Death be Charmed

by Epstein, Katie

  There was no more sunshine as we drove through a tunnel of trees, a sudden lantern-lit darkness meeting us. The change from day to night was instantaneous and complete.

  The double row of trees bordering the private road we drove down seemed to be never-ending. Crystal lighting among them made it more welcoming and ethereal. A welcome sight since the dark tree tunnel had swallowed us whole.

  Not much more could be seen as the repetitive scenery passed by. Edge of trees. Lantern. Edge of trees. Lantern. There wasn’t much more to see other than that until we came to the end of the road. There the chauffeur pulled the car to a stop outside a set of black iron gates.

  The guards who lorded over them in their long black and gold overcoats stopped the car by a mere raise of the hand. We alighted upon their instruction and let them pat us down. They weren’t leaving anything to chance as they rifled through our belongings, but who could blame them. Vampires didn’t make many friends outside their own circle.

  The guards didn’t bat an eyelid at my magical jewelry, but I was still grateful to Mayra for disguising it. More questions may have been raised if I’ve gone in armed with a stake or a bag of crystals.

  Once done, the protectors of this strange land allowed us to get back into the car and continue on our way.

  We were now officially in Darkwood.

  As we drove to the House of Osiris where we would be staying, Bernard talked me through the sites as we passed. Floodlights set in the ground were strategically positioned so that everything of importance was illuminated. He told me where the water mills were and showed me the lines where the electricity traveled. They were high above the ground, connected by wooden poles. Gilded with metallic leaves, the poles had a decorative purpose, too, alongside the blue crystal lanterns that hung, shining, from any possible position. It looked like they used a combination of crystal energy and back up electricity like we did at the agency. It always gave off a similar effect reflective of many areas of Portiside. Places like the Indicium Quarter, where the agency was located, often glowed with blue and yellow lights.

  Electricity was intermittent across the entirety of our world, and it needed recharging manually. That’s why the blue crystal lighting would kick in when the electricity ran out and vice versa. Although I assumed that would work differently here with the water power set up. But crystal energy is expensive. Crystal Engineers recharge the crystals on a regular basis, and having this many crystal lanterns around proved just how rich the vampires actually were.

  We passed a large, grey building, adorned with a black and gold plaque, claiming to be Darkwood Hall. Bernard explained it was next to the great library, and told me that it was a place where they held the house meetings and the trials of the Courtiers. There was nothing special about the place, and it looked rather odd compared to the beauty of the rest of the land that was laden with blue-lit green hills, shrubberies and statues. But when we pulled up outside the House of Osiris, my mouth fell open in surprise.

  “It’s beautiful,” I had to admit, observing the lavish and elegant building before me as we got out of the car.

  A huge house with an east and west wing extension stared back at me. Lights flooded the ground causing the building to appear as if it was on center stage, but its grandeur didn’t look over done. Four pillars were cast along the entrance and lattice metal frames surrounded the balconies that perched outside large paned windows. It welcomed rather than intimidated, and the trees and flowers in the gardens looked like someone’s lived-in home. Bronze statues of Egyptian gods stood tall and proud on the grounds, and the triangular support at the top of the pillars had the eye of Horus carved into it. A burnt orange and brown shield, about half the size of me, hung at the top of the two central pillars, where another eye of Horus stared back at me. The eye was bordered by bright, shiny wings fanned out on either side, and underneath it, a polished gold banner with the House of Osiris scrawled across it in pretty writing.

  The white doors before us opened as the chauffeur got back in his car and continued on his way. I wanted to ask how a solar car could operate in Darkwood, but it would be a stupid question. It was probably parked further out where the sunshine was sure to shine. I had to remind myself that I hadn’t traveled to a different planet. I was only a brief ride away from normality.

