Night Feast (22 page)

Arabella laughed and pulled him back onto their huge, four poster bed.

Lia and Kathrin took a walk around the gardens.  It was bitterly cold just the way they both liked it.  Lia was enjoying being with her twin sister again, as they walked arm in arm she realised just how much that she had missed her.  Kathrin was loving the new Lia.  She could see that she had changed, she was softer somehow, much more gentle than previously.  Her skin that had always been beautiful looked even more radiant now, she was glowing.  As they walked Lia had remarked on how beautiful the sky looked, and what a lovely day it was.  She forgot herself for a moment and started humming and singing the Alicia Keys song 'New York.'  Jay had played it for her, when they had been in his bedroom listening to music.

''Hello I'm Kathrin, I don't believe we've met, who are you and what have you done with my sister?''

Lia abruptly stopped her singing.  She was at a loss for what to say.

''What was that song that your were singing Lia?  It sounded very strange, I've never heard it before''

Lia was spared from explaining herself by the sound of their mother calling them, to come back into the house.  She grabbed her sister's hand affectionately, and together they half ran and half skipped through the gardens towards the front door.  The family needed to pass the time before nightfall, then they would go out and hunt as a pack and satisfy their desire for human blood.  They sometimes played croquet on the lawn ,but Valentin had settled down to read a book, and Arabella decided that she and the girls would do some needlework.  From a young age some girls of that era tended to get involved in learning various stitches, in order to become proficient in needlework.  A girl who showed evidence of good ability was proof that she would be able to take care of her family's sewing needs, once she became a wife and mother.  Arabella had thought that this would be a wonderful hobby for her two daughters.  Not for taking care of their families sewing needs, vampires were a lot less concerned about such things.  But she remembered when her nanny had taught her the skill, when she'd been a child back in Surrey, and during those sessions she had felt happy and contented.  Arabella had started to teach them needlepoint and embroidery from the age of ten. Kathrin had taken to it willingly and easily, but Lia had sulked and complained, saying that she didn't like it and she wouldn't do it.  In the last eight years she had not even managed to finish just one piece of work.  Arabella was well prepared for her objections.

''I thought we would do some needlework girls'' she said brightly.

''Oh yes okay, I've almost completed my last piece I could finish it off today.  I'll go and get the sewing box.''  Then Lia rushed eagerly from the room

The three remaining family members looked at each other in amazement.  The onslaught of excuses and tantrums that were habitual of Lia in this circumstance, were not forthcoming.  Valentin went back to the book that he was reading, before sending a silent message to Arabella.  They would find out Lia's secret tonight.

When night finally came the four vampires left their home, and took what they wanted and needed from some unfortunate individuals, of the lowly and destitute in Portland.  They managed to carry off four bodies and drink their blood dry, without being seen or heard.  Valentin and Arabella noticed that Lia was particularly ferocious, and had torn at the neck of her victim with great vigour.  They finished their feasting and returned home wishing each other goodnight, before they went to their beds.  

The Hudson's visit to California had not been a great success.  They had been to stay with Elena's spinster aunt Fay, and had become annoyed with all her theories and innuendos about the events leading up to their daughter's death.  Fay had hinted heavily that their two daughters had for some reason become lose and wayward, and the fault always lay at the parents door.  She had also taken her sister and brother-in-law to a new church, that she had recently joined.  The Hudson's and found themselves surrounded by sinners, dressed in inappropriate attire, smiling at and greeting each other, like they didn't have a care in the world.  Mrs Hudson especially liked to see people kneeling and praying, begging for forgiveness, and remembering that the Lord Jesus Christ had  died on the cross, because of all their fornicating and evil ways.  They decided to cut their trip short, and arrived at home two days earlier than originally scheduled. 

Although nothing was moved and nothing had changed, they sensed that they'd had an intruder.  As soon as they had re-entered their house their suspicions were equally raised.  They put down their suitcases, and looked around and at first thought that nothing had been taken.  Then they noticed that the urn, containing Elena's ashes was missing.

''You must have put it away somewhere before we left, woman, who in God's name would want to take it?''

''I left it right there on the table Elijah like I always do''  replied Evelyn flatly, ''someone has taken it and I'm calling the police right now!"

The police hid their amusement as they took a statement from Mr and Mrs Hudson.  They said that they would make some inquires, and would let them know immediately if anything turned up.  Elijah Hudson went straight to his hardware shop, took a sturdy looking lock from his well stocked shelf, and fitted it onto their front door.

