Darlings of Darkness: A Vampire Anthology Part 59

As I wandered along the edge of the ice cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, I tried not to dwell on the fact that there was still no trace of my parents. Even after all these weeks, there was still nothing. We had been in touch with the British authorities but it was looking more and more like this case would be shelved. It would continue to be unexplained. An unsolved mystery.

Instead of dwelling on recent life-changing events, I attempted to fill my head with the beauty that surrounded me. From the deep blue ocean to the bright blue of the cloudless sky and the startlingly beautiful green islands off in the distance, I was left truly breathless by its utter magnitude. Having little chance to appreciate it before now, I thought of how narrow-minded I must have been while living within London. Why my mother and father had never told me of the awe-inspiring landscapes to be found here, I will never know. It was like stepping foot inside the most magnificent giant oil painting a true masterpiece that no artist could ever imitate.

Had I grown up here, I would never have wanted to leave and everyone I knew would have been told of its breathtaking magnificence.

Suddenly something jumped high out of the water and back again with a loud plop. I was startled but curious. I searched for more movement but there was nothing other than the gentle lolling of the soft waves lapping against the sh.o.r.e.

Finding a huge piece of driftwood on the little beach, I sat and waited patiently for it to happen again. I was determined to see what was capable of jumping right out of the water before my eyes.

I didn't have to wait long. Another splash and a plop, and a large fish revealed itself to me. Having little experience of such things, I had no idea what type of fish jumped like this actually, I had no experience of fish at all not to eat, nor to catch or even to look at, other than in school books.

I had never been in the ocean, nor had I even been on a boat prior to my arrival in Canada. Narrow-minded, lacking in experience of all kinds and naive is probably how the people here must see me, I thought, sighing. If only my parents knew what I was going through. I didn't blame them, of course I didn't. I just wished they had been more forthcoming with so many things. And now... perhaps they would never get the chance.

On the other hand, had they not disappeared, I would have continued on that same path. The same boring road with no twists or turns. The only 'fun' I had ever had was with December, and even then that was only ever at school. There had never been any excitement, unless you count the day when some kids at school tried to blow up a toilet. That was the extent of the excitement in my world. Until now. Until my parents had vanished and I moved across the world and discovered the most magical place ever.

Not even the stories from the fairy tales I was so fond of could match the magic that could be found here in British Columbia. Even though I'd only been here a day or so, I hadn't even realised I was in British Columbia. I had noticed it on the licence plates of some of the cars in the area... 'Beautiful British Columbia'.

So I'd found an atlas in Gabriel's huge book collection and pinpointed Canada and discovered how vast a country it was. A country that was divided into a number of different provinces. British Columbia was the one the furthest to the west of the country and Powell River, I discovered is right on the west coast, right by the Pacific Ocean. I was also amazed how close it seemed to Asia and how far from England.

Clearly, had I known when I was younger, I would have taken a lot more notice in my geography cla.s.s. Now though, I would simply have to learn myself. I decided that I would start with Gabriel's ample book collection, once I had settled in.

As I enjoyed the stunning scenery, my thoughts once again turned to my parents, and I felt a little pang of guilt again. Guilt for enjoying myself.

It was incredibly chilly and so I stood up, intent on walking a little more to warm myself up. I continued along the same stretch, carefully climbing over gigantic pieces of driftwood, clueless as to how such immense logs of wood could find themselves washed up here. Where had they come from? Had they drifted for hundreds of miles, thousands of miles? Or had they just come from around the corner? Probably the sort of question that every Canadian would know the answer to.

Canadian. That was me now. Actually, that had always been me. My father was Canadian, I didn't know about my mother. I was just born in the UK, wasn't I? Suddenly I had doubts about everything concerning myself. I remembered that photo Ben had shown me at the airport. I was just a baby. I had never seen it before and if I recalled correctly, the background certainly didn't appear to be London. Could I have been to Canada before? Could I have been born here? These were questions that needed answering.

Yes, I had an English accent that everybody absolutely loved here (they couldn't get enough of it, which was difficult for me, being such a quiet girl) but I was Canadian.

It was so beautiful here. Another splash revealed yet another jumping fish to my side as I turned away from the water and headed towards a dirt track that I presumed would take me back to the main road to lead me back home. Home. Weird that it didn't feel wrong to call it that after so little time.

I was just a few metres down the track when a grey cat suddenly appeared from nowhere. It approached me and began to purr gently at my side. I bent down to stroke it and it stayed put for just a moment while it stretched regally before it began walking away from me, towards the sound of some softly playing music. It initially took me by surprise as I hadn't noticed any houses nearby. Although the music sounded foreign, it was beautiful. Slightly eerie.

I approached, curiosity getting the better of me. Tiptoeing towards it, I leaned against a huge tree almost twice the width of me and carefully peered around it to get a better view of the property. The cat had left me alone and had wandered up towards the house.