  “Bernard!” a voice called out as two people greeted us from inside the threshold. A tall man—I mean vampire (I needed to get used to that)—held out his arms to usher us inside. He had a pearly white grin on his face with the brightest eyes of sea green that I’d ever laid my own eyes on. His golden-brown skin only emphasized the color of them, creating an impact against his jet black hair fashioned only a few inches long. He had a day’s growth on his face and those cheekbones were to die for. With his full lips and symmetrical face, he was one contract away from a catwalk. I knew straight away that this was Ramses Delray.

  The woman standing next to him was no different. She was absolutely stunning. Her skin tone was darker than Ramses’, and her long, dark hair cascaded down her back as a waterfall of curls. She was wearing a gold, metallic dress with a white shawl resting on her shoulders, and her dark eyes shone out from skin painted with black and gold. She looked like a true Egyptian goddess, and I felt ragged in comparison.

  “It’s been too long!” Ramses exclaimed, pulling Bernard into an embrace and slapping him on the back. Bernard met him with the same enthusiasm, a great big smile plastered on his face. I could see the genuine affection of friendship between the two men and it made me smile. Bernard was a bit of a loner and it was nice to know he had a place to come to should he ever need support. But then it hit me. He was going to have to lie to his friends.

  “It’s good to see you, Ramses.” Bernard stepped back before leaning toward the woman next to him. He took her hand. “And Neffy. It is wonderful to see you, too.” He kissed her hand with affection before letting her return to Ramses’ side.

  “Bernard. Charming as always.” The female vamp nodded regally at him then flashed a huge smile in my direction. “And who is this?”

  “This,” Bernard said as he pulled me close, “is my new and beautiful wife, Terra.”

  “We couldn’t believe the news when we heard,” Ramses smiled. “It’s about time you settled down with someone.”

  “Far beyond time,” the woman said. “Terra, it’s wonderful to meet you. Ramses is the Head of House here, and I am his mistress. My name is Nephthys, but please, call me Neffy.”

  “Thank you. I can’t believe I’m actually here. Bernard wanted you to be the first to know once we arrived back in Portiside. He figured this was the closest we would get to a honeymoon!” The lies just rolled off my tongue, far easier than I thought they would. We’d discussed a bit of background during our walk over: the wedding, what it was like, why it was so sudden, and so on. But it was up to us to pad it out enough to sell it successfully.

  “We will have a honeymoon.” Bernard chuckled as he dropped a kiss onto my head. “But she needs some time out from work, and I’d just finished a job when she came over to Earthside and made her crazy declaration of love. I figured I could catch up with you all, and we can wind down at the same time. We’ll only be staying for a few days.”

  “Oh nonsense! Stay for as long as you like,” Ramses said jovially. He urged us along a grand hallway bordered by extremely high ceilings and cream marble floors. Chandeliers lit with candlelight, drew us into their romantic haven, as door after door filled the place. “Let us show you where you will be staying. We have a lot of catching up to do, and this evening we are hosting a ball in your honor.”

  “Really, there’s no need …” I started to stay, but he waved me off.

  “Nonsense. It will be like a wedding reception for you. And we would be honored if you would join us for a bit of lunch shortly. Bernard can then give you a tour of the grounds here before you retire for a while and prepare for this evening.”

  No wonder Bernard had forced me to shove a
dress into my bag. But a ball would be a good place to start assessing the vampires while they were all in one place.

  Nephthys held onto Ramses’ arm as he explained a lot of the hieroglyphics lining the walls. He talked us through the scrolls hung in frames, written in hieratic, and the stories they told. He rambled on with passion about how Osiris and his brother, Set, became one of the foundations for their beliefs. And if the myth were true, they would have been one of the earliest vampires in history.

  Nephthys beamed from the side of Ramses as he spoke passionately of the Ka; an astral double of a person that was part of their life force. He explained that it was the reason they mummified people, so the Ka could keep its link to the body while it sought the afterlife. But the House of Osiris also believed the Ka was their resurrection. If the Ka made it back to the body, then a vampire was born. Ramses also went on to explain that there was a divide in their house between those who believed Osiris and Set turned themselves into vampires using the dark arts, compared to those who believed that they were reborn from the return of the Ka after death. But he explained to us that it was all in good humor.

