by Mika B. Coit
"If only we knew it was you the other night at the party, we would have brought you to Lord Baddesley then!" Hissed the thin man with a deep voice.
"We have been itching to agonise you commoner!" Grunted the bald short man who was also a business man like Lord Baddesley.
"Bring it on demon."
Whilst Kazuki fought against the five demons, three demons gathered round the table and were hissing at Iliana. One was holding thick black chains and was swinging one end of it like a cowboy with a lasso and the other two raised their sharp pointed swords out in front of them. Lying her unconscious Mother gently on the table Iliana stood up. Her body felt a little limp and lumber. Her head was still pounding and sweat now trickled down her neck. Taking a deep breath Iliana closed her eyes and concentrated on the vibrations of movements within the whole area of the room. She felt every footsteps of the demons around her. She could even feel the sway of the flames from the fire inside the lanterns. Then... there... Iliana sensed the rushing movements of water within the thick marbled walls and floors, with all her strength and might from her mind, Iliana commanded the water to arise.
The walls and the ground began to vibrate, everybody in the room stopped what they were doing and looked around wondering what was happening. When Iliana quickly opened her sparkling blue eyes the walls and part of the floors smashed open and the water pipes behind it broke loose resulting to sprays of water exploding out from it. Like a conductor to an orchestra Iliana waved her hands commanding the water to reach the demons within the room. The water flew inside the human’s, mouth, nose and ears... Purifying their soul from the inside and diminishing the intruding evil spirits within them. Kazuki, Jung and Caitlyn watched in awe as jet’s of water flew around them.
When all of a sudden Iliana felt lightheaded, her eyes unable to stay open and just like a lightbulb that had gone out everything went black.
***Chapter 8 ***
"Baddesley... you have disappointed me!" Said a deep voice from behind the red fine netted curtains that hung from the large four poster bed.
"Forgive me Master... I under estimated her and her powers!" Lord Baddesley apologised falling to his knees and bowing his head.
"Even after I told you not to... You were too impetuous!" The voice said angrily. "He is near... I can feel his presence. I do not have time for such idleness!"
"Master?" Lord Baddesley said frowning as he stared at the wooden floor below him. "Did my ears deceive me?... Did you say... he was here?"
"Yes... he is here in a form of a human. Which means he is aware of my plans... I need those other Miracles on my side before he finds me!..." The voice said in a deep and harrowing tone. "Do not disappoint me again Baddesley... remember, what I have done for you... What I have given you!"
"It shall never fade from my memory Master... My other plan is already in the making and the army that we had lost from the warehouse will soon be replaced. I shall not fail you again." Lord Baddesley promised.
"For your sake... I hope that is true!"
Lord Baddesley stood up with his head still lowered on the floor as he turned round he glanced up at the netted curtain before making his way to the door.
"Wait!... Come back here!" The voice ordered.
Lord Baddesley turned back round to face the Tudor style four poster bed which stood tall in the middle of the large room and almost reaching the high ceiling. The drapery and the canopy was of a thick and decorative red material. The red fine netted curtain covered the whole of the bed and only a silhouetted figure behind it could be seen.
Lord Baddesley stood in front of the bed and a pale arm stretched out from the gap of the netting. The hand was reaching out to Lord Baddesley’s eyes, a feeling of pure fear rushed through his heart and all of a sudden there was darkness with a shrill scream fading in the distant.
Iliana sat up on the soft surface she was on, breathing heavily and perspiration running down the sides of her face. Then as if from nowhere Kazuki appeared by the side of her gripping her shoulders and staring into her eyes.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"I-I had a... bad dream!" Iliana stammered still breathing hard.
Kazuki stepped back then sat on the edge of the bed that Iliana was sitting on.
"I mean... it seemed like a dream but... it felt so real... As if I was really there... I was there." Iliana continued laying a hand under her fringe and wiping the perspiration off her forehead. "How could that be?"
