“Good evening Mr. Atkins,” he said politely with a charming smile.
“Evening Sam, come on in,” dad said, just as polite, inviting Sam in.
Sam threw me a cheeky smile as he walked into our open living room behind dad and sat on the double seat. Dad sat on the recliner so I went and sat next to Sam.
“So I hear youre throwing a party,” dad said, starting up the conversation.
“It's sort of like an old fashioned dance,” Sam answered.
“Okay, when are you planning to bring home my Lays?”
“Sunday, if that's alright with you sir,” Sam answered, keeping even eye contact with dad.
“We've known each other for months Sam, I think it's about time you start calling me Stan. I trust my girl,” dad said, smiling.
I was in stunned silence. I couldn't believe my ears but it was true, thank god! It's what any girl would want to hear from their dad as they were introducing their boyfriend.
“I think we should head off,” I said, interrupting Sam and dad who were starting to talk about the football.
“Ah, yeah it's nearly six so we have to get over there,” Sam said, getting up and holding his hand out for me, his eyes warm and welcoming.
I took his hand and we walked to the front door with dad following behind us, not once breaking eye contact. Sam was a good actor, he managed to actually sound like someone who lives in this century, he didnt slip up once.
“Okay, I'll see you later sweetheart,” dad said, kissing me on my forehead.
“Bye dad.”
“You take good care of my girl,” dad warned Sam, handing him my gym bag full of clothes and a toiletries bag.
“Not to worry, I'll guard her with my life,” Sam said, earnest and sincere, taking the bag with no struggles.
“Alright, have a good time kids, and no drinking,” dad called as we started walking down the driveway.
“No worries,” I called back.
As I was holding Sams hand I couldnt help but stare into his eyes. I had been lost in them since I had taken his hand.
“You look beautiful, you always do. The blue really brings out your eyes and illuminates your skin,” Sam said to me adoringly.
“Thanks. And you look dashing, as always. The black makes you look like a ghost,” I said to him jokingly with a grin.
He chuckled and pulled me closer, wrapping his arm around my waist. “You and your sense of humour.” He kissed the top of my head, adjusting my gym bag on his shoulder. “Try to relax tonight, there will be a lot of people here and all of them fend for Light, but some of them are… enchanting so to speak,” he explained slowly.
“Are you gonna try and talk to them all?” I asked.
“Yes, we have already divided up the guest list between Elane, James, Jane and I. Elane will be with Fredric all night, except for when we switch dancing partners. Hunter will be with Jane all night too, and you will be with me,” he said, smiling gorgeously.
“And James?” I asked.
“Ahh, you will be surprised but he is quite the lady charmer, more than I ever was. And Im sure youve noticed he is very charismatic so he will start up conversations between everyone.”
“Right,” I said slowly, smiling in disbelief. “Hey, you charmed me.”
He laughed. “And I will never know how I managed that.”
I grinned. I would never know how he couldn't manage it. He could have any girl he wanted, but he chose me.
“I want you to be careful though, even though you will be with me most of the time, when you are not, make sure you say as least as possible,” he warned me, holding me closer as if there was danger around us at that very moment.
“Why?”
“I don't want them finding out anything about you just yet. Let us just say I want to avoid a fight.”
I had just realised he wasnt going to be with me all the time. “Why won't I be with you all the time?” I asked in panic.
“Because one of the rules of dancing is you are allowed to cut, and I think every male there would want to dance with you,” he said, complimenting me again.
I rolled my eyes. “Now you're being biased,” I said.
I didnt think anyone would want to dance with someone as plain as me.
“No, I am being jealous,” he mumbled.
We finally reached the front of his property and suddenly I wasn't feeling too good.
“Are you ready?” he asked, opening the side gate to his property.
“No,” I said, shaking my head.
I really felt like I was going to vomit now so I clenched my hands to my stomach.
“I'm here, and my heart is yours forever. They will help us... I hope,” he said, taking my hand in his and pulling me through the gate slowly, keeping his eyes on mine to settle me.
“You're right... lets go,” I said, clasping onto his hand tightly and walking forward with him towards the house, along the path, and through the trees.
We walked up his driveway and no cars were there in the courtyard yet, but hopefully the inside would all be set up.
Sam opened the front doors up and we walked into the living room. I saw that all the furniture had been pushed away from a red runway carpet with ropes around it that led through to the kitchen and into the ballroom. We stopped walking and Sam let go of my gym and toiletries bag and it floated in the air in front of us, until he ordered it away with the wave of his hand and it was gone, probably the guest room, I thought.
We followed the red runway carpet and entered the ballroom, finding Jane fiddling with the stereo which was now in the middle of two huge amplifiers and speakers.
I wondered how loud that would actually go.
“Oh, good. You guys are here. I need you both to start the music when everybody enters. Then we dance and get to work, got it?” she said.
“Got it,” Sam said determinedly.
“Alright,” she said nervously.
“I am going to go get ready. Everyone else is upstairs as well, so we are just waiting on the guests.”
She left the room and Sam and I went and sat down at the piano.
