by JM Bray
‘Well, the courtyard is suitable for that, weather permitting. If not, the garage should suffice.’
‘Cool, I don’t need much space.’
He opened a small closet on the left and indicated a panel, which they each peeked in to see. ‘This is an alarm control. I disabled it earlier, but the code is 0329.’ He indicated a room in the left. ‘The theater is here.’
‘There’s a theater?’ Jule asked.
Mr Brown smiled and turned on the lights in the darkened room. He gestured to an ornate stand. ‘There’s a VCR here and a screen mounted in the opposite wall.’ Eight reclining seats had a clear view of it.
Vinni walked to the odd windows. The glass was about two inches wide, and several feet tall, revealing the front courtyard.
‘Those let in enough light to make the room enjoyable. The curtains at the corners cover them if you’re watching a show.’
They nodded, and Knife grinned. ‘I like this place.’
Mr Brown walked back into the hall. ‘The bathroom is on the left and an office on the right.’ He indicated the glass walled room. ‘It’s quite ordinary.’
‘No bat phone?’ Flea sighed loudly.
‘There’s no need; your hero lives with you.’ Mr Brown grinned.
‘Yeah, if we can keep him from passing out,’ Knife said with a snicker.
‘The bedrooms are downstairs.’ Mr Brown turned right at the end of the hall.
‘Oh neat.’ Jule said. A short hallway lined with cabinets led to an enclosed circular staircase.
Mr Brown’s voice came from below. ‘Another selling point. People seem to love these, they remind them of castles in Europe.’
‘But over there they were a defensive structure,’ Knife said.
‘And here they are merely decorative.’ Mr Brown nodded.
Flea asked, ‘Defensive?’
Knife nodded. ‘They built them so the spiral matched the defenders sword arm and the Scots made some steps odd to trip up attackers.’
‘High marks for you, sir.’ Mr Brown made a check mark with the pipe.
Jule smiled. ‘Cool.’
‘You learn something new every day.’ Knife looked pointedly at the group. ‘Except for recently. Now it’s like, every minute.’
Vinni clapped him on the shoulder. ‘Too true, bud.’
Maybe there’s an escape route?
A hallway ran the length of the building. ‘The four bedrooms are on the left, each with its own facilities. The last one is the master suite, reserved for Jule.’ He walked past them, waving his pipe. ‘I’ll explain things at the end of the hall.’ Each had a king-size bed with posted frames. Mr Brown stopped near the master suite. ‘There is another alarm panel in the here. You can set the code before retiring. Should someone break in, the company will contact you by phone. Simple enough?’
He indicated the locks on the door. ‘Jule, you are free to seal yourself away from these over-hormoned young men.’
She lowered her eyelids impishly. ‘Or, I could seal one in with me.’
‘Well, errm, yes, ah, I suppose you could.’
‘Look at you, Jule,’ Flea said. ‘You flustered Mr Brown.’
‘Don’t worry, Mr Brown, I’ll take good care of the boys,’ she said.
‘Good, yes, ahh, let’s proceed.’
They turned into the suite, and Jule gave a gasp of delight that made Vinni smile.
To the left, beyond a love seat, sat an ornate canopied bed festooned with burgundy coverings. Intricately woven Turkish rugs covered the floor, and the glass wall displayed the ocean view. Thick blackout curtains promised to darken the room. To the right, vanities lined the bathroom entrance, and a door to a walk-in closet the size of their dorm room opened in the wall. An open shower large enough for several people stood at the end of the room, with an outside wall of frosted glass.
She turned in a circle, her mouth agape. ‘Sorry, Vinni, forget the proposal upstairs; I’m marrying Mr Brown.’
‘Heck,’ Flea said, ‘I wanna marry him.’ They laughed and looked around bright-eyed.
Mr Brown strolled to the door. ‘Shall we?’
‘You mean there’s more?’ Flea asked.
‘Nothing too fancy,’ Mr Brown said. He opened a door across the hall and turned on the light. ‘In here we have a sauna.’ Cedar lined every surface, making the walls, built-in benches, and backrests blend into pleasant intersecting lines.
