Red Crandall
This morning, I'm still so worried. I didn't get much sleep! I kept having horrible nightmares. In some, I was being chased by a family of zombies through the manor house, in others, I was the Bartholy's meal. This food thing is really getting to me. All the little details I've put together is making me reflect on the nature of my hosts. And on the darkness surrounding them. I see Sarah coming to meet me. She looks more rested than I am. It's not very surprising considering...
"Hey, Red! Hi! So how was your night?"
Great! I rummaged through the trash and then I didn't sleep a wink all night!
"I really have to talk to you. I've been dying to since yesterday!"
"What's going on? You seem very excited!"
"You'll never believe me..." I'm touch and Sarah realizes it. My lack of sleep added to my worries, have an effect on my mood.
"I have a rather open mind in general."
In this case, I doubt it. I don't know how to admit to her that I was wrong. It's not easy.
I finally take the plunge. I know she'll be relieved, if not delighted, to see me on her side.
"I should have listened to you..." No sooner are these words pronounced, Sarah turns as white as a ghost and asks me immediately, panicked:
"What happened? Are you all right?"
"To be honest, no! I didn't sleep at all last night."
"Shit... Why?"
"I argued with Lorie again, that kid is a nightmare."
"After all, she takes after her brothers!" It's true, maybe. I'm sceptical about Peter and Drogo being brothers, but I'm practically certain that Lorie is Drogo's little sister. We quietly walk across the campus, to get to our first class of the day.
"She never eats anything, not even a slice of bread."
"I told you so."
"Certainly, but you weren't specific. You only made allusions."
"I thought it was enough for you to read between the lines. I was warning you."
"Sarah, I know. I don't need your lectures, ok? I feel troubled enough as it is."
Sarah softens a bit, I can't tell she's angry. I continue, ignoring Sarah's aggressive attitude. Anyway, I need to talk to someone about it to clear my thoughts.
"They don't eat. You were right about that. It struck me yesterday, and I was overcome by doubt. So I went to check the garbage containers, there were a lot of bags closed and stained with blood not to mention there was an unbearable smell."
"How horrible! I was far from imagining that!"
"But you told me..."
"I especially told you in several occasions that you should leave that place and be careful, but you didn't listen to me!" I thought she'd be glad to see that I agree with her. I was wrong. On the contrary, she's even more suspicious than before. Just my luck!
"And what about Lorie? I don't know what to do..."
"What about Lorie?"
"She's totally bad! If it were only her ghoulish games, I could tell myself that she just needs good therapy! But yesterday she pushed me and threw me to the ground with such force, as strong as an adult!" Sarah frowns but doesn't answer. I hesitate to mention the episode with the mirror, but I'm afraid to sound crazy. In the end, unable to get the idea of my head. I decide to tell her everything.
"That's not all. At one point, I glanced in a mirror and I didn't see Lorie's reflection in it!"
"You must have imagined it, it's impossible." I stop to face her, in the middle of an alley. Like every time we get onto the Bartholy subject, Sarah stays in incredibly evasive. Why is she still hiding things from me when I've just revealed my suspicions? It's unbelievable.
"I'm fed up with all these secrets! I really feel like I'm the dumb girl whom no one says anything to! If you don't want to talk to me about it, avoid getting me all paranoid about it then!"
"Red..."
"Seriously?! I mean you warn me about them, you're downright paranoid about them and now that I tell you all this you're acting as if I were making it all up!!"
"You have to discover things for yourself, Red. I can only get you in the right path, which is what I'm doing." Is she acting the spiritual master now?
"All I can tell you now is to be wary of their father. Stay away from him as much as possible." Why is she talking to me about Mr Bartholy? I haven't even met him yet.
"I haven't met him yet. Is he the problem?"
"Of course not! The whole family is cursed, but he's a powerful and fearsome man. There are no words strong enough to describe him ge is an evil being!" She's coming on strong!
"Why?"
"He has the city at his feet and enough power to stifle incidents related to his sons. He never leaves anything to chance. But you'll never find anything against him, he makes sure he never leaves anything that could compromise him in any way." If I listen to her I fell in the middle of a family of Mafiosi or crooks! Or worse...
"I guarantee you that other than the tendency of not eating, the house is pretty quiet. As for Lorie, that's another story."
"She scares you?"
"She's just a child. But to say, she has freaky reactions."
"You're my friend Red. If I were you I'd get the hell out of there and pronto!"
"I don't know. They're proper with me! Apart from Lorie's dreadful character and their rather odd way of life, I'm not mistreated! If you're really my friend, then tell me everything."
"I can't..."
"Okay, so I'll find out by myself."
