Death & Co.

by D. J. McCune

  It was like Melissa came out of some kind of trance. She stood up so fast her chair screeched across the tiled floor and toppled onto the ground. ‘I’ve got to go.’

  Adam stared. ‘OK. Is … everything all right?’

  ‘No,’ she said. Her face was still pale but calm. ‘My mum isn’t well but she’s with my aunt. At the hospital. I have to go.’

  Adam’s thoughts were racing. He tried to think of something helpful. ‘Do you want me to go with you? On the bus I mean?’

  Melissa looked at him as if he’d gone mad. ‘No, of course not! I’ll be fine,’ she snapped but her face softened. ‘Look, I have to go but it was nice, OK?’

  ‘Yeah, it was great,’ he said – and the odd thing was he meant it. In spite of having to save a homeless guy and himself from a gang of psychotic thugs, he realised he would do it all again just to spend another hour with Melissa. ‘I hope your mum is OK. And maybe we can hang out another time?’

  ‘Yeah, maybe,’ she muttered but she wasn’t really listening. Her thoughts had already left the building and now her body was following behind. She was walking out of the door, the evening forgotten.

  ‘Bye then,’ Adam said to her receding back and stared at his pizza slice. He took a bite and almost spat it out. It was freezing. Melissa must have been sitting here for ages. He sighed and stood up to leave, dragging his heart behind him.

  He found the doorway blocked by a hairy Italian giant. The man’s stomach strained beneath a grubby white T-shirt and several thick gold necklaces. Adam was engulfed in a wave of cave-manly sweat. ‘You pie!’

  Adam blinked. A pie? What was the guy talking about? It was only when the giant rubbed his finger and thumb together that Adam realised what the man wanted. ‘Oh right, pay.’ He reached into his pocket – and remembered the £20 note he had given to the homeless guy. Just when he thought the night couldn’t get any worse … He gave the pizza man his most winning smile. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t have any money.’

  The man grinned, exposing lots of gold teeth, and cracked his knuckles. He gave an expressive shrug. ‘One way or another, you payyyyy!’

  Adam gulped. Clearly the Fates were not on his side tonight. For just a brief moment he found himself wondering if he was going to make it home alive …

  Chapter 11

  Twenty-four hours later Adam was scowling into his bedroom mirror. It was Saturday night and his black bow tie was strangling him. Any minute now the Concilium would be arriving and he would spend the next couple of hours trapped at the dinner table.

  Had his date with Melissa really only happened the night before? It felt like a dream. Only the finger-shaped marks on the back of his neck made it real. The pizzeria owner had frogmarched him to the nearest cashpoint, taken a tenner and stormed off, cursing extravagantly in Italian.

  Adam could still feel the bruises where his starched shirt collar pressed on them. He didn’t care. If he closed his eyes and concentrated hard he could remember the place where Melissa’s thigh had touched his …

  ‘Adam!’ He was jolted back to reality by his mother’s bellow. Most of the time Elise was too ladylike to raise her voice but when she did she sounded amazingly like an enraged hippo. He sighed and smoothed his hair one last time.

  Down in the hall everything was perfect. The tiled floors and wooden wall panels had been polished until they gleamed. There were no coats or abandoned trainers lying around and the dogs had been banished to their pen. Candles stood glowing in tall iron stands and the sideboard was covered with fresh flowers. The air was sweet with their scent.

  Just as the house had been scrubbed up, so had the occupants. Everyone stood in line in order of importance, Nathanial nearest the door, Chloe and Auntie Jo at the far end. Elise would be allowed to stand beside Nathanial because she was the hostess tonight. The rest of the women in a Luman line-up were usually the least important, especially the unmarried ones like Auntie Jo. Adam tried to imagine explaining his world to his friends – or worse still to Melissa – and cringed at the thought.

  ‘Hurry up!’ Elise hissed, eyes glittering. She dragged him into place between Luc and Chloe, tweaked his bow tie and rubbed a microscopic smut off his chin with a licked finger. Adam flinched away protesting and she hurried back to Nathanial’s side, muttering imprecations in French.

  Luc gave him a sardonic glance. ‘We clean up good, don’t we, bro?’

