Ravens Deep (one)

by Jane Jordan

  This had started out as a perfect evening, but we shouldn’t’t have come here. It was my fault and another death on my already guilty conscience. I tried to think positive, I thought that perhaps Darius would not harm him, he would frighten him perhaps -- but whom was I kidding? I closed my eyes, in my mind I silently chanted.

  Not here, not in this sacred place.

  “Why not?” Darius’s voice startled me. I opened my eyes. “For a modern day druid what better place for his sacrifice, than in a sacred place likes this?” he said darkly. I looked up at him, my vision blurry from my tears. He reached down and pulled me up close to him, his hand was very warm, in fact his skin was hot.

  I was still shaking, frightened of the situation, the implications and the horror, but I could think of nothing to say. I already knew that he did this all the time, the only difference was, I had witnessed it tonight.

  Did it make me love him any less?

  Darius sensed the inner conflict, his voice was very gentle.

  “If you want me to exist then this is how it has to be.”

  “I want you to exist,” I echoed, “more than anything else.” He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it.

  “Go and get into the car, Madeline.”

  I felt unsteady as I made my way down the incline, trying not to glance in the direction of the body that lay crumpled at the foot of the stones. The sensation of nausea was in the pit of my stomach and I willed myself not to think about what I had seen.

  Just as I reached the car hidden in the shadows of the trees, a bright light emanated from the base of one of the ancient stones.

  A sacrificial fire!

  Chapter Twenty Five - Chantille

  We left the expanse of Salisbury Plain behind and drove again into the night. We

  progressed west for a few more miles and we were silent. I was unable to shake the memories of earlier and Darius sensed my feelings, he too was quiet, he was most likely calculating the best way to deal with them.

  I closed my eyes and tried not to think and when I finally did open them, I realized the landscape had changed dramatically. We were driving through dense woodlands and our sudden decrease in speed drew my attention to the probability that we were close to our destination.

  Darius brought the car to a stop and I looked up to a pair of wrought iron gates, which were already opening to allow our passage through. We passed through the gates and then progressed between a narrow avenue of oak and beech trees, too numerous to count. The headlights of the car suddenly brought the house into view. It seemed to stand silent and forgotten, buried deep in this Wiltshire wood. The car stopped and the reassuring purr of the engine died, leaving the air noiseless and still. Darius turned to me.

  “Welcome to Chantille.”

  My eyes met his and in that moment, I was not thinking about the house or where we were, my thoughts were chaotic.

  “Darius how can I deal with this? I know I am weak and my feelings vulnerable to the horrors of your immortality. I wish it was not, but it is . . . I can‘t just brush them aside easily.”

  “I know,” he said softly. “I feel your pain, Madeline.”

  I looked away from him and stared down to my tightly clasped hands. I tried to continue evenly, but I was failing to steady the inconsistent tone of my voice.

  “My every instinct tells me of the horror, the terror and repulsion I should feel and yet when I look at you, I don’t see that. I see only my love for you, powerful and all consuming.” I paused briefly, “I feel sometimes as though I am being torn in two,” I said in anguish looking back into his eyes. Darius took my hands in his own.

  “You have to forgive and then forget what I have done, it can be no other way,” he replied firmly.

  “I know that, I do,” I answered weakly. “Because I also know regardless of what you have done, or will do, I love you more than the pain and anguish I feel.”

  “I know,” he said softly. “This life, this existence is worth it only because of you.” With those words he pulled me into his arms. His firm embrace made me feel secure and comforted.

  “Let it go Madeline,” he said at last. “We have to move forward from this night, forget what you have seen tonight.” He continued to soothe me with his words for a while and as I listened to his voice and the way he spoke, the anguish seemed to melt away and when I stepped from the car the feeling of despair left me entirely. I looked up at the house that stood before us.

  “It looks very old,” I remarked. Even in the dim light, I could see that the limestone walls were spotted with lichen. It was an interesting property, with its mullioned windows, undulating tiled roof and various prominent chimneys protruded above the roof line. Without taking a single step inside, I imagined it would be reminiscent of a moment in time that has long since passed.

  “It dates from the mid seventeenth century,” Darius said, interrupting my thoughts. He took the key he had been holding and fitted it into the lock. We entered through a studded oak door, our footsteps sounding eerily loud upon the flagstone floors. We continued forward through the hall and entered into what would have been the main saloon. The furnishings still were arranged into several seating areas and I discovered later that this was by far the largest room in the house.

  Darius removed candles out of a Jacobean candle box that rested on a table directly inside the door. He lit several candles and an old oil lamp, to enable me to see better and explained that the house had remained as he had acquired it and had never been updated. To a modern girl like me that meant: no plumbing, electricity or heating. Although I did see that there was an old stone fireplace with a black empty grate in the wall, and I could imagine that it would have cheered the room significantly when it had been lit, but now the air felt static and chilled.

