Page 85 of Whispered Warnings: Part Two

The door opens again, I raise my eyebrow, “Are you going to be nice now?”

The door moves backward and forward, and I’m going to assume that means yes. Even so, I walk through the door with my hand out in front of my face, just in case it changes its mind.

Once inside, I grin happily, “I missed you, old friend.”

“Er, is it safe to come in?” Van asks, and I turn around and see all of the guys still standing out on the steps and looking cautiously inside.

I nod, “Yeah, it’s safe. It’s just mad because I haven’t visited in a long time.”

River bounds through the door, apparently that was as far as his caution went and I laugh. The others follow him a lot more cautiously.

He looks around, “This place is awesome. How are the lights on if no one has lived here for four hundred years, and how is it in such good condition?”

I shrug, “It’s the house.” I walk further into the house and head for the huge kitchen diner, “We can eat in the kitchen, although there’s only a four-seater table.” When we all walk into the dining end of the kitchen though, there sits a table big enough for all of us. “Thank you, House.”

“Did the house do that?” Ransom asks.

I nod, “Yeah, it has obviously decided to play nice.”

“Neith honey, is that you?” a familiar voice asks.

I chuckle, “Who else would it be, Ethel? House doesn’t let anyone else in here, and you scare everyone away.”

She chuckles, “Well, it’s more fun that way. Besides, this place is yours. We can’t have just anyone walking in here.”

“Not mine, Ethel. I have no ownership documents or anything,” I say.

The kitchen cupboard doors open and close rapidly.

“Good point, House,” Ethel says, “just because you don’t have any official papers doesn’t make it any less yours.”

“Erm Neith,” River says, “who the fuck are you talking to?”

I grin, but as I open my mouth to reply, Ethel does.

“Me, boy, come over here and let me get a good look at you,” she demands.

I roll my eyes, and when River looks at me questioningly, I add, “She’s in the kitchen.”

There’s a huge countertop splitting the kitchen and the dining room, making it difficult for the guys to see who is talking. She’s not exactly obvious. I lean over it with a big grin as the other guys all walk into the big kitchen, clearly curious about who is talking. I can’t help the amused smile on my face as I lean on the countertop to watch this interaction unfold.

“I don’t see anyone?” Raiden says questioningly.

“I’m right bloody here,” Ethel says, her Irish accent becoming much thicker.

They all freeze, staring at the corner of the kitchen, or more accurately, what’s perched on the counter in the corner of the kitchen.

Hesitantly, Doc asks, “Did that skull just talk?”

“Who else would be talking to you, lad?” Ethel, the skull, asks.

“What the fuck?” Evander asks.

I burst out laughing at their expressions and then decide to make the introductions before Ethel tells me off, “Guys, this is Ethel and Ethel, these are the guys.”

“Nice to meet you,” River says with a grin as he bounces closer.

“How are you a talking skull?” Reed asks.

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