DARK FAÏZ
BOOK 1
Translated from French by Tiffany. S
SANDRA L.KISS
The first edition of this novel was published under the title: Dark Faïz, tout héros à sa légende.
Copyright © 2020 by Sandra L.Kiss
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This book is a fiction. Any reference to historical events, characters or real places would be used fictitiously. The other names, characters, places, and events are from the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to living or existing characters would be entirely coincidental.
To my husband, Stine, for giving me this fabulous life.
To my children, Lloyd-Octave and Eden, my love
is unconditional for you.
Table des matières
1
FAÏZ
2
FAÏZ
3
FAÏZ
4
FAÏZ
5
FAÏZ
6
FAÏZ
7
FAÏZ
8
FAÏZ
9
FAÏZ
10
FAÏZ
11
FAÏZ
12
FAÏZ
13
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
1
The sound signal, to remind us to fasten our seat belts, pulled me out of my thoughts. Kimberose's voice, with the words "I’m sorry" in my ears, failed to cover the captain's announcement that our Airbus would land in the next few minutes. That's when I saw, through my window, houses as far as the eye could see. The modern buildings stretched all the way up. I discovered a world totally different from the one I knew. We had crossed the Dome without my noticing, a thin, almost invisible wall that had covered the state of California for several decades. I took a look at my seat mate, a beautiful woman in her forties, with red hair, who then smiled at me.
"It's Downtown," she explained, "the business district of LA."
"That's it, I'm in."
I had whispered these words without even realizing it. As I turned back to my window, I realized that I had left my southern suburb of Paris for Los Angeles, a city in the United States, where for many years now it was so difficult to get permission to stay. Part of me was getting impatient to meet my host family. Damn it! Classes start on Monday. I'll barely have time to get to know her this weekend before my first day of school. Indeed, I arrived a week late in the middle of August, due to minor administrative problems with my university study contract. The Voltaire program between students and universities was an opportunity for me to go and live abroad, especially in one of the most mysterious countries in the world. My need for distance was stronger than anything else. I believed in this new beginning. At that moment, I thought of all the people I loved and left behind. Heartache made me wonder if this three-year program was a mistake. I really hoped to get used to it and to integrate into this new country, this new city.
"If you need to take a transport from the airport, I recommend a shuttle or an Uber. Taxis will cost you much more," my neighbor kindly informed me.
"Thank you, but someone should come and get me."
I then wondered if all of the Mattew family would come to meet me at the airport. As the rear axle touched the ground, I closed my eyes. Landing was still a time when I couldn't help but be anxious.
With my two suitcases on my cart, I headed towards the exit. That was when I saw the crowd waiting in the arrivals’ hall, panels in hand. I looked for my first name on one of them, but without success. After a while, I almost got used to the idea of going to find out about the shuttles when I heard a voice calling out to me.
"Zoe?"
As I turned around, I discovered Mrs. Mattew, who made a small movement to retreat when she saw me. I was used to this kind of reaction due to the rare color of my eyes, which reflected an intense smaragdin green. Until now, I had only seen her once, on one of the e-mailed photo exchanges where Mrs. Mattew introduced me to her family a few months earlier. This woman, with her classy and distinguished appearance, seemed humble.
"Hello, Mrs. Mattew."
She let out a warm little laugh.
"Call me Lily. That's my first name. Did you have a good trip?"
"All right, it went pretty fast."
"Perfect. Let's go, then. My car is in the parking lot. I'll help you with your luggage."
In her light blue Mustang, Lily tried to make me as comfortable as possible. She told me about the city and its thirteen million inhabitants, the habits of Californians with their cultural code...but nothing about her family, so I decided to ask her a few questions about them.
"Have you participated in this type of university program before?"
"No," she confided to me with a broad smile, "you know LA is almost self-sufficient. It makes things complicated."
While driving, she took a quick look at me. Suddenly there was a hint of sadness in her voice.
"You're the first! " She pulled herself together immediately, " Don't worry, we are happy to welcome you during this school year. I think you and Victoria will get along very well."
Victoria was Lily's daughter, who was sixteen years old. We were nearly the same age. I knew that the Mattew also had a son, but unlike the rest of the family, I had never seen him in the photos exchanged.
"I did not have the pleasure of seeing Faïz in the family photos. Does he still live with you?"
Lily's smile vanished and she suddenly became very serious. Her raven black hair was long and fine, and she also had very clear and perfect skin, like a porcelain doll. Her black eyes, so expressive, took up a large part of her face.
"Yes, he lives with us...most of the time. He has a loft in Downtown LA."
There was a moment of silence and then she continued.
"My son is very discreet by nature, Zoe, and unfortunately not very talkative. I hope you can make a connection with him in the future."