Lia crept downstairs having no idea that her parents were onto her.  She had enjoyed the time that she had spent with them, but now she wanted to get back to the 21st century and to her lover.  Lia had decided that it would not be her hand that she bit, during the next time that they came together.  Jay would be hers completely, they were both ready for that now.  As she descended the elegant spiral staircase, she had no idea that her parents were waiting for her at th edge of the nearby forest.  She had checked their bedroom, and had thought that they were fast asleep, and assuming that the coast was clear she slipped quietly out of the front door, and hurried down to the bottom of the gardens.  Lia looked back at the house one more time, then carried on forward.  She was suddenly confronted by Arabella and Valentin floating in mid air, and savagely baring they sharp white teeth.  For a moment Lia just stood there, unable to move, as her parents expressions became more ferocious as they looked at her.  The usually love and affection that was in their eyes whenever they looked at her was gone, but unbeknown to her it still remained in their hearts.  She felt her own fangs try to click into action, but she knew that she would be no match for two older and powerful creatures of her kind.  There had been many times she had held innocent victims in the position, that she found herself in now.  To be on the receiving end was horrifying.  Lia knew that if she ran her parents would pounce on her, so she started to back away, and as she did they swooped down and carried her back to the house.

Valentin was in a rage.  He would not let Lia speak until Kathrin was present. Arabella went to her room and woke her up, telling her she was wanted downstairs.  Valentin wanted to be sure that Kathrin was no in on Lia's secret, he had decided to leave no stone unturned.

'' Please daddy I....''

''I want to know where you were going tonight and where you went last night,'' Valentin said in a low menacing voice, he was still unaware of the freezing time zone.

Lia's lips started to tremble and tears came into her eyes, she couldn't bear it if she had lost her parents love.  Arabella seemed to read her thoughts.

''Lia, there is no need for tears'' she said softly, ''we still love you very much and we always will, you just need to tell us what has been happening with you lately okay? Valentin calm down, let the girl speak.''

Lia relaxed a little and felt reassured, so she started to tell them about her secret life.

''I found a portal, in the forest, some weeks ago now, so I went through it and it took me into another zone of time, the year 2011.''

The three other vampires gasped in amazement.  They could not believe that this was possible.  Valentin had never discovered anything like it during his hundreds of years on the planet.

''2011, are you serious Lia?'' he said. The anger had left his tone.

''Yes daddy it's true, I've been going their while you slept, I have made a life for myself there.''

''How can you have made a life for yourself there darling?'' said Arabella, ''you have only spent a couple of nights there surely?''

''I've been there in the modern world for the last two weeks, you see the portal has the power to freeze time in this century, I discovered this quite by accident.  You went out on a hunt and I went back through the portal.  When I came back you had not returned from your hunt and I'd been gone all night.  The clock had not changed time, and I had to wait for some hours for you to come back.''

Her family did not know what to say, but they believed her because of the obvious sincerity in her voice and manner.

''I have a house which is strange, but pretty with riverside views and...''

''But don't you need money in this new world of yours?'' inquired Valentin.

''Yes, the same as one does in these times but there is a shop that sells things from the past, quite near to the portal.  It only opens after dark and only caters to people from the supernatural community.  It is being operated by two humans a man and his wife.''

Lia's family exchanged incredulous glances.

''Humans?'' said Valentin, ''You, or was becoming the most deadly vampire in this family is doing business with humans?''

Lia nodded. ''I want to show you something, wait here I'll be back in a moment.''  She left the three, shell shocked vampires standing in the drawing room, and went into the attic to get the beautiful, medium sized mirror, that she had intended to sell to the Jacksons.  She returned to the drawing room, and asked her family to come and stand in front of the mirror with her.

''Why?'' said Kathrin, ''what for, we won't be able to see ourselves Lia.''

But they all did as they were told, and reeled back in shock when the only reflection that they could see was that of their beautiful Lia.

''This is just not possible'' exclaimed her father, ''You are not a vampire bitten, you are a vampire born, there should never be a time that you can see your reflection in a mirror.''

Lia then shocked them again.  She removed Elena's handkerchief from between her breasts, and her reflection immediately disappeared.  She answered the question that was waiting to escape from their lips.

''This piece of cloth belonged to a human girl'' she said informatively.  ''I found it'' she lied, ''I have used it to buy modern clothes from their fashion houses, their dress is much different to ours.''

Valentin, Arabella and Kathrin had sat down now.  They were trying to take it all in, process the information for it to make more sense.

''You say that you have sold things for money, they are things from this house I assume?'' asked Arabella.

Lia affirmed cautiously, she knew that she had to come clean about all the things that she had taken from the attic.

''I haven't pick up the money yet, but the signed painting of your mother Isobel, sold for two million dollars.''

