by Amy Cross
***
“Do you believe in ghosts?” she asked later, as she and Edgar enter the conservatory.
“Living in a house like this,” he replied, “I have no choice.” Making his way to the drinks cabinet, he opened the door and took out a bottle. “Can I interest you in a glass of brandy?”
“Thank you,” she replied, “I -”
Before she could finish, the electric lights suddenly blinked off, leaving the room in pitch darkness.
“Excuse me,” Edgar replied, “I'm afraid the electrical system at the house is still in need of some attention. I'll go out to fix things shortly, but until then...”
Seconds later, Kate saw a small flame as Edgar lit a candle that stood on top of the grand piano. He handed her a glass of brandy, before lighting a couple of other candles on the far side of the room.
“Still,” he continued, returning to the drinks cabinet and retrieving his glass of brandy, “I suppose the candles are rather atmospheric, especially when you just asked me about ghosts.” He made his way to one of the sofas and gestured for Kate to join him. “As I'm sure you'll understand,” he continued, “I find it difficult to believe that ghosts are real. After all, my family has lived in this house for generations, so if there are any ghosts here at all, I'm sure they would be rather familiar to me.”
As she took a seat, Kate turned to look out the window. The lights of the porn town sparkled in the distance.
“Why do you ask?” Edgar continued, sitting nearby. “I hope you haven't been disturbed by anything while you've been staying here?”
“Not at all,” she replied, “I just... I thought I saw something at the beach this morning.”
“Which beach would that be?”
“The western point.”
“I believe that's where two young girls lost their lives a few years ago,” he replied.
“I'm just being silly,” she continued. “There's obviously a rational explanation.”
“Undoubtedly,” Edgar replied, taking a sip of brandy. “Perhaps it was just a very vivid dream.”
Immediately reminded of the dreams she'd experienced involving Edgar, Kate looked down at her glass. She wasn't certain, but she felt she might be blushing.
“Dreams can seem so very real,” he continued. “Sometimes it's hard to know where dreams end and reality begins. If something happens in a dream, and if it feels completely real, can one truly say that it didn't happen?”
“Of course,” Kate replied, turning to him. “After all, the other person didn't experience it.”
A faint smile crossed his lips.
“Dreams are just the subconscious mind's way of processing sensations,” Kate continued. “It's dangerous to read too much into them.”
“But what if two people could share a dream?” he asked. “What if a shared dream felt real to them both? Could one not say that those events truly happened, albeit in a different kind of environment?”
“But two people can't share a dream,” Kate pointed out. “That kind of thing is just fantasy.”
“Perhaps.”
Taking a larger-than-planned gulp of brandy, Kate tried to stay calm. Unfortunately, she was finding it harder and harder not to think back to the most recent dream she could remember, in which she'd one again made love to Edgar. It had felt so real, so vivid, that she was convinced she'd experience it again if only she closed her eyes.
“You're fighting too hard,” Edgar said suddenly.
“What?”
He raised an eyebrow.
Just as she was about to ask what he meant, Kate realized that for a moment his voice had sounded like it was in her head. She couldn't be certain whether he'd actually spoken those words, or whether they were a figment of her imagination.
“I meant...” She paused again. “I'm a realist,” she continued finally. “All my life, all my career, I've focused on things that are right in front of me, things that I can quantify for myself. Maybe that makes me unimaginative, but when you start talking about people sharing a dream... It's just not possible. I know we still don't fully understand dreams from a scientific point of view, but one thing we do know is that they exist exclusively in the mind of the individual dreamer.”
“I'm sure you're right,” Edgar replied. “Besides, if one person could enter the dreams of another unbidden, would that not constitute a great invasion of privacy? Imagine all the things that someone could do once they were a part of another person's thoughts. It would be an unconscionable act.”
Again, Kate felt herself blushing as she looked down at her glass of brandy. For a fraction of a second, she couldn't help but think back to the dream in which Edgar had run his hands over her naked body. She wasn't the kind of person who usually entertained sexual thoughts so freely, and she felt as if somehow she wasn't quite in control of her own mind.
“And to make one final point,” Edgar continued, “if someone could enter your dreams, could they not also enter your waking thoughts?” He paused. “In which case, that person would have to be trusted to leave you alone. The world is a loud and busy place. We all need the sanctuary of our own minds, as places to which we can retreat when we wish to be alone.”
“I -”
Before she could finish, Kate suddenly felt a wave of nausea pass through her body. It took a moment for her to feel steady again, but finally she felt as if her thoughts were her own, and she was able to focus on the present rather than having her mind swamped by memories of her dreams. She took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.
“Are you okay?” Edgar asked.