  Adam snorted but when he turned to Chloe his jaw dropped. She was wearing make-up and a floor-length pink dress. Her hair was swept up in some kind of elaborate bird’s nest and she had either swallowed growth hormones or put on high heels. ‘You look nice,’ he said.

  Chloe threw him a slit-eyed glare, suddenly looking much more like herself. ‘Thanks for sounding so surprised.’

  ‘She’s being fattened for the kill,’ announced Auntie Jo cheerfully. ‘Lots of the Curators have unmarried sons. Your mother has big plans for you, Chloe!’ Chloe rolled her eyes, looking half embarrassed and half pleased.

  Elise gave a haughty sniff. ‘One spinster in the family is quite enough, Josephine.’

  ‘Elise!’ Nathanial frowned and his wife looked away, guilty but unbowed.

  Auntie Jo winked at Chloe. ‘She thinks you can do better than the Irish.’

  Nathanial glared at her and she sighed and held up her hands in surrender. ‘Mea culpa,’ she muttered. ‘The truth apparently hurts.’

  ‘The Irish are our closest neighbours. I would be proud to see Chloe betrothed to an Irish Luman.’ Nathanial spoke quietly but they all knew the conversation was at an end. Even Elise didn’t say anything but just wrinkled her nose.

  There was a sudden, thunderous bang. Everyone jumped, even though they had been expecting it. Twice more something hit the door ceremonially and then it swung open. The Concilium had arrived.

  There were thirteen of them in total, all men of course. The current Chief Curator was Heinrich, a German Luman, grey-bearded but spry and one of Nathanial’s oldest friends. He embraced Nathanial warmly. ‘Our Light is your Light, brother.’ He bent his head and kissed Elise on both cheeks. ‘My dear, you grow more beautiful every time we meet!’ Elise smiled, demurred and nodded in agreement all at the same time.

  As Heinrich moved along the line the other Concilium members followed him. Adam had his hand shaken twelve times but then there was a pause. The last member of the Concilium was still talking to Elise. He was a tall, handsome man with a high forehead, blond hair and sharp green eyes. He spoke in English out of deference to his surroundings but it was clear that, like Adam’s mother, he was French. ‘It is always a pleasure to see you, Elise.’

  Elise gave a cool nod. ‘And you, Darian. Congratulations on your appointment to the Concilium.’

  Darian inclined his head. ‘Your mother and sister send their regards.’

  Elise gave him a cold smile. ‘Merci, Darian. I see them from time to time.’

  Darian smiled back but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘You are fortunate to have such an … understanding husband.’

  Adam frowned. The words were innocent enough but somehow the man’s tone made them sound insulting. He glanced at Nathanial and knew immediately that his father had caught the jibe. Nathanial’s face was still calm but two high spots of colour had appeared in his pale cheeks. Darian moved along the line, greeting them all courteously, but without warmth. When he reached Auntie Jo his lip curled.

  Nathanial stepped forward. ‘Please, come into the parlour. We can have a drink before dinner.’

  Heinrich’s eyes sparkled. ‘You always have a marvellous cellar, my friend.’

  Luc sniggered and turned it into a cough. He whispered to Adam as they followed the party into the room. ‘I want to be in the Concilium some day. What a life! You get to just swoop all over the world eating and drinking every night. It must be brilliant!’

  Chloe overheard and gave him a vicious poke in the back. ‘Yeah, but what about your family? They get left at home all the time. Men shouldn�
�t get married if they want to be in the Concilium.’

  Luc smiled enigmatically. ‘Well, maybe you’re right. And why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? Ow!’ He glared at Auntie Jo and rubbed his ear. ‘That hurt!’

  Auntie Jo scowled. ‘It was meant to hurt! You’re not too old for a mouthful of soap …’

  Adam grinned and gazed around the parlour. It was a large pleasant room, just off the formal dining room. There were few chairs but plenty of space for people to mingle and chat. At one end a large mahogany table was set with bottles of champagne and elegant crystal flutes. Nathanial poured the wine for everyone and raised his glass in a toast.

