Vesta Mansion: Book One - The Power Inside

by P. A. Priddey

  Claire sat in her usual spot next to Alex.

  He looked away from the television towards her as the others took a seat. ‘You’re out early tonight.’

  ‘You were our only topic of conversation, as we were wondering if you wanted to get rid of me.’

  ‘And who would I replace you with? Who else is going to sit on one of our sofas reading books?’

  ‘Why do you always say that?’ said Livvy.

  ‘Say what, honey?’

  ‘Our sofa, our mansion, shouldn’t it be my mansion.’

  ‘No, it’s our mansion. Of course some of the rooms are different. Your bedroom is yours and always will be, and I’m not going to argue with Summer who the kitchen belongs to,’ said Alex, and Livvy smiled at him as did everyone else.

  * * *

  The following morning Alex woke when Sarin and Adhara ran into his room and jumped on the bed.

  ‘Papa, you gotta come outside with us,’ said Sarin excitedly.

  Alex yawned. ‘Why, sweetheart?’

  Adhara jumped up and down on the bed. ‘There’s snow everywhere.’

  ‘OK, have you had breakfast?’

  ‘Nope, not yet.’

  ‘Well, go and get some, and I’ll be down to join you.’

  Adhara stopped jumping, and now had a sad look on her face. ‘Aw, Papa, do we have to?’

  Alex smiled as he noticed her little game. ‘Yes, sweetheart, you need warm food inside you.’

  He joined them downstairs in the party room for breakfast, and almost everyone was in there. Alex sat next to Carrie. Fed up that he hadn’t talked to her for almost a week, and the way she had been towards him of late had made him grateful for his girls running into his room when he woke up. He would have kissed her, but knew how bad it would have been. Still he wanted to be near her and took his chance.

  * * *

  Carrie saw him enter, and raised both eyebrows when he sat next to her. There are other tables, why sit next to me? She thought. Since she slept in his bed they had hardly said a word. Carrie felt terrible, it was stressing her out, but she knew it was her own fault. Every time he came near she decided it would be best if she was somewhere else, but now she was having breakfast and there was no escape.

  ‘Hey, you OK?’ said Alex.

  ‘Yeah, I’m fine,’ said Carrie, trying to sound cold, which was ridiculous when she had to touch him. It was a misplaced hair at first, and when his breakfast arrived she put her hand on his leg. ‘Are we going out in the snow today?’

  Alex nodded as he bit into some toast. ‘We’re going to have some fun; I hope you’ve got your winter warmers.’

  ‘Yep, got my thermals,’ said Carrie, and regretted it in an instant. ‘Doesn’t that sound sexy?’

  ‘You’d look good in anything.’

  ‘Thanks,’ she said, shocked. Did he really say that? She thought, and decided never to avoid him again.

  * * *

  Alex glanced over at the girls who sat opposite. ‘OK, what do you wanna do?’

  ‘Go down the hill on the sledges,’ said Sarin.

  ‘We can build a snowman,’ said Adhara.

  ‘Yeah,’ said Tia. ‘We can have a competition to see who makes the best one.’

  Almost everyone decided to go; George and Joseph declined the offer. Alex tried covering his girls with so many clothes they could hardly move, and as they were getting annoyed he relented and let Blaze do it. They made an army of snowmen. Summer supplied the noses, and found the eyes in an old coal shed. The sledges went down the hill at great speeds, but Alex wasn’t worried about anyone getting hurt with House watching over them. The others didn’t know apart from James, who loved every minute of it. The girls were finding more daring feats to do with a sledge including making a ramp to see how high they could go. They loved the snow so much it made Alex wonder if they’d ever seen it before. He, for the most part stood watching them as he felt an arm slide inside his. He turned his head and saw Paige.

  ‘Hey, I’ve been meaning to have a word with you,’ she said.

  ‘Nothing serious I hope.’

  ‘Not sure, but when I first started here I was expecting to be some skivvy, most of us did.’

  Alex gave her a sharp look. ‘I’d never have done that, and certainly not to you.’

  ‘I see that now, but I’m not needed.’