Arriving in front of the classroom, we're both in a sullen mood. We stop all discussion on the subject. No point drawing other students attention on our oddities.
It still continues to tick over in my mind. I think back on every detail: cold and pale skin, no reflection, superhuman strength, bloody bin bags... Several theories evidently come to mind, and I intend to look into them after class.
After the last class of the day, Sarah is much less enthusiastic about the rest than she is for Dr Jones's.
"This teacher really has a funny way of explaining things. I was confident that I'd like this course, and its content could be great, but he ruins everything!"
"You can always put things together differently and make review cards. The important thing is how you work outside the class, I think."
"Yeah, you're right." I stop in the corridor and head for the library. Sarah calls out to me.
"It's still early, are you up for going out and having a drink in town before going home?" I have other things in mind at the moment. The questions I asked myself about the Bartholys have troubled me all day. Even my note-taking suffered.
I'll go to the library instead to find some information, as I did when I was looking for information about Mia Cooper. After all, they belong to an old Mystery Spell family. I'll probably find some sort of indication. Only I want to do it alone. I prefer to keep Sarah out of it for the moment, and anyway I don't feel like she's very receptive. I don't really know what I'll find, and I can always talk to her about it as the situation develops.
"Sorry, I'd planned to work another hour or two at the library."
"OK. I'll go with you then!" Great! How can I get rid of her now? The machinery in my brain is running at full speed.
"It's a personal project. Something a bit boring, but very addictive."
"Nevermind, I'll help you anyway." Shit, she's insisting more than I thought she would!
"Peter has already offered to join me." She automatically clams up.
"Oh I'm sorry but I just remembered that I had one or two errands to do in town..." I repress a smile. Too easy.
"Oh no, it's too bad."
"See you tomorrow anyway."
"Of course!" And without further ado, she leaves the university.
I turn around and walk away headed for the library. I go back over all the things that aren't quite right with this family. I don't have enough fingers to count them on.
On entering the library, I check that nobody knows me before slipping behind a computer. I think for a moment about how to carry out my investigation, then I log onto the internet and start typing on my keyboard. I remain so for more than an hour taking notes in references to do with myths and legends. Many books correspond to works recommended by Dr Jones. I then go to the related shelves and recover a good ten or so before settling down to go through them in more detail.
I sit down at a table a little away, not wanting people to see the nature of my research. What will I discover? The first book I discover is an old ancient book. I feel a little ridiculous, I was eager to study these legends for my class, but not to connect them to real creatures. Am I going mad?
I summon my courage and take a deep breath before opening the book. I skim through several chapters scanning through the information. Werewolves, zombies, witches, shamans... Nothing matches. I won't get dishearted! I'm sure to find something!
Suddenly, I freeze as I read a new chapter. My trembling finger frantically follows the lines. My eyes widen and my heart thumps in my chest. Several things strike me as if I had a sudden flash of clarity: "They only feed in blood... Their skin is pale and icy-cold... They have superhuman strength and extraordinary speed..."
I read the title again not wanting to believe it: Vampire. Everything's there. Everything matches. The reflection in the mirror which vampires try to avoid, their aversion to food... Vampires... The Bartholy's are vampires!!!
I'm in a cloud cuckoo land! I suspected they had secrets, but I couldn't have imagined for a second that they could be such creatures! My heart accelerates when I read through a passage on tenor fascinating aura. Their innate power of attraction. They are endowed with beauty and charm that you can't resist. Making you weak, at their mercy. This could explain my contradictory attitude towards Drogo.
But it's not just that... I don't feel the same in the presence of Nicolae and Peter. Or it's that they don't use their "power" on me. But then why would Drogo? Is Drogo playing with me like a predator with his prey? His little thing, as he so often likes to say?
I shake my head. I continue to turn the pages. Something attracts my attention once again as if it were echoing something buried deep inside me. It points out that vampires can develop other skills, such as telepathy or even hypnosis. They can even take control of certain humans.
A shiver runs down my spine. Have I been their puppies since I arrived? I vaguely remember that strange discussion with Nicolae the night of my arrival. It was as if I was missing some of the pieces.
I trusted him so quickly. I lowered my guard. Did he manipulate me? Or worse, did he play with my mind? Is that why I'm still living in the manor? Despite all the obvious signs I've had and all of Sarah's warnings? I can read over and over every book I have, I still feel petrified. I'm overwhelmed by a totally new vision of reality. It's as if I was seeing clearly again.
I don't know what to do. I'm terrified of going back to the manor. I can't spend another night under their roof! A human in the midst of vampires, it's madness! I'm lucky I haven't already been eaten. I can't live with them anymore. I have to leave as soon as possible.