‘Wow,’ Jule spoke for them all.
Mr Brown said, ‘I hope you’ll enjoy your time here, but please don’t get lost in the glamour of the place. I’m offering this because I wish to assist you in your endeavor.’ He caught their eyes and waited for a nod of understanding. ‘I trust that you’ll be safe when on campus, but none of this does any good if you cannot get there securely. Please be sure to travel together, preferably by car.’
‘What, there’s no secret tunnel?’ Flea asked.
Mr Brown waved his pipe. ‘I believe those were all closed up after World War Two.’
‘Wait...what?’ Knife asked.
‘There were indeed tunnels under the school and other parts of the area. The military used them during World War Two.’
Knife said. ‘A secret entrance would have come in handy.’
Vinni’s breath caught in his throat.
Mr Brown laughed. ‘Indeed. But you’ll just have to make do.’
Jule looked back into the lavish suite. ‘Yeah. I think I can put up with this.’
Chapter 27
The Steps at Sunset
The next day, Jule sat at a table on the patio south of the cafeteria, a myriad of things rushing through her mind. She tried making a list of pros and cons, but it didn’t help. One item kept trumping the rest.
He loves me.
Even with everything he’s going through.
Would he still feel the same if he knew her past? Jule was comfortable with how she lived her life and the choices she made, but she’d learned that male egos are fragile. Even guys who claimed to be ‘cool with whatever’ soon left after discussing past relationships.
Their loss.
She shook her head.
Vincent was special and obviously made of strong stuff. I hope he can handle it...I hope he can handle me. As she glanced up, she saw a pay phone.
‘Hello, Reave residence.’
‘I have a collect call from Ms Julie Reave. Will you accept?’
‘Yes, of course,’ Jule’s mom replied.
‘Hi, Mom.’
‘Hi, Honey, is everything all right?’
‘Yes, I didn’t have change with me and wanted to chat.’
‘Well, I’m glad you called.’
They talked about the required things: classes, homework, term papers, the new computer lab, Mom’s tennis, Dad’s racing. The whole time Jule tried to think of a way to bring up the real subject. It wasn’t like she could say, ‘Hey, Mom, I called because I think I’m in love with a guy who’s possessed and I’m starting to wonder which one I’m attracted to. Any advice?’ She realized the line was quiet.
‘Mom, you there?’
‘Yes, I asked if anything was new.’
‘Actually, I am seeing a guy.’
‘Oh, that’s nice.’
‘No, I mean, I really like him.’
‘Well, good. You’ve always dated...vigorously.’
Jule knew her mom was being supportive about the string of guys she had been involved with.
‘I think this one is special.’
‘How so?’
‘I think I might — ’ She saw Vinni walking up the stairs and her heart fluttered. ‘Mom, I’m sorry I have to go. He’s coming. I’ll call you.’
Her mother laughed at Jule’s excitement. ‘Okay, dear. Oh, Julie, what’s his name?’
‘Vincent.’
‘Good bye, Honey.’
‘B
ye Mom.’
Jule looked at the list, tore it up, and threw it in a nearby trashcan. The pieces fluttered away, hopefully like her doubts would, and she hurried to the terraced steps. Vinni trotted up them and slowed as he approached her. She smiled, and sat, patting the stair next to her.
‘How was your Health and Fitness class?’ she asked.
Vincent smiled. ‘Too easy,’ he said as he sat.
‘I bet.’ She took a breath and fiddled with a loose string on her pants. Her heart felt like it might jump from her chest. ‘Vinni, I need to talk to you about something.’
‘Sure, what’s up?’
She glanced at him. ‘With all this...stuff...I think it’s even more important that we’re open and honest.’
He quieted, apparently picking up on her vibe. ‘I agree,’ he said softly. He waited while she played with the string again.
She swallowed the butterflies trying to escape her stomach. ‘Vincent, I loved you before the Joining.’ She looked over. He sat wide-eyed and unmoving, like a rabbit in the headlights of an approaching car. ‘I still do love Vincent, I think.’ She set her hand on his leg, as he blew out a long breath.