  It was just as I had thought; this house belonged to a different period in time. Left alone and abandoned for so many years and not a living soul had entered this house until tonight. Darius told me that nothing had been touched or removed in all those years, so as I saw it now was how he had acquired it shortly after Benjamin Grey’s death. That notion did give me a peculiar feeling, and I wondered if all his belongings and those of his wife and child still remained. I half expected to hear the echo’s of their voices filling the rooms and I shivered inwardly.

  Darius glanced at me and explained that he never spent any time in the house, only in the cellar. It was a matter of necessity that he came here during the summer months. We continued walking around, and Darius lit an old oil lamp, it gave out a soft glow, and lighted our way ahead. The comfortable armchairs were strewn with tapestry cushions, an old piano stood forlorn in a corner, and beamed ceilings and oak panelling were evident throughout the property. I briefly looked into various rooms, cluttered with old worn furniture before we reached the staircase. It was steep, rickety and narrow and we made our way upwards to the main bedroom.

  “You will be comfortable in this room,” Darius said, holding the lamp higher so I might see better.

  “You are not leaving me are you?” I asked feeling nervous. I really didn’t’t want him to leave me alone here. I did not want to witness Benjamin Grey or his family members manifest themselves in front of me. After everything that had happened tonight, I didn’t’t think my nerves could stand any more shocks, however benign the intention.

  “No, I will stay with you until you fall asleep, but there is nothing to be afraid of,” Darius said reassuringly. I gave him a weak smile.

  “It just feels a bit creepy in here. The sort of place you would expect to be haunted,” I offered in explanation. Darius grinned at me.

  “I thought you didn’t’t mind ghosts,” he said cordially. I hesitated before answering.

  “Just make sure I am really asleep before you leave me,” I said, trying to sound braver than I felt. “Where will you be?”

  “There is an old cellar; I won’t take you down there. You would find it . . . even more creepy,” he answered, the amusement obvious in
his voice. “When you wake you can explore the house, you will not disturb me and you are quite safe here.” I averted my gaze from him and looked down at the bed.

  “When did someone last sleep here?” I asked, eyeing the blankets and covers with

  distaste. Darius thought for a moment.

  “1877,” he said at last.

  That disclosure made me feel very strange, in fact the whole place did. I really could believe that I had travelled back in time, nothing moved, nothing touched for over a century. Impervious to my reaction Darius lay down on the bed and pulled me after him, his body was close against mine and my breathing shallowed as he fixed me with his steady green gaze that captivated my attention. His lingering kiss tempted me further and his touch sent an erotic shiver through my body as his pursuit of enrapture continued. My earlier feelings of being haunted diminished as I succumbed to his sensual seduction.

  “I love you Madeline,” it was barely a whisper.

  He tightened his hold on me and I forgot how unclean or ancient any of the surroundings were. There was only him and I, and caught up in my desire for him, nothing else mattered.

  * * *

  I awoke around midday -- alone. I had been oblivious to Darius’s pre dawn departure to the cellar. I got up quickly and started to make the bed, but in the daylight, the covers on the bed were as I suspected, extremely dirty and dusty. Instead of remaking it, I ended up stripping the bed entirely and discovered that the mattress was ancient and made of some kind of straw. Next time I would bring new linens with me, but for now I gathered up the old and stuffed them in an old wooden chest that was positioned under the window. I opened the antique wardrobe, and found several vintage dresses and gentlemen’s clothes. Just as I thought, all the personal possessions of the Grey’s were still here. I quickly closed the wardrobe feeling as if I was trespassing on their memories.

  I walked down the stairs and headed outside, I had found out the night before that this old house contained no bathroom, only a stone outhouse of a very rough construction. Water had to be drawn from the old well at the rear of the property, and much to my dismay, the water was icy cold.

  The garden was mainly overgrown, but there was an extensive rose garden. The roses were all of old fashioned type and I bent to admire their fragrant perfume. Over the years they had grown large and ungainly, tangling themselves around their nearest neighbour, it was in the garden that I spent most of the afternoon.

  The house although fascinating, was covered in decades of dust and grime, and without any running water I could not even begin to try and clean anything. Maybe a future project, I thought to myself, but for now I could do nothing and unlike Darius’s other properties, there were no books to read.

  As the sun began to disappear I began to think about Darius. I was certain that the cellar led directly off the kitchen, as earlier I had opened a door and discovered a narrow staircase leading down into the depths of the earth. I hadn’t wanted to disturb him if he was down there, also fearing the unknown, I had quietly closed the door again.

  I walked back into the main saloon and focused on the piano sitting in the corner. I sat upon the wide wooden stool and lifted the heavy lid that concealed the keys. One by one I depressed them, it sounded in tune, but what did I know -- I couldn’t’t play anyway. However, I spent the next hour playing with the keys as I tried to string together the various notes to make a recognizable tune. The time passed quickly before I had a sudden sensation of not being alone. I looked up. Darius was sitting on one of the chairs watching me. I let my hands fall from the keys in surprise.

  “How long have you been there?”

  “A few minutes,” he replied. It really unnerved me that he was able to enter a room or be within my presence, and initially I was totally unaware of the event.

