A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

unnerving
silence.
    Clare jumped up from the floor in front of
the fireplace, her skin flushed from the heat, and pointed at a sofa opposite
from Aidan, inviting me to sit. “Amber, how fabulous that you should join us. I
see you’ve met Aidan’s brother, Kieran.” Her silver dress enveloped her
athletic body like a sheath. Her glossy hair smelled of roses and something
else I had never smelled before—mysterious and different. Clare was always
so dressed up. Wearing my usual jeans and top, I felt like the pauper standing next
to the beautiful princess.
    I dropped on the sofa. Kieran sat down next
to me, his thigh brushing mine, and draped his arm around my shoulders. Aidan
frowned but didn’t comment. He probably didn’t like his brother hitting on the
employees. Even though he had a point and I vowed to keep all my relationships
strictly professional because I needed a good reference letter, I couldn’t help
but feel flattered. It wasn’t the norm that a good-looking guy pay me attention.
    Smiling, Clare walked over to a cabinet and
retrieved a bottle of something red. It looked like wine, smelled like it.
Surely, she knew I wasn’t eighteen just yet. She shot me an inquiring look.
When I nodded, Clare poured the liquid into four crystal glasses, then handed
me one.
    “Thank you,” I murmured. There were no
snacks or drinks on the table, no empty plates or bowls. The rich kids in this
house behaved nothing like the teens I knew. The atmosphere reminded me of going
to a party that had been raging for hours and as soon as I walked in, someone
suddenly decided to break the keg. I realized I shouldn’t be here at all,
drinking whatever was in my glass with my employer in a house I cleaned for a
living. What was I thinking?
    With trembling fingers, I lifted the glass
to my mouth when Kieran inched closer sniffing the air. “This is good stuff.”
    “Shut up,” Aidan said. It was a mere
whisper, but the tiniest hint of a threat echoed in his tone.
    Kieran laughed. “Please, someone teach him
how to appreciate the good things in life.”
    The door flew open and another guy entered.
He was tall and dark, long hair framing strong cheekbones and spilling onto his
collar, his golden skin seemed free of any blemish. He looked like a statue:
cold, smooth, and untouchable. His brown gaze fixed on me and stayed there. I
curled my lips into a smile at the prospect of meeting yet another rich kid,
remembering that I was nothing but the housekeeper. It was only a matter of
time until they let me feel it.
    “Blake, how fabulous that you should join
us.” Clare, repeating the same words she’d used before, seemed unfazed by his
frown. “Meet Amber. She’s—” Clare hesitated “—just arrived.” I
breathed out, thankful that Clare hadn’t referred to me as the maid. Even
though that was the job description, not being called one mattered. Clare
turned to face me. “This is Blake, a good friend.”
    Blake looked me up and down, and I realized
it wasn’t with animosity; just cold curiosity like you’d watch a lab
experiment. I sank deeper into the sofa, wishing I could make myself invisible.
First Aidan couldn’t stop staring, and now Blake. Was a mole growing on the tip
of my nose and I hadn’t noticed?
    Blake crossed his arms over his chest and
cocked an eyebrow toward Aidan who shook his head and turned away. The sudden
silence seemed oppressive. I fidgeted in my seat, unsure what to do to break
the ice. I felt like an intruder who’d interrupted an important conversation
and everyone was too polite to ask me to leave.
    Eventually Clare cleared her throat and
said, “I heard you had a nasty fall last night. How are you?”
    Four pairs of eyes turned on me, their
faces blank. They were probably as grateful as I was for the opportunity to
break the silence. Of course I would’ve been more grateful if the topic of
conversation didn’t involve me. “I’m fine, thanks for asking,” I said.
    Clare shook her head. “You shouldn’t be
outside after dark. It’s not safe. Aidan should’ve filled you in on the
dangers.” She gave him a hard stare.
    “It was just a walk,” I said. What could
possibly be dangerous in the middle of nowhere?
    Aidan raised an eyebrow. “After midnight?”
    Why all the interest? Surely we had more
pressing issues to discuss. Like global warming, or the rise in hurricanes all
over the world. Okay, so I had been dressed all in black and couldn’t blame him
for thinking I