  ‘You’ll always be needed as far as I’m concerned, and so are the others.’

  ‘There’s no point in us cleaning . . . the mansion cleans itself.’

  Alex laughed. ‘That’s shocking.’

  I’m trying to be serious, there’s no work, we’ve bugger all to do.’

  OK, so your jobs are easier than you thought, but there’s work.’

  ‘What? Like changing the beds and doing the laundry?’

  ‘That’s something.’ Alex watched the sledging, and the confused looks on the women’s faces, as for some reason the sledges slowed down and stopped when they approached the river.

  ‘Between eight of us! Come on, Alex, you know there’s not enough work.’

  ‘Spend more time on the sofas with me.’

  ‘You would pay me for sitting on my backside drinking tea?’

  Alex remembered Blaze saying the same. ‘Yeah, and there’s the cinema, library, gym and swimming, too.’

  ‘Not during working hours.’

  ‘Do less hours and less days, spread it amongst yourselves, you’ll still get paid the same.’

  ‘I’d end up doing an hour a week — you don’t need all of us.’

  ‘I do, I need everyone. I didn’t know it was you getting married, but when I looked for you it was to get you to come and live here.’

  ‘I’d have come after I persuaded Claire, but the point is the other women are getting worried they might lose their jobs.’

  ‘Their jobs are safe, as I said I need everyone.’

  ‘Why do you need all of us?’

  ‘For the girls and Blaze, I’d miss you and so would House.’

  ‘You mean the mansion?’

  ‘I just call him House.’

  Paige pushed a lock of red hair to the side with a gloved hand, ‘And a building would miss us?’

  ‘A building which cleans itself, remember?’

  ‘OK, House it is. Look I’m not having a moan I love it here, I just feel guilty.’

  ‘Is it really so bad to enjoy the easy life now and then?’

  ‘No, I’m just not used to it, so why Blaze?’

  ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘You said for the girls and Blaze.’

  ‘You knew how she felt about the girls. I didn’t want to take them away from her, and she wouldn’t have come if all of you didn’t.’

  ‘So, it wasn’t about the jobs?’

  ‘I needed some workers, but I made a few jobs up.’

  ‘Oh, so you didn’t want us at first?’

  ‘I didn’t know anyone at the time, I tried to get to know as many as possible, I plotted but I didn’t know it was you getting married.’

  ‘Would it have made any difference?’

  ‘I’d have talked to you first,’ said Alex, as he wiped a snow flake off his nose. ‘And there was one selfish reason, after being alone for five years I wanted to surround myself with friends. I know they don’t all like me, but I hope some do.’

  ‘No, you’re wrong, they all like you.’

  Alex smiled. ‘You’ve got to remember I said I’d have hunted you down, and tried to get you to come here even if the girls hadn’t been taken to Blaze’s.’

  ‘I still would’ve been pissed with you.’

  ‘I know, but at least I could’ve told you about the last five years before you knew I was rich.’

  ‘That’s true I guess, and would you have still let Claire come?’

  ‘Yeah, and your friends might have come once you told them how wonderful I was.’

  Paige gave him a scolding look. ‘Yeah, and about those five years, I still want an answer.’<
br />
  ‘Soon, I promise.’

  The conversation ended when a snowball hit Alex. The fight lasted about twenty minutes before they decided it was too cold.

  * * *

  The following morning when Carrie woke was her birthday, and no one had said anything. It saddened her as they always arranged birthday celebrations beforehand. She could understand why they had forgotten with what had happened over the past few months as she only remembered the previous night. She took a shower and ambled down stairs for breakfast. Those she passed just said ‘hi’ or ‘morning’ to her. Alex was standing there in jeans and t-shirt. He was forgiven as he didn’t know when her birthday was, added to the fact she needed a hug off him.

  ‘Good morning.’ Alex smiled as she embraced him. ‘Are you OK?’ he said, and kissed her cheek.

  ‘Yep, I’m good thank you.’ Carrie was happy now, and classed the kiss as a birthday present. ‘Would you like to take me to breakfast?’

