by Bell Stoires
Clyde ignored her and stood from his chair to offer it to Ari. Unable to stop herself, Ari glanced behind her shoulder at Ragon, but saw that he was looking elsewhere and so quickly sat down.
“So… tell me about yourself,” said Clyde, keeping his voice low so as to invoke a private conversation between Ari and himself.
Pushing her hair behind her ears, Ari said, “Well there isn’t much to tell.”
“Come now, you must be somewhat interesting to have captured dear Ragon’s attentions,” Clyde stated, inclining his head slightly at Ragon who was sulking. “It’s not every day a vamp is put on human protection duty.”
Ari ignored the snipe but said, “Well I am, err… was, studying veterinary science at university, and I…” but her voice trailed off.
She had just heard something on the television that caught her attention. Without pausing to explain herself, Ari pushed past Clyde and moved into the living room, quickly fumbling for the remote to turn the volume of the television up, so as to listen to a news report.
“Fire fighters rushed to the historic building a little over an hour ago, but were unable to save it. Behind me is all that’s left of the Grace Valley Orphanage. First commissioned in the early 1900’s, this historical building has played home for thousands of children who would have otherwise been stranded-”
“Do you have a boyfriend?” asked Clyde, having followed Ari into the living room.
“No,” Ari replied a little too quickly, her mind entirely preoccupied by the news report.
“Really?” said Clyde, whistling low under his breath. “Just haven’t met the right guy? What exactly would the right type of guy be?”
“Not the nosey, womanising, vampire type-of-guy,” Sandra interjected loudly, having also moved inside.
“Guess that means Ragon’s out,” Clyde muttered under his breath.
Ari had ignored the pairs bickering; she was still too consumed by the news report.
“Ari?” said Sandra, waving a manicured hand in front of her face.
Ari blinked and sat down on the couch, a numb look on her face.
“What’s wrong?” asked Clyde, an unusually sincere trace of concern in his voice.
Sandra stared at Clyde in surprise, before redirecting her attention back to Ari. Ari said nothing for a minute, then finally reached for the remote and turned the television off.
“It’s…” she stammered, “It’s just that… I grew up in the Grace Valley Orphanage.”
Clyde moved to sit by her, but Sandra said, “Can’t you see she’s upset? She doesn’t want to talk to you.”
In the back of her mind, Ari heard Sandra growling at Clyde, but the noise was dull and inconsequential, and it wasn’t until Ragon moved towards her that Ari became aware of her surroundings again.
“What is it?” he asked, gently reaching a hand out to brush against her knee.
Ari stared down where Ragon had touched her. It had only been for a fraction of a second, but the gesture was not lost to her. Instantly she wished that she was alone with him. In that moment she felt as if she could trust him, and she was suddenly desperate to share her whole story with him, not the mumbling abridged version she had told him this morning. Ari had never known what happened to her parents, or even who they were. When she was a baby she had been dumped on the doorstep of the Grace Valley Orphanage, with only a note saying that someone had found her abandoned.
She may not have had the fondest memories at the orphanage, but whenever a foster family returned her or she was hoping to be adopted, she was able to call it home. The fact that the one constant thing in Ariana’s life was no more was devastating. In a way she felt as if a small piece of her had been taken away, burnt to ashes in the fire that had claimed her childhood home.
“Are you ok,” whispered Ragon.
Ari locked eyes with him; trapped in the green of his irises, everything around her faded, so that it felt as if they were the only ones in the room. Instantly Ari was reminded of just how handsome Ragon was, and that he had rescued her, bought her a house and promised to look after her. With these thoughts the loss of her childhood home didn’t feel so great. Then Ari heard banging on the front door and Ragon’s eyes shifted away from hers.
Moving over to the door, Ragon bawled his fists. There was a murderous look in his eyes and he glanced around the room, as if uncertain if he should open the door or not.
“Mortal,” growled Clyde, as if answer to Ragon’s worrying look.
“Are you expecting anyone?” Cambridge’s deep voice asked, as he moved into the living room to join the others.