I go back over my books, looking to find some information on self-defense but they vary according to different cultures. The crosses, the garlic, the holy water, daylight... It all contradicts itself. Plus, it's obvious that they're not afraid of daylight. Only one thing reassures me: it seems that they lose their power at sunrise.
I close my last manual, pick up the pile and I put each book back in its place. My hands are trembling dangerously and my heart rate betrays my anxiety. While putting the last book down, I stay an instant with a hand placed on the edge, thinking. Right now, I have to look for another place to live, and it has to be fast!
A hotel, an apartment. It doesn't matter just as long as I'm safe. I leave the library hurriedly. I check several times that no one is following me. After everything I read and with nightfall, I'm far from feeling serene in the deserted university! As I get near the bus stop, I realize that unfortunately, I've just missed one. Great...
I don't feel capable of waiting a quarter of an hour mulling things over. I might go mad! If it's not already the case. No matter how long it takes, I have to do something. Walking may help me calm down. After all, I just live with vampires. Nothing like a little evening walk to think things over.
I live with VAMPIRES for Christ's sake!!! We're not talking about your average friendly ghost! We're speaking of evil creatures than can drink my blood up in a few minutes. I must be the heroine of a fantasy novel. There's no other way about it. Because if it's reality, I'm gonna find it difficult to stay optimistic. Or else I'm only a secondary character who's living her last hours. The little student who gets killed at the beginning of the story, it always works to set the scene.
I should be scared stiff, but instead, I want to burst out laughing... It's probably my nerves letting go! Or just plain madness.
As I arrive in front of the manor, I take a deep breath. What should I do? I decide to flee immediately. I go home, pack my things. They don't know that I know. I just need to leave when the time's right, incognito.
I glance to the side: no cars. With a bit of luck, the manor will be empty. If not, I'll have to try to keep a cool head. For if they discover that I know their secret, they probably won't appreciate it at all, and I won't be able to defend myself.
At this thought, I swallow with difficulty and walk up to the big staircase that leads to the entrance. I recall my first day here seeing myself ascending these same steps, remembering how disconcerted I felt. I already had a bad feeling. I should have listened to my instinct and run for my life! I have to face up to the consequences of my actions and right now, it means getting myself out of this shit!
Once inside I stand still in the middle of the entrance hall. Taking my courage with both hands, I stride up the flight of stairs four by four and run to my room. Listening to my instinct, I grab my suitcase and sling it on my bed. I pour all my clothes into it and start to gather the rest of my things.
"Red? What are you doing?" I wasn't all that alone, after all. I turn around, feeling uneasy, masking my suitcase full of clothes as best I can with my body.
"Oh, Nicolae!... God, you gave me a scare!"
"Sorry... Are you going somewhere?"
"What do you mean?" His gaze rests on my bed and lingers on my suitcase. He points to it with a slight movement of his chin.
"Oh, that? It's nothing... I was just tidying up a bit..."
Really? How convincing Red... I give you twenty seconds before you serve as a starter for Nicolae. He walks up to me. I step back to keep a safe distance.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on? You were just gonna leave like that?" I suddenly feel very hot. What can I say?
"I've changed my mind... I'm not gonna stay here. This town, university, Lorie, Drogo, everything else. I don't fit in. I'm going back to my old life and..." He puts a hand on my arm and a strange sensation comes over me. The writings of the grimoire remind me of the powers of telepathy and hypnosis. No way am I gonna let myself be manipulated!
I push his arm away and step back.
"Don't come near me!"
"Red, what's the matter with you?"
"I feel on hostile ground here, with Drogo constantly challenging me. I didn't come here for that. I'm tired, sorry, it's not working. You're going to have to find another nanny."
"No offence, but your decision doesn't sound like it's been thought through. It sounds like you're acting on a whim."
Before I would have listened to him and I could even have found his words wise, but now all I see in his calm and soothing tone is a way of controlling my mind!
Annoyed. I go back to packing. I can't stay here any longer.
"Listen Nicolae, my decision is made." This time he stops me right there and plunges his hypnotic eyes into mine. My blood freezes.
"I know you're not telling me the real reason for your turmoil..." I feel like a frightened deer caught in the headlights of a car. Shit! He knows!
I push him away vehemently and clench my fists, ready to defend myself of necessary!
"Stop trying to read my mind! Save yourself the trouble! I know what you are!" That's it! Nicolae glares at me with an evil expression on his face, things don't look too good. Have I just signed my own death warrant?
The silence that weighs the room is at its height. And the tension between us is at its maximum.
