Vesta Mansion: Book One - The Power Inside

by P. A. Priddey

  ‘Yeah, but how did you know?’

  ‘You were talking to someone in the study.’

  ‘Ah, I must have gotten carried away, I think we could do with some sound proofing in these rooms.’

  There is sound proofing in all the bedrooms, the party room and the library, said House.

  ‘Papa, your secret,’ Adhara demanded.

  Alex stifled a laugh. ‘Sorry, sweetheart, would you like to meet our new friends?’

  ‘Yes, please,’ she said excitedly.

  ‘Have you done something, Alex?’ said a worried Joseph.

  ‘I opened the chest,’ he said, and heard gasps from the few who knew.

  James’s eyes widened. ‘Was that wise?’

  ‘I believe so, and they’re really cute. They might end up being a pain, but they’re harmless.’

  Joseph raised both eyebrows. ‘How sure are you?’

  ‘I’m very sure, and I want you all to meet them.’

  ‘What friends?’ said Paige.

  Alex smiled at her, as the appearance of the pixies would mean he could give her the answer she has wanted for almost six years.

  He walked into the study. ‘How dark do you need it to come out, Lark?’

  ‘It makes no difference when we’re in our natural form,’ said the pixie.

  ‘OK, you first, and I’ll come back for the rest.’ Alex noticed most of the others were now pixies, and there were a lot of them. Lark jumped on to his shoulder with ease, and Alex stepped back into the hall. ‘This is Lark, he’s a pixie,’ he quite happily told everyone.

  Most of them leapt off the sofas to get a better look. Adhara was there with her hands outstretched, and Lark jumped to them.

  ‘You’re lovely aint ya?’ he told the girl who had a huge smile.

  ‘How many of you are there, Lark?’

  ‘Last count, two hundred and seventy-four.’

  Alex opened the door to the study, and the main hall was soon swarming with little blue creatures which could jump a great height for their size. Some hesitated at the door, frightened, but came out when they saw how friendly the humans were.

  Sammy had four sitting on her shoulders. ‘Wow, where did they all come from?’

  ‘Did you know about them before we moved in?’ said Claire, not accusingly this time, but quite happily.

  ‘No, I only just found out,’ said Alex, as one of the pixies jumped over to Lark and whispered something to him.

  ‘Kaeya won’t come out of the chest,’ Lark told Alex.

  ‘Who’s Kaeya? And why won’t they come out?’

  ‘She’s upset because you kicked her.’

  Adhara looked shocked. ‘Papa, you didn’t?’

  ‘How could you?’ said a pixie covered Claire.

  ‘I didn’t kick anyone.’ Alex remembered the shape which grabbed his leg from under the bed. ‘Well, I did kick one off my leg.’

  ‘You kicked a girl?’

  ‘I did not,’ said Alex, and walked back into the study to find the upset little pixie. She was still a dark shape in the chest, and moved away when he tried to pick her up. ‘I’m sorry, Kaeya, I didn’t know.’

  ‘Yes, you did, you’re mean,’ she said, in a small squeaky voice.

  ‘No, I’m not, you just scared me.’

  ‘How could I scare you?’

  ‘Did you hear what I told Lark?

  ‘Yes, but I was happy until you kicked me.’

  ‘I didn’t actually kick you . . . it would have been a hard thing to do as you were attached to my leg.’

  The little black shape climbed onto his hand, he lifted her out of the chest, and she changed in front of him. Like the other pixies, she was blue, with long brown hair. Alex knew she was over hundreds of years old, but still looked young. Maybe being small had that effect.

  ‘Hey, Kaeya, you’re very pretty.’

  ‘Thank you.’ She jumped on his shoulder and rested her tiny head against his.

  Alex walked into the hall and everyone had pixies sitting on their shoulders. The wolves were not enjoying it as much, as they thought the little creatures were teasing them by pulling their ears. The cubs had grown slightly, and were walking around with them on their back as they gave up trying to catch one.

  ‘How could you lock these poor things up,’ said James, who had at least eight chatting away on his shoulders and outstretched arm.

  ‘Yeah,’ said Claire. ‘Ya bully, and you kicked a little girl one.’