“I'm fine,” she replied, trying not to seem panicked. “I'm sorry, I guess I just... For a moment...” She took a deep breath, followed by a sip of brandy for good measure. “It's been a long day,” she continued finally, “and a strange one too. I hope you don't think I'm rude, but I think I might have to go to bed after this drink. I haven't been feeling quite myself for a while. It's been kind of a crazy day and to be honest I'm not certain that I've quite got things in order.”
“Whatever makes you feel comfortable,” he replied. “I hope that I did nothing to make you feel awkward?”
“Not at all,” she said, finishing the brandy and getting to her feet. “I guess I'm just starting to question a few things that have challenged the way I see the world. Have you ever believed something with absolute certainty, only to then find out that you might have been wrong? I mean, something that you almost thought defined you. Like... whether you believe that a certain type of thing could be possible?”
“I believe so,” Edgar told her as he walked her out of the room. As they reached the foot of the stairs, he stopped and turned to her. They were standing a little closer to one another than might be considered normal, but neither of them moved away. “When one starts questioning reality, one risks disappearing down something of a rabbit hole. For example, how can you be certain that this conversation is real and not part of another dream?”
“I...” As she stared at him, she felt her heart racing. “I don't quite know what you mean.”
“Simply that if one can have a dream that one mistakes for reality, perhaps one can have a moment of reality that one mistakes as a dream. Or perhaps there's not much difference either way.” He paused for a moment. “If it's okay with you, Kate, I would like to make these dinners a regular occasion. Perhaps we can get together once a weak and discuss your findings, and anything else that concerns you with regard to the island and its history. I find the topic most fascinating.”
“Sure,” she replied. “I'd be glad to. That sounds... fine.”
They both paused for a few seconds, as if they were waiting for each other to make some kind of move. Finally, hesitantly, Edgar reached down and took her hand, moving it closer to his lips before planting a gentle kiss on her skin.
“For tonight,” he said calmly, staring deep into her eyes.
“For tonight,” she replied, feeling a sense of anticipation start to well in her chest.
After a moment, Edgar leaned closer and kissed the side of her face. He stayed close, his breath on her skin, before kissing her gently on the lips.
“I'm sorry,” he said suddenly. “I shouldn't have done that.”
“It's fine,” she replied, waiting for him to do it again. “I don't mind.”
There was another pause, before finally he kissed her again, and this time their lips stayed together for longer. As Kate opened her mouth a little, she felt the kiss start to build, and after a moment Edgar put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer. It was a delicate kiss, gentle and almost chaste, and oh-so-slow, but for a first kiss it was more than enough. Realizing that all her usual fears and doubts were absent, Kate put her arms around his shoulders and felt his tongue against hers.
“Didi!” she said suddenly, pulling back.
“I'm sorry?”
“Didi!” She paused, suddenly feeling breathless. “You can't... We can't... That was...”
They stood in silence for a moment, as Kate tried to find the right words.
“I see,” he replied, clearly frustrated. “Kate, Didi means nothing to me, she -”
“She's your fiance,” Kate pointed out, glancing around to make sure that no-one had seen them.
“Barely,” he continued. “Didi is just -”
“You're getting married to her next year.”
“Am I?”
“Well, she thinks so.” Kate took a step back. “I'm sorry, Edgar, I shouldn't have let that happen. It was my fault, not yours. Let's just... pretend it never happened.”
“Kate -”
“Please?”
“You don't know everything,” he continued. “Kate, if you'd just come back through with me, I can explain. I know this must seem very sudden to you, but to me it's...” He paused, and for a moment it was almost as if there were tears in his eyes. “Something happened long ago,” he said finally. “Something that I can't... I can't tell you what it is, so you're just going to have to trust me. Everything is connected, however. My return to Thaxos, your arrival here, the stones on the northern side, the...”
She waited for him to continue.
“Do you not think,” he added, “that I would tell you everything if I could? I gain nothing from this subterfuge and evasiveness. All that happens is that you grow wary of me, when that it the opposite of what I want. I can only tell you that I was once a cruel and evil man, and although that time of my life is over, I must live every day with the consequences of my actions. Now...” He reached up and put a hand on the side of her face. “Now more than ever.”
“Why can't you tell me?” she asked.
“Trust me.”
“I do trust you,” she replied, “it's just that I don't understand why you can't just tell me what's on your mind.”
“The answers are there,” he continued. “They're in the archive. They're also... elsewhere on Thaxos. Carved into stones. Scribbled in old diaries. The clues are out there, and slowly they're moving closer. I don't know how or when you'll finally understand everything, but I know for a fact that it will happen.” Again, he paused. “A dark day is coming, Kate. The worst part is, I don't know whether I should look forward to its arrival or live in fear. Either way, everything will change when I open the tomb.”
