Vesta Mansion: Book One - The Power Inside

by P. A. Priddey

  ‘From this box I had off James,’ said Livvy, as she opened it.

  James took a paper out of the box and looked at it. ‘How can you understand this, it looks like a foreign language to me.’

  ‘It looks like normal writing to us,’ said Livvy, as Luella and Daralis embraced both the young women.

  ‘Oh, my dear,’ said Luella. ‘You might be my granddaughter after all.’

  Alex huffed. ‘Is there any chance you could use another term instead of “this could be serious” next time, or maybe smile when you do say it?’

  ‘Why? Was you worried, dear?’ said Luella.

  ‘Yes, I was a little.’

  ‘Now you know how I’ve felt for the last thirty-two years.’

  ‘I was a model child.’

  ‘Course you were, dear.’

  ‘What’s serious about it?’

  ‘We’ve been looking for others like us, and there has been no new ones in a long time, until now.’

  James laughed. ‘You’ve hit the jackpot here.’

  ‘No,’ said Luella. ‘I’m sure everyone here has a talent of some kind, but to be able to read that spell and perform it means Livvy and Donna are of the forest.’

  ‘Both of them, isn’t that a weird coincidence?’ said Alex.

  ‘No,’ said Daralis. ‘They always come in two’s.’

  ‘There are more than one kind of erm . . . may I say witch?’ said James.

  ‘Witch is a name that came after us,’ said Daralis. ‘We are healers and used to tend to the forests, people came to us when they were sick. The warlock changed it for us, and yes there are those who care for animals and birds. We became known as white witches.’

  ‘I thought you cared about animals,’ said Blaze.

  ‘We do, and will help them when we can, but the plants and trees are our main calling.’

  ‘Well it looks like Livvy and Donna will have to come with us,’ said Luella.

  ‘Really,’ they both said.

  ‘Yes, we need to keep an eye on you now.’

  ‘Don’t you trust us?’ said Livvy.

  ‘Your hearts we do, but there are some spells you’ll need guidance with.’

  ‘That’s fair enough, I guess, and you don’t mind us going do you?’ Livvy said to Alex and Blaze.

  ‘Course I don’t,’ said Blaze.

  ‘Would it make you happy?’ said Alex.

  Livvy beamed. ‘Yeah, very happy.’

  ‘I really want to do this,’ said Donna.

  Alex nodded. ‘Then you have to go, but not until we’ve sorted the warlock problem out first.’

  The wolves came in and ran straight to Luella who embraced both, and the excited cubs.

  * * *

  ‘I want to talk about your leg,’ said Luella, when Alex took her into the party room for a drink.

  ‘I can’t tell you any more than I already have.’

  ‘I’m a healer, and can fix most broken bones, but not yours.’

  Alex poured his mother a glass of wine and an orange juice for himself. ‘It was a bad break, and the doctors didn’t believe I’d ever be able to walk again . . . even with a crutch.’

  ‘No,’ said Luella. ‘I could see the break and it should have been a simple process for me to set, but your bones refused to heal.’

  ‘Are you that good?’

  ‘I’ve always been able to do it, but I failed you and I’m sorry.’

  ‘Don’t you ever say that to me? I wouldn’t be alive now if it wasn’t for you.’

  ‘It never stopped me from feeling guilty, and felt even worse when you wouldn’t move back in with me.’

  ‘I couldn’t,’ said Alex. ‘It was like I had to hide from the world, and wanted to keep you safe. I’m sorry I’ve hurt you so much, I didn’t realise I was doing it.’

  Luella took a sip of wine. ‘I know you didn’t, up until six years ago you were only ever a joy.’

  ‘I would’ve told you the night I phoned, but wanted Thomas to have the holiday.’

  Luella smiled. ‘I’m surprised how easily you took to all of this, not many people would have believed it.’

  ‘After saving the twins, who really are my daughters, and my body healing itself . . . I would have believed anything.’

  ‘Your daughters are what fascinate me the most, in all my years I’ve never heard of anything like that.’

  ‘I can only tell you they are my daughters, and they know I’m their father.’

