Bloodlust

Chapter 1

 The road leading up to estate was long and almost impossibly curved. The gravel rocks crunched under August's shoes wearing out the already tattered sole as he walked. The job was self explanatory, groundskeeper and general maintenance for the Lancaster Estate, free room and board with the additional bonus of $1.25 a day.

August probably would have taken the job regardless of the pay, as long as he had someplace dry to sleep and food to eat he would be happy. Hell, he would have taken the job even if he had to sleep with the livestock it was better than what he had back home. His father had died in combat during the Great War and his mother who had never been particularly stable allowed herself to wallow in self pity instead of trying to hold it together for the children her husband had left behind.

But that had been more than a decade ago and since his father passed August had been working various odd jobs doing whatever he could and sending what little money he made back home. August hoped that this job would last at least longer than the ones in the past. He had written a letter to his younger sister Florence telling her not to worry and that he would sending more money soon hopefully a lot more.

As he approached the main building his eyes gazed upon the wrought iron gate with the Lancaster family crest molded into a plate of bronzed metal. He had known the family had money, obviously a decent amount considering they had enough to employ someone like himself but the immensity of the house left him almost breathless.

The house itself sat atop a hill which even in the hot summer sun was a sea of bright, refreshing green. In the distance he could see stables and two magnificent mares grazed in the paddocks. As he pushed open the gate and stepped onto the stone pathway that lead up to the front door, August felt his heart began to race. He was nervous, he had so much riding on keeping this job and from the looks of the property it was clear they expected perfection and August feared what they would do if he provided anything less.

The house was massive with it's walls washed in bright white paint and it shutters a midnight black, ivy crawling it's way up the thick stone chimney. The home gave off its own aura, it's own personality and August once again felt inadequate. He reached his hand forward, and knocked softly against the door.

Just as August took his hand away from the door it swung open revealing a rather beautiful older woman, possibly in her mid thirties in a long, extravagant gown in a magnificent maroon color. A golden pendant hung from her neck and upon closer inspection August realized it was the silhouette of a wolf. The woman's lips were painted a dark, tempting red, her eyes were a mysterious grey and her hair fell in long straight pleats down her chest.

"You're August." she said in a deep almost sleepy tone. As she spoke her fingers trailed down the long chain towards the pendent. "Yes, ma'am." August replied in a small voice. He cleared his throat, and tried to make himself appear bigger than he was. Although he wasn't a small man, seeing as he stood well over six feet, his frame was slight almost slender but granted he hadn't eaten in a few days.

"My husband is in his study, come." August began to realize that this woman, Mrs. Lancaster, he assumed, never asked questions. She spoke only in complete, confidence statements. He followed a short distance behind her watching as the train of her dress swept across the polished wood floors. The incessant click of her high heels seemed to echo throughout the entire home, like the house itself was a lifeless shell of something that once lived.

The doors to the study were a dark mahogany in the French style, above the doorway sat a head of a wolf casted in what August could only assume was gold. Although the thing was simply a piece of art made out of a precious metal the teeth that sat in it's open mouth looked as though they would sink into his skin at any moment. The woman he assumed to be Mrs. Lancaster knocked once on the door and then proceeded to open both of them splaying her arms open like a bird taking flight.

The man of the house, Mr. Lancaster was truly a sight to be seen. He sat behind an enormous desk but the man with his broad shoulders, and large chest seemed to be fitted to it. What shocked August the most was the brilliant blonde hair that adorned his head. Swept back and away from his stern face the hair was so fair that it looked almost ghostly white.

Lancaster's eyes met August, he was still standing in the doorway holding his hat shakily in his hands.

"August," he said. Much like his wife he asked no questions. "Yes, sir." August said nodding and trying his best to look confident. "Well, come in." He said in a surprisingly soft, warm tone. August entered as the woman left closing the doors behind her. Alone in the study August felt as though everything was staring at him. Which of course made sense considering the almost obscene collection of taxidermied animal heads Mr. Lancaster had chose to adorn the walls with.

"So, you understand your basic duties, we need a man like yourself to help keep up with this old place. My family has been living here since 1778 and the house has been standing since then. You can understand how easily an old house falls apart if not looked after correctly." August nodded as the man pulled a cigar from a desk drawer, clipped the end and lit it. "You'll also be responsible for taking care of the horses out back, my daughters, you'll meet them later just simply adore those things but aren't too fond of the dirty work that comes with them."

A smile crept onto his face and a small flume of smoke slithered from between his parted lips. August relaxed somewhat and took a step forward. "I love animals, sir," which wasn't exactly true, "I'd love to take care of those horses for you."

"Excellent!" Mr. Lancaster clapped his hands. "Now just a few things, you may see several different maids coming and going, my wife is very particular in how she likes things done so a girl might be here one day and gone the next." Although he couldn't really understand the logic in that, August nodded his head not wanting to start trouble.

"Secondly, you'll be sleeping in the attic, we've arranged a rather cozy set up. However, after your day has ended which will be after you have had your supper I ask that you go to your quarters and don't come down till the following morning. We do have appearances to keep up and to have the handy man walking around the estate as if he were part of the family, well you understand."

Again not wanting any trouble August nodded. Besides after a long day of work, he would probably want to go straight to bed. "I expect you awake and ready to work at six, breakfast and lunch will be brought to you by one of the girls in the kitchen. If we are not entertaining you are welcome to eat dinner with us." Mr. Lancaster smiled again in that wonderfully disarming way of his.

"Thank you, Mr. Lancaster." August said, the older man nodded and gestured to the door and August walked out again under the gaze of the golden wolf.