“Yeah, I ordered pizza,” Clyde said sarcastically.
Ragon rolled his eyes.
“I think seven vampires can take on one mortal,” said Larissa, glancing determinedly at the door.
“It could be a trap. Maybe Kiara and Matthew have planned something?” said Thomas.
Ragon’s eyes were ablaze when he swung the door open.
“Sorry for the late night call,” said a young pimply boy, “it was part of the delivery request.”
The boy looked around at the tense faces that stared at him and then handed over a thick envelope.
“Gotta sign,” he added, handing Ragon a pen and clipboard
Ragon did not reply, simply took the hand written envelope from the boy and closed the door after he had signed for it. When he finally looked down at the letter clutched in his hands, his eyes widened. With shaking hands he tore open the letter.
“Shit!” he said, before reading the letter out loud:
“Ragon, Sandra & Thomas, Cambridge & Larissa, Clyde, Sameth
You are invited to Danton Castle
31st of October for Halloween festivities
Costumes required
Drinks provided though you are welcome to BYO
7pm
Yours eternally,
William & Nicholas”
“Oh Jesus,” said Sandra, and Ari noticed that the rest of the faces in the room held anxious and nervous expressions.
After that Ragon walked through the house, finally reaching the door at the end of the hallway that was hidden under the steps. Ari recognised it as the room she had been forbidden to enter. She thought it strange that she had forgotten about this room and her desires to find out what was inside, and watched as Ragon pushed hard against the hidden door. He faltered in the frame of the door and then turned around, staring at her.
“Ari,” said Ragon, “I need to talk to the coven… alone.”
At these words Ari’s eyes fell. Had she heard him correctly? Why did he want to talk to the coven alone? Was this about the letter or did Ragon not want her to go inside the forbidden room? And who had sent the letter and why were Ragon and rest of the coven so nervous about it? Wasn’t it just an invitation to a Halloween Party?
These questions swarmed in Ari’s mind; she was just about to ask why she couldn’t go inside, when Ragon shook his head and moved past her. Ari wanted to scream at him, but she just stared numbly as each of the coven members passed her in the hallway and entered the room.
“Why don’t you join Ari?” said Clyde, indicating B1 and B2. “Make yourselves a drink.”
Both girls shrugged indifferently.
“Make one for me too,” Clyde yelled after them, not looking at Ari.
“Want a cocktail,” asked B1, turning to stare at B2 and Ari when it was just the three girls left in the hallway.
Ari looked at both girls incredulously; they really were on a whole different level, or perhaps Clyde had just lulled the brains out of them, that or they were born without brains. But Ari had not given up; thinking hard she nodded, and watched as the two girls danced down the corridor. When she could no longer hear their heels clicking against the wooden floor boards, she pressed an ear against the hidden door.
“Read much?” asked Sameth, and Ari was pleased that she could hear what the coven were saying.
“My collection has grown since last yo
u saw me,” Ragon replied, and Ari guessed that they must be in a library of sorts.
“I was wondering where all your sketches were,” said Sandra.
Ari closed her eyes and imagined the room beyond, seeing the pictures that Ragon had spent so many hours in the library sketching. In that moment there was nothing more that she wanted than to be on the other side of the door.
“How can the Elders know we have formed a coven?” asked Sameth, his voice betraying feelings of insecurity.
There was a long pause and Ari pressed her ear even closer to the door, hoping not to miss anything.
“When I asked you all here to form this coven, I had no intention of bringing danger to you, beyond that which Kiara might offer. I will show no animosity if you choose to leave now?” said Ragon.
“Leave now?” asked Clyde, his voice undignified. “When it is just starting to get good?”
“I didn’t expect to be called upon by William and Nicholas,” said Larissa. “But I have come to know Ari and I will stand by you both.”
“As will we,” said Sandra.
“There is a chance that the Elders know nothing at all about the feud with Kiara. I mean this is Nicholas and William; they are more interested in parties than anything else,” Cambridge said hopefully. “This might simply be an invitation to another one of their elaborate gatherings.”
