking Caydn needs to take control of me," she said with a loud sigh, her fingers massaging her temples, as each of them allowed their bocks to slip slightly as she spoke.

"The man is as much stuck by this 'fate' as you call it as I am," she said with a frown, motioning to Caydn. "I seriously doubt if he'd known this was going to happen, and he was going to end up stuck with me for who ever knows how long, then he would've been happy staying in Europe than coming back here," she said her voice fading, tears threatening.

Caydn shook his head, reaching he grabbed her, pulling her back against his chest unceremoniously. "I've never been the type to enjoy having others speak for me and I don't see that changing anytime soon," he said firmly, looking down meeting her eyes.

"I don't feel the least bit 'stuck' as you phrased it, but I am sorry, if you feel that way. And as for how long, I honestly don't think there'll be enough time in one life time, for me," he said quietly, his voice flowing over her like soothing water.

Biting her lip she looked away from him, stepping back straightening her sweater. "This isn't a board room and there's no need to be so diplomatic for my sake," she said, wanting nothing more then to bury her face against his chest and ask him to make all the insanity happening to her go away.

"You can't even say you love me, hell that you even like me. But don't worry about it I'm not the clinging type so you don't have to pretend to me. Dominic could you please grab Mrs. Cavanaugh since you were the one nice enough to bring the annoying woman to meet me, "she said with a laugh turning to stare at Dominic near the door.

"Let her know I'm going up to change, and she can erase the thought from her mind of them shooting me sitting wearing one of my designs while sewing another," she groaned. "She, can me as me or not at all. They also have one hour from when I walk in the library so they'd better be ready," she said nodding to the door, just as Mrs. Cavanaugh's voice could be heard calling her name.

"I'm really sorry I had to ask if you could keep your blocks up all the time. But right now that's the only thing I can think of short of me losing my mind," she said, walking out the door waving Mrs. Cavanaugh off, heading up to her room to change.

***************

Caydn didn't like the feeling of the solid wall Gypsy had built in her mind keeping even him out. Tossing back the bourbon he'd poured himself, he turned to look at Claire.

"How long has this been increasing?" he asked quietly, "And why in the hell didn't I of all people know it?"

"Caydn this isn't something I think any of us, even you could've known," she said quickly. "I only noticed it today. I found her sitting in the alcove under the stairs where she seemed to be hiding from everyone and everything," she explained.

Lucien watched Caydn pacing, the snarling growl letting him know the level of frustration he was feeling. Running his hand over his face trying to clear his mind of the issues he had happening in his own life, refocusing himself on the task at hand.

Caydn looked at him, "You can't take responsibility for not seeing this, I'm the one whose bed she sleeps in, when she sleeps," he said with a growl, pouring himself another drink. "I didn't know it or see it, there's no way anyone else could've."

"When this photo crap's over I'm going to talk to her and see if she'll allow me to exam her and make sure she's physically sound," Christian said firmly, leaving no room for discussion. "I don't like the way she's looking, she's pale and it looks as if she hasn't been sleeping in days."

"Sophie told me she's eating very little at meals, but I thought with as much work as she'd been doing in the shop she was snacking while she was there," Vince added his information to the mix.

"Any more information on Barton's being in town, or why?" Caydn asked looking at Lucien.

"Not a fucking thing," Lucien snarled, "If it hadn't been the fact that Christian saw him, I'd think it was someone's imagination. I've talked to Dominic and some of his men, they're on the look out for him or anything that even smells as if it might involve Barton or Damone either one," he said, taking the glass from Caydn's hand swallowing it in one gulp.

Dominic stepped to the door of the study. "Vince, Sophie asked me if you could help get the crew out of here, they'll be done in a few minutes and Gypsy will be down," he said relaying the information.

Stepping back so Vince could pass, Dominic looked at the men and woman remaining. "I think you're going to have to get to the bottom of this and quick," he said quietly meeting every eye, as they turned toward him. "Lucinda and Megan aren't getting more than inches from Gypsy, and she's starting to shake from the stress of keeping her blocks up."

Caydn pushed away from the desk, walking quickly from the room, taking the stairs three at a time.

"It's over," he said loudly, startling everyone in the room. "Gentlemen please pack up your things as quick as humanly possible, and get the hell out of my house," he said pinning the photographer with a stare that left no room for objections.

It took him less than a heart beat to move across the room where Gypsy was sitting in a chair. Leaning down, he scooped her into his arms, ignoring her protests.