  After the tour of the lower floor was over, Ramses and Nephthys led us up a marble staircase that was as high as my apartment block. We finally came to a standstill outside another set of double, white, wooden doors.

  “You have the guest suite during your stay here,” Ramses said as he opened the doors into the room. “Please make yourselves comfortable.”Following Bernard inside, my mouth dropped open for the second time today. Luxurious. That would be the best word to describe the piece of heaven I had walked into. Noticing the three of them smiling at my reaction, I snapped my mouth shut.

  “Lunch will be in an hour,” Ramses said, his voice as smooth as silk. “I’ll send a member of staff to escort you down to the main parlor then.”

  “Thank you Ramses, Neffy,” Bernard bowed. “It is a wonderful welcome.”

  “It is an honor.” Ramses bowed in return. “We will leave you be for now. Enjoy your accommodations. The fridge is stocked up,” he gave Bernard a subtle look, “for both of you.”

  Blood. I was guessing he meant blood. I knew they had human and dhampir blood donors on tap here. Bernard had already warned me. But I guess they also stocked the bagged up, convenient kind. I’d better get used to that, too.

  Nephthys curtsied to us both, and then Ramses softly closed the door.

  “Wow. This place is freaking amazing!” I said, running across the cream carpeted floor and jumping on the super king size bed. The mattress was so springy I almost got a close up of the ceiling. But then I kicked off my boots and snuggled right in. “I think I’m going to die in this place. It’s heaven.” I started doing duvet angels on the bed. “Please tell me there is chocolate in the refrigerator, and I’ll be a happy, happy woman.”

  Bernard chuckled and then climbed on the bed next to me. “There’s sure to be chocolate. And if not, I’ll get you some.” He took my hand in his and started to twirl the wedding ring on my hand. We said nothing. But it reaffirmed the weird illusion we were about to create while we were here. It was as if the severity of what we were about to do was finally hitting us both. And Bernard had already lied to his friends. How hard was that for him? It would have near on killed me. But he’d done it. He’d done it to help me catch a killer because I’d asked him to. If that wasn’t a good friend, then I don’t know what was. I gently squeezed his hand in silent reassurance, jingling the bracelet on my wrist to show him we needed to lay out the stones. He nodded, helping me to place them in the corner of the room, which happened to be big enough to hold a party in.

  An elegant set of table and chairs were positioned near the balcony doors and closed, flowing white drapes gave us intimate privacy. There was a kitchenette in the corner stocked with a mini fridge and coffee machine. The tech for a hologram TV sat on a unit at the end of the bed, and gold and cream colors graced every orifice. The woodwork was either white or light beechwood, and two cosy chairs sat against a smaller window near the door to what I assumed was the bathroom. Other doors sat in the recess to the left of the bed, and Bernard explained it was a walk-in wardrobe. I felt lost already.

  Once the stones were in place, I whispered the words: “Reseras silentium.” The same pressure I had felt in Mayra’s shop fell around me, and I nodded at Bernard to let him know the magic was in place.

  “I’ll check it out,” he whispered. “Sing me a song.” He walked out the door and closed it behind him. Not knowing many songs off by heart, I fell back onto the old faithful.

  When I was about to escalate my tune and mimic how Sir Mix-A-Lot felt about those itty, bitty waists, the door opened. I quickly clamped my mouth shut.

  Bernard had a knowing smile on his face as re-entered the room and closed the door behind him. “You sang big butts, didn’t you?” he guessed, and my cheeks flamed.

  “Damn it. Did the stones not work?”

  “Oh, they worked. But I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist belting that one out.”

  Old memories flooded back at his words, and they comforted rather than grated. I laughed out loud and removed my jacket.

  “I believe, ‘Vampire got High off my High’ was your favorite? At least I have taste. And Portiside music sucks compared to Earthside. That’s pitiful when you have access to magic over here.”