"And what are we?"
"There were too many weird things that didn't square in this house, so I looked a few things up."
"I see." My voice is trembling. I know I'm vulnerable. If he decides to attack me, I'm no match... We look at each other for a few seconds in silence. His expression softens. Did he read in my mind the fear that's come over me?
"And so? What did you find out?" I stare at him, my chest swells and deflates, dangerously fast. Like an animal caught in a trap.
"You're vampires."
Nicolae's expression doesn't change. He takes a step towards me and I step back all the more.
"I should have seen it, you never eat, your skin is cold and pale. The way you move about isn't human: too subtle and silent. Too fast!"
Even if it's dangerous, I force myself to to look him in the eyes, in order to see what he's thinking.
"And the strength you have, Lorie included! It's because of her that I started having doubts... Your eyes change colour, you avoid mirrors..."
Nicolae plays with his ring. He seems to be thinking about the turn of the conversation and how he's going to suck me in.
"What did you did to me the night I arrived? You manipulated my mind into staying here, right?" This time he seems surprised. Looks like I hit the nail on the head.
"I trusted you, Nicolae. I thought you wanted to help me... You even used my parents as an argument..."
"I had no choice."
"You could just have let me go!"
"Drogo had gone too far. You were in shock! I couldn't risk letting you leave the mansion after what you had seen. You could have put the whole family in danger." So I'd already understand everything the night of my arrival... But what happened with Drogo exactly?
"What did he do? What did Drogo do to me the night? Did he try to... drink my blood?" Just as the thought of it, my legs almost give way.
"No matter how much I tell him to be careful, it seems that he's unable to contain himself with you..." Unable to contain myself? What does that mean?
"That night he disregarded our rules. He lost control of himself, he was going to bite you..."
My God!!!
"I thought it best to alter your memory of it, to make you see your spat as a simple argument" I stay silent, looking away.
"I can't believe it! You seeped into my mind and did what you wanted!"
"It was for your own good!"
"For my own good? Are you kidding me? You did it to protect your family, that's all! And now... What are you going to do with me?"
"Think Red! If our plan was to harm you, don't you think we would already have done it?"
"Not if you wanted to save me for later..."
He frowns as of the idea was the most absurd he'd ever heard. Then he let's out a little amused laugh. I don't see what's so funny!
I steal a glance at him. I see his lunar charm more clearly like that of his brothers. A vampiresque charm. Admittedly they seem to have been made in a way that makes us drop our guard.
"Nicolae, please let me go, I won't say anything..."
"Don't believe everything you read about us in books. We're not animals... Contrary to what you can imagine, we don't intend to tear you from your bed, in the middle of the night and devour you... We don't drink human blood..."
"Well, you won't mind if I don't stay around to check. And Drogo didn't seem to agree."
"Drogo acted on impulse, it won't happen again. Believe me, we have no intention of hurting you."
"No matter, my decision is made, I won't change my mind." As I continue to pack things into my suitcase. Nicolae sits down on my bed looking pensive.
"What if I told you that you, too, are different..."
I laugh. Is that all he can find?
"I think I'd have noticed if I was a vampire!"
"I didn't say that." I freeze, a trinket in my hand. What is this bullshit? A ploy to convince me to stay?
"My life is all that is most ordinary! There's nothing of a legendary creature about me."
"And yet..." I stare at him, feeling anger mingling with fear.
"Stop that, now! If it's another one of your stratagems to make me change my mind, it's really low, Nicolae!"
"You've never even noticed strange things happening in your presence, objects coming to life? Impressions that prove to be true? Prophetic dreams, wounds that miraculously heal?"
"You're kidding, right?" He doesn't answer and just stares at me with a most serious expression on his face. What am I supposed to say?
"Nothing of the sort has ever happened not any more than most people. Some intuitions sometimes proved right, but nothing supernatural!"
"And what about the lamp that flew across this room?"
"What lamp?"
"When Drogo attacked you that night, a lamp struck his head... I was about to intervene, but I'm not the one who made it happen, and it wasn't Drogo either, of course." Seeing that I'm still wondering what he means, he insists:
"It came from you Red, you have that magical gift in you, you're... special."
"Special?" My voice is shaky in spite of myself. I don't feel very well. What have they done to me?I had no power before I come here!
"You're wrong!" I jump violently. I didn't say anything aloud. He's still reading my mind!
"Stop that Nicolae!"
"I don't need to use my powers to know what you think. You're like an open book! Until now, your gifts have probably remained dormant, since you didn't call upon them. They were probably revealed to protect you in recent times."