  Adam shuffled from foot to foot, trying to hide his boredom. These evenings were always the same. They would drink and chat for a while, then make their way through to the long table in the formal dining room. It would be beautifully set and Elise would serve tiny, elegant portions of fancy food. The women would clear up while the men went upstairs to the drawing room to talk about Luman politics. Finally, the Concilium would leave and everyone would sneak downstairs and make a sandwich, too kind to tell Elise that her dainty morsels wouldn’t fill a mouse.

  Adam felt awkward and out of place. Aron was looking very grown-up and sensible, making conversation with a Curator called Rashid, a pleasant Indian Luman who had only joined the Concilium a few years previously. Luc was surreptitiously refilling his champagne glass and ignoring Chloe’s remonstrations.

  Auntie Jo sidled up beside Adam, clutching an empty glass and looking merry. She was wearing a long, sparkly dress in petrol blue, made for a woman considerably daintier than Auntie Jo. ‘So the wives got left at home tonight as usual. I suppose it doesn’t matter. They never have much to say for themselves.’ She reached into her clutch bag and shovelled something into her mouth.

  Adam stared. ‘Is that toast?’

  She nodded and gulped. ‘I’m starving! Anyway, you know we’re only going to get a mouthful for dinner. Probably something green with sauce over it.’ She looked glumly around the room and her eyes narrowed. ‘That snake needs watching.’

  Adam followed her gaze and found that Darian had tailed Elise over to the table and cornered her there. He was standing just a little bit closer than was strictly polite. Adam threw a nervous glance at his father but Nathanial was far too involved in his conversation with Heinrich to notice.

  Auntie Jo’s eyes glinted. ‘He never gets the message. It would be pathetic if it wasn’t so creepy.’ She cleared her throat and raised her voice. ‘So, Darian, still no bride?’

  The room fell silent. Elise’s eyes widened and Darian pivoted slowly towards Auntie Jo. He gave her a menacing look and inclined his head. ‘I have not yet had that good fortune. My new duties keep me busy.’

  ‘I see. I hope you’re not still carrying a torch for Elise!’ She turned to Adam and stage whispered, ‘He proposed to your mother you know, years ago. Of course she turned him down – she was already mad about your father.’

  Adam’s jaw dropped for two reasons. Firstly, because he couldn’t imagine Elise being mad about anyone. Secondly, because Auntie Jo had made only a token effort to lower her voice. It was the kind of whisper you could hear at the other end of a football pitch. Everyone in the room had heard it, just as she intended – including Darian. He was staring at her with a mixture of revulsion and naked hate.

  Even Auntie Jo seemed to realise that she might have gone too far this time. She grinned and tried to lighten the atmosphere. ‘Cheer up, Darian. I’m still on the market myself, you know, for the right man.’ She made an inviting gesture and waggled her ample behind.

  Elise made a kind of choking gasp and forced a smile. ‘Josephine, Chloe – perhaps you can come to the kitchen. It is time to serve dinner.’

  Auntie Jo winked at Adam and followed Elise out of the room with every appearance of meekness.

  ‘Bon appétit!’ said Elise with a flourish. Adam looked up the table and saw his mother smiling broadly, delighted with the murmurs of appreciation. He had to admit the dining room looked amazing. The whole room was lit with candles, the bright flames reflecting in the silver cutlery, the glasses and the huge mirror over the sideboard. The white cloth was immaculate and elegant flower arrangements ran down the centre of the table.

  He wasn’t quite so excited about the food. Auntie Jo had been bang on target with her gloomy predictions – something green was about right. He stared into his bowl with some apprehension. ‘Erm … What is the soup?’

  Nathanial spoke up quickly, always conscious of Elise’s prickly feelings. ‘It is one of your mother’s specialities – a secret recipe!’ To Adam’s surprise, he took her hand for a moment. ‘There is no better hostess in the land.’ Elise smiled at him, eyes soft. For a moment Adam felt as if he was seeing something he shouldn’t be.

  ‘Elise, you have outdone yourself!’ said Heinrich. His thin face was full of happiness. ‘It is such a joy to be with you all once again. There is no greater pleasure in life than spending time with one’s friends.’

  Adam tried to follow the conversation but it was hard stuck at the far end of the table, just one place above Auntie Jo and Chloe. He didn’t mind; it gave him a chance to think about the night before. He had spent all day wondering if he should text Melissa and ask about her mum but in the end had decided against it. He didn’t want to make her feel like he was snooping – and at least they had finally managed to go on an actual date. Still, he felt uneasy without really knowing why.