  Bernard chuckled and removed his own jacket. “Hang up your dress, woman. You’ll need it tonight, and knowing you, you’ll leave it scrunched up in a ball until it’s time to go downstairs.”

  Knowing he was probably right, I begrudgingly went over to my bag. I took out the little, black number Rosie had forced me to buy. A guilty purchase, and I’d only worn it once. There were a few reasons why I’d brought this one though, and one of those reasons was it could withstand a little rough handling.

  The walk-in wardrobe was huge. But I found a hanger and put it on the empty rail regardless. “There. All done. Anything else?”

  “I’ll do your hair for you later. Make sure you wash it.”

  “You’re turning into a right nag.”

  “And I’ll turn you into a princess. We need to convince them that I took the plunge for someone who could at least scrub up nicely.”

  “Thanks,” I said with sarcasm. But then I thought of how glamorous Nephthys had been dressed for their version of a vampire morning and figured he was right. With that in mind, I asked, “Are Ramses and Neffy married?”

  “They don’t usually do marriages in the vampire world. I mean, it happens, hence why we can get away with it. But marriage is more of a human thing. Neffy and Ramses are lovers, and she’s his mistress. Every Head of House either has a mistress or master who they treat like a king or queen for a while. It’s another coveted position.”

  “And a temporary one?” I guessed.

  “For most of them. But Neffy and Ramses have broken the mold. She’s been with him for as long as I can remember. They claim they’re soul mates.”

  “That’s sweet. They look good together.”

  “They’re good people. And good vampires. They do exist, you know.”

  Raising my hands in surrender, I said, “I get it. No more judging at face value.” I hesitated and looked over at the fridge. “If I go and hunt for chocolate in there am I going to see a bunch of blood staring back at me?”

  Bernard rolled his eyes then grinned. “Want me to get it for you?”

  “I have such a good husband.”

  “I think I’m going to regret getting fake married to you,” he told me as he moved off toward the kitchenette.

  “Just think about all the fake sex we’re going to have and you’ll be fine.”

  “Yep,” Bernard replied with a sigh. “This is going to be a long couple of days.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  LUNCH WAS NICE. And strange.

  Nephthys and Ramses had welcomed us into a parlor about the size of three dining rooms stuck together. They chatted and asked a few ques
tions about our recent nuptials, but it was more about Bernard and Ramses catching up with one another than anything else. I’d had to watch them sup blood out of a wine glass though and that had me gagging a little. But other than that I think we sold our new marital status.

  Ramses had looked so pleased that Bernard had finally settled down. However, I was certain we could have been throwing plates across the room and he would have bought it. It made the guilt amplify knowing how nice our hosts were being as we lied to them. But Bernard seemed to be handling it alright.

  After we’d finished a light lunch, Bernard made our excuses so he could take me on a tour of the grounds. For me, it would be a great way to assess the area for a couple of reasons. One - always have an escape route when you’re visiting vampires. Two - I might get lucky and stroll by Romeo Lovejoy skipping out of the library.

  Bernard held my hand as we walked across the grounds. We hiked most of the way round and past two other houses: the House of Sanguis and the House of Atlantis. The Sanguis House was pretty damn beautiful. White with black iron Celtic symbols mounted upon it, peaks and spires towered above me in tall, thin towers at both the northern and southern parts of the building. The manufactured moon that held a spotlight over Darkwood sat behind the structure, creating a romantically gothic backdrop. We hovered there a little, but very few vampires mixed with us. It was so different compared to the House of Osiris.

  Once we finished at the House of Sanguis, Bernard led me across to the House of Atlantis. More like a mansion than a manor house, the Atlantis inhabitants spared no expense when they had created such an extravagant building of bricks and mortar. Arched doorways, stained glass windows: the building stood strong and grand with two tridents meeting at the top of the main entrance. Stone had been carved to mimic draping cloth over all the windows, and flowers flourished on their sills in beautifully carved stone windowboxes. Statues of mermaids were the centerpieces of the fountains that graced the passionflower-shrouded gardens.