  ‘I can’t wait to find out how that happened.’

  ‘Well, we might not have the answers now,’ said Alex. ‘But I’m sure they’ll come soon, and as you helped make me a rich man it might be a nice idea to enjoy ourselves until those answers come.’

  ‘That’s something I plan to do.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

  Rockman

  Alex stared at the crystal ball and saw three groups of rebel demons heading to the forest near the warlocks house. He guessed the closest were two days away, as the demons would only travel at night now their features had changed. They might not be the most intelligent of creatures, but knew being seen in daylight wouldn’t be good for them. The first group contained six demons, and not too far behind them was another group of six. The last group consisted of eight.

  Without Carrie there were still seven in the study even though only six were visible. Alex chose his spot in the forest which should have been ahead of the first group. He realised when he saw the broken branches and crushed undergrowth the demons had already passed through, and had to run to catch them. Alex and the wolves speed was no problem, with the others not far behind. The demons were bigger and faster to cover such a distance. Their senses were sharper and knew they were not alone anymore, and stopped to face their pursuers. They had grown too big for their clothes, and were naked, but to the relief of everyone there was nothing to see. Alex threw his spear weakly at the lead demon which faced him. It was now eight foot tall and caught it in one hand.

  ‘Bad mistake, stupid human, and you’ll die for it,’ the demon rasped. Its bottom jaw started to stretch out with tusks sticking up. It had no nose, just the hole where it should have been, with its skin grey and leathery.

  Alex smiled, as the spear spun in the demons hand, with the blade end catching it under the chin slicing through half of its face. It tried to scream while holding its jaw together and fell to its knees. Another attacked but fell after being hit repetitively by bolts from Jodie’s crossbow. James, Asima and the wolves were about to attack the remaining demons when there was a noise behind them. They turned and saw the second group had caught up. Alex wasn’t going to take chances, he would finish them another way and not risk his friends. He could have done it any time, but wasn’t sure if the warlock’s loyal pets would sense it.

  The demons grinned and approached, waving their long claws in front of them. They stopped as something even bigger appeared. It was humanoid in shape, and almost twice the size of a demon.

  ‘What the hell’s that?’ said James.

  Alex saw it was made of rocks, and laughed. ‘Don’t try stopping it.’

  James lowered his sword. ‘Good call, I almost had it then.’

  The newcomer attacked the second group of demons who hacked at it with their claws, but could only dislodge dirt before it crushed them. Alex leapt to his spear and finished off the injured demon, and another attacked, but the spear in his hand was too fast as he thrust it upwards through the demons head. The wolves teamed up and soon had one down, James and Asima did the same only sending the thing back with their swords and not razor-sharp teeth. Jodie thought it would be less hassle if she just stood there and shoot five bolts into the last one, and she was right as it fell, but only after all five bolts.

  ‘To think I gave that away,’ said James.

  Jodie smiled and put the folded weapon into her belt. ‘You must have known I was the better shot.’

  ‘What happened to the other thing?’ said James, looking at a pile of rocks.<
br />
  ‘Oh, that was House,’ said Alex, ‘I did tell you he was coming.’

  James gave him a hard stare. ‘No, I’m quite sure you didn’t.’

  Asima stood with hands on hips. ‘You didn’t tell me either.’

  Alex coughed. ‘My mistake, I told Carrie.’

  ‘You told the only one of us who wasn’t coming tonight?’ James grumbled.

  ‘True, but we had new guests, and it’s been a long day.’

  ‘I’d have felt less nervous if I’d known.’

  ‘You, nervous, I don’t believe that,’ said Alex, and the vase appeared floating in the air. ‘Now that’s much better than trying to keep it hidden somewhere.’

  * * *

  ‘Lu, you really should sit down,’ said Daralis.

  Luella paced around the sofas with fists clenched. ‘I can’t, I’m too worried . . . just getting rid of a few demons he said, and you tell me they’re real ones.’

  ‘He did tell you earlier they already got rid of some, and they’re good at it.’