“But what if Kiara has contacted them? You have broken a Final Death Law by not lulling her. And Kiara would have good grounds for such a case, and we would all be implicated if you were found guilty,” said Sameth.
“But we could argue that Kiara stole his source, that’s punishable also,” suggested Sandra.
“The punishment is far less severe, besides it is more of a courtesy than anything else,” said Thomas. “And Ari isn’t Ragon’s source; he has not commanded her.”
“What do you want to do?” Sameth asked plainly.
“What do you mean?” replied Ragon.
“I mean, do you mean to turn Ari?” asked Sameth.
At these words Ari pressed her ear, if it was possible, even harder against the door.
“No but-” Ragon began to say.
“Then why suffer her to Kiara’s tyranny? You must know that Kiara will kill her. Would it not be better to release her and let her resume a normal life?” asked Sameth. “I can’t understand why you are keeping her here?”
Silence greeted this question; Ari found herself holding her breath, desperate not to miss Ragon’s response.
“I have to keep her safe,” Ragon whispered.
“But-” said Sameth, though his words were cut off when Sandra spoke.
“-Ragon rescued Ari,” Sandra said abruptly, “why isn’t important. The fact is that Kiara is not going to let that go; the second that Ari is out of Ragon’s protection, Kiara would kill her without blinking.”
“But why not at least let her pick up a semblance of her old life? You would begrudge her some form of living?” asked Sameth.
“You think I don’t want to?” said Ragon, and Ari could tell that he was angry. “I know I can’t give her what she deserves, but surely the risks are too great. What if Sandra is right; what if Kiara captured her again? I do not think she would take so long a second time to kill her.”
“Better living one day happy than a lifetime hiding,” said Sameth. “You are not a cruel man. Surely you want to let her out a bit; let her smell the roses. I do not pretend to understand why you keeping her, but I would volunteer my services. I could… watch over her. I believe before all this happened she was studying?”
“What are you talking about?” snapped Clyde. “We can’t let her out of our sight; to do so would be like throwing her into a pit with hungry wolves. And Kiara is worse than a pack of wolves; she a jealous ex.”
From the silence came a growl, possibly from Sameth, though Ari couldn’t be sure. Ari looked down the corridor, wanting to make certain that B1 and B2 had not realised that she was not with them.
“Well, you don’t intend to bring her to the Elder’s party?” asked Sameth. “I could stay-”
“-but we have to,” said Clyde, interrupting Sameth. “If we don’t, it’s like leaving the lamb to slaughter.”
“It’s a small risk, but wouldn’t it would be better to leave her here; Kiara would have surely been invited,” said Sameth.
“Yes, I have no doubt of her invitation,” growled Ragon.
“You can’t leave her here alone,” said Clyde. “We have all been invited; to refuse them would be dangerous.”
“Clyde’s right,” said Thomas, “there is a chance that Kiara’s fledgling, Matthew, may attack-”
“Matthew?” Sameth said suddenly, cutting Thomas off midsentence.
“When Ari was taken by Kiara, Matthew was there also. He was kind enough to send Ari a bunch of dead flowers,” said Sandra, “along with a threatening note.”
“He does her bidding?” Sameth asked, a disgusted edge to his voice.
“You have been a dear friend Sam,” said Ragon.
“And what am I?” asked Clyde. “Chopped liver?”
“We have been through much together,” Sameth replied, ignoring Clyde. “There was nothing more I wanted than to free Kiara from you.”
Suddenly Ari realised the voices inside the hidden room were getting louder, and she heard the clip clop sound of shoes and raced from the door, speeding down the corridor and into the kitchen, where B1 and B2 were sipping on some sort of exotic blue cocktail.
The pair looked up at Ari, who had moved over to a jug full of the slushy blue drink, and poured herself a glass, slopping half of it across the bench. Her cheeks were still slightly flushed when she saw the rest of the coven emerge, and she pretended to ignore them, apparently interested in something that B1 was saying. When her eyes finally glanced up, she couldn’t help but notice that Clyde was staring at Sameth with a mixture of disbelief and confusion.