"But it's completely crazy! A few days ago, I was quite normal, and now I live with vampires and I am... what am I exactly?... a sort of... witch?" Nicolae raises an eyebrow mockingly.
"Just a witch. There aren't many kinds."
"I'm going to wake up, it's all just a bad dream!"
"You can deny the obvious, I understand that it's difficult to take in, but I'm sure of myself, I know very few people with the gift of telekinesis."
A gift of telekinesis? If what Nicolae say is true, if I'm really a witch, then everything I thought to be true up to now falls apart. I don't know anything about that world. Is that what made me come here? To this university?
I have no experience of the supernatural, yet the subject has always attracted me... As if it were buried deep inside me and that it just needed to get out. All these uncertainties and these grey areas are unbearable. My anxiety has gone up a notch. I'm not only afraid of the Bartholy family. I am now also afraid of myself.
(CHAPTER 4💙)
The silence in my room is really heavy. Nicolae hasn't moved. He's still sitting beside me, waiting for me to crack or something like that. I let myself fall onto the bed and am fiddling with a sweater, staring into space. My muscles have relaxed a bit but my heart is pounding hard in my chest.
"I can't stay another day. It's not possible Nicolae!"
"You can't just leave like that... Give yourself some time to think about it..."
How can I make him understand?
"Put yourself in my place for two seconds... A few days ago, I didn't even know you. And a few hours ago, I thought vampires were imaginary monsters."
"I'm not sure I like the name monsters." I stare at him, circumspect. I'm not really in the mood to play on words.
"Monsters, supernatural creatures, sorcery... Seriously... Do you realize the shock I'm in? I had a normal life before you know!"
"We're not monsters in the literal sense."
"You also have certain abilities."
"It's true, but we control them. We're not wild beasts that you've probably read about in your books."
"That said, Drogo did assault me on the very night of my arrival..." Nicolae stares at the floor for an instant. I can't tell he's controlling himself as far as his brother is concerned.
"Drogo is the youngest brother in the family, and he has a lot to learn in order to control his impulses. It's still hard for him to master the dark side of our condition as vampires."
"Is that what makes him so aggressive?"
"It's armour, he's not who he makes out to be."
"I can't just take your word for it, I have no idea. I don't usually live with vampires... Maybe you should find a vampire nanny?" A slow smile stretches across his face and his eyes sparkle with amusement.
"Well, they're few and far between! But thank your for your suggestion, I'll think about it." Indeed. What an idea!
Nicolae gently takes my hands in his. The contact surprises me but, nevertheless, it's surprisingly comforting.
"Listen, if it can reassure you, I'm ready to answer yout questions, but please don't leave, especially since Lorie's really gotten used to you." Yeah right! That kid can't get used to anyone, except for her stuffed horrors.
"Lorie is a vampire too..."
"That's right. I guess you can understand why it's so complicated to find someone to take care of her... She's still quite unstable. Her transformation happened too soon. But with you, it could work. Plus your magic protects you from her thoughtless gestures." I think back to her kidnapping game. I didn't feel like I was in control of the situation... Yeah, getting tied up behind a slide by a six-year-old kid is beautifully handled!
I stare at Nicolae with sceptical irony. He immediately adopts the attitude of the guy who doesn't see what he's said wrong.
"I assure you, the others didn't last as long."
"Even Lucie?"
"Her above all!" I lower my shoulders, showing how dejected I feel. He approaches me and places his hand on my shoulder, to show me his support.
"I promise you everything will be fine."
"Well, excuse me for not feeling as excited as you..."
"You're one of us now, you belong to this family. We protect one another."
I stay silent for a moment, meditating on his words. I still feels suspicious. He could very well be leading me up the garden path. At the same time, I can't deny their protective attitude with Peter. And then... Drogo's presence that night in the bar, was it his way of keeping an eye on me? As crazy as it sounds, I can give them a chance. It frightens me, but if they were really blood-thirsty vampires, I wouldn't be here talking to one of them. I need to try...
"Let's say I agree to stay... Some things will have to change."
"Anything you want!" He seems sincere and full of goodwill. Might as well make the most of it while I can.
"For of all, no more mind manipulations. Never read my thoughts again. And that goes for all of you! Each of you must promise never to use his powers over me again."
"Okay."
"Secondly, you'll have to explain to me right away what I have to know about you and your... practices."
"Ask me the questions you want, I'll answer as well as I can."
"I read that you feed on blood..." It's not a topic I'm used in dealing with. This conversation is completely surreal.
"That's right... But it doesn't mean that we kill people for it."
"Then how?" He shrugs.
"Blood banks, animals... But again, I assure you that no one is killed. Above all, we seek to integrate ourselves into the world of the living."