Jay had been trying forever, to get in touch with Lia.  His conversation with Amberlee Robinson had really disturbed him.  Kevin had told him to ignore her, and that she was just trying to stir up trouble.  Everyone could see at the dance that she was jealous of Lia, and now she was trying to get back at her.  Jay agreed with what he had to say, but he still felt that he needed to discuss Amberlee's allegations with Lia.  And he still hadn't found out where she had been at the time that the police arrested him. He wondered where she had got to, she seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth.

''What, you sold my mother's painting?'' Arabella's voice was now at its highest pitch. ''Lia how could you? It was the only thing I had left of her.''

''I'm sorry mommy, I am so sorry, I just wasn't thinking, but I'll get it back to you I promise'' said Lia she was realising the that the situation was one of great gravity now.

''Lia, tell me why did you do all these things without telling us?'' said Valentin sadly, he had thought that he and his daughter were so close, and that she would always share everything with him.

''Daddy I did for a reason that only you and mommy would understand, I did it for love.''

In Liche cave behind the Blue mountains Orthè, the leader of the Sages of the Dead, observed the white marble urn containing the ashes of Elena Hudson. His two minions, who had stolen the urn bowed their heads in appreciation of his praise, for having obtained the ashes so quickly and without incident.  The Sages of the Dead had managed to retain their status, of being the most powerful and efficient members of the Necromancy empire for thousands of years.  They were ardent hunters of those they considered their enemies, which was a list that included those who drank the blood, and took the lives of certain human beings. Orthè and his Sages had been watching Valentin Malenkov for the last four hundred years and more, since his arrival in Portland.  They knew that he had converted the young wife of Hubert Carrington to his own vampirism existence, but for her they had known it was a blessing.  He had been very fair in his hunting, and selective.  They had not tried to destroy him, because he had  chosen only to drink the blood of evil men, or the poor and the needy, the kind of mortal who would find solace and contentment in the spiritual world.  Orthè had secretly admired this particular vampire. He was well aware of how Valentin had forbidden his daughters from satisfying their needs with the blood of a certain type of human.  But one of his daughter's had disobeyed him, twice.  Once in 21st century Portland Maine, and once in 19th century Pembroke, New Hampshire.  The Sages of the Dead had been unable to locate Lydia's body.  They had been so engrossed with obtaining Elena's ashes, that they had not been keeping such a close eye on Lia's activities.  Orthè and his Sages had also always been aware of the portal.  They knew that if any creature of the undead used their mind in a certain way they would discover it, as Lia and many more had done.  The members of the undead community, who killed in the 21st century, were immediately eliminated by the Order.  Some had learned the hard way, but now the majority of supernatural beings controlled their desires, or only took the lives of those that they could, within their own original time frames.  Lia was ignorant to this great rule, but the Sages of the Dead had set a precedent that would exclude no one.  Lia would have to be destroyed.  Orthè knew that he could have one of his minions drive a stake through the vampire's heart at any time.  The old-fashioned ways of killing a blood sucker still existed, but if a vampire was strong minded enough after just three months, he or she could will themselves back into existence.  Valentin Malenkov was not aware that he could easily do this, so he had been cautious.  He had also once been human and knew that the race could be a force to be reckoned with, when they discovered their enemies.  Lia on the other hand, considered herself to be an unstoppable force.  She had used unwavering focus and strength of mind, to manifest her desires into reality quickly.  She was becoming aware of the power of thought, in a way that no human, vampire, zombie, liche or werewolf ever had.  A stake driven through her heart would not be enough for her.  This was the reason why the Sages of the Dead had stolen her dead victim's ashes.  They, like Lia had seen Elena Hudson wondering aimlessly around the spirit world, mourning the loss of her life.  She had been far from ready to die, and had been about to find great happiness, by embarking into a relationship with the boy who had now given his heart to the girl who had killed her.  Her life in her parent's house had been bearable, until her older sister had up and left , to endure their punishing religious regimes alone.  Her newfound joy would have been everything to her, if her life had not been so cruelly cut short. The Sages of the Dead had decided that Elena Hudson, out of all of Lia's victims, would be the one with the greatest desire for revenge.  They had witnessed the whole situation between Lia and Amberlee Robinson, and had expected her to kill the girl in Philadelphia. They also knew that the victims of vampires were the only people who could destroy their killers forever. However they'd had to rule Amberlee out of their plan, when her life had been spared, which had been disappointing, because her potential to destroy was obviously in its fullest form.  Therefore this order of the Necromancy decided to use their most powerful skill, and bring Elena Hudson back to the land of the living instead..