  Carrie sat crossed legged on the floor, stroking one of the cubs. ‘I would’ve gone with them if I hadn’t got injured last night.’

  Luella stopped pacing and stared at her. ‘Injured?’

  ‘Yeah, one of them tried slicing my arm off,’ said Carrie, a little too casually.

  ‘That’s not helping you know.’

  ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you even more, but I’d be fighting alongside him . . . I mean them if I could.’

  Luella raised an eyebrow. ‘Doesn’t it frighten you?’

  ‘A little, but life’s frightening anyway, and House is with them tonight.’

  ‘That’s good news,’ said Blaze.

  ‘Does he have much power?’ Luella asked.

  ‘He protected us from the warlock, and you already know he keeps us hidden.’

  Luella finally sat down. ‘That’s comforting to know.’

  ‘We’re all nervous,’ said Paige. ‘But we do have confidence in them.’

  ‘I do, but he’s still my little boy.’

  Daralis laughed. ‘He’s hardly little.’

  ‘I think this is about two Alex’s,’ said Blaze.

  Luella looked across at her. ‘Two?’

  ‘Yes, the small helpless boy you protected, and the strong powerful one everyone here knows.’ Blaze stood. ‘You should come with me and watch them.’

  ‘You watch them? I don’t think I could.’

  ‘I told myself I wouldn’t do it again, but you need to see for yourself,’ said Blaze, and a few of them decided to go and watch.

  * * *

  They came out of the study laughing, and saw Luella standing there with her arms folded. ‘I see you’re taking this seriously,’ she said.

  ‘We always take it seriously, Mother,’ said Alex. ‘House made us laugh is all.’

  ‘Is killing a laughing matter now?’

  ‘We’re not really killing, just sending them back to where they came from, and I hope I never kill another human.’

  Claire looked up from her book. ‘Wasn’t the warlock human?’

  ‘Sort of, but you killed him.’

  ‘Oh yeah, I forgot that.’

  ‘Have I upset you, Mother?’ said Alex.

  ‘No, dear, I was just a little worried.’

  ‘And now?’

  ‘I’m more worried you don’t need me anymore.’

  Alex poured himself a glass of orange juice. ‘I’ll always need you.’

  Am I the brunt of jokes now? Said House, grumpily.

  Alex drank the juice in one go. How do you mean?

  You said I made you laugh.

  Oh no, my friend, we were stuck between two groups of demons. Then you made this Rockman appear, and crushed one of the groups.

  Why was that funny?

  It wasn’t funny so much, but more of a relief, which made me laugh as well as a pile of rocks running.

  So the rocks are funny? House sulked.

  You didn’t see it the way we did, and I want Rockman with us on every trip.

  Really, that is nice to know, and you have given me a second name, said House, more cheerfully.

  Yeah, I would gloat about our victory, but I don’t want to upset Carrie.

  She is almost healed.

  You said in two days.

  No, in about an hour I believe, maybe less.

  How can that be?

  The ointment Daralis put on her is making the wound heal a lot faster than I expected.

  That’s good news, and the trick you do with the vase is clever.

  I hide it in another shield.

  ‘What went wrong out there?’ said Blaze. ‘I thought you were going to arrive in front of them.’

  ‘They’re bigger and faster,’ said Alex. The last group will probably get there sometime tomorrow night.’

  ‘What we waiting for then?’ said James.

  ‘You’re keen.’

  ‘We could get rid of them all in one night, it never takes us long.’

  ‘That’s true, but we’ll wait until the children have gone to bed.’

  ‘You’re going out again?’ said Luella.

  Alex nodded. ‘It’ll be for the best, as they’ll only find something else to eat before tomorrow night.’

  ‘You worried they’ll get even bigger?’ said Blaze.

  ‘No, I’m worried about what they’ll be eating.’

  Alex spent the next hour playing on the arcade machines, and pool with the children before Blaze and Luella took them upstairs. House told him Carrie’s injury was fully healed. ‘James, before we go can you give Carrie a quick work out, and see if she’s still any good.’

  Carrie looked shocked. ‘But it’s too soon.’