"Why try to fit in? After all, you're much more powerful than humans."
"Believe it or not, we don't really see our condition as a gift. Immortality can be an ordeal and clouds our minds. Staying among the living helps us preserve our humanity." I watch him carefully. I can't understand what they feel but I've never found the idea of being immortal very attractive.
Since Nicolae seems inclined to speak, I decide to pursue my questioning.
"The thing with the mirrors, is true right?" His expression darkens slightly. I must have touched a raw nerve.
"Our reflection is an aspect of our condition that we'd gladly do without. We're also don't like the sun much."
"But your family? What happened to you all?" I want him to give me more details. I need to know what to expect.
Nicolae gets up to stand in front of the window. He seems a thousand miles.away from me, staring into space.
"Our father is a very old and very powerful vampire. He belongs to another time, he was born many centuries ago... He transformed us himself because he couldn't bear the loneliness anymore."
"I guess he didn't leave you the choice."
"No none of us, and unfortunately, if each one of us had the choice..." Nicolae pauses and seems to correct himself. His voice is filled with melancholy.
"You're not really brothers and sister, are you?"
"In our mortal lives no, but we were all transformed by the same man."
"I thought so, Peter is really different, there's a certain gentleness about him that I can't see in Drogo or Lorie... And his sadness..." He comes back to sit at the foot of my bed and stares at me with such intensity that it makes me feel uncomfortable.
"Peter hasn't accepted his nature. With time, we eventually resign ourselves and move forward. But not him, he's always refused to. He misses his humanity terribly." I sympathize when thinking about the affinity that I so easily built with him. I immediately felt his uneasiness and his pain.
"I understand he's unhappy, he's a sensitive person and an artist. It takes a certain vital essence to express one's talent, and without life, the sensations, if there are any, must be different. It must be very disturbing." He shows amused surprise before my clear-sightedness.
"I suppose there's something of that. But our father doesn't care much about that kind of superfluous detail, he prefers to focus on his career and the influence he has on others. He's always been obsessed with power, no matter the era in which we lived." I try not to frown on hearing this last piece of information. How old can they be?
"What does he do?"
"He's a very powerful man, whatever happens, stay away from him, he's bad news..." Ok, but it doesn't answer my question, nevermind let's move on. So, Daddy Bartholy is grumpy. Merry prospect!
Knowing this, I'm not in a hurry to meet him. And it also reminds me of Sarah's warnings.
"Of the nasty vampire kind then?"
"Bad, whatever his nature." His father is the person who hired me. So he knows a lot about me.
"Don't worry, our father is too busy with his affairs to be interested in us, at least as long as we don't put him in an awkward position."
"You say this as if it were perfectly normal situation..." His eyes sparkle with mischief.
"I'm pretty good and Lorie has only just been integrated into the human world. With Peter and Drogo, it's more complicated."
"That it should be complicated with Drogo is obvious but... Peter?" Nicolae sighs.
"Our father assumes that he has done us a great honour by transforming us. The fact that Peter clings with all his might to his humanity exasperates him deeply. But don't worry... Our father has several properties in different cities all over the world, and because he works a lot, he's often away. We're used to it and it's just as well."
"So I'll practically never come across him..."
"Most likely." So much the better, I'm not sure I want to know him.
"You'll see that in his presence the atmosphere is charged negatively. We can feel him, even when he's miles from here."
"That sort of information doesn't make me feel much better."
"I prefer to warn you. You think Drogo's bad? Next to our father, he's an angel!" I let out a mocking laugh.
"Awesome! That's all I needed to hear."
"Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you. My brothers and I will stand up to him if necessary."
"In that case, maybe you should warn Drogo that he's on my side..." Nicolae looks impassive. His gazes fixes me gently.
"You're wrong Red, you shouldn't doubt Drogo. I know he'd step in. Didn't he do just that with Loan?" Certainly. So why play cat and mouse with me? Why roughen me up like that by blowing hot and cold?
"Don't get across if I prefer to be in my guard as much with your father as with your brother." He laughs at my lack of trust.
"Better too much suspicion than not enough!" I feel a certain apprehension about having to face this terrifying father. I am sure he'll be much less sympathetic than his sons.
I had a little trouble adapting to them as it is... What I don't understand is why this powerful man is so fond of mingling with humans. It's curious, considering he sees us as food, right?
"Why is he so eager to integrate too? Why not find a nice quiet place and start up a breeding farm of small vampires?" Nicolae smiles sadly.