  Alex knew they were just teasing him, but an idea formed in his mind. He whispered something to Kaeya, who jumped down and whispered to other pixies.

  ‘Oh, so you don’t believe they could frighten you?’ he said to Claire and James.

  Claire looked smug, with her hands on hips, and pixies on her shoulders. ‘Hell no.’

  James also looked smug. ‘Don’t be daft.’

  Alex told the children what was going to happen, so they wouldn’t be frightened. He got Claire and James to stand together away from the others, as half the pixies disappeared behind a sofa. ‘I’ll dim the lights for a few minutes.’ House can you dim the lights please?

  Yes, this could be fun.

  ‘How do you do that with the lights?’ said Claire.

  Alex winked at her. ‘Now you sure they won’t scare you?’

  Claire looked a little uneasy, as she played with her hair. ‘I’m not sure now.’

  Alex grinned. ‘You don’t have to do it.’

  ‘Just get it over with.’

  ‘OK, Kaeya, now.’ All of a sudden the dark shapes flew over the sofa straight at the pair, swirling all around and grabbing at them.

  ‘Get them off me,’ Claire shouted, and James was swinging his arms about wildly. It only lasted thirty seconds, and the ghostly shapes dropped to the floor before changing back. House set the lights back to normal.

  Claire looked alarmed and unhappy. ‘What the hell was that?’

  Alex pointed at the pixies. ‘Those little cuties.’

  ‘Well, that would’ve shit me up,’ said Sally.

  ‘Very apt and very mean of you, Alex,’ said Claire.

  ‘I’m sorry, but would anyone have believed me if you didn’t see for yourselves?’

  ‘No, so is that what made you tired the other week?’

  ‘Yeah,’ he said, as Kaeya settled once again on his shoulder.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ said Lark. ‘We didn’t know we would have that effect on people.’

  ‘Alex, can we keep them?’ Carrie pleaded, as she had more on her than anyone else.

  Alex only had Kaeya on his shoulder. ‘They go where they want.’

  Sarin had one sitting on her head. ‘Aw why, Papa?’

  ‘The pixies are free to go wherever they want . . . we don’t keep prisoners here.’

  ‘You made me one,’ said Carrie, but he didn’t understand her meaning.

  ‘So, what happens with you now?’ Alex asked Kaeya.

  ‘We just need a few days to get our strength back, and will be on our way.’

  ‘Why don’t you stay here?’ said Adhara.

  ‘We would, but our homes are outside with the trees.’

  ‘You might want to leave it a little longer,’ said Alex.

  ‘Why? We’ve been waiting for such a long time.’

  Alex took her to a window.

  ‘Snow, look everyone, can we go out in it?’ said Kaeya, as the window became full of pixies.

  Alex opened it, and two hundred and seventy-four pixies were jumping around in snow which was deeper than their height, but none of them sank. They were given spare rooms to sleep in, but required just a couple of double beds. They wanted to share with the humans, but Alex didn’t like the idea of rolling over and squashing them. However, when he woke up, Kaeya was on his other pillow.

  * * *

  They were all there for breakfast. Summer had put bowls of salad and fruit out as the pixies were vegetarians. There was a soothing hum around the room.

  ‘Are you
doing that?’ Alex asked Kaeya.

  The pixie sat on the table eating a grape, which she had to hold in both hands. ‘Yes, do you like it?’

  Alex had almost finished his large breakfast. ‘It’s very pleasant.’

  ‘We nearly have our strength back, and will leave soon.’

  ‘You’ll always be welcome here.’

  ‘And I’ll come back,’ said Kaeya, as she jumped on his shoulder, and hugged his neck.

  Carrie looked across the table at them. ‘She does that a lot.’

  Alex smiled. ‘She’s like you, and you never hugged me today.’

  ‘I’m sure you’ll get one off me soon,’ she said, and Kaeya jumped off Alex and on to Carrie and hugged her neck. He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up.

  Lucy stood there wearing jodhpurs, jumper and boots. ‘Two questions.’

  ‘Fire away, I’m good at quizzes.’

  ‘Why are we able to talk to the wolves?’

  ‘I believe being here by them has woken your psychic senses, I could be wrong though.’ Alex had asked the wolves, but they didn’t know either.