"Dreams are a mystery... Nobody really knows what actually happens to our souls when we dream." Kazuki replied, then asked. "What was your dream?"
Iliana told Kazuki exactly what happened in her dream, once she finished Kazuki stood up massaging his forehead.
"What?" Iliana questioned watching him pacing before her.
"I had a feeling Lord Baddesley was not working alone. Earlier... I thought he was calling out a powerful demon fresh from hell, but one is already here. He is just taking orders from it!" Kazuki answered trying to methodically link everything together. "But who?... And who are they afraid of?"
"But what I do not understand is, why are they forming an army?... Who are they fighting against? I mean... it cannot be the humans. Apparently quoting from Lord Baddesley earlier... they are ‘easy targets’... " Iliana said using her fingers as quote markers.
As if a switch went on in her head Iliana suddenly remembered.
"Oh my god!... Earlier... in the mansion... what happened?"
Kazuki could not help himself but smile and then chuckle.
"You... you are really ditsy!"
It was either his smile or his little chuckle but whatever it was, made Iliana blush hard.
"You Purified most of the demons except Lord Baddesley and three others who escaped just after you fainted. Those that you did Purify however also fled the mansion in fear!" He replied.
"Why?"
"Because... before they were possessed by their own and by other evil spirits, Lord Baddesley Invited them to the Unknown World. So they still remember everything and will see things that normal humans cannot, for as long as they live. For some... that could torment a human for life... that is why it is scarcely done." Kazuki explained.
"What of Mother?"
"We had to take her to the hospital, for some reason she had a deep bite wounds on her leg which was bleeding quite profusely and is badly infected... she is still unconscious."
"I must go and see her!" Iliana cried out throwing the white duvet to one side and jumped out of the bed.
She was still dressed in her black jeans and now dirty white blouse.
But as she got up she felt lightheaded and unsteady on her feet. Kazuki grabbed her arms before she collapsed then lowered her back down to the bed.
"Not in that state... besides, your Father is looking after her and he, like everyone else... keeps telling me to look after you... until they both come home."
"I just want her to be safe." Iliana mumbled hoping Lord Baddesley did not invite Mother to the Unknown World too.
"Do not worry... Jung and Caitlyn are there at the hospital to keep an eye on her. Of course your Father wanted to know why and what happened. So Jung came up with story that you and your Mother were attacked by some thugs, and their dog bit her leg. And as Jung was a police officer, he wanted to watch over her for a while in case they returned." Kazuki informed with a slight grin on his face.
‘Only Jung could come up with such an idea like that.’ Iliana thought, also smiling.
"They told Father Benjamin everything that happened. He was most upset that he was not there to help us." Kazuki added sitting back on the edge of the bed. "But he had an phone call from an old friend. He wants us to talk to him tomorrow, we need to meet at the Cathedral after school."
Iliana raised her head and looked up at the ceiling when she realised she did not recognise the room she was in. The room was big but simple. The walls and the door was white. A small desk stood opposite to the bed with a large wardrobe st
anding tall and regimental next to it. The bedside table was of adequate size with a white lamp emitting the only source of light in the room. Above the bed was a wide window with the magnolia coloured curtains drawn.
"Where are we?"
"The spare room in my parent’s house. They agreed for you to stay here until your parents come home." Kazuki replied then stood up again and turned his back to Iliana. "Yuki is downstairs with them now. It is late, rest... we have school tomorrow."
Kazuki made his way to the bedroom door.
"Kazuki."
Iliana called out his name just before he turned the door knob but she did not know the reason why or even what to say to him. Iliana tried to quickly come up with something to say but nothing came to mind. Seconds in silence, it was Kazuki who spoke out with his back still turned.
"I am sorry."
Bemused to what he was apologising for, Iliana asked.
"What for?"
"Back then when you needed help the most... I-I was not able to protect you." Kazuki replied in a low voice... it was almost a whisper.