"We're not as many as before, unfortunately. We have been hunted down for centuries and many of us perished. The best way to keep your ascendancy over others is to look alive and mingle with humans seeming as normal as possible. As I told you, he's very powerful and over the centuries, he has mastered many powers. The world his playground and men are small pawns that he uses as he wishes." I surprise myself by feeling compassion in listening to his story. They didn't ask to become vampires. Their father is solely responsible.
Looking out the window, I observe the moonlight that adds to the strangeness of the situation. I meditate on his Revelations.
"I'm not meant to be here... If I am a witch and you are vampires, then aren't we enemies?"
"The resentment between certain vampires and certain witches goes back a long way but it's more due to family stories than to an animosity inherent to our respective conditions." All this information is a bit difficult to digest. I sit cross-legged on my bed and reflect on the consequences that all this will have on my existence.
I feel like I'm at a turning point. Will this be my life now? Stories of the occult and investigations into mysterious disappearances? I who wanted to live new adventures by leaving my hometown, I'm getting my share!
"It's strange... I should be terrified yet I finally feel whole. For the first time in my life!"
"That's normal, those gifts are part of you, they were just waiting to be revealed." I sigh.
"It doesn't mean I'm gonna know how to use them just yet."
"You have a lot to learn about yourself and the new world you're discovering, but you have the strength to make it." I shake my head, feeling sceptical. You have to understand me. This is not regular situation: I am a witch!
I repeat it countless times in my head. It's something as alarming as it is exhilarating. I feel special, I who always thought I had nothing in particular.
"If I'm really a... witch, why didn't I realize it sooner? And why has nothing extraordinary happened now that I know about it?"
"You knew nothing about your situation. You can possess a gift that never shows until you call upon it."
"So what am I supposed to do to make it work?"
"It takes training. You'll need to learn to control you forces and be cautious with magic as powerful as yours. Maybe also that up to now you weren't ready to accept that side of you."
"Whereas I am now?"
"We'll soon find out."
He gives me a reassuring smile and gets up, inviting me to do the same. As I look at my alarm clock, I understand that it's time to go to dinner.
"So... Are you staying?"
"For now, yes." He must understand that I may change my mind at any time. At the slightest threat, I'll leave without looking back.
"What about the others? Do they know too? About me, I mean..." His eyes sparkle mischievously.
"I think Drogo still remembers perfectly the incident with the lamp." This last remark makes me feel confident in facing Drogo and his bad attitude. The "little thing" as he puts it could well learn to kick his ass!
"Nicolae, where can I start to master my... uh... powers?" His face lights up. Where I'm putting forward only a simple eventuality, he seems to think that things are already settled.
"I'll help you. If you trust yourself, you'll control your power pretty quickly."
"Great. When do we start?"
"We'll see tomorrow night if you don't have anything else planned, of course. We'll set up a schedule to organise ourselves according to your lessons and Lorie."
"Don't forget to leave me a little time for me too."
"Obviously... You'll see Red, if you give us a chance, your life here will be a lot more exciting than anything you've ever known." That won't be difficult, to tell the truth...
We make our way down to the ground floor and head towards the dining room. Judging by his satisfied look, I guess I had the reaction he was expecting. In exchange for his help, I promise to stay indefinitely. It's a deal and I don't feel I've lost out. I know, it's crazy. I just learned that I live with vampires and I'm about to sit down to dinner as if nothing had happened. But the situation's changed. I'll soon be able to defend myself. I'm no longer the same.
Upon entering the dining room, I discover Peter in his usual place.
"Where are the others?" Nicolae
"Lorie's in her room, she wasn't hungry."
"It's okay, Peter... She knows. She ended up catching on." Peter looks at me, surprised.
"How?"
"In fact, when you think about it, it wasn't so complicated to pinpoint what's wrong with you all... You're not always very discreet."
"Nevertheless, you're the first to have discovered it..." Peter
"Probably because I'm gifted!"
"Everybody at Mystery Spell thinks of us as a wealthy marginalized family. Our father is a public figure here and we are here, students. Except for Nicolae who handles family affairs."
"And I handle you! And it's not always easy..."
"I'm not the one who gives you the most trouble."
"Admittedly, where is our dear brother by the way?"
"No idea." Nicolae sighs. I'm not surprised that Drogo is the one that causes him the most problems. He seems to be a free spirit.
Peter turns to me with a gentle face.
"Welcome to the family Red! And this time, for good."
"Thank you. I just hope there won't be any more secrets between us... I have a lot to learn from you. Nicolae will help me develop my powers." He looks at his brother raising an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Did you tell her about that too?"
"She was ready." Peter nods his head and his eyes fall back on me. He's smiling, which is reassuring.
"Try to be a nice little witch with us poor vampires, please!" I look at him mischievously.