  “I wish you wouldn’t’t do that,” I said, feeling exasperated. He laughed as he rose from the chair and came to sit beside me, but his closeness chased away any displeasure I might have felt before.

  “Can you play?”

  “Of course,” he said confidently, and the instant his fingers touched the keyboard, some classical piece that I was vaguely familiar with resonated from the piano. “Bach,” he said casually, “or I can play Mozart,” and to prove his point the music changed dramatically.

  Darius I soon learned, was an accomplished piano player and I sat entranced at his skill as his fingers seemed to glide effortlessly over the keys. He finally stopped playing and turned to look at me.

  “Are you ready to go home?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I replied happily.

  We locked up the house and I realized that I hadn’t seen the car all day. I asked him what he had done with it.

  “In the stable,” he said. The stable was large and he opened the double doors to show that at one time, it would have accommodated a sizable carriage. Now, the Wraith stood there in all its splendour. The various stalls were complete with original fittings and housing items of saddlery, but also in these stalls were mechanical pieces, they looked like car parts, and at the far end which would have originally housed a second carriage, there was another car almost identical to Darius’s -- another Wraith. Darius smiled, enjoying my obvious surprise as he explained its presence here.

  “Over the years I have used it as a spare parts car; I don’t even think it is capable of driving anymore, but it’s useful to keep a replica in case I have need.”

  I was astonished at his revelation, Darius thought of everything, but then again I supposed he had to.

  “So you’re a mechanic as well?” I asked, making my amusement apparent.

  “I do what I have to, but I admit I would prefer not to.” He paused. “It is a matter of necessity for someone like me to have to do this.” I looked at him bemused.

  “Yes I can see that. You are by far too refined and educated to ever have been a

  mechanic and it must play havoc with your nails.” I remarked trying to keep the tone even in my voice. Darius lowered his head and looked at me with slightly narrowed eyes.

  “If you have finished amusing yourself at my expense we should leave,” he said dryly and he opened the car door for me.

  We left Chantille behind and headed for Exmoor, a few more hours and we would be home. Once again I could feel the moors calling, but this time the calling was to both of us. It was beckoning us, reminding us that we belonged there together.

  Chapter Twenty Six - An Evil Interlude--Part 1

  Our return to Ravens Deep really did feel like coming home, and we settled down once again into the routine of our life. It seemed that the peace and tranquil ambiance of Exmoor was calming to Darius, whilst in London he had appeared more tense, more on edge, but perhaps it was my presence there that had made him so.

  Several weeks passed, he no longer left me alone and I accompanied him whenever he went to the city, and I was content that once again, I had some connection with the outside world. Darius rarely left my side in his waking hours, even then it was only to venture out into the middle of the night and then to return to me as if he had merely taken a midnight stroll. I tried not to let my thoughts get the better of me, if I didn’t’t think about what he was doing, I could almost believe that side of his life didn’t exist -- almost.

  I sat in the library on this warm afternoon, my attention was on bank paperwork that I had recently picked up from my flat in London. I still owned the flat and thought that I should probably sell it, after all, I doubted that I would ever return to live there again. It seemed pointless just letting it sit empty, to mention nothing of the chore of collecting any mail and ensuring that the monthly standing orders were paid. It was apparent that Darius did not like me visiting there, it was a reminder of my former life, he never openly said the words, but I knew he disapproved, but he understood that I did have an obligation to ensure the affairs were kept in order. Darius had never suggested that I sell it, and I supposed that it was a good investment, as property values had been climbing steadi
ly.

  Despite all of Darius’s wealth, he was shrewd when it came to business matters and he probably had calculated that it was a valuable piece of real estate. But for me, it felt like it was becoming an inconvenience, and I made up my mind that I would talk to Darius about selling it later. I was so engrossed in these thoughts that it was a complete surprise when I was suddenly jolted back to the present moment. A shrill ringing sounded from the mound of paper in front of me. I jumped, it seemed such a strange noise and so out of place at Ravens Deep.

  I was a little shocked to hear a phone ring after so many months, even though I always kept the phone charged in case of emergencies, and it was reassuring to know that I wasn’t entirely cut off from civilization. But this afternoon I had used it to call my bank in London, and I had not immediately switched it off in my usual style. The thought also ran through my mind that I did not want to disturb Darius. Even though he was far away in another part of the house, the sound of such an unfamiliar noise might wake him. I was never quite sure how good his hearing was, but like all his other senses, I imagined it was much sharper than my own. I hurried to lift up various papers to find the phone’s hiding place and answered quickly, expecting it to be a wrong number. I listened to the voice at the other end, and could have not been more mistaken.

  “Madeline? Is that you?” The voice was familiar to me.

  “Yes,” I answered cautiously, and wracked my brain to think who this person was and how they could possibly have this number.

  “Madeline, it’s Charlie.”

  Of course I recognised the voice, but the feeling of relief quickly turned to shock, I didn’t know what to say for a long moment, and as the reality sunk in my thoughts blurred.

  What was Charlie doing calling me? More to the point, why was Charlie calling me now, as I hadn’t seen or spoken to him in months.