Touched by his comment, Iliana bit her lower lip as a cheeky smile crept the corner of her lips then said...
"I can look after myself... and just like what you said to me when we first met at Beach Cove... you are not my babysitter."
"Things have changed since that day, in many ways." Kazuki said staring at the door in front of him before opening it and then shutting it behind him.
‘Yeah... everything has changed a lot since that day.’ Iliana said to herself out loud, unaware that Kazuki heard her from the other side of the door.
Very early the next morning Iliana sneaked into the shower room before anyone else in the household stirred. When she tried to sneak back into the bedroom a female figure suddenly appeared on the top step of the stairs and caused Iliana to yelp like a frightened dog.
"I am so sorry... I did not mean to scare you like that!" The woman said in a low voice then quickly turned on the light switch on the wall in front of her.
"It is okay... I just... did not expect anyone to be up." Iliana said her heart beat slowing down after a few deep breaths. "Woo!... That is one way to make sure someone is fully awake."
The middle aged lady smiled, her light green eyes twinkling. She was only a few inches taller than Iliana. Her chestnut coloured hair was tied back into a loose ponytail and strands of her hair was left astray either side of her face, as if she had been jogging. Considering how early it was, she was already properly dressed for the day. She wore denim pedal pushers and a white long sleeved laced blouse and was holding a pile of clothes in her hands.
A door at the end of the corridor swung open, with only his grey pyjama bottom on Kazuki charged out topless. Iliana’s eyes widened as she yelped again and near enough dived behind the woman, clinging onto the towel that wrapped round half of her body. Having nothing to hide his upper half with Kazuki just crossed his arms in front of him. A bashful look splashed across his face.
"Kazuki... did I not tell you not to walk around topless when we have visitors?" The woman cried out making sure she was covering Iliana.
"I heard a yelping sound... something you do not usually hear at half past five in the morning... so I thought something happened... I did not have the time to think of how I looked Mother!" Kazuki retaliated.
Iliana raised her head a little looking at the back of the woman’s head.
‘She is Kazuki’s Mother?’ Iliana thought to herself.
"Is everything alright up there?... I heard a lot of yelping noises!" Shouted a male’s voice from the next floor down.
"Do not worry Darling... I have everything under control!" Kazuki’s Mother yelled back down then turned to Kazuki. "Kazuki... back to your room... please."
"I cannot even walk around at home in ease." Kazuki grumbled.
Unable to stop herself Iliana peeked over Kazuki’s Mother’s shoulder and caught him just turning round. He had a very fit and strong physique with an abdomen of a gladiator. Before Kazuki walked into his room he turned round and when his eyes met Iliana’s, he grinned before slamming the door shut. Iliana’s heart almost jumped out of her chest.
"I am so very sorry my dear... this household is not usually this boisterous at this time of the morning." Kazuki’s Mother explained turning round and facing her. "Here... I hope you do not mind. Jung found your house keys and phone in his car and gave it to me. So I went to your house and picked up your school uniform for you... and your school bag is in the kitchen."
Iliana took the clothes from her and smiled but before she could thank her Kazuki’s Mother added.
"I promise I did not steal anything from your house... I am not a thief."
Iliana’s smile quickly faded.
"Such a thing did not even cross my mind." Iliana replied a little offended that someone could accuse her of thinking something like that. "Why do you say that?"
"It is what most people here think of me... They only see me as a pauper who stole the heart of a rich man and only loves him for his money. They also believe I steal from others... I do not know why... I have never stolen anything in my life... Even after seventeen years in marriage with Oscar, they still all hate me." She answered forcing a small smile when she looked at Iliana.
Although her smile did not reach up to her eyes. It almost gave Iliana a lump in her throat.
"You need not worry of my opinions of you. Even though I have only just met you, my first thoughts of you are pure kindness, and I hope I get the chance to get to know you more." Iliana said shifting the clothes onto one hand and then laying the other on Kazuki’s Mother’s shoulder.