‘I love you too, Jule.’ He put his hand on hers.
‘But...’ she said.
‘I don’t like buts.’
‘You seem to like mine.’ She tittered nervously.
He didn’t answer, running his thumb over the back of her hand, giving her time to finish. Had he done that particular thing before Coleman? She couldn’t remember.
‘I’m confused, or worried or...’ She waved her other hand. ‘You’re different now — not completely, but it’s noticeable. And I still love you. So does that mean I want you or Coleman or Vinni? And what if you die? Or I do? Or...’ She shook her head.
She heard him inhale several times as if to speak, but still he didn’t. They sat quietly for a long time looking out over the ocean. The dark water perfectly matched the low-hanging clouds. A few bright shafts of light streamed through them, creating golden patches of water.
‘Jule, there’s something that I’ve come to accept with this whole thing. I don’t know if it will help.’
‘Yes?’
‘All we can do is all we can do.’
She lowered her brows and he went on in response.
‘This is life for us right now and we can’t change it. All we can do is the best we manage with this moment, this life. I don’t mean that we shouldn’t make plans, or have goals, but whatever happens, or whoever we are, we fail only when we don’t give our all.’
She gazed at him and they silently drank in one another. Jule noticed the dark flecks in his blue eyes. Had they always been there?
After a long moment he looked away, out over the ocean. Jule leaned her head on his shoulder. She felt his breath against her cheek and inhaled, her life and his own intertwining.
But should I let it? Is it right, or even safe?
The sunset lit the clouds in vibrant colors — the display, like their lives, changing as they watched.
‘Hey, have you noticed anything different when you look in the mirror?’ she asked.
‘I don’t think so. Why?’
‘Let me show you.’ She took the compact from her purse and handed it to him. He held it up and looked at them.
‘What am I looking for?’
She ran her finger over the light scar.
‘Hey, where’d that come from?’ He pulled the mirror closer.
‘When you Joined, you passed out and hit your forehead. It was cut pretty badly.’
‘I don’t remember any of this.’ He poked and pulled at the barely discernible scar.
‘The wound healed in less than a minute. It didn’t disappear, but...’ She gestured at it again.
‘But...how...’ He stiffened and his mouth worked.
‘It’s okay. This is a good thing.’ She patted his chest. Jule stood and offered her hand. ‘Let’s get to dinner.’
He stared up at her for a long moment, then nodded and took it.
Jule
Jule glided around the front of the love seat where he sat, her back to him. She wore a pair of tight jean short-shorts that showed just enough of her rounded butt cheek to make him want to see more. She’d opted for a white blouse, tied above her firm stomach and when she turned around he saw that the buttons were undone. Only the knot held it together. She stepped to him and straddled his legs, sitting on his knees.
‘Jule...what — ’
‘Shhh.’ She placed a finger on his lips. ‘The guys are asleep.’
He tried to talk, but his mouth seemed filled with cotton. Jule arched her back and started untying her blouse. ‘I’ve been thinking...Vincent...’ One part of it came free. ‘Coleman is really the one I want.’
Vincent’s eyes bolted open, his heart raced as he glanced around his bedroom. He flopped his head back onto the pillow with a sigh and kicked off the twisted sheets. Uncertainty percolated through him. Just a dream. That’s all. Right?
His question went unanswered.
Coleman?
Vincent searched for him, but couldn’t find a trace of his Companion. He breathed deeply, fighting the panic that gripped his chest like a vice. If Coleman was gone, there must be a reason. As the feeling subsided, his previous unease coiled around him like a snake. Though he knew what he’d told Jule was right, a lifetime of self-doubt didn’t just disappear. Without Coleman’s buoying influence, it came back with a vengeance. Why wouldn’t she prefer Coleman?
Where were you?
No! I couldn’t sense you at all.
Vincent blushed. No, I was dreaming about something...else.