  Alex offered his arm. ‘I’d be honoured.’

  The day went agonisingly slow. In the afternoon the children dragged her off to watch a film. When she returned she noticed it was just Alex, Claire and Paige in the hall.

  ‘Where’s everyone?’

  ‘Dunno,’ replied Claire, not looking up from the book she was reading.

  Alex stood. ‘Some are having a drink, and I’m going to join them . . . you coming?’

  Carrie watched the children go into the party room. ‘I’d love one, in fact, I might have a few.’

  ‘Is everything OK?’

  Carrie shrugged. ‘Just one of those days I guess.’

  Alex smiled. ‘Best get you in there.’

  Paige jumped off the sofa and dragged Claire along with her. ‘You can get us one, too,’

  ‘Come on then.’

  ‘SURPRISE’, everyone shouted, as they entered the room.

  Carrie was tearful. ‘You rotten sods, I thought you’d all forgot.’

  ‘Not a chance,’ said Paige. ‘Blame the children for the surprise party though.’

  The children smiled while holding out a present for her, she opened the gifts after she hugged each one of them. Everyone bought her a present, it wasn’t intentional, but Carrie opened the present off Alex last. It was a large square jewellery box, and when she opened it, she gasped.

  ‘It’s beautiful,’ she said, with her hands trembling. It was a gold necklace, a heart-shaped pendant with white diamonds around the outer edge and a larger red diamond in the centre. Not all the women liked showy jewellery, but Carrie did.

  Alex smiled. ‘Let me put it on for you,’ he said, and Carrie turned around. She shivered as he touched her neck.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said, and embraced him. It was only fair as she had hugged everyone else.

  Carrie drank a little too much, and Alex carried her up to her room, but had to leave as Paige and Claire put her to bed.

  She woke in the morning and toyed with her necklace, she was happy, not so happy about getting drunk, but happy all the same. We’ll be together soon, as no one buys you a necklace like this if he doesn’t have feelings for you. We’ll just carry on with the way things are going and you’ll be mine.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  New Friends

  It continued to snow for the next few days. Parts of the country had become isolated, or so the news channel told them, due to the record weather they were having. Nearly all the women could talk to the wolves, only two remained. Alex decided to spend some time in the study, reading books of mysteries and the occult, and one about ancient times which Joseph gave him. He had only sat down for fifteen minutes when he heard it.

  ‘You’re cruel,’ said a voice he could just about hear.

  Alex looked around as the voice wasn’t in his mind.

  ‘Why are you doing this to us?’ The voice was quiet and a little squeaky.

  ‘Doing what to you?’ said Alex.

  ‘Treating us so bad.’ The voice sounded childlike.

  Alex wondered if one of the women was playing a trick on him. ‘How can I be treating you badly if I don’t know who you are?’

  ‘We thought you saved us, and were happy until you locked us up.’

  Alex looked around the room, and saw the chest. He picked it up and put it on the desk.

  ‘It’s horrible in here; you’re as bad as the other one.’ The voice was a little louder. It was coming from the chest.

  Alex was curious now. ‘What other one?’

  ‘The one who put us in the spirit world . . . keeping us prisoners for his evil purposes.’

  ‘What evil purposes? And why would he do that?’

  ‘Because he’s evil and cruel just like you are.’

  Alex sat in the chair, and stared somewhat bewildered at the chest. ‘I’m neither of those.’

  ‘Yes, you are — you locked us up in this prison.’

  ‘House, are you listening to this?’

  Yes, and I believe you made a mistake.

  Alex leant back in his chair, and looked up as if he could see the invisible spirit. ‘You mean we made a mistake.’

  I was just following your orders.

  ‘Well . . . yeah . . . OK, do you believe it could be a trick?’

  I can sense no ill intent or deception in his voice.

  ‘No, neither can I.’ Alex considered what was happening. ‘You attacked me,’ he told whoever was in the chest.

  ‘We did not,’ said the squeaky voice.

  ‘Yes, you did. In my dreams and every time I walked in shadows, you jumped out at me.’