"Don't take it badly, but I'd rather not to underestimate you."
Surprised, I hear them both laughing at my answer. At least, the atmosphere is more welcoming than when I arrived.
If things continue this way, I'll get to liking life with them. Only time will tell if I've made the right decision tonight.
THE dinner took place in a joyous and relaxed atmosphere. I now know that Peter and Nicolae mean me no harm but I keep in mind that they are vampires. Lorie and her dubious games is still a problem.
I feel a draught behind me... I turn around shivering. I see the object of my thoughts settled casually on my bed.
"So then, our little thing knows she's a witch!"
"Get out of my room, Drogo! You're not welcome here." I try to ignore the tension that's rising in me and the cold sweat that's running down my spine. I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid!
He stands up, confident and sure of his power. He approaches, obstructing my field of vision so that I see only him. I feel beset by his intimidating presence.
"Your room is a part of my house. In a way, I'm also at home." I clench my fists, refusing to bow before him. No way am I gonna show my worry.
"Make the most of it while you can, I won't always be so helpless, I could well have the last word!" He seems surprised by my response and a faint smile stretches across his lips.
"Really, I can't wait to see that! I who thought I'd find you boring..."
"I am not a toy!"
"No, more like a sweet treat, that I'll bite into whatever I feel like it." I feel immense anger invade me and I push him away violently. He doesn't move an inch, contenting himself with raising a sly eyebrow.
Great energy swirls in me. It's strong and powerful. Something indefinable, which I have never felt before. It's threatening to overwhelm me. I feel out of breath as if I were suffocating.
"What..." Suddenly every window around us smashes!
Immediately Drogo seizes me against him and carries me at full speed to the back of the room. In seconds, everything's over. Drogo still has his arms around me, his body is like a shield protecting me. I push him away slightly and notice that he has a few cuts here and there. I remain for a moment petrified.
Did I do that? He still has a mocking expression on his face. At least, I haven't made him angry.
"I'm sorry, I can't control it yet..."
"I thought it was a little trick to catch my attention."
"No, not at all!"
"Ah... shame, I like it when you get angry." How exasperating he can be!
"You think you're smarter than everyone else, right?"
"Sorry, but I'm not the one at your mercy, right now." I notice that I'm still against him, his breath is against my cheek, his arms around my waist.
I try to step away, to escape, but I find myself up against the wall.
"Could you..."
"No! Absolutely not."
"In that case, you won't mind if I do it again." His laughter against my neck makes me shudder.
He straightens up slightly and places his hands against the wall, on either side of my face.
"Well, it looks as though destiny is desperately attempting to repeat the same situations: you, me... and a wall!"
His smell intoxicates me. Does he use power or a charm to get to me like this? It's the only explanation! I refuse to consider not even for a second that I could be attracted to this guy! I mean, he's a vampire for Christ's sake!
I free myself and skirt around him, trying to put distance between us. He comes closer and stops abruptly when he realizes that I'm seriously considering running barefoot over the shattered pieces of glass. He plunges his hands into his pockets and stays at a distance, then he says to me:
"You know it's getting interesting, 'us two'"
"You should stop playing with me like that!"
"What if I wasn't playing, sweet little thing?"
"Stop it, it's humiliating! Especially since your cheap jokes always turn out at my expense, I can tell that your intentions aren't sincere!" He gives me a strange look.
"Who knows..." And he leaves without looking back. Why do I feel so attracted?
I remain motionless for a moment, not knowing how to interpret his last words. I sit on my bed and look around at the damage I've caused. Every single window is broken. I have two options. Either I try to fix my mess-up like a big girl, or I warn Nicolae that I need to sleep in another room until the windows are fixed. Except that the latte rmay take time. I've gotten used to my room. I don't want to change.
I shrug my shoulders. After all, nothing ventured nothing gained.
With a beating heart, I lay down on my bed and close my eyes, emptying my mind. I concentrate, trying to connect with my potential power. The beating of my heart calms down and suddenly I feel an incredible enerygy, both warm and reassuring. I gather my strength and visualize in detail the pieces of glass that litter the floor. I adjust my will to my desire of getting the room back the way it was before I panicked.
Several astonishing vibrations run through my body and I gather them around me.
When I open my eyes again, I remain stunned at what lies before my eyes. The windows are all back in place with no trace of whatever. There's no doubt about it: I am indeed a witch! I am both terrified and a terribly excited. I can't wait to find out more about this new part of myself.
I suddenly feel exhausted, almost feverish. I slip under my covers to warm myself. As soon as I lay my head on the pillow I sink into a deep sleep.