Kazuki’s Mother stared at Iliana in awe of her comment, her eyes filled up and before the tears could roll down her face she told Iliana to dress and quickly ran down the stairs.
As Iliana helped to lay out the table for breakfast she noticed a large painting which hung in between the multi panelled windows. It looked like Beach Cove, however it seemed very different. Instead of rows of expensive looking yachts harboured on one side like it is at present, there were half a dozen fishing boats. Men were painted hoarding masses of nets onto the boat with hundreds of fishes tangled within it.
"Is that Beach Cove?" Iliana asked Mrs. Williams as she appeared from the kitchen with a tray of orange juices in four glasses.
"Oh... yes, a long time ago." Mrs. Williams replied laying the tray down onto the round oak table.
She gazed at the oil painting with a sad expression for a moment until two men and Yuki walked into the small dining room. Yuki immediately trotted over to Iliana who bent down and hugged her.
"Good morning Yuki." Iliana said as she scratched under Yuki’s chin. "How is my girl?"
"I took her out with me on my morning run... I hope you do not mind."
Iliana looked up at the man who spoke and could not help but gasp out loudly. The man looked like Kazuki’s clone, but thirty odd years older. He was a little taller than Kazuki with a few streaks of grey either side of his head just above his ears. He had the same blue sapphire eyes that were so entrancing.
"Whoa!... Are you two brothers?" Iliana asked standing up.
The men chuckled and Kazuki rolled his eyes but a smile crept up at the corner of his lips.
"No... I am the Father... but I am glad you think I look younger than I am, even with the greys that seem to multiply day by day." The man responded swiping a hand over the side of his head.
His voice was deep and rounded with a Cambridge accent.
"You are funny Iliana." Mrs. Williams tittered.
"I would not say funny, more like airheaded!" Kazuki remarked pulling up a chair and sitting on it.
Iliana threw him a sarcastic smile and narrowed her eyes. But she could now see where Kazuki got his good looks from.
"Oscar, honey... you had better shower and get change. You said yesterday that you had be at the yacht harbour early today." Mrs. Williams said before dashing into the kitchen.
"You work at the yacht harbour?" Iliana questioned as Mr. Williams reached out for a glass of orange juice.
"Father owns Beach Cove." Kazuki quickly announced.
"Really?"
"Beach Cove has been owned by the Williams’s for years... A family treasure." Mr. Williams added before sipping from the glass, but the same sad expression that Mrs. Williams had, flashed in his eyes. "Anyway... I better get out of this running gear and hopefully be down before you two go to school."
When Mr. Williams disappeared out of the dining room with the glass of orange juice still in his hand Mrs. Williams re-appeared with two plates full of fried sausages and a wide smile on her face. Iliana gasped and Yuki barked, her bushy white tail wagging excitedly.
"A little birdy told me you and especially Yuki loves sausages." Mrs. Williams chirped happily.
Iliana glanced over to Kazuki who quickly picked up the paper covering his face.
‘He remembered.’ Iliana thought to herself beaming from ear to ear.
Making their way to school together Iliana massaged her stomach as she started to feel a little nauseated.
"I think I had eaten one too many sausages." She grumbled.
"More like twenty too many... I have never seen anyone eat so much!" Kazuki said. "Even Yuki struggled to keep up with you... I am surprised both of you are not fatter than you are!"
Iliana narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a sarcastic smile.
"Though, I must thank your Mother again for her hospitality. Both your parents are most kind." Then adding in mockery. "Completely opposite to you."
"Why?... Because I am not ‘gentlemanly’ enough for you?" Kazuki threw back raising his eyebrows as he looked down at her.
"Ha!... Throwing back my words now are you?" Iliana questioned, a little surprised that he remembered that time when they first met.
When their eye’s met both of them laughed and looked away. This was the first time they had a conversation where they could laugh at their squabbles. Iliana thought this could be the right time to ask him a question that brewed in her mind over breakfast.