Violet and Her Tarot Cards

The large wooden doors slowly creaked open and as Ella moved through them her sandals patted lightly against the stone. Damon followed close behind.

"Unless of course you want me to bite you."

Ella dead stopped as she sucked in a breath. Was this a mistake? Should she have trusted him. He was at least six foot two and could easily overpower her. It wasn't fear though that gripped her soul.

At first, she thought it was; but no. There were no prickles on her skin and her hair did not stand on the back of her neck. It was the thought of his pouty lips against her skin. The thought of his green eyes piercing hers that made her knees knock and her hands shaky.

It was funny though, he said it in a voice that sounded like Dracula hmm actually it was more like Count Chocula from the cereal Charlottes mom used to buy her every Halloween.

She quickly turned and he winked at her in a way that she sensed was wickedly flirtatious.

Ella could have swooned but instead a nervous high toned laughed, she tried holding in, escaped.

"Finally," he sighed letting his shoulders fall." I've been trying to get you to laugh the whole time. "You're one tough cookie."

"Who's a tough cookie?" A voice blurted from inside.

"Violet, this is Ella. Her car ran out of gas right past our gates." Damon ushered Ella along.

"Oh dear," she proclaimed wide eyed meeting them in the grand entryway.

Ella reached out her hand shaking Violet's. She had long dark hair that swayed and bounced as she walked. She had his same color green eyes as Damon but a small delicate face. Ella felt relieved at once having another woman in her presence and immediately relaxed. Damon definitely wasn't a deranged serial killer.

"And why is she a tough cookie?" Violet demanded folding her arms across her chest as she tapped her shoe on the dark hardwood floor.

"I finally managed to get one smile out of her after trying for the last ten minutes. I had to resort to telling jokes, of which I'm not sure she heard a one.

Ella shrugged and bit her lip again of course he was joking about biting her. He probably preferred blonds. Her face reddened at the realization that he had been joking not flirting.

"Well, there you have it. You're the worst comedian I've ever known Damon."

Violet ushered her out of the entryway as Ella finally found her voice.

"I've had the worst kind of bad day."

"Well of course you have," Violet added. "Can I get you anything to drink?" She said as they all padded across floor and into the cavernous living room.

"I'll go and get your gas." Damon interrupted then turned as he briskly left the room.

****

Ella sat on a dark velvet settee and nervously fidgeted with her hands in her lap. Her eyes feasted on the decadent drapes that hung from the many floor length windows. They puddled in elegant layers of ivory wisps against the gleaming dark wood floors.

The living room was covered in a variety of red oriental carpets, reminding Ella of an English manor she'd seen on television. Violet finally emerged from the hallway carrying a tray with a bottle of wine, two glasses and an assortment of crudités. There was a cheese sampling, some apples, a small bunch of grapes and a few cubes of French bread. Her stomach rumbled at the sight of food.

She'd really only eaten a slice of chocolate cake – the entire day.

"So, I take it you live in town?" Violet said as she peeled at the dark layer around the cork on the bottle.

She wore a long grey skirt and a black peasant blouse. Her sleeves waved slightly as she continued twisting the corkscrew. Around her neck was a gold chain that caught Ella's eyes. It held a golden medallion about the size of a quarter with a green stone set in the center.

Surrounding the stone were, what looked to Ella, like runes. She couldn't quite make them out. "Yes. I live in town." She pulled at her yellow dress smoothing out the wrinkles against her knees, forgetting the medallion, as her eyes gorged on artworks and delicate oddities displayed on the walls and throughout the room.

"Is that a crystal ball?" Ella pointed a finger to a table in the corner that had caught her attention.

"Would you like your fortune told?" Violet said as the cork popped with a loud noise and then a swish as the bottle seemed to exhale.

Her eyes grew wide as she nodded her head, no. She was embarrassed that she'd even asked. It just seemed odd to her.

"I'm joking," a playful grin played on Violet's face as she poured red liquid in the glasses. "Damon would kill me. Besides I'm better at Tarot cards. Would you like a reading?"

"I don't know?" Ella said taking a cube of bread and a piece of cheese and popping it into her mouth. The creamy nutty flavor melted instantly on her tongue.

Violet handed her the glass of wine, which was barely filled. "Oh, no. I shouldn't have any. I'll have to drive home when Damon comes back." She smiled slightly loving the sound of his name as it rolled off her tongue. Ella set the glass in front of her on the large wood coffee table then noted the legs were ornately carved gargoyles. "I've never done the Tarot thing before. Seen them at the fair and I always thought it would be fun."

"That settles it, I'm giving you a Tarot reading. Just promise me you won't tell Damon. He thinks it's a bunch of mumbo jumbo."

"Scouts Honor," Ella said holding her palm up. Her eyes trailed Violet as she grabbed a pile of purple silk next to the crystal ball off the corner table. She plopped herself right next to Ella and then flung her long hair behind her. Carefully she opened the delicate layers revealing what looked like a, very large, and very old deck of gilded cards.

Ella nearly held her breath. What would the cards reveal? The thought made her nervous since she didn't know what to expect. She wondered; can someone's future really be told by cards. Was she destined to die a spinster? Would she ever find love? These thoughts swirled around inside her brain. Maybe it was just a fun thing to do. They were just cards.

But maybe, just maybe.

The cards could tell her if love was in her future or worse; her fate.