“Sam,” I said.
“Yes?”
“How did the Warrigal coven become what they are today? Why don't they fend for Light too?” I asked quietly.
I needed to know more about them, I didnt know why, I just did. It was like there was another curiosity pull inside of me, needing to know everything.
There was a short silence while he debated whether or not to answer, but eventually he did. “Tommy; their leader, use to be apart of the Supernatural council; the Santoreny family. They are one of the first original Supernatural families still surviving. Their family worked in harmony to keep order over us all until Tommy was banished for trying to dominate all of clementia; humanity. “All of the council members are full blood brothers by the way, however Tommy was a product of a fling. So, when the other four brothers ruled against him and his ideas, he was banished. It would not hurt them very much,” he explained. “Tommy still wanted to dominate humanity so he searched the world for rebels like himself, but he is under the radar of the council. He found Toby, who is old and wise and thought of humans as nothing.
“You see, they all have a dream of the Supernatural ruling over the human race. They think they are far more superior to humans, giving them the right to rule.”
“Wouldn't the council stop them?” I asked.
It was interesting to know that Tommy use to be a council member, and his brothers as well, how could he live with himself after betraying his family.
“They do try, if they see it happen. The council is very important because they are in possession of every Supernatural beings records and files, but that is another story.
“Their palace also holds the four throne chairs, but a being with royal blood can't sit in the head chair, or it will destroy you. Then they will gain an immense amount of power if accepted, enough to dominate. The Santoreny are more like the royal family to us, they have more po
wer than we can even imagine, they are suppose to keep our kind alive and functional, along with the rest of the council. They are fair though, they like to keep our race separate from humans, because we are not a very common race,” he said.
It seemed he was struggling to explain to me so I had to be patient and absorb every word.
“And that's why Tommy wants to overthrow them?”
“Yes. The Warrigal then found the very rare twins, or Elementals as we put them. Every being has a name for their ability, its just finding the name thats the hard part,” he said, looking far off.
“What are you?” I asked softly.
He smiled slightly, looking back at me. “I am a Mind bender, one of the strongest. Jane is a Cloaker, Elane is a Nature element, James is a Blur, Hunter is a Defender and Fredric is a Current,” he said, smiling joyfully, showing all of his white perfect teeth.
“And what about me?” I asked, moving closer to him.
“You are very rare, I do not have a clue what you are, yet,” he murmured with a small smile, his eyes blazing. “But you are a mix. An Absorber and Healer, maybe.”
“Hmm. Okay so then they found Sylar right?” I guessed after a minute.
“Right. We were in North America at the time and we had just found Sylar, we took him in because his mother had been killed, and his father apprehended for the murder.
“Sylar became like a brother to me. Then one day he ran into Tommy and his coven and they made him an offer of power, and unfortunately he accepted. They attacked our home, Sylar with them, and we made it out luckily, but we were young and thought we could take them on by ourselves. That is what jeopardized our lives. I soon became an outsider in my family. My brother and sisters had lives, but I spent all my time studying anything and everything possible, fighting when I was needed, and I eventually become emotionless. That's why I have read the most books in our family, that's why I know nearly the most about our history, and it's all so I won't kill.”
I looked at him, inspired by his life and his perspective of it. He was perfect and flawless, how could he not have ever had a life.
“I had only just started to feel again when you came into my life,” he said gently. “You are absolutely amazing.”
“You know I love you right?” I asked him, touching my fingertips to his cheek.
“Yes,” he smiled. “As I love you.”
A sound buzzed from the gate receiver on the wall and Jane appeared in a purple ankle length dress that flowed down her slender figure with poise.
She went over and pressed the open button for the huge gates out front.
“I'm going to greet them and send them in bunches at a time. You play the classical music like Beethoven or Vivaldi. Some of the people coming tonight are very ancient,” Jane called behind her as she walked out.
Elane appeared in a light pink silk dress that fell to just above her knee. She looked as perfect as ever. I didn't look anywhere near as perfect as she did, and I sort of felt a pang of jealousy as I looked at her. James also appeared at her side wearing a black tuxedo like Sams, looking sharp and smart, but they didn't have the bowties.
“You look beautiful Elane,” I complimented her.
“So do you,” Elane said, eyeing me up and down with a smile.
“Thanks. And don't you look handsome James,” I said to him, nodding approvingly.
“Hey, thanks Lays. You look beautiful too,” he said honestly.
I smiled and I could hear people enter the house from the buzzing of voices.
“Remember, be careful. Some of them have very enchanting abilities,” Sam reminded me intently.
I nodded and he pulled me over to the stereo. He turned on the music and turned it up full blast. It was really loud, it could have been heard clearly from two streets away, I thought.
People entered the room and started twirling away on the dance floor instantly to the classical music.
“Would you like to dance?” Sam asked me, smiling angelically and bowing, his hand extended towards me to take it.
“Sam, I… forgot something,” I said, my throat feeling tight.
I walked towards the crowd to make my escape, repeating in my head over and over I don't want to dance, I don't want to make a fool of myself tonight, please, please, please no.