  ‘House told me the ointment Daralis put on your wound made it heal a lot faster.’

  Carrie smiled at Daralis. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘You’re welcome, and I have something for you, too.’ Daralis walked upstairs, and came back a minute later with a long sword.

  ‘That’s gorgeous,’ said Carrie, it had a white hilt and a white sheath with a belt.

  ‘I know you’ve got a sword, but those demons are getting bigger, so you might need something longer.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Carrie put the belt around her waist. ‘How do I look?’

  ‘Wonderful,’ said Alex, and she blushed. Asima and James followed her to the gym. Alex sat on a sofa next to Claire who was reading a book. She had read a lot of late.

  ‘Are you trying to squash me?’ she said.

  ‘You saying I’m fat?’ said Alex, a little offended.

  ‘Yes,’ said Claire, as she closed her book and gave him a hard stare.

  ‘Why don’t you come with us when we go hunting?’

  ‘James said I’m too slow at the moment.’

  ‘That’s mean of him.’

  ‘Not really, there’s a good chance I could get killed for not being fast enough.’

  ‘Maybe you should come tonight then.’

  ‘ALEX!’ Paige snapped.

  ‘I was joking.’

  ‘I hate you,’ said Claire, elbowing him in the ribs.

  ‘I love you,’ said Alex.

  Claire put her head on his shoulder. ‘You can stay there for a bit, you’re like a big, fat, soft pillow.’

  Paige shook her head. ‘You’ve changed . . . six months ago he’d be eating that book.’

  Claire shrugged. ‘The night’s still young.’

  ‘Are you having a good night, Alex?’ said Joseph.

  ‘I was thinking of having one of the sofas moved to the back of the hall.’

  Claire pinched him. ‘Just make sure it’s your sofa.’

  ‘I put a bar in the mansion for them, and all they ever do is eat in there.’

  ‘You didn’t put it in for us,’ said Paige. ‘You didn’t even know we were going to stay.’

  ‘No, but I hoped it might encourage you.’

  ‘How sweet, he was ho
ping we would stay,’ said Claire.

  ‘Yeah, but I hadn’t met many of you then.’

  ‘For that you can serve me a drink when you get back.’

  Luella walked down the stairs. ‘Are they always like this?’

  ‘No,’ said Blaze. ‘It’s usually James teasing the women.’

  ‘I think it’s rubbing off.’

  ‘Claire said I was fat,’ said Alex. ‘Are you gonna be OK with me going out again?’

  Luella sat down. ‘Yes, I want you to get rid of them before they cause any more damage.’

  Alex watched the next group of demons on the crystal ball. They were running across fields, leaping fences and hedges with ease. The attack pack appeared a few miles in front of them waiting in the shade of an old disused farm building.

  The demons slowed as they approached, sensing something ahead, they looked bigger and uglier. Their heads were huge and round.

  ‘We will find more food here,’ one rasped, after he stuck his tongue out tasting the air.

  ‘I think not,’ said Alex, as he stepped out of the shadows with his eyes glowing red. ‘It’s us who are hunting you.’

  ‘That’s a mistake you won’t make again,’ the demon rasped. It had a weapon, a huge club, or more to the point a good part of a tree. He swung it down at Alex who side-stepped it. The demon lifted it again, but never had a chance to swing it as Alex’s weapon was faster and sliced off its arm just below the shoulder. Carrie jumped in and cut off the demons other arm with her new sword, and Alex spun beheading the creature.

  Jodie put five bolts into the head of one demon, which slowed it a little, giving Carrie the chance to finish it off with her sword. Asima charged at another waving her sword clumsily, the demon saw this and dived at her. What it didn’t see were the throwing knives in her other hand, which were soon in its throat. She somersaulted over it and slid her sword in its back, and James relieved the monster of its head. Rho and Chi brought another down as Rockman crashed into the remainder. The demons managed to dislodge some of his rocks, but they just popped back into place before he crushed them.

  Jodie sighed. ‘They’re getting harder to kill.’

  Alex nodded, as the ends of his spear retracted. ‘We’ll have to keep doubling up.’