Even though it was the chilliest day since my arrival, on account of the cloudless sky, I guessed, I saw an older lady standing outdoors with her back to me. She was painting. What she was painting, I couldn't quite see. She was humming loudly to the music as the cat positioned itself at her side.

The woman's grey and white hair was tied up in a bun, revealing an elegant long neck. She wore a woolly grey poncho that ended in a point just below her bottom. She was slim and sleek and as she moved, she did so gracefully.

"Come on over, child. I won't bite or scratch you," she yelled above the sound of the music. She didn't turn, instead she continued to sing and paint as if I wasn't there. But I knew she was talking to me.

How she knew of my presence, I could not know. She must have an incredible sense of hearing. Either that or the cat had somehow alerted her to me.

I came out of my hiding place and slowly walked towards her, wondering why she would say that she won't bite or scratch me. Very odd.

As I approached, she finally turned to reveal perhaps one of the most beautiful faces I have ever seen on a lady of her age. But even with such beauty, I was startled by her apparent feline appearance. Everything about her was cat-like. The way the colours in her hair intertwined with each other reminded me of the cat that had pretty much led me there. Her ears, although small, appeared to have a slight pointedness to them. And she had the brightest of light blue eyes. As she looked at me, she smiled a big hearty smile.

"I'm guessing you're Lilly?" she said with a voice that could melt chocolate. She must have every man in Powell River after her, I thought.

Nodding, I held out my hand, "How do you know?" I asked.

"You look just like your grandmother when she was young," she said as she took my hand, kindly holding it in one and stroking it with the other. "Plus... you have the same scent," she added, smiling. "She, however, didn't have dyed hair!" she said with a laugh. "I'm Rose. I know your family well."

Rose. It suited her.

"Plus, not a lot happens around here without me hearing about it. I do like a bit of gossip and you've been the talk of the town for some time. People have been gossiping ever since your parents disappeared. Now, I understand that you probably don't want to talk about it but I just want you to know that when you do feel like talking, my door is always open to any of the Tulugaq clan," she said matter-of-factly.

"Tulugaq" I repeated, understanding that she was referring to any member of my family, "my grandfather told me what it meant this morning. I had no idea. I've always been known as Lilly Taylor so it's going to take me some time to get used to it," I replied.

She looked shocked. "You didn't know what it means? And you didn't know that you are a Tulugaq?" she asked, clearly not expecting an answer.

Shaking her head, she gently pulled me by the hand and led me indoors. "Boy have you been kept in the dark."

We walked indoors and she suggested I sit down at her breakfast bar in the kitchen while she placed a pan of water to boil on the hob and prepared a cup of tea for us both.

"I understand from Gabriel that your father changed your surname when you left the country. I'm sure it was because Tulugaq is not the easiest of names to p.r.o.nounce. Especially for those English folk over there," she added, smiling.

"The word itself, Tulugaq, as you now know, means raven and it has been your family's name for many generations. There is much more for you to know but perhaps you are not ready for that yet."

"Can you tell me what you mean?" I asked curiously.

Stopping what she was doing for a second, she turned and smiled, "Now that wouldn't be right. It is Gabriel who will tell you but he will only do so when you are ready. Now, would you like sugar in your tea?"

I nodded as she dropped a heaped teaspoonful into the hot tea and swiftly stirred it before handing it to me. I continued to feel so confused by this whole secrecy thing but decided not to pursue the matter further. Not yet anyway.

"Rose?"

"Yes dear?"

"Did you know my parents? I mean, before they moved to England?"

"I knew your father, Jack, well, but not... not your... your mother. She wasn't from around here. I believe she was a city girl," she sighed, "I am astounded that you know so little about your parents, your family and your ancestry. We are proud of our heritage here. I do know why you have been kept in the dark but, like I said... that's a conversation Gabriel will have with you when you are ready."

More like when he's ready, I thought.

Why there seemed to be so many secrets here... so many from me, anyway, I did not know. I felt a little irritated, but more curious than anything.

Changing the subject altogether, Rose led me into the living room, where I noticed about six cats laying in various places - a sofa, a soft rug, on top of a cabinet. Any nook and cranny seemed to have a cat curled up tightly inside it. The sound of soft gentle purring floated into my ears. It was so calming that I could easily have curled up with them for a nap.

"These are my babies," pointed Rose, "I won't bore you with all their names. There are 11 of them altogether... for now anyway."

We sat where there was a free s.p.a.ce, and immediately three cats jumped onto her lap and another two rubbed themselves against her legs, purring even louder than before.

