Chapter 357 Chapter 357
Konner opened the door and held it so Terah would go inside. “This is my house. It’s big because most of the clan end up here.”
He watched her walk in slowly and tried to see it the way she would be for the first time. Pointing to the left, “the common house is through there.”
“Common house?” She stood there; her hands clasped in front of her. Her expression was apprehensive.
“It’s where clan meetings and gatherings are held.” He set the bags down and moved out of the hallway, hoping she would follow. “At the other end of it is where our Alpha lives.”
She took small tentative steps out into the open area. “The Alpha is the leader?”
Konner nodded, “yes, and also is my great aunt, Alviva.”
Terah looked down at the dirty shoes on her feet and then reached down and took them off her feet. She didn’t set them by the door, just held them in one hand. She closed her eyes for a moment and then looked down at the floor. “The floor is stone.”
“You won’t find wood or carpet flooring in our homes.” He grinned, “we’re more inclined to love the cool dampness beneath our feet.” He swept his hand out encouraging her to move out into the main area of his home.
When she did, she stopped, then looked at him with wide eyes. “You have a pool in the middle of your home.”
Konner turned to look at the round stone inground pool that was in the center of the house. “For those days I don’t have time to go for a swim.” He went over and knelt and put his hand in, “it’s fed by the river water, so it’s always fresh.”
Terah came over and sat down beside it and put her hand in it. When she lifted it to her mouth to taste the water, Konner was reminded again that something as simple as freshwater had been withheld from her for most of her life. She leaned down and investigated the water, “how did you get the river in here?” Lifting her head, she glanced back at him, “I see it moving, how does it do that?”
“The lines were run under the house.” He stood up and offered his hand to her. “The tubs in the house have fresh-fed water as well,” he shrugged, “Or heated water for actual bathing.”
Terah placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her to her feet. She pulled her hand away immediately and looked around. Moving around the pool, she walked over toward the big open kitchen area.
Konner had opted to have a long island in the open area instead of a table and chairs. Often some of the clan would end up here throughout the day and evening, so this allowed for many to sit around the island instead of having to have a dozen chairs taking up the space. Most of his kind preferred open concept homes to small rooms. He knew he felt better without walls too close to him. You couldn’t swim in the freedom of the lakes and feel okay within the confines of a house.
“It is so big here.” She stopped at the island and then turned around and looked at him.
“I like open space.” He pointed to the door down the hall to the right. “Offices are through there.” Turning he looked back to her, “the door on the other side of the kitchen goes to the medical wing.”
“Medical wing?”
He shrugged, “we’ve mostly used it for research up until now. The vest you’re wearing, the mix you add in your water.”
“You are a very smart man.” she smiled at him.
Konner shrugged, “I’d love to take all the credit, but it’s taken many minds and companies to come up with these things.”
“You are still smart.” She turned in a circle and looked down the hall.
“The boys’ rooms are down there.” He paused to wonder where they were, “they were sharing a bigger room, but I had them clear out so you can use it.”
“I have a room?”
He wasn’t sure if it was excitement or fear he saw on her face. “And your own bathroom, with a large tub.”
“A tub with fresh water?”
He grinned, “yes.”
“I might never get out of the tub.” She came back around the island. “At the houses, I stayed at the others would let me lay in the tub for hours,” she sighed, “it was a good thing most of them had more than one bathroom.”
“Well, here you don’t have to share a room or a tub.”
He pointed to the door beside the exit to the common house, “that’s the entertainment room.” He could tell by the look on her face she didn’t know what that was. “It has a tv, gaming console. It’s good for relaxing.”
“Does it have a pool too?”
Konner grinned, “no, water and electronics don’t mix well.”
She nodded her head slowly, her facial expression saying she didn’t understand that.
“Would you like to see your room?”
Her face lit up. “Yes, please.” She rushed around the pool, and back to the entrance to grab the backpack with the clothes Rayne had given her.
He walked slowly, allowing her time to run her hand along the fine stone wall. “That’s my room,” he pointed to the door on the other side of the hall, “and this is yours.” He stopped beside the door and opened it. Standing on the outside, he allowed her to go in first.
When he went in behind her, he was taken back that the room had been not only cleaned but decorated in deep turquoise colors. How had the clan had time to do this in two days’ time?
“This is just for me?” She gave him a quick look over her shoulder, “it’s huge.” She went over and touched the bed, then jumped back as it moved beneath her hand.
“It’s a waterbed.” He went over quickly and pushed on it, so it rocked.
Terah leaned down and lifted the cover, “the water is inside it?”
Konner nodded, “most of us have adapted to sleeping on a normal mattress, but,” he grinned, “it’s nice sleeping with the weightless feeling and motion the waterbed offers.” He stepped back, “go ahead, try it.”
With hesitant moves, she sat down on the very edge of the bed. “It feels,” she lifted her weight and bounced on it, then giggled as the wave from her movement rocked her. Laying back, she closed her eyes and let her body sway with the motion. “I like this.” She opened her eyes and looked at him, “It’s like sleeping in the water, but I’m still dry.” Sitting up, she stood up and looked down at the bed again. “The water stays in the bed?”
Konner nodded slowly, “yes, or we’ll have a huge mess.” He remembered when Lucus and Paxton thought using theirs as a trampoline would be a good idea. Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked out the window, wondering where the terrible duo was and who they were annoying. He watched her go over and open the door to the closet, then she just stopped and stood there looking at everything hanging in it. “I wasn’t sure of your size but asked the women to round up some clothes for you.”
She spun around, “these are for me?” He nodded. Turning back, she ran her hand over the material of a few items. “I will have to thank them for this gift.” She set the backpack down in the bottom of the closet. “Are there rules here to staying dressed, like at the camp?”
Konner bit the inside of his cheek for a second, trying to figure out how to say it. “We do have young ones here.” Those were really his concern, “and a few teenage boys, so keeping somewhat dressed is a good idea.”
Terah nodded, “Yes. Okay, I will stay dressed unless I am swimming.” She made a face, “the suit Rayne gave me feels strange after I have changed in the water.”
Konner understood that he’d gotten into the habit of swimming with shorts on when the young ones were around. Mostly to avoid questions he didn’t want to answer about anatomy and various other topics in the area. The males of his kind bodies underwent more of a change than the women and explaining how his body changed to reflect that he didn’t relish.
Terah went over and opened the bathroom door. She gasped and went in.
Konner leaned against the open door.
“This tub is so big.” She stepped inside it and turned to look at him. “All of me will fit.”
“That’s the idea.”
She put her hand over her mouth, her eyes swimming in unfallen tears. “All of this is,” she waved her hand around. “I don’t...” She was visibly shaking now.