by Sasha Pruett
Well that’s it for this floor, we’ll head up to the south side of the house third floor to where Delphine’s studio is. She’s a big fashion designer, at least she is if she’s any judge. She spends most of her time oversees though, Milan, Paris, then hops on up to New York as well; anywhere the fashion world calls. In fact, if you subscribe to those fashion magazines or watch any of those runway shows you’ve probably seen some of her stuff. Course you don’t look like the type that goes in for all that designer stuff. You seem like the type to have a brain.
We all have our passions, mine’s having a good time. Clubs, raves, if there’s a party going on I’m there. Life’s too short you know, well maybe not for us, but whatever.” Calynn was beginning to get tired just listening to the girl and she found herself secretly wondering if there was an off switch somewhere or at the very least a mute button.
They made their way to Delphine’s studio. It was a huge area that took up a large portion of the third-floor wing and it was covered wall to wall with fabrics, designs, accessories, instruments, and clothes in various stages of completion. It looked as if a whole factory worth of people could work in there. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you end up spending a lot of time here. You’ll be like a living Barbie doll to her, she’ll finally have someone else to play dress up with. Of course, she’s had other people in here as models, but you’ll be a good one too.”
After the studio, they continued their tour around the third floor. The fourth was the servants’ quarters so they mainly bypassed them and headed down to the first floor where some of the best rooms were. The indoor pool, the massive media room with the screen the size of a wall, the grand ballroom, a music room stocked with instruments, the gourmet kitchen, and the three-story library. That’s where they found Ilse, sitting at one of the antique mahogany desks piled with books and papers, typing away at her computer like a mad woman. She was slender like her sister, but taller at least as far as Calynn could tell. Her long dark hair was pulled into a quick ponytail with pencils sticking out in odd directions that reminded her of her own undergrad days.
“That’s Ilse. She’s an online journalist. She’s managed to keep her identity a secret for decades while busting all sorts of people. Corrupt judges, politicians, celebrities, cops, you name it; she can get the dirt on them, but she only goes after the worst of the worst. So many people want her dead it’s funny. They don’t even know that half the time she’s standing right next to them, don’t you just love it. She’s probably been sitting there for the past couple of days, I don’t know how she manages it. It would drive me nuts. Hey Ilse, can you take a minute from tearing someone a new one to say ‘Hi’ to Calynn?”
“Hello Calynn. Nice to meet you.” She didn’t bother to look up. “I hope you’ll excuse me. I have a Senator in Illinois that’s been very naughty.”
“Tighten the vice and hopefully he’ll sing an octave higher.”
Ilse did look up then; a sly grin on her face, “I’ll do just that Calynn. It’s a specialty of mine.”
“Send me the link to your article when you get done. I enjoy watching the trash being taken out.”
“So do I Calynn, so do I. Now if you’ll excuse me I have some dirty laundry to air.”
Lizzy rolled her eyes and huffed already bored and motioned for Calynn to follow. The two turned and left heading down the hall, “She actually smiled, nice going Calynn. So how about we head out back to the garage where Maxie and Ivan spend most of their time. That’s where Ivan’s lab is, under the garage. He’s so morbid, but at least this way you’ll know where to avoid. They’re not bad, it’s just… you know… they’re guys and they can be…”
“Stupid, immature, self-absorbed, clueless?”
“Oh, so you know them?” The two giggled like school girls as they went along. What was she getting herself into? Calynn hoped she wasn’t going overboard with this buddy-buddy stuff.
She hadn’t noticed as they walked through the garage door that she’d been growing more and more nervous, but one of these two could be the father of her child. She hadn’t thought much about it up until then. It was too overwhelming to think about at all and she was trying to focus on the role she had to play just to get out of there alive. Her heart began to race, but she plastered a smile on her face and strode through the door like she owned the place.