The tone of her voice did not leave much chance of that happening. She added,
"I must admit that this exchange program between universities and students made us hesitate at first. We agreed to be part of the host families, thinking that it would be a good way for us to be better accepted in the Baylor University community and thus open up to other horizons."
I looked through the Mustang's window. This city seemed really huge to me. Coconut palms were along the roads, and highway networks crisscrossed everywhere. In the distance, the hills seemed to surround us. The Dome, on the other hand, could barely see itself, and it blended into the scenery. I was going to miss the towers of my "Les roses" district. I saw myself again with Prescillia and Aurore, my two school friends, but also my neighbors, listening to hip-hop and R'N'B downstairs. Music and dance that most of the time turned into a guaranteed laugh. With studies, it was my daily life in Paris.
Immersed in my memories for a while, the sign for ELORA made me realize that I had arrived in the Mattew's district. I had to make a great effort not to let a cry of surprise escape. The villas were magnificent, huge, and unreal. I knew that Lily was a lawyer and Mr. Mattew was an architect. From the look of these big houses, they must have belonged to the wealthy class of Los Angeles.
"The neighborhood is beautiful, " I said, stunned.
"We are not far from Calabasas."
A big smile appeared again on her face and she added,
"You will enjoy the view from here, between the sea and the mountains."
The car stopped in front of a gate with large iron bars, covered with roses and other flowers around it. I saw through it a beautiful ivory fountain, and behind it, a one-floor villa on with very modern architecture. Lily parked inside the courtyard, just in front of the entrance to the villa.
"Leave your luggage in the trunk. Mr. John will come and pick it up."
Butler, that's all!
Posted in front of the glass entrance door, my image was unflattering after twelve hours of flight. My bazaar hair, black, thick, and curly, was contained only by a pair of hair bow ready to explode. My usually tanned complexion was much paler than usual. Fatigue and jet lag had taken their toll on me. Even my green eyes had lost their color. Lily stood by my side, which was when I noticed her tall, slim figure. She moved around on her high heels with ease.
She opened the front door. The first thing I saw was a large staircase on one side with a glass railing. The walls were covered with paneling. Lily took me to the huge, brightly lit living room with its dazzling luxury, and all in marble with a large bay window in the background. I noticed that the lights and windows were fully automated with state-of-the-art technology.
Outside, I could see, amazed, the overflow pool that ran along the terrace fitted with mosaic tiles. That's not possible. I'm still asleep. The television screen seemed to come out of the ceiling. Lily noticed my amazement and left me a little while to observe and discover the place.
"Victoria! " shouted Lily, " Victoria, come down! We are in the living room."
Considering the size of this villa, I wondered, doubtfully, how her daughter could hear her. However, a few seconds later, quick steps rushed down the stairs. Victoria appeared, sixteen years old, but already very tall, too, just like her mother. Her long, thin hair fell down to her shoulders. She came up to me with a radiating smile.
"Hello, Zoe. I'm very happy to meet you in person. Sorry, but I don't speak French at all."
She apologized, greeting me with a wave of her hand.
"This will be an opportunity to learn, my darling," Lily told her daughter in a joking tone.
"Zoe, are you coming? I'll show you around," Victoria suggested, while taking a complicit look at her mother.
"I'll call you about dinner. Zoe, don't hesitate to ask if you need anything."
Upstairs, a large corridor gave access to eight huge bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. They all had bay windows, some with ocean views and others with a view of Los Angeles where twilight was already reflected on the city. The decorations, of a classy and refined style, made the rooms spacious and with a system of high technology that was found everywhere. The walls were covered with Venetian plaster.
Victoria ended the tour by showing me my room. The view was incredible. With the setting sun, I had the impression I was at the edge of a cliff with the ocean as far as the eye could see. The huge bed caught my attention, seeming huge to me. The sheets and cushions were matched to the cream colors of the room. My dressing room, closed with a leather-covered door, seemed far too big for what I had brought. I noticed, surprised, that my things were already there. Victoria sat on my bed while I opened my suitcases.
"You'll be fine for your first day of school on Monday?" she asked me.
"A part of me is a little scared. It's the first time I've been so far from home."
"Don't worry, we're here. We are your new family and..."
She stopped talking, as if she had already said too much. What's the problem with that rich kid? Is he a junkie we have to hide? Victoria sighed and then continued in a low voice,
"Faïz is very popular in our neighborhood, but also at university. He'll be there for you if you need him."
This admission was good for me, happy to hear that the Mattew's son was quite normal. My eyes lingered on Victoria who, with her simple appearance—though not as pretty as her mother—seemed to hide a very reserved nature.
"What are your origins? "
"I'm Cuban."
"You are very Latin, and I notice that you like jewelry," she deduced, pointing to my wrist with her finger.
