by Pat Spence
Leon took a deep breath and looked around the room before he started to speak.
“Okay, first things first. No more violence.” He addressed this primarily to Aquila, who uttered a snort of derision. “It goes against our principles to show violence towards a creature of youth and innocence. We have never overtly killed those who are weaker than ourselves. The girl herself poses no threat. It is others who threaten us and my fear is that they may use her to get to us. In which case, she is the one in immediate danger, not us.”
“Wisely said, my love,” uttered Viyesha. ‘I knew you would see clearly. So what is our best course of action?”
“We have no choice,” answered Leon. “We have to draw her in for her own protection. For the immediate future, we must watch over her carefully. Her safety may be paramount to our existence. So for now, we watch, we wait and we protect. But never doubt it,” and now he addressed Aquila, “our existence takes priority, and if necessary, we will do anything to protect ourselves. Even disposing of an innocent, if the situation arises.” Aquila’s eyes glinted at the prospect.
Leon continued. “This girl has had an effect on every one. She has touched you all in one way or another, and that is something I have never seen before. She has unsettled and destabilised the family, which gives me cause for concern. Remember, division breeds weakness and leaves us open to attack. We must remain united at all costs.”
“I’m not so sure she is an innocent.” Theo spoke slowly, looking at Viyesha.
“What do you mean?” she asked anxiously.
“She saw my necklace,” he answered. “She saw the face on the cameo and recognised it as herself.”
“Could it be possible?” murmured Viyesha, “She certainly has a look about her. ”
“I don’t know, mother,” he answered, and looking round the room, he added, “If she is who I think she is, it changes everything. You have to let me find out.”
“What about you, Violet?” Viyesha addressed her daughter. “What did you see that made you befriend this girl? Tell me the truth.”
Violet paused before replying, “She has a bright blue aura. I’ve never seen one so bright on a mortal being, it’s as bright as ours.”
There was a silence as everyone took in the implication of her words. The silence seemed to ripple and move outwards, like rings in a pool when a pebble has been thrown in, and the air itself seemed to quiver in anticipation.
Then Viyesha spoke, “Let us pray that it is she. With all my heart I hope she has returned to us, for all our sakes, but most of all for yours, Theo. You have waited too long for this.”
15. Unusual Powers
I saw Theo at college on Monday morning. As I closed my locker, he was standing there.
“Theo!” I exclaimed. “Don't creep up on me like that. You made me jump.”
“Sorry,” he grinned, “just wanted to make sure there were no after effects. You know, after your near miss yesterday.”
“I’m fine,” I said, putting my locker key into my jacket pocket and picking up my backpack. “I may look fragile, but I’m made of strong stuff. No after effects to report.”
“Good, I’m glad you’re feeling okay. I’ve told Joseph to get the wall sorted. I don’t want a repeat of that happening. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you.”
“But why should it, Theo? You’re making it sound like my life is in danger. It does sound a bit over dramatic.”
“Sorry, just being protective, that’s all.”
He smiled at me and I felt my insides melt, but before I could say anything a bell rang, followed by the sound of feet running and people talking
“I’ve got to go,” I said to Theo. “History seminar. Thomas Cromwell: Able administrator or agent provocateur?” I grimaced, then reaching up, I pecked his cheek, saying, “Thanks for looking after me, Superman!”
I grinned at him, luxuriating in the energy flow that ran from his body to mine.
“All part of the service, ma’am,” he said, mock saluting me. “Catch you later, probably lunchtime, I have a tutorial this morning that will likely run over.”
“Okay, see you in the café for lunch.”
He called after me as I hurried down the corridor. “Agent provocateur. He was always the spider in the web.”
I glanced back. For a split second, I had the impression he spoke from experience. I smiled to myself and pushed the strange thought from my mind.