To use the word garage didn’t describe it. It was more like a whole house for vehicles and everything auto related. No not a house a gallery, a showroom, a mansion featuring every kind of luxury and recreation vehicle she could think of. It even had a built-in bar, media center, and who knew what else. Music blared from hidden speakers giving the girls the perfect opportunity to sneak up on the figure leaning under the hood of one of the classic cars. One blare of the horn by Lizzy and a guy that looked like he was still in high school banged his head on the hood with a resounding clunk. Erzsébet burst out laughing as her brother turned off the music then cussed her, declaring that if she made him dent his pristine car she was going to pay.
“Oh I’d like to see you try baby brother. Calynn this is Maxie.” The perky brunette proudly motioned to her brother.
He didn’t look like he could be much older than sixteen or seventeen, working on his first car and barely old enough to shave. His features were smooth and he had a smudge of grease by his temple where he’d absent-mindedly shoved a lock of his short blonde hair away from his forehead. He looked more like the poster child for the X games or something than… well whatever he was. “Max.”
“Like I said this is Maxie, my baby brother.”
“I mean it Lizzy. Do what you want to me just leave my car out of it.”
“I don’t blame you. A ‘66 GTO tri-power coup, Pontiac’s first stand-alone GTO; wow it’s gorgeous! There were only a little over 10,300 of these made, even less considering they discontinued the tri-power engine halfway through the production year. Is it all original, matching numbers and everything?” Calynn stroked the car as if it was a dream.
“Absolutely, got it the day it came off the line. It’s been in perfect condition ever since. I’ve got a hardtop and a convertible too. So, you know your cars?”
“Not really, just this one. My dad had one just like it only in Nightwatch Blue and every time he was out washing it he’d have that old song ‘G.T.O.’ by Ronny and the Daytonas playing. It was his favorite.” Just the thought of her father brought a softness to her voice.
“That’s the same song I had going when I outran the cops out in Pasadena in ‘67. Man that was fun, I think I’ll take my Hellcat out and do that again. Be a bit more of a challenge than it was back then to ditch them, but that’s what makes it a such a rush, you know? Your dad has good taste.”
“He insisted I know more about cars than just how to put gas in them before I was allowed to start driving.”
“That already puts you ahead of Lizzy here.” He pointed to his sister who was already sticking her tongue out at him.
“And what do we need with a car Maxie?”
“Who said anything about need? So, you were saying Calynn, before my sister so rudely interrupted you?”
“You’re the one that interrupted her genius!”
Maximilien ignored her completely.
“Oh nothing really, but before I got my license I could change the oil and oil filter, change brake pads and shoes, drain a radiator, check and fill the battery water reservoir, top off the fluids, change a tire, gap and replace the spark plugs and distributor cap and bypass a solenoid. I had a ‘66 Mustang myself. Later I learned how to replace a starter, alternator belt, and some of the sensors in my next one. Fortunately, you can find how to fix anything online now. Funny thing is, I haven’t owned a car in years.”
“Well at least you’ll be set if you do. A ‘stang huh, nice. I’ve got about a dozen. You’re welcome to take one out for a spin if you’d like. There’s a huge track out back I use for practice runs.”
“I might just take you up on that.” And
leave this place in the dust like the bad dream that it is.
“Oh goodie, another gearhead.” The group turned to see Ivan making his way through the garage. Six foot and broad shouldered, Calynn’s gut twisted as something registered within her. He looked like a well-groomed, exquisitely dressed, handsome man in his twenties with perfectly styled dark brown hair and a killer smile, but the look in his eyes held something evil that made her shiver.
“Careful brother, you might get a spot on your shirt and have to throw away yet another outfit.” She placed her hands on her sides and cocked her hip.
“Pot kettle Lizzy.” He said with a smirk.
“Calynn say hello to Ivan, our resident psychopath.”
“As I said; pot kettle little sister.”
“What’s life without a little friendly torture?”