“Tomb?” she asked.
“I'm getting ahead of myself,” he replied, taking a step back. “All things have their moment, all times come to pass. None of us can hurry such things, not even... Not even those of us who might otherwise consider ourselves masters of our domains. Even the strongest beast in the jungle must occasionally feel the limits of its powers.”
“Well,” Kate replied, “I think maybe we've both had a little too much to drink tonight...”
“Kate -”
“And we can't tell anyone,” she continued. “Please, I want to stay and finish my work, but I can't if... I can't if things are awkward between us. Let's just put this down to a drunken kiss after a few too many drinks.”
“I don't think the drink -”
“I should go to bed,” she replied, turning and making her way up the stairs in such a panic that she almost tripped. Reaching the top, she turned back to look down at him. “Please, Edgar. Let's just put it out of our minds. That kiss didn't happen.” She waited for him to reply. “Please,” she added. “I need to know that we can put this behind us.”
Again she waited.
Again he seemed reluctant.
“As you wish,” he said after a moment.
Forcing a smile, Kate turned to head to her room.
“I didn't kill James Nixon,” Edgar said suddenly.
Kate turned back to him.
“I don't know if...” He paused. “I don't know if that's something that is perhaps causing you some hesitation, and I don't know how much gossip you've heard but... I didn't kill James Nixon. It's important to me that you know that.”
“Sure,” she replied. “I didn't think you did.”
“I just thought maybe...” He paused again. “I thought maybe that some of your reticence was due to...”
His voice trailed off, and they stared at one another in awkward silence for a moment.
“I need to be up early,” Kate said finally. “Thank you for the lovely evening. It was good to talk to you again.”
With that, she hurried along the corridor, desperate to get to her room. As soon as she was inside, she pushed the door shut and leaned back, trying to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she felt as if a million thoughts were rushing through her head, jostling for position and sending conflicting impulses into her mind. She didn't know what made her feel worse: the knowledge that she just kissed an engaged man, or the knowledge that she so nearly didn't stop him.
Or the fact that it had felt so perfect.
VIII
“This is insane,” Cavaleri muttered as she and Doctor Young made their way down the dirt path that led to the western point beach. The sun was already setting in the distance, and a lazy tide was lapping at the shore. “I don't know what you think you're playing at, but -”
“I'm not playing at anything,” he replied, interrupting her. “I never play, Inspector. Everything I do is deadly serious.”
“You're lucky I'm humoring you,” she continued, as they made their way across the sand. “I'm only here because I want to see for my own eyes that you're full of -”
“It still hurts, doesn't it?” he asked.
“What does?”
“Your sister's death. She was nine, I believe? Which means you must have been, what, in your early twenties at that point? I can't imagine what it's like to suffer through such a tragedy.”
He waited for her to reply, but it was clear that she'd never expected him to refer to her past.
“I'm an only child,” he continued. “I have a father who still lives, and I believe an aunt also, but for the most part I move through life without having to worry too much about family members. So you'll have to forgive me, Inspector, but I don't quite understand how it must feel to have a sibling, and for that sibling to then be ripped out of my life. I imagine that it must leave you feeling constantly lonely, and always wondering if there was anything you might have done to change what happened.”
“You don't know what you're talking about,” she whispered.
“I don't, no,” he continued. “I know the facts. I know what happened on this beach all those years ago. But I don't know what it felt like, or how it haunts you today.”
“My parents never recovered,” she replied. “It tore them apart.”
“It tore you apart too, didn't it?”
Stopping by the shore, Doctor Young stared out at the water for a moment.
“So calm,” he said quietly. “It's hard to believe how much darkness lies beneath the surface.”
“Let's make this quick,” Cavaleri replied. “Whatever you're -”
“What do you think happened to your sister's body?” he asked.
; “I... She and her friend were washed out to sea. There's no way -”
“What if she wasn't?” he continued. “What if Karya and Elizabeth are still here somewhere?” He paused for a moment, watching as the Mediterranean sea gently rippled, stretching to the horizon. “Do you believe in the supernatural, Inspector?” he asked finally.
He waited for a reply.
“You're like so many people,” he continued. “You want to believe, but you're not convinced.”
“Is that what you brought me down here for?” she asked. “To stare at the sea and make a few cryptic comments?”
“The influence of Edgar Le Compte is far more pervasive than you realize,” he replied. “He doesn't care who he hurts, or how much horror he brings to Thaxos. The man knows no limits. To him, cruelty is just another way to manipulate and hurt people. Trust me, Inspector, I have known Edgar Le Compte for a very long time and I have seen him do so horrific things, but I am under no illusion that I have seen the worst of him. What he did to your sister, for example...”