I immediately touched my bracelets with a smile, noticing that Victoria was observant. As for her, she wore no jewelry. No earrings, no necklace. Sitting on my bed, she had a simple personality, far from the golden youth of Los Angeles. This was hardly believable when you lived in a villa like this one, with its ostentatious luxury.
The front door slammed violently, which made us both jump. Then we heard voices from below.
"You can't just come in and decide to demolish things wherever and whenever you want!"
"My father," sighed Victoria, looking up to heaven.
A second voice, just as irritated—that of a young man, more precisely—came to us.
"How would you have liked it to end? Unlike you, I can't just stand there, to sit back and do nothing!"
Lily intervened in this heated discussion. I did not hear what she was saying, but the two men immediately calmed down.
"Don't worry, it's often like that between my father and brother. They argue all the time and rarely agree on anything, " Victoria tried to reassure me."
"As in all families, I suppose," I said as I finished folding a t-shirt.
A grin appeared at the corner of her mouth. She seemed amused by my answer and I wondered why. At that moment, my phone in my jeans pocket rang. My father! I grinned. Indeed, I had completely forgotten to send him a message after landing to let him know that everything had gone well.
"You can call from our phone. I think it will cost you less," Victoria suggested.
"Yes, you're probably right."
When I was about to called him, Lily called us from downstairs to come to dinner.
"I will call him later."
I turned to the bay window. The sun had disappeared, leaving only an orange and red sky reflecting on the ocean. Those shiny waves were a magnificent spectacle.
Victoria came out of my room first, adopting a nonchalant approach. As I stood in the corridor, my eyes lingered in front of a half-open door. I couldn't help but take a quick sneak peek into the insert, and then I saw a part of the room. There was someone inside, yet I hadn't heard anyone go upstairs.
My eyes lingered in the door's opening and I saw a rather masculine decor. I assume it was Faïz's room. Jackets on a rack, a desk with a white polo shirt on it. By moving a bit closer, I realized that the garment was stained by what looked like traces of blood. At that moment, a quick shadow passed behind the door, slamming it violently in my face. Confused by this reaction, I fumed. What a little prick! Without knowing him, I already hated him.
In the living room, jazz music filled the room and a wonderful smell reminded me how hungry I was. The three of them were at the table and were talking in low voices. When I arrived, Victoria and Lily shut up, and Mr. Mattew stood up when he saw me. He was a tall, muscular man with brown hair. He came up to me, smiling. Despite his natural authority, he immediately seemed very sympathetic to me.
"Hey, Zoe! Nice to meet you. Have you got your bearings?"
He gave me a friendly kiss on the cheek. His smile illuminated his face.
"Yes, everything is going very well, Mr. Mattew. You have a very beautiful home."
"Please, call me Charles. We'll spend at least one school year together, after all. Come on, let's sit down."
He cleared his throat before adding,
"Has my son introduced himself to you?"
Seated in front of Charles, who had placed his elbows on the table and joined his hands under his chin, I opted for as detached a tone as possible without showing my irritation. Lily served me salad.
"Not yet. I arrived only a short time ago."
The meal took place in a good atmosphere. The Mattew family told me about their professions. Lily lamented
that her husband worked too much, regretting that he couldn't spend more time with his family. Victoria explained to me a basic life that was different from ours in France, on the academic level. The food was delicious. I felt tired at the end of dinner.
"All right, Zoe! We'll let you unpack your luggage and call your family. Don't hesitate to take the phone on the table, near the entrance," Victoria told me.
"Thank you all, and thank you, Lily, especially for this good meal," I insisted.
I decided to gather all the plates to help put away the dishes.
"No, leave it. Miss Arlette will take care of everything."
Lily took them out of my hands. As I understood it, Miss Arlette was in charge of the Mattew house, along with Mr. John.
Upstairs, Victoria disappeared into her room after wishing me a good night. Nine hours of jet lag between Los Angeles and Paris, I preferred to leave a message for my father instead of waking him up. As I walked into my room, I heard a soft voice calling out to me behind my back.
"Good evening."
When I turned around, I discovered Faïz Mattew. He was standing in front of me with his hands in his pockets. Like all members of his family, he was tall. His thick black hair, slightly disheveled, gave him a very mysterious look. I was surprised to see him dressed in simple white sweatpants and a t-shirt of the same color. He approached me. When he reached me, I could not turn my eyes away from his, and my heart began to beat at full speed. I had never seen a look as deep and penetrating as his, so electric, which took my breath away. His ideal physique and perfect facial features accentuated his hypnotic, almost unreal beauty.
"Good evening," I replied in a whisper that was barely audible.
He smiled, revealing perfect teeth. Disrupted, I regained what little control I had left by trying to make the least nervous voice possible.
"Zoe," I introduced myself.
"Faïz. We'll be in the same university on Monday. If you need me to help you with your schedule or anything, don't hesitate to ask me."
DARK FAÏZ Book 1: Every hero has his legend Page 1