  Lucy’s brown eyes looked sad. ‘OK, why was I last? I feel unpopular.’

  ‘Oh no, it’s nothing like that, it was a distance thing.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘Like the sun and moon,’ said Adhara.

  ‘Always there but so far apart,’ said Alex.

  Lucy raised an eyebrow. ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘Well you know which of your friends was first?’

  ‘Yeah, Blaze and Asima.’

  ‘Paige and Claire were next, do you know why?’

  Lucy shook her head. ‘No, that’s why I’m asking.’

  ‘Because they spend more time in the main hall closer to the wolves than most of you. The rest of the ones who worked in the mansion followed not long after, which left four. The next two worked in the garden, and the last two were the furthest away in the stables.’

  ‘Ah, that makes sense, thanks, I feel better now,’ said Lucy, and walked off.

  Claire smiled at him. ‘You know there are times when I like you.’

  Alex grinned. ‘It must be our new little friends having an effect on you, but don’t worry it’ll pass.’

  * * *

  The pixies left two days later to the dismay of everyone in the mansion. Kaeya appeared every morning they stayed on Alex’s pillow, and they left at night as dark shapes. A few in the house had started to get bored. The snow had lost its appeal, and James hadn’t driven for a week.

  The children were up early on Christmas day waiting for the adults, and many didn’t want to get up. They had a Christmas Eve party, and as they hadn’t drunk a lot over the last month apart from Carrie’s party, it showed. Alex was up, he had a sore head, but eager to see the girls open their presents, and to watch the others open theirs. They had breakfast while waiting for everyone else. Summer wasn’t allowed to cook it that morning as she had Tia. She didn’t argue, but insisted on doing the Christmas dinner.

  The presents were stacked high, underneath and around the tree. The girls smiled with delight as they opened theirs and gave hugs to whoever bought them one, which meant all of them. Alex knew they never had a Christmas present before. He opened his, and his second favourite off the girls was a coat, a nice stylish one which they told him would suit the owner of a mansion like this. It was, however, the watch that stood out. It was silver and engraved on the back “Papa, thank you for everything, love you always, your girls”. He loved it and showed everyone. Carrie had bought him a gold ring and boxer shorts. He thanked her and asked about the shorts, but turned away embarrassed when she said she wanted to see him wearing them. All the women had bought Alex clothes, they were not his usual style but he liked them, and realised the women thought him untrendy.

  The girls opened theirs off Alex and all three gasped. Adhara’s necklace was heart-shaped with a ruby in the centre and diamonds around the outside on a white gold chain. Sarin’s was the same but her centre stone was a sapphire, Tia’s stone was a blue topaz. Alex had bought everyone else the latest iPad and contract phones the same as his for those who didn’t have one.

  Joseph gave the women necklaces to ward off evil, they were crystals clasped in a golden hand. Tia received a lot of attention when everyone opened their presents off her. The women looked amazed at the perfume they each received, as they all got their favourite.

  ‘Don’t ask me, I didn’t even know she’d bought them,’ said Summer, and gave Alex an accusing look.

  ‘Only part of it was my idea, Tia chose each perfume for each person.’

  The wolves received presents, the cubs had toys to chase and chew and the adults got blankets and beds, but had no idea what all the fuss was about. They bought House plaques. One with home sweet home and the other with his motto on, and many ornaments, he seemed pleased.

  At dinner, they pushed the tables in the party room together to make one big one. It was a banquet. There was turkey, goose and pork. After the meal and the crackers, they sat around chatting.

  Livvy walked over to Alex, and kissed his cheek. ‘Thank you.’

  Alex looked surprised. ‘What was that for?’

  Livvy smiled, she had stopped wearing black make up altogether now, and looked much prettier for it. ‘I’ve hated this day for a long time but not anymore, you made me love Christmas again.’

  Alex gave her a warm smile. ‘Everyone here helped do that.’

  ‘But it was you who brought us all here.’

  ‘And I’m a happy man because of it.’

  The party was a happy one as usual, and afterwards Alex regretted not asking Carrie if she had been serious about the boxer shorts, and Carrie was sure it was an offer to him.