Now we were at college, I was glad to get back to normality following my unnerving afternoon at Hartswell Hall. To say I felt out of my depth was to put it mildly. I fancied Theo like mad and there was no denying there was a very strong connection between us, but it was all so strange and intense, and so different to anything I’d encountered before. Why couldn’t I just fall for someone like me? Someone who lived in an ordinary house, with normal parents and no mystery surrounding them. Why had I fallen for someone with a millionaire lifestyle, who lived in a stately home, with servants at his beck and call, and parents who looked like film stars? And why did I get the impression that all was not as it seemed, that the house and the money and the beautiful looks were all smoke and mirrors?
Something was not right about Theo’s family and, although I was intrigued and determined to uncover their secret, all I really wanted right now was a healthy dose of normality.
On cue, Seth came lounging up the corridor towards me, his black hair falling across his face.
“Hi Emmie, how’s it hanging?” he asked.
“It’s hanging out of kilter, actually,” I said, very glad to see him. I’d missed the bus that morning and my mum had driven me in, so I hadn’t seen either Seth or Tash since the previous week.
“Don’t tell me. You and lover boy have split up. I knew it wouldn’t last.”
“No, Theo and I are fine,” I said. “It’s just his family that’s a bit strange.” I felt disloyal talking about Theo’s family, but my need to feel grounded outweighed my need for loyalty.
“Tell me about it at break time,” suggested Seth, “and make sure you include Tash. She’s been missing you. I think you should both make up.”
“Okay,” I agreed, “I miss her too, but she was pretty nasty about Theo.”
“Probably jealous,” said Seth, “I mean, he is the heart-throb of Hartsdown. After me, he’s the one all the girls want to go out with.”
“Delusional as ever, Seth. See you later.”
“Yeah, see ya,” and he slouched off down the corridor.
I felt better for our brief interchange, as if reality had come back into my life and I looked forward to seeing my friends at break time.
There was a slight atmosphere when I sat down with Tash and Seth in the café mid morning. Things had been very strained between us for the last two weeks, but Tash was the first one to apologise, which made life easier.
“Sorry, Emmie, I’ve missed you,” she said sadly. “It wasn’t that I was jealous, truly, whatever Seth says.”
She shot him a ‘button it or else’ look and he adopted a ‘who me?’ look. I beamed at them both. It was good to see them.
“It’s just I was worried about you. This whole Theo thing is very sudden and intense, and we don’t really know anything about him.”
“Far too good looking, if you ask me,” said Seth, hanging over the table, his body almost too big for the chair he was sitting on. “No-one can be that handsome without having a seriously defective personality.”
“Seth, shut up. As usual, you’re talking rubbish,” I said to him, playfully. “And yet, there is something in what you’re saying.”
Both my friends leaned closer over the table.
“What d’you mean?” asked Tash.
“Tell,” said Seth.
So I told them of my strange visit to Hartswell Hall, about meeting Theo’s impossibly beautiful family, how they’d renovated the old house in an unfeasibly short time span and how Joseph had totally transformed the grounds.
“Hon
estly,” I said, “you should see the place. It’s fantastic, like a palace, no expense spared. And how Joseph has managed to clear and tend the grounds in just a few weeks, I don’t know. It’s just not humanly possible.”
Tash and Seth exchanged glances.
“Maybe that’s it,” said Tash, ominously, “They’re not human.”
I felt goosebumps all over my body and shuddered.
“What do you mean, Tash? If they’re not human, what are they? D’you think they’re aliens? That’s a ridiculous thing to say. You’ve been watching too much Doctor Who.”
“Tell us more, Emily,” said Seth. “What happened while you were there? Did they make you feel welcome?”
“Yes, very welcome,” I said. “His mother and father and his cousin, and even Violet, were absolutely charming to me. His mother seems to have this amazing knack of making you feel totally relaxed, even though she looks like something out of a fashion magazine. And his father conveys this immense protective strength, as if he’d do anything to keep you safe. And Joseph is just plain lovely, well, at least I thought he was….”