I looked around and noticed that almost every painting on the wall was of some kind of feline animal. A wild mountain lion, a domestic siamese, a ginger tom, a black puma, a lynx. The most beautiful image was of a white tiger the animal seemed ready to jump out of the frame and into the living room, it was so lifelike. I stood up to take a closer look and saw that they were all painted by a person called Rosa Lima. I a.s.sumed that Rose was the artist.

"Did you do these, Rose?" I asked. "They're absolutely amazing. So lifelike."

"Why thank you dear, that's very kind of you. They are all mine. Rosa Lima is my real name. It's Portuguese actually. My great-great-grandfather was originally from Portugal and he married a local girl so you could say I have Portuguese blood." As she answered me, it was then that I noticed her eyes appeared to have changed colour. No longer were they bright blue, but so dark that they reminded me of treacle. I had never seen anything like it. Or was I mistaken? Perhaps it was merely a trick of the light? But I didn't feel that I could ask her about it. Instead, I asked about the music.

"Is that what language the music was earlier, Portuguese?" I queried, recalling that lovely music with the foreign words that, along with the cat, had enticed me towards Rose's house.

"Why yes that's right. It's my favourite song. Canco do Mar Song of the Sea. It's traditional Portuguese music called Fado. Do you like it?" Rose asked me.

Nodding, "I love it," I answered and she stood up and went to her stereo and pressed play again before returning to her soft brown leather armchair with slightly ripped arms.

Together we sat in silence and listened to the beautiful sounds of Rose's favourite song.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

The following day I pondered whether or not I should attend Ben's brother's birthday party. However, as it turned out, I had little choice because it was being held at Gabriel's house... my house. My home. I didn't feel upset that I wasn't pre-warned. In fact, I actually looked forward to the company of my new family and so I got stuck in and helped wherever I could.

Meredith and Sonya turned up early in the day to give the place a good clean. I helped them before we started preparing the food. Both women were completely taken aback at discovering that I had never cooked anything in my life before staying with Dorothy and June. In fact they were even more upset when I told them everything I had ever really eaten had come out of a tin.

"Goodness, it's amazing that you still look relatively healthy. A little pale, perhaps, and certainly very thin. You could obviously use some good home cooking and some fresh vegetables," said Meredith as she turned me around to take a good look at me.

"I think we need to teach you how to cook, too," said Sonya. "It would be nice for Gabriel if you were able to help him cook a nice dinner every now and then," she added. I agreed, excited at the prospect of spending some more time in the kitchen to really learn a new skill, after Dorothy and June had taught me the basics.

If only my mother had been more like them, I thought to myself. Meredith patted me on the shoulder then and gave my hand a squeeze as if I'd spoken aloud.

For the first time in weeks, I actually felt safe and more importantly... loved. It was strange being rallied around by fellow family members, when all I'd ever known were my parents and they had never rallied around me for anything. There had never been anyone else. Or rather there had never been the mention of anyone else.

As the two women laughed and joked with me, I smiled a sad smile. It would have been wonderful to have grown up like this, in this environment, I thought. In fact it would have been wonderful to have been able to share some moments like those with my parents. What I wouldn't have given to have them there with me then, all of us laughing and joking together. But they were not there. They were still missing. I felt a tugging in my chest, and just for a second, I thought my eyes might well up with tears.

Sonya looked at me and I just knew that she understood what I had been thinking. She reached over and squeezed my hand and smiled.

I returned her smile and my tears retreated as I tried to change the subject on my mind.

"So how come Oliver's birthday party is being held here?" I asked, trying hard to think of other things rather than the sad family life I'd had.

"I guess Ben didn't tell you that both his parents died quite a few years ago," said Meredith as she kneaded the dough that would later become the most delicious homemade bread rolls.

I was shocked and surprised that he hadn't mentioned it in the car on the way from the airport. In hindsight, though, he probably didn't tell me because he didn't want to upset me, bearing in mind that I'd recently 'lost' my own parents.

"What happened to them?" I asked, thinking they can't have been very old at all.

"They were out together one day, taking a long trek when they came across an injured mountain lion. His mother was such a softy when it came to animals and she insisted they try to help it. But it wasn't alone and its mate attacked them. It wasn't to know they were trying to help. It was so tragic. Eleanor's wounds were so severe that she died almost instantly but Jonathan carried her body all the way back to the main road where he managed to find help. He later died in hospital. Ben was 12 years old. Oliver was barely two," she said.

Sonya explained that Gabriel insisted on bringing the children up himself, as Jonathan had been like another son to him. They had no other family so it seemed like the natural thing to do.

As I took everything in, I began to understand my grandfather a little more. He was clearly a loving man that cared a great deal for his family and friends, which confused me as to why my own father, his own son, had fallen out with him. Why had they not spoken for so many years? It actually angered me a little, knowing that I could have experienced this wonderful way of life as opposed to that miserable life I had known in England.