“Ari honey, I’m so sorry,” said Sandra, walking over to Ari purposefully, followed shortly by Larissa. “Please tell me that you aren’t mad at us.”
“It’s ok,” she said, her cheeks turning a slightly deeper shade of rouge.
Both girls beamed at her, and Ari was suddenly reminded of their proclamation to remain to keep her safe, despite the invitation to the Elder’s Halloween party and the danger that it apparently posed.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want anything to happen to anyone because of me,” Ari said.
“Oh sugar, come here,” said Sandra, embracing Ari warmly.
As soon as Sandra’s arms wrapped around her, Ari wanted to cry. How could she have spent a lifetime looking for friends in other humans, only to find friendship in such unlikely places? Her face must have shown her gratitude, because Larissa moved over quickly too, joining the hug. Clyde smiled wickedly, moving to the threesome with his hands outstretched, but Ragon reached out and stopped him.
“Ari,” said Ragon, reaching for her shoulder as soon as Sandra and Larissa had moved away.
Ari looked at him incredulously. It was easy for her to forgive Sandra and Larissa; they hadn’t been the ones to exclude her- Ragon had.
“Is something wrong?” asked Ragon, clearly not missing the look in Ari’s eyes.
Ari laughed once.
“You mean asides from holding secret meetings and your ex wanting to kill me? Nope nothing… everything is just peachy,” she said sarcastically.
“That’s our cue to leave,” said Larissa, shooing B1 and B2 out of the kitchen, while Larissa grabbed onto Clyde’s ear and pulled, so that the girls and the rest of the coven moved outside onto the veranda.
As soon as they were alone, Ragon inched closer to Ari and said, “I’m sorry.”
“Look. I get that you aren’t human anymore. I get that you don’t have the same emotions as us. But that doesn’t mean that you get to treat me like a child. And it also doesn’t mean that when you do something wrong, all you have to do is say sorry and expect me to forgive you.”
Instantly Ari regretted her words. As she stood panting, red faced before Ragon, she knew that her selective use of the phase, you aren’t human anymore, had hurt him.
“This Halloween party isn’t just a party,” he said, “I needed to talk to everyone; I needed to know if they would stand with us. It is one thing to ask them to fight against Kiara; she is just one vampire. But the Elders represent the full might of the Ancients. If Kiara tells the Elders about my rescuing you… about my not lulling you, it will be the end of both of us. But it isn’t fair for me to expect my friends to stand by us,” he explained.
“But… but why couldn’t you let me inside when you were talking to everyone else? Why keep me in the dark? Why push me away?”
“I am trying to keep you safe; if that means that you have to be pushed away… then so be it,” Ragon growled, throwing his hands up in the air and storming away.
Ari felt Ragon’s absence press down heavily on her. She wanted to ask him why; why was keeping her safe so important? She knew he was a nice guy, or rather a nice vampire, but there must be a thousand girls around here that were, at this very moment, in trouble. Each one of them needed a saviour just as much as she had, maybe even more so. So why had he chosen her?
“My, my,” said Clyde, sneaking up behind her as he too stared after Ragon. “You have made for a rather difficult house guest.”
Chapter 9- A Unexpected Guest
The next month was filled with warm summer days and even warmer nights. Before Ari knew it, it was half way through October. The abnormally dry winter had left the few remaining patches of grass dry and wilted, while the forest that formed the edge of Ragon’s property now looked yellowed, with large brown leaves littering it. The long days impacted on the vampires also, drastically reducing the hours they could safely hunt.
Periodically the coven would vacate the house to go hunting, often leaving in pairs and retuning home very early in the morning, just before daybreak. It had been almost seven weeks since Kiara had attacked Ari and they had received the threatening letter and flowers from Matthew, but that didn’t stop the group from being uneasy. And while Kiara posed an immediate and constant threat, the invitation from the Elders felt like a slowly creping storm. Right now the Halloween party was on the horizon, but each day that passed took them a little bit closer to it.