  He thought about Auntie Jo’s revelation in the parlour. Luman marriages were usually arranged between families, although always with the consent of both the bride and groom. He hadn’t known that Elise had been so much in demand, although it made sense. Her grandfather, Adam’s great-grandfather, had been High Luman of France so she came from an important family. She was beautiful and charming and knew how to entertain. She was everything a Luman could want in a wife.

  He sneaked a look along the table. Darian was eating his soup with great care, savouring every mouthful. Adam tried to imagine a younger version of Darian sitting in a house somewhere in France, his parents beside him, waiting to meet Elise. What had happened? Why had she turned him down? How had she even met Nathanial?

  He shuddered and decided not to think about his parents’ courtship. It was too weird – and gross – imagining them as teenagers. He sat and played with his green soup until the table was cleared. He was already bored and they were only on the first course. The Curators were all much older than Nathanial, apart from Rashid and Darian. Aron was talking but Adam could see that Luc wasn’t really paying attention. Instead he kept peering at something beneath the table.

  Adam’s eyes widened. Luc had his mobile phone out and was obviously texting someone. Elise would be prepared to sign his death warrant for less than that. He nudged Luc. ‘What are you doing?’

  Luc didn’t even glance up. ‘What does it look like I’m doing?’ he muttered. ‘I’m not on duty tonight and the Concilium never stay for too long. Just making a few plans for later this evening.’

  Adam scowled. Luc made things seem so simple. He always managed to have his nights out, even though he was almost a full-time Luman now. His mobile rang non-stop and usually there were girls’ voices on the other end. Adam felt a mixture of admiration and irritation when he looked at his brother. Nothing ever seemed to bother him. If Luc had taken Melissa out on a date he wouldn’t have ended up almost being butchered by a sweaty Italian.

  As if reading his mind, Luc slipped his phone back in his pocket and turned to Adam. ‘You went out last night. Where’d you go?’

  Adam shrugged and tried to look cool. ‘I just went out with a friend from school for a coffee.’

  Luc’s eyes narrowed. ‘You don’t like coffee so you must have been trying to impress someone. Who is she?’

  Adam sighed. He considered lying for a microsecond then realised it was pointless. Luc was such an accomplished liar that he could generally read d
eceit immediately. ‘She’s just a friend. She’s my biology partner.’

  Luc snorted with mirth. ‘Biology partner? Spare me the gory details, bro!’ He sniggered to himself.

  Adam scowled. ‘It wasn’t like that …’ he began, then tailed off. What was the point in talking about Melissa? Luc didn’t know her, which was probably just as well or no doubt she would have joined his legion of fans. Anyway, so far there was no guarantee he would be seeing her again.

  Luc seemed oddly pleased about the whole thing. ‘Well, at least you did something you weren’t supposed to do. You know, apart from puking up when you should be guiding souls. I thought you were going to be like Aron and just wait for Mummy and Daddy to find you a wife. At least I’m not the only bad guy in the family.’

  Adam stared at him baffled. How could Luc see himself that way? Didn’t he realise he led a charmed life? Nathanial and Aron respected him, Elise and Chloe adored him and even Auntie Jo was fond of him, even if she was the only woman in the world not to fall for his patter. He was an irritatingly good Luman, always knowing exactly what to say to the souls, especially the women. He always looked so … together. How could he think that he was going to be the one to disgrace them all?

  Luc seemed oblivious to Adam’s thoughts. His phone made a barely audible beep and a satisfied smile appeared on his face as he read the latest message. He grinned at Adam. ‘Life is sweet! Guess I better do the political bit.’ He started chatting to the Curator beside him, an elderly man with enormously thick glasses.

  The evening dragged on. Everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves. Only Adam and Auntie Jo were bored. He was glad she was sitting beside him. She kept him entertained with scandalous stories about what the men on the Concilium were like when they were younger, while Chloe alternated between giggling and looking outraged. He knew he probably shouldn’t be listening to them but they were funny. They sniggered together until Adam caught his parents giving him stern looks.