Presumably this had all happened a few years before I was born. I wondered where my father was during this time. Was it around that time that he had left with my mother? Or had they left later, after I was born? I was making so many a.s.sumptions. I needed to know the truth. Someone would tell me... eventually. I hoped so anyway.

As the afternoon wore on, people started to arrive for the party. I think a few of them had come just to get a good look at me. But they were all friendly and many offered words of rea.s.surance and kindness.

I still had not met Oliver. I a.s.sumed he would be the last to arrive. Like a surprise party that wasn't really a surprise.

Ben had arrived and had sought me out before doing anything else. He wanted to apologise for b.u.t.ting in the day before. He'd obviously known that I'd heard what had been said. I laughed as he said it, though, understanding that it was his way of showing that he cared... about my grandfather and about me. It was rea.s.suring.

"I know there is something being kept from me and I will find out what it is. Gabriel will tell me but I do understand that he will only do so when we are both ready, so don't worry Ben, I won't be in the dark for much longer," I said, thinking of Rose's words. And as I thought of what she'd said to me, I could see her approaching the house. I hadn't realised she would be attending the party, but I was delighted she was.

"h.e.l.lo dear Lilly," she said as she entered without knocking, "h.e.l.lo ladies... you're all hard at work, I see," she smiled as she handed them a large basket. "I thought I'd better do my bit, so I made some scones with fresh cream. I know how the boys love them. And where are all the boys?" she asked looking around.

"They'll be along in a little while, but Ben is here already... somewhere," answered Meredith.

He suddenly appeared, "Hi Rose," he said as he walked over to give her a hug and a gentle kiss on her cheek. They stood together whispering quietly, casually glancing in my direction.

I got the feeling that they wanted to talk about me so I said I needed a little time to be alone and headed to my room where I sat on the bed for a while, staring out of the window into the forest beyond.

After a few minutes, I began to feel like the forest was calling out to me. I stood up and moved closer to the gla.s.s, which steamed up as I breathed against it. I thought I saw something white move within the trees, but as I wiped the gla.s.s with my sleeve there was nothing there.

I sat back on the bed again and lay down. I closed my eyes and thought of the past couple of days, of the wonderful welcome I had received and of all the lovely people I had met.

As I lay there, I heard a gentle tapping on the window. Before I opened my eyes I visualised myself back in London with the two ravens who visited every night. It was the same tapping sound and as I let my imagination run wild, there it was again. Tap tap.

I opened my eyes and sure enough, there were two ravens at my window. I watched them as they tapped twice with their beaks against the gla.s.s. They looked at me and then flew away. Then I heard my name. It was very faint but it sounded like someone was calling me. The sound didn't come from the house... but from further away. I wondered if it was coming from the forest. I sat up and looked out the window again. Nothing. As I strained to listen for it again, there was a knock on my door and Rose appeared.

"Are you alright, my dear?" she asked, smiling.

I nodded, but I could tell from her expression that she didn't believe me. I knew that she somehow understood what I was going through and I was grateful that she didn't probe.

"Are you ready to come back out? Almost everyone is here including Oliver."

I nodded and followed her towards the door, neglecting to mention what I thought I'd seen and heard just moments earlier.

I was pleased that I had decided to join the party as I had come to the conclusion that I needed to make more of an effort to make friends. I wanted my life to be full of people, the opposite to what I had been used to. As I walked into the living room, all the guests were already mingling and milling around. Although I was dreading being the object of everybody's attention, I needn't have been concerned as it seemed that a lot of people were more interested in the birthday boy himself. And everyone else was talking and laughing among themselves. If only December were there.

But before I had a chance to dwell on that thought, Ben made a beeline for me and took my hand in his. "Hey Lilly. Let me introduce you to Oliver." He gently led me to the centre of the attention where a group of people ranging in age from 16 to their mid-twenties appeared to be listening intently to a story being told by the tall young man in the centre, with his back towards me. They were clearly enraptured by his funny tale, which seemed to be about werewolves and vampires.

After he'd given his punchline, the group burst out laughing and began talking among themselves. Ben tapped the young man on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Oli... there's someone here you should meet."

I wasn't prepared for what happened next. As he turned, I let out an involuntary gasp. I tried to make it sound like a cough. I failed. I was totally embarra.s.sed.

Oliver was, without doubt, the most beautiful boy I had ever seen... but it was his eyes that I couldn't pull mine away from. They were so deep and dark, almost jet black. I could quite easily have sunk into them. It was quite extraordinary, actually. I had never seen anything quite like them. And I liked the feeling. I liked the feeling a lot.

Even though he was 10 years younger, Oliver was taller than Ben and was as blonde as Ben was dark with strong features, a slightly pointy nose and a chiselled chin.

"Hi. You must be Lilly. It's great to finally meet you after all this time," he said with a smooth voice that belied his young years.