Everyone turned to look at Calynn like she’d grown another head and she couldn’t help but laugh. It was either that or scream. She was getting in deep.
“I’m not talking Marquis de Sade or anything like that. I think psychological torment is much more powerful. Wounds heal, but it’s the mind that continues to plague a family for centuries, passing it from one generation to the next. People just don’t wake up one day out of the blue and decide they’re going to turn someone into a pot luck dinner for the neighborhood. Usually you can trace some sort of issue with their parents that goes back to abuse far in the family line. It just manifests itself in different ways with different personalities. You throw in substance abuse, chemical imbalances, and other stressors and you’ve got a recipe for a true sociopath.” She was playing her part and playing it good… she hoped.
“Kind of like our Ivan here.” Clearly Erzsébet wasn’t afraid to say anything.
“No, Ivan’s far more intelligent and calculating to be a sociopath. Though there are high functioning ones out there.” Calynn tilted her head as if to study him, hoping they were buying her act.
“So what are you, some kind of psychiatrist?”
“No Ivan I only screw with peoples’ heads for fun never for profit, well… almost never.”
“I’ll remember that.” The look he gave her made her skin crawl. This was more than just a predator. This was the kind of ‘thing’ that would rip a person apart just to know what it felt like and then step over the pieces to eat lunch with the blood of his victim still on his hands and think nothing of it. Maybe his name should have been Vlad instead if Ivan.
“How about some lunch? I can here someone’s stomach growling. Calynn, up for something to eat?” It amazed her she could even think about eating now.
“Sure Erzsébet, I could use a break.” Not just for food either.
“It’s Lizzy, silly. Let’s get out of here before this one revs up his car like it’s some sort of musical instrument and this one, well you don’t want to know about this one.”
Chapter Twelve
The two returned to the main house, Erzsébet chatting the whole way. Calynn nodded or commented here and there, but her mind was trying to process everything that had just happened. For the most part, they seemed like normal people, but she knew they were anything but normal; and what’s worse, she was fitting in. What did that say about her? ‘Keep calm Calynn, you’re nothing like these… people, you’re playing a role that’s all. Just keep calm and play the game and you’ll be out of here with your neck intact and your blood still in your veins.’
“Yoo-hoo, space cadet? Hey, I’m talking to you!”
“I’m sorry Lizzy, I zoned out there for a bit. I guess I’m a little tired.”
“No problem, I get that way too. Of course, I’ve usually downed a few vodka tonics and a bottle of Devil’s Cut first, but whatever. So what are you in the mood for?”
The two rummaged through the fridge the size of a walk-in closet and made their way to a small corner out of the way of the kitchen staff.
“Well that’s everybody. Except for Rais, Delphine and Drakon that is. She’s still overseas or where ever, like I said you’ll probably see her tomorrow and Rais is in Europe handling some business for daddy. I don’t know where Drakon is though.” It was amazing, even a mouth crammed full of food couldn’t stop her from talking.
“Drakon, that’s an unusual name? It sounds like he was named after his father, but isn’t that resigned for the firstborn son?”
“Oh, it is. All my brothers except for Maxie are named after him. His full name is Ivan Rais Drake, so there you go. Rais was also my grandfather’s name so there’s the firstborn. Then dad wanted something a little more… self-proclaiming I guess for Drakon. Next came Ivan and after that they just used another family name.”
“But this is the House of Drake?”
“Oh that, well Grandfather may have been the patriarch, but the actual House of Drake was formed by my father after some huge civil war thing way back over a thousand years ago. We’re actually one of the three most powerful houses of all the clans in the world.”
“Wow, one of the three most powerful… impressive.” It was better than her alternative, ‘Good heavens how many of these sick, demented cults are there?’
“Yeah, we’re considered royalty. It’s why we can get away with so much.”
“I can imagine.” Yet she was desperately trying not to.