Happy to be off the subject, Vincent pressed on. I never thought about this before. Maybe when we sleep we go into ourselves.
So, somehow you got closed off from me. I wonder if you could do it when we’re awake?
Chapter 28
The Summoning
The Same Day
Callendel
Justus exited the carriage, holding the shoulder of his coachman until he planted feet and cane firmly on the gravel driveway of his home. He looked up at it while melancholy and excitement warred within him. The mansion dwarfed everything around it and symbolized the power he had developed over a lifetime.
Imported creamy stone formed the entire structure. Two fat towers joined the wings of the mansion to the front in a flat-bottomed ‘V,’ each wing larger than three homes. The interior courtyard faced spectacular views of the harbor far below. Soaring spires thrust into the air at each corner, and slate tiles covered the steeply sloped roofs. Leaded glass windows refracted the light of the dying day on their diamond shaped panes.
He hobbled past the tall iron-spiked fence and hedge that surrounded the property, admiring the lush gardens from which he concocted his potions. Those new lands wouldn’t have anything that matched them in variety, or usefulness. One had to pay certain prices to achieve their goals. Justus nodded. He was willing to do so, whatever that cost might be.
‘Laurence, see me inside,’ he called.
‘Yes, Sire.’ Laurence walked from the door and offered his arm.
They entered the expansive foyer and Laurence removed his master’s coat, hanging it in the closet near the door.
‘All is ready for this evening?’
‘Yes, Sire. Would you care for refreshments?’
‘No, that will not be necessary.’
His lifelong servant bowed his head and departed.
‘Pae! Pae, where are you? You worthless bird.’
The black parrot sang out and moments later sailed gracefully around the corner, landing on a stand near the door. He fixed an eye on Justus and squawked.
‘Yes, indeed.
Tonight is the first without Lunos. We begin at sunset.’
‘Awp,’ Pae replied.
He looked out at the failing light. ‘Ah, so it is.’ He shook his head. ‘Time passes so swiftly.’ Justus hobbled out the glass-paned doors and turned left on a stone path leading to the laboratory. As he reached door, it swung open, revealing Laurence and Pae.
‘He told you I was coming?’ Justus asked.
‘Indeed, Sire.’
The usual collections of beakers, burners, vials, jars, books, ingredients, and equipment had been removed. Small yellow rocks lined the circular groove in the stone floor, nestled in accelerant powder.
‘I’ve left nothing to chance, Pae,’ Justus said. He had purchased the entire crop of pellundium two years in advance.
‘The more potent the tincture, the better the result.’ He waved a bony finger at the counter where Pae stood. ‘Thus, I have tripled the concentration.’ Glancing at the ring of yellowstone, he said, ‘Additionally, I’ve increased the containment ward.’ He settled on a cot covered in supple leather. A glowing brass brazier stood nearby, with a quiver of long tapers angled toward him.
‘Laurence, leave us and bar the doors. I will call for you or send Pae. I’ve provided for your wellbeing with sums to last beyond your years. Speaking of which, continue the training of your nephew as a replacement.’
‘Most assuredly, Sire.’ Laurence bowed low and exited. Justus heard the bar settle into place, followed by the second a few moments later.
‘Let’s be at this.’ He rubbed his gnarled, arthritic hands and retrieved a taper, igniting it in the coals. ‘Blasted hands,’ he muttered, as the taper wobbled toward the accelerant. After several attempts, it flared to life, spreading rapidly around the circle. The yellowstone ignited with a bright blue flame, settling into a consistent flicker. Over the next several minutes, the little rocks melted and a viscous red liquid seeped from them. Justus watched the progress attentively.
‘We must have an unbroken pool of the substance, or our guest might decide to roam about, which would be...unpleasant.’
‘Mmm.’ The parrot nodded.
The blood-like liquid reached halfway up the sides of the little trough, and Justus said, ‘That will do it.’ He lit another taper and held it to a second small channel. Accelerant flared to life and ran to an inner circle filled with the resinous tincture used for the summoning. It caught, burning with a sickly green color.