I tailed off, wondering whether to tell them about the wall incident.
“Yes, carry on,” instructed Tash. “Obviously Joseph did something that upset you.”
And so I told them about looking round the grounds, how Joseph had suggested we look at the walled garden, and how I’d gone back for the key. I recounted how the wall had collapsed and it was only Theo’s amazing reaction that had saved me.
“OMG,” said Tash, “you really are in danger. Emily, you can’t go back there. What if something else were to happen? Do you think they’re trying to lure you in?”
“Thank goodness Theo is such a fast mover,” exclaimed Seth, sarcastically. “”You said he was at least twenty metres down the path when the wall started to collapse?”
“I think so,” I said.
“So how did he manage to get back to the wall and carry you out of danger so quickly? Does he have super human powers?”
“I don’t know, Seth. Maybe he was closer than I realised.”
“And how come the wall collapsed in the first place?” asked Tash.
“I’m not sure,” I answered, “but I do have a theory, which is a bit unnerving. The servants seem to hate me. Aquila, the chauffeur, is the most evil character you could ever meet and looks daggers every time he sees me. Pantera, the house-keeper, barely acknowledges my presence and makes it quite clear she’d have more respect for a piece of dirt.”
“Sounds bizarre,” said Tash.
“Bizarre having servants in the first place,” added Seth.
“The thing is,” I continued, “after the wall collapsed, Theo and I were walking back to the house, when I saw Aquila hanging round the grounds. If looks could kill, I’d have withered on the spot.”
“D’you think he had something to do with the wall collapsing?” asked Tash.
“I don’t know,” I said. “There’s something very strange about the whole place. I get the feeling anything is possible there.”
“I’ll tell you something that is strange,” said Seth, looking shiftily around for dramatic emphasis.
“What?” said Tash and I in unison, leaning forward.
“You remember the woman that died? The one who aged rapidly? Well, according to my mum, she was the estate agent who sold Hartswell Hall to the de Lucis family.”
“Meaning what….?” asked Tash in a low voice.
“I don’t know,” said Seth in an equally low voice, “but remember, she went from looking like a twenty-year old with awesome energy levels to a shrivelled old crone in just a few weeks. Apparently, she started turning to dust when she was at the Coroner’s.”
“So, maybe she had a premature ageing condition,” I suggested.
“Or…” said Seth, raising his eyebrows.
“Or what?” I asked.
“Think about how the family looks,” said Seth. “You said they all have beautiful white alabaster skin and clear blue eyes?”
“Yes,” I said, “their skin is amazing, it almost seems to glow. And they all have gorgeous blond hair. Violet and her mother have perfect figures, Theo and his father and cousin have the most incredible physique.”
“And they all have different powers…” continued Seth. “His mother makes you feel calm and relaxed, his father conveys tremendous strength and Theo is obviously faster than the speed of light …”
“Joseph is green-fingered and makes things grow,” added Tash.
“And Violet,” said Seth, looking misty-eyed into the distance, “well, Violet is just perfect, let’s face it. I wouldn’t say no if she asked …”
“Pigs and flying come to mind,” I said to Seth. “Can we get back to the point please?”
“The point being,” said Seth slowly, spelling it out to us, “is that these people are not normal.”
“Er, yes, I think we’ve worked that one out,” said Tash. “Tell us something we don’t know.”
“Have you ever seen them eating?” asked Seth.
“No, I haven’t seen the family eating anything,” I answered. “They only had cups of tea when I was there. Mind you, Theo and Violet are always in the café.”
“Yes, and what do they eat?” demanded Seth.
“Now you mention it, not much,” I admitted. “Just a salad here and there.”
“Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it?” said Seth.
“Is it?” Tash and I said in unison.
Seth stared at us. “Come on, keep up, creatures who drain the life force out human beings… “
We both looked at him blankly.