Erzsébet went on with whatever subject she fell into, usually about clubs and parties and trouble she managed to get into and then out of. She was able to keep it pretty clean, but Calynn could just see by the flicker in her eyes at times that the fun wasn’t as innocent as she let on and she tried to push the thought from her mind. She didn’t want to think how many of these guys wound up face down in a river or alley somewhere missing their internal organs; among other things.
“So, you up for taking a tour of the grounds now?”
Truth was she was a little tired. She hadn’t lied about that, but the idea of being outside, of getting out of this madhouse and actually feeling a little bit of freedom was well worth it. “Absolutely, bring it on.”
No sooner had they stepped out a rear door than Drakon was coming in. They nearly ran into him as Calynn tripped, falling into his arms. She peered up and for a moment didn’t know what to say; Drakon noticed. “Um, well… I don’t believe we’ve been introduced?”
“I don’t know Calynn, looks like you two are already well acquainted.” She quickly pushed herself up and they both looked at Erzsébet, but she was too busy snickering at her own joke to notice more than a casual irritance.
“Oh loosen up you two. Hey Drakon, I was just about to take Calynn here around the estate, how about you do that since you’re such an expert. Drakon here knows every square inch of this place, if anyone can show you around it’s him. So what do you say big brother, oh by the way; Drakon this is the lovely Calynn, she’s been making the rounds and I must say she’s managed to charm us all so far. Why don’t you see if she can charm you too?” Lizzy wagged her eyebrows suggestively, ignoring any pretense at subtlety.
“You’ll have to excuse my sister Erzsébet, I think she was dropped one too many times on her head as a child. I warned Ivan about that, but he just had to see if babies could bounce.”
Erzsébet stuck out her tongue and wrinkled up her face. “Better a little brain damage and be fun than as stiff as you. Why not see if you can thaw him out a bit will you Calynn?”
Calynn wanted to smack her, but was afraid she might literally get bit. Somehow Drakon knew exactly what she was thinking and she began to wonder if he had the ability to read her mind.
“Feel free to hit her anytime Calynn, maybe it will knock some sense into her. Couldn’t do any more damage at this point anyway. She never did know when to shut up. Her mouth runneth over, like that annoying leaky faucet that drives you crazy.”
Erzsébet grinned like the cat that had just digested the canary.
“Come on Calynn, I’ll show you around the estate. Simpleton here might get you lost and we couldn’t have that, now could we?” And like a gentlem
an of old he offered her his arm and they left Erzsébet still with that same emoji eating grin on her face.
He walked her slowly around the house. Just the two of them and one of those dog like things that trailed closely behind, eyeing her the entire time. They went through the gardens and hedgerows, Drakon explaining his mother’s love of different time periods hence the separate sections of land that would reflect each one. From her Grecian temple and pond to her Elizabethan rose garden, being careful to avoid the field where she was captured.
“So, you’ve managed to charm my siblings? You must be something special if you’ve accomplished that.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“Have you met us all?”
“Everyone except for Rais and Delphine I believe.”
“Well then that is saying something, especially of Ivan and Ilse. I hope they didn’t give you too much trouble?”
“Well neither of them are as friendly as Erzsébet, Lizzy, but they were nice enough. Max offered me one of his cars and Ilse managed a quick smile while she was busy busting a Senator in Illinois.”
“Isle actually smiled? That is impressive. Most people find her cold and vindictive.”
“I don’t think she’s vindictive, maybe she’s just seen so much corruption of the human race it disgusts her and she’s trying to do something about it. I don’t blame her.” Drakon squeezed her hand gently; a silent signal that she had said just the right thing at just the right time.
“How are your rooms? Comfortable I hope?”
“Absolutely, they’re amazing, thank you. I’ve never been in something so elegant. Your mother has exceptional taste.” Another gentle squeeze.
“And what are your views on nature, shy of the woods by any chance?”
“Not on your life, I spend as much time there as I can. I walk the trails through the greenway whenever I have any free time.”