“Wait,” Sam called after me, shocked.
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me around into him. My hands were on his hard warm chest in seconds and his arms were around my waist, keeping me against his masculine cut body. I started breathing heavily from the unexpected proximity. He never acted like this before and it was nerve wracking.
“What's wrong?” he asked, his head turning slightly to the side, a smile on his face.
“Sam I… I've never danced before and I'm not sure how to,” I said to him, my voice very shaky.
“Try not to worry because I am very sure,” he said, his face so close to mine.
I gulped and he started swaying gently from side to side, then he started stepping in a slow circle until we were eventually twirling around the floor with everyone else. I kept my eyes on his and held on to his broad shoulders tightly, then we made our first stop.
“I'm going to switch okay,” he whispered in my ear.
“You'll come get me right?” I asked, panic stricken, squeezing his arm.
“Of course,” he said, smiling easily.
We danced over towards a couple and Sam tapped on the mans shoulder, then we swapped and Sams warm arms were gone. I felt a new pair of slightly colder hands on my waist. He had jet black hair and was wearing a tuxedo, he looked just about my height and in his mid-twenties.
“What is your name young one?” he asked in his deep voice.
I looked up and met his slightly yellow eyes. “Layla,” I said curtly. “And yours sir?” I thought I better answer as politely as possible, even if it did seem slightly... weird.
“I am Lucas,” he answered.
“It's nice to meet you Lucas,” I said, bowing my head slightly.
“You too,” he said with a slight smile.
We danced in a circle for a few minutes until Sam tapped on Lucass shoulder and they swapped back.
“Stay safe, young Layla,” he said before going back to the woman.
I thought that was a bit… different, but I couldnt care much because Sam was holding me again. I noticed the look Sam and Lucas passed between each other, it didnt look friendly and I wondered what had happened there.
“Next stop,” he said, a bit of tension in his voice.
Within the next three hours we went around to at least fourteen different couples, and each man that I danced with was as enchanting as the next. They looked so much more different than normal humans if you looked closely, and most of them were young or in their early thirties.
Sam and I were taking a little break and just dancing with each other, until someone tapped on Sams shoulder.
“May I have this dance?” Fredric asked.
Sam looked at me and then back at Fredric. He released his grip on me unwillingly and whispered in my ear.
“I will be back soon.” He walked off towards Jane through the crowd and Fredric placed one hand on my waist, taking my other in his.
“You trimmed your hair,” I said, noticing his hair wasnt as long as it usually was, and that it was combed back slightly.
“Yeah, I think I like it this way,” he said, smiling.
We were moving from side to side to the quiet music, the song happened to have been chosen by Fredric. He chose Stuck on you cover by Paramore.
There were twice as many people in the huge room now, but it wasnt crowded oddly enough, and they were kinda liking the music selection.
“So, having a good time?” he asked after a while.
“It's not too bad,” I said, a smile in my voice.
It was quiet for a bit, just while I searched his face. His smooth angular features, his brown eyes, his dirty blonde hair, he was handsome. I couldnt believe he didnt h
ave a girlfriend yet.
“You look beautiful Lays,” he said kindly.
“Thanks,” I said with a little smile. “I've been getting that all night,” I said sarcastically.
“It's true though,” he said, and I rolled my eyes in response.
We danced until the song ended and we were going to keep dancing until Sam came and got me, but things changed. Someone tapped on Fredrics shoulder and I saw it was Hunter and I grinned, ready for another round of dancing.
I danced with Hunter for a song and then with James and a few other guys who asked me to dance before Sam got back to me.
By the time Sam cut in, I went to him willingly and rested my head peacefully against his chest. He rested his chin on top of my head and wound his arms all the way around me. I was completely exhausted and on the brink of falling over.
“We are nearly finished, so far most of the outsiders and few covens have agreed to help us if, or when we need it,” he informed me in my ear.
“Whats the time?” I asked.
“Nearly twelve thirty,” he whispered.
“God these people can party,” I said as I looked around and every person I saw was still talking and or dancing strongly.
Sam could tell I was walking dead on my feet though.
“Alright, lets go upstairs. Well go and tell Jane to finish up here,” he murmured.
“Okay,” I murmured back thankfully.
We walked through the crowd and found Jane dancing with Hunter. Sam mumbled something to her and she nodded and turned towards me.
“Night Lays,” she said.
She had stopped dancing to hug me, then Hunter hugged me and kissed my forehead.
“Night guys,” I said, my eyes drooping slightly.
When we were walking out of the ballroom we ran into James, Fredric and Elane, who all hugged me good night. Sam also shook hands with all the guys and was wished a good night too, except for the sly comment from James. He said something along the lines of... dont have too much fun upstairs, leaving Sam sneering at him.
We walked out of the ballroom slowly. Sam was supporting most of my weight and walking perfectly fine at the same time like he wasnt burdened with me at all. We got to the gigantic spiralling staircase and I groaned looking at them like an eternal struggle.
The Hidden Revelations: First Light Page 28