  Alex phoned his mother who was still away, and spent a long time chatting to her and his brother.

  * * *

  Over the next few days Alex noticed there was never much room on the sofas of late, and decided they needed at least one more, or to get bigger ones. Claire noticed he was thinking and asked if he was plotting something. He told her, and passed the job on to her, and any of the others who might want to design a different seating arrangement.

  The next few days passed and the snow still lay thick on the ground, the footprints from the day before had gone to show it snowed overnight. Most of the people were quite happy, as they played games against each other on the tablets Alex bought them for Christmas. Joseph who had never used a computer before was playing scrabble against four people, and chess against George and Blaze. A few were getting bored. James had the need to drive and watched movies in the cinema about cars, which made it worse. Of the women it was the outgoing ones who looked bored, they didn’t leave the mansion much before the snow came, but the thought of being trapped wasn’t helping.

  ‘Are you plotting again?’ said Claire.

  Alex stood looking out of a window. ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘I’m just kidding, but you always look like you’re thinking about something.’

  ‘Well actually, I was plotting something.’

  Claire smiled. ‘Do tell.’

  ‘Some are getting bored now.’

  ‘I’ve noticed, but they’ll be OK, it’s just the weather.’

  ‘I know, but it can spread, they need to be doing something.’

  ‘There’s no work for them.’

  Alex shook his head. ‘No, not work. Something fun or energetic, that we can all join in.’

  ‘I’m married you know, I don’t think Paige would like that.’

  ‘Of course she would, she’s very fit.’

  Claire raised both eyebrows and shook her head. ‘Excuse me?’

  ‘Can you fight?’

  Claire folded her arms. ‘I’m thinking about it right now.’

  ‘Good let’s hope the others are up for it,’ he said, and pulled a bewildered Claire over to the sofas. ‘OK, who’s bored?’

  ‘I am,’ said Carrie, ‘
and most of the others are getting there.’

  ‘Do you want to learn how to fight?’

  ‘Fight?’ said Claire.

  Alex rubbed his eyes. ‘Yeah, I thought we just discussed that.’

  ‘I tell you what, teach us how to fight, and I’ll teach you how to discuss.’

  ‘You’re going to teach us how to fight?’ said Carrie.

  ‘No, Asima and James will.’

  Claire looked unsure. ‘James can fight?’

  Sally pushed her glasses to the top of her head. ‘Oh yeah, I saw him and Alex kick ten guys butts.’

  ‘But we chucked him in the pool,’ said Carrie.

  ‘You had me surrounded,’ said James. ‘And I wasn’t going to hit any of you, but it’s payback time, so I’m in.’

  ‘Yes, it sounds fun, so I’ll do it,’ said Asima.

  Alex smiled as he watched them go to get changed.

  Why are you getting them to fight? House asked. I thought they would be happy.

  They’re not going to fight, but learn how to.

  Why do they need to learn, when I protect them?

  They need something to do, you must feel that.

  Well, yes, they have been a bit off lately.

  You might need to keep an eye on them, they won’t try and hurt each other, but accidents do happen.

  They don’t happen here.

  Alex lounged on one of the sofas. George, Joseph and Blaze were still sitting there. ‘You not up for it?’

  ‘My body is long past it,’ said Joseph. ‘My mind is the only thing that needs exercise to stop me from losing it.’

  ‘I would,’ said George. ‘But as your solicitor I have to protect your interests, and I’m one of them.’

  ‘Would you fight me?’ said Blaze, with raised eyebrows.

  ‘Are you expecting trouble?’ said George.

  Alex shook his head. ‘No why?’

  ‘You’re getting them to learn how to fight.’

  Alex lounged comfortably. ‘They needed something to do, and just look how much sofa room there is.’

  ‘You’re a bad man,’ said Blaze.

  The peace and quiet lasted for three hours, which was way too long. Alex heard laughter as they came out of the gym, and when two girls jumped on the sofa next to him he was happy. Carrie stood in front of him, and took a bottle of water off the table which Summer had brought out for them. It wasn’t a problem normally, but Carrie had decided to train in tight grey leggings and a white bra top which showed off her perfect shape, and the sight almost hypnotised him.