  ‘Only to touch you, we needed some of your psychic energy so we could get our strength back, did we hurt you at any time?’

  ‘Well . . . no, but you nearly drained all my energy when you crossed over. I had almost none left when you kept grabbing at me.’

  ‘How did we do that?’

  ‘I don’t know how, maybe taking my energy without me knowing . . . there must have been others with psychic powers you tried to come through with.’

  ‘Yes, but they were not strong enough. Your power we sensed straight away and it took everything we had to reach you.’

  ‘So you chose me. I understand you didn’t realise it would take my energy, but you did, and were taking more when you got here. You wouldn’t let me sleep for almost a week.’

  ‘We didn’t know,’ said the sad squeaky voice. ‘We were frightened and desperate.’

  ‘Why didn’t you talk to me instead of grabbing at me?’

  ‘We weren’t strong enough.’

  Alex thought about it for a moment. ‘I’ll open the chest, but only you are to come out. If any more do the light in here will be blinding.’

  ‘What? Just me?’

  ‘For now, so we can speak face to face, if you have a face.’

  ‘Naturally, everyone does.’

  ‘House can you dim the lights please?’ He opened the chest and a small dark shape slid out, it stood on the desk in front of him. It looked like a little ghost, as it appeared to shiver. ‘Is this your natural form?’

  ‘No, this makes it easier to hide?’

  ‘Well, you’re not hiding now.’

  The ghostly shape started to change. It stood eight inches high, was human shaped, with pointed ears and blue skin. It wore green and brown clothing, which reminded Alex of Robin Hood.

  Alex’s eyes grew big. ‘Are you an elf or a fairy?’

  ‘No . . . certainly not . . . I’m a pixie.’

  ‘I thought pixies were crafty little pranksters.’

  ‘Not us, we did get blamed for everything, but it wasn’t always our fault.’

  Alex smiled at the little pixie, and knew the children were going to love them. ‘What’s your name?’

  ‘I am Lark.’

  ‘OK, Lark, I’m Alex, you said I was cruel.’

  ‘Yes, you locked us up in that box.’ The pixie fidgeted about.

  ‘You still need energy.’

  Lark lowered his head. �
��We’re still very weak.’

  Alex held his hand out palm facing upwards which had a golden aura to it. ‘Take what you want.’

  Lark jumped on it and started shivering with pleasure. ‘Thank you, your psychic energy heals us.’

  ‘You’ll find plenty of it around here.’ Alex lifted the lid of the chest and left it open. Dark shapes flew out swirling all around him, only this time he enjoyed the sensation. ‘You must stay in this room until I let the others know.’ He walked into the main hall. Everyone was there, and they were all staring at him. ‘Hey,’ was all he could say.

  ‘Hello, Alex, who you got in there then?’ said Claire, somewhat accusingly.

  Alex scratched his head. ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘Not more secrets?’ said Amy.

  House, is there something I should know?

  The last two women can talk to the wolves; you now have a full set.

  Alex looked at Claire. ‘You could’ve said everyone knows how to talk to the wolves.’

  ‘You’re right I shouldn’t keep secrets like some.’

  Alex looked injured by the remark. ‘That’s a bit harsh, I only found out a few minutes ago. I came out to tell you, but sod it I’m not going to now.’

  ‘No, Papa, you gotta tell us,’ said Adhara.

  Summer put her hand to her mouth. ‘Alex! Not everyone knows.’

  ‘Knows about what?’

  ‘The other way we communicate.’

  ‘You mean Tia?’

  Summer frowned. ‘Yes, and she’s right here you know.’

  Alex smiled at the little girl. ‘Tia, sweetheart, how’s your chats with the wolves?’

  ‘I love ‘em, but I can’t understand the cubs yet.’

  Summer raised her brows. ‘When did that happen?’

  ‘She was one of the first,’ said Alex. ‘Do you remember Halloween? I know she’s a brave little girl, but do you really believe she would climb on the back of such a large wolf without him asking her?’

  ‘Oh, I never thought about that.’

  ‘Papa, are you going to tell us your secret?’ said Adhara, with her arms folded.