“Le Compte wasn't even on Thaxos when Karya drowned,” Cavaleri replied, staring out at the sea with tears in her eyes.
“That's of no importance,” Doctor Young replied. “His influence is vast.”
“So what are you saying?” she asked. “Are you telling me that my sister's body is out there somewhere, under the sea?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“Don't you feel it?” he continued, turning to her. “It's a warm night, Inspector, but don't you feel a faint, cold touch on the back of your neck?” He smiled. “Your sister is right behind you.”
“Are you insane?” Cavaleri asked, turning to him. “What kind of -”
Before she could finish, she realized that there was something nearby. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a shape standing a few meters away, and another shape further up the beach. Slowly, with her heart starting to pound in her chest, she turned, and finally she found herself staring at the face of her dead sister.
“No,” she whispered, taking a step back into the tide before dropping to her knees. “It... No...”
Her skin torn and bloodied, nine-year-old Karya Cavaleri took a step forward, while her friend Elizabeth stayed back.
“Edgar Le Compte did this,” Doctor Young explained dispassionately. “He caused these two young girls to be dragged beneath the surface, and then he left their bodies down there until he came back to Thaxos. And then...”
“No,” Cavaleri replied, with tears streaming down her face. “This is a nightmare! It's a dream! None of it's real! She's just -”
She stopped as the little girl reached out and put her ice-cold hand against her skin.
“Karya?” Cavaleri asked.
“Your tears are warm,” Karya replied, with a sense of wonder in her voice. Cavaleri's tears were running down onto the girl's frozen hand.
“You can't deny what's right in front of you,” Doctor Young continued. “Edgar Le Compte caused these two poor young girls to drown, and then he did something even worse to them.”
Cavaleri shook her head.
“Show her, Karya,” Doctor Young said with a smile. “Show your sister what you've become.”
Karya stared for a moment, before tilting her head slightly to one side and opening her mouth to reveal two razor-sharp fangs. Behind her, Elizabeth did the same.
“W...” Cavaleri gasped, her eyes wide with shock.
Slowly, a faint hissing sound emerged from the back of Karya's throat. Her eyes were deep-set and tinted yellow, as if they more than the rest of her body showed a hint of death.
“Not now,” Doctor Young said, putting a hand on the young girl's shoulder. “This is your sister, remember.”
The hissing stopped, but Karya's fangs were still visible.
“When?” Karya asked.
“I don't know,” he told her.
“We've waited so long,” the girl continued, keeping her gaze fixed on Cavaleri. “Just this morning, a woman came to the beach. It was so hard not to take her, but we remembered what we were told. We were good, weren't we?”
“You were very good,” Doctor Young replied.
“We did make ourselves visible to her,” Karya added. “We might even have reached up and touched her.”
“I thought you were told to simply wait.”
“It's so hard,” Karya replied. “We get so lonely down there in the cold. Living people are so warm. The thought of all that blood flowing into our mouths, filling us... I don't know how much longer we can wait.”
“What kind of a trick is this?” Cavaleri whispered, her bottom lip trembling as she tried not to sob. “It can't be real...”
“Vampires?” Doctor Young replied. “Oh, they're very real, Inspector. You always thought your sister was dead, but the truth is, she's alive. To some extent, anyway. Her heart doesn't beat, not anymore. Her blood no longer flows around her body. Instead it rests in her veins and arteries, and it long ago became as cold as ice.”
Cavaleri shook her head.
“Edgar Le Compte took your sister and her friend because he wanted to use them,” Doctor Young continued. “They have a purpose here on Thaxos. He needed someone who could guard the barrier between life and death.” Reaching out, he took Karya's hand and moved it away from Cavaleri's face. “I'm sure everyone on Thaxos knows the stories,” he continued. “All those tales about Edgar's grandfather, except it wasn't his grandfather. It was the same man.”
“We have to stop people crossing,” Karya explained. “We have to stop them in both directions.”
“You're not my sister,” Cavaleri replied. “You can't be! You're a monster!”
“I remember you,” Karya told her. “We had the same parents before... before everything changed. There were supposed to be three of us, but there are only two. Perhaps if we finally claimed a third, we would be able to take control of our own destiny.”
“I think I've made my point,” Doctor Young continued, putting a hand on Cavaleri's shoulder. “Okay. Now I'm going to tell you what we'll do next. One way or another, Inspector, Edgar will be stopped.”
“I don't believe in any of this,” Cavaleri replied. “It's all a trick!”
“Don't be weak-minded, Inspector. The girls are going to go back underwater and wait for the moment when they're needed, and you and I are going to go and talk about how we proceed from here.” He leaned down, until his lips were close to her right ear. “I think it's time for me to go ahead with plan B, Inspector. And for that, I'm going to need your help.”