“Vampires,” he said triumphantly. “Speaking of which …”
He looked over to the cafeteria door behind us and we both turned round. Violet had just come into the café and stood, looking around. Seeing us, she started to walk towards our table.
“Act normal,” said Seth as she approached, an instruction that was just about impossible, given what he’d just said.
“Hi Violet,” I said brightly, as she sat down in a spare chair at the table. “How are you? Did you get your philosophy project finished?”
“Hi guys,” she said in her clear voice, smiling at us, “yes, I did. Just handed it in.” And looking at me, she asked, “How are you, Emily? Recovered from your little scrape yesterday?”
I was surprised that she was bringing it out in the open. If the family really were trying to do away with me, surely she would be keeping things quiet. I tried to avoid looking at Seth, who was doing fang impressions behind Violet.
“Yes, I’m fine,” I said. “It was nothing. Luckily, Theo was on hand and I wasn’t hurt in the slightest.”
“Emily had a close call with a falling wall,” Violet explained to Seth and Tash, “as I’m sure she’s told you.”
“Yeah, she might have mentioned it,” said Seth, in an off-hand manner.
“Well, I thought you’d like to know that Joseph’s had a look at the wall,” she said. “Apparently, it’s unsound all the way along. It was an accident waiting to happen and you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s having the entire wall rebuilt. We certainly don’t want an action replay when we start having paying guests.”
“No, killing off your guests won’t be good for business,” said Seth, with a straight face, causing Violet to reply, “I can assure you, Seth, we have no intention of killing off any of our guests, paying or otherwise.”
“Glad to hear it, Violet,” he answered, and I was relieved to hear the bell go for lessons. I felt very uncomfortable seeing Violet after we’d just been discussing her family. And Seth’s statement about vampires seemed completely ridiculous.
We walked out of the café and made our way upstairs for Double English Literature, Violet staying close to me and preventing further discussion.
Just as Miss Widdicombe entered the classroom, Seth turned to me from the row in front and mouthed ‘vampires’ to me once again, doing his r
idiculous fang impression. I frowned at him and shook my head, glancing nervously across to Violet. I wasn’t sure if she’d seen or not.
It was only later I realised I’d never mentioned the face on the necklace to my friends. For some reason, I didn’t feel I could. There were things, for the moment, I would keep to myself. I owed Theo that at least.
At lunchtime, I sat with Theo, as had become my custom over the last week. He entwined his fingers in mine, sending shivers down my spine, and looked into my eyes. He didn’t need to speak, I felt immediately overpowered by the intensity of his gaze and was powerless to resist him. He did things to me no one else was capable of, and all I wanted was to be close to him, to touch him, to feel him near me.
“How are you feeling today?” he asked.
“I’m absolutely fine,” I answered. “Never better. Violet said the wall was unsound right along and that Joseph is rebuilding it.”
“Yes, he is,” said Theo. “You have to be so careful in these old houses, they can be death traps, and the last thing I want is for something to happen to you.”
“Don’t worry about me,” I laughed, “I’m indestructible, as long as I have some kryptonite handy.”
“Speaking of which,” said Theo, his face absolutely serious, “I have something for you that I want you to wear.”
“Yes?” I answered, not quite sure what was coming next. Surely, he wasn’t buying clothes for me?
Theo pulled a small black velvet drawstring bag out of his pocket. I leaned forward, intrigued.
“What is it?” I asked.
He opened the top of the bag and emptied the contents into his palm. It was a necklace, a small blue crystal on a silver chain, similar to the one he wore, but smaller and without the cameo. As Theo held it in his hand, it caught the light, sparkling and shimmering, shining a spectrum of different colours.
“It’s lovely, Theo,” I said, totally taken aback, “but I can’t possibly accept it. I don't want you to buy me gifts.”
“For a start,” said Theo, “I haven’t bought it. It’s something we’ve had in the family for years. And secondly, I’m not open to negotiation. I want you to have it.”
