Whisper (16 page)

THIRTY-SEVEN

Banquet

Becca’s party started in a few hours. We only have an hour longer before we need to return to the mansion as soon as possible. I wanted to wear a nice dress for the banquet and with no mall nearby we headed to a town a little north of Woodenbury on the main freeway.

A boutique we stop at has three dresses in the window. One catches my eye, it is perfect. I try on several dresses. There is a bright green strapless dress with a puffy petticoat, ankle length. Another is dark purple with off the shoulder sleeves and a scooped neckline. My mind kept wondering to the dress displayed in the window.

A lace black dress with a pale blue corset attached to wear as an undergarment. A corset style closure is in the back. There is one short sleeve with lace. A thin petticoat lines underneath puffing out the dress only a slight bit. It comes just below my knees.

“Oh you must get this dress.” Livia and Bethanne say in unison.

“People won’t think it is a Halloween costume, will they?” I ask skeptical.

I can hardly breathe in the dress, not because it is too tight. It’s the anticipation of Luken’s reaction seeing me. Words could not begin to describe the look I pictured in his eyes. I can’t wait to see him.

“They might,” Becca shrugs, “okay maybe they won’t.”

* * *

Back at the mansion I wait for Livia to finish my hair. She spent thirty minutes curling, before pulling it into a high ponytail pushing it forward some and pinning it in place. Bethanne insisted on doing my make-up which made me nervous. When
she is finished they help me to put on the corset, pulling it so tight my lungs felt squished. I wasn’t allowed to look at myself until my maids said to turn.

It was like I am getting ready for a formal dance. Finally I glance in the mirror. This must be what I would look like in Luken’s time. My cheeks rosy with color, I could barely tell powder clung to my skin. My lips are stained with a raspberry color.

Bethanne and Livia left me alone to attend to their duties for the party. Miss Brantshire was so wrapped up in keeping an eye on the party planning, she hasn’t bothered me. I relished in the break from her stern gaze.

The plan is for Becca and I to enter together since in a strange sense we are both hostess for the party. Becca wore a strapless corset bodice cocktail dress. Her ruffle lace sleeves hang off her shoulders.

We entered into the entertainment dining hall connected to the ballroom.

Nicolette and Chrissi stood together huddled away from some of the others in the room. Both are wearing short sleeve, knee length dresses. They looked ready to attend a prom. Bright colored dresses that are out of place here.

“Hey. You both are flashy.” I say trying not to say what I really think. “We came dressed to be noticed,” smiling they take sips of their drinks.

Xavier walks into the room some of the girls stare and smile in his direction. They were vying for his attention. Taking a deep breath I move toward him. His blond hair is combed back. He is wearing dark slacks and the green dress shirt brings out the intense green of his eyes. Most of the girls here don’t stand a chance but to fall for his attractive appearance.

“You look beautiful Avaya.” I spin around slowly.

My face turns ten shades of red. He escorts me to a chair and I sit down. Luken walked in as Xavier moved my chair out from under the table. Celia clung to his arm nod her head in my direction. She wore a tight black dress, like a glamorous movie star. Becca eyed the two of them, with a sense of longing. I wondered what her thoughts were, when she wasn’t watching Luken and Celia, she watched Xavier.

Xavier takes a seat beside me. Nicolette and Chrissi sit on my other side. Luken and I eye each other, I catch Becca trying to be discreet, but she is not happy he isn’t noticing her. A girl with brown hair and red highlights sits down on Xavier’s other side, “hey Xavier.”

She used her two fingers walking them up to his elbow, lightly touching his arm.

“Kelsey, how’s it going?”

Her fake tanned skin, radiates with golden touches. It may be false, but her tan isn’t streaked and there is no orange tinge. She is pretty, though Xavier is disinterested in her. He pushes her hand away with his arm. When he moves it causes her to lose the contact she has with him.

“Kelsey not now alright, I told you it is over.” She pouts turning to a friend on her other side.

I hadn’t expected a banquet dinner to be so formal. The assigned menu included an appetizer, salad, or soup, the main course, and a dessert. I pushed my chair back. Heading to Luken, but the crowd leaving to head into the ballroom is thick and I lose him. I barely see Celia and him leaving the dining area into the main hallway.

Heading into the ballroom after mingling with my new friends, movement caught my eye. A figure leaned against the main entrance to the ballroom. I could not see into the darkness, two pairs of blue eyes pierced through the brightened room, Luken. I think he might have ditched Celia.

“I have been waiting to tell you…your beauty radiates beyond compare.”

“Luken don’t embarrass me.” He pulls me close to him away from view. “What is there to be embarrassed about, it is simply a compliment”

“Thank you,” heat swarmed cheeks.

Luken walked with me until we reached the parlor room. The light of candles illuminated his piercing eyes. Cautiously I walk to him. The cool touch of his skin against mine makes me shiver with joy.

The warmth radiates between us as we danced around the room. He teaches me to dance a haunting waltz. Luken leans me back. “My family was a bit drawn to the gothic society. My father intentionally bought this property. As you are able to see, it is a bit dark and eerie on the inside.” He lifts me up and spins me. The dance used to be a custom dance at parties he once attended.

The two of us here alone, everyone else faded away. I could see the two of us alone here in the mansion, nobody else existed but us. So lost in the eyes of Luken Vandersen, it took my ears a moment to hear it…the piercing sounds of screams filled the air.

THIRTY-EIGHT

Party Crasher

Running I headed straight to the ballroom. I come to halt in the room to find nothing is out of the ordinary at first. Music played and people danced. The electric lights and candle light flickered caused a chorus of high pitched screams.

Electrical lights attached around the room and candles flickered a few more times. Large Candelabrum stands surrounded the ballroom. The entire room is suddenly casted into shadows and darkness. Shrilled screams bounce against the walls.

I thought back to my nightmares. Pushing the images out of my mind, I have lived through enough to know this was not going to be my favorite night. “Stay calm, everyone.” I tried to say, but nobody was listening. The sheer terror took over their reason to be rational.

Becca thought someone was playing a not so humorous prank. She weaved in and out of the crowd searching for a possible culprit. Nobody tried to leave they were too frozen with fear to comprehend the idea of running.

Xavier comes up beside Becca and me. “This party just became sickly sweet.”

Becca turns to me, “do you know anything about this?” I shake my head. An instinct made me walk to the glass door leading into the back of the property. I glanced out into the woods, scanning the darkness. I stepped backwards at the sight two glowing red eyes.

No, not now this couldn’t be happening. I run to my room kicked off my heels and put on my black low tops and rushed back to the party. It had been a while since I saw Luken. Celia was so caught up in the attention she received from others I don’t think she would have an idea where to find him.

As I came down the stairs, I hit the second floor. I came to a halt. “Avaya what is wrong?” He caught me from tripping down the first step.

Luken stood imposing, straight, and tall. “Something is in the woods, remember my nightmare? I saw two red eyes in the woods. He is out there Luken. He is waiting to make his move. He won’t stop until he separates us permanently.”

“Darling he cannot be out there.” I shake my head. Luken insists Jefferson is gone.

“I have to destroy him. For good this time, nobody will stop me from doing this for you…for us…” Luken cuts me off.

“…Avaya do not do anything dangerous, please, I beg of you.”

No, this is a fight I have to face on my own. I won’t back down. I marched passed Luken, before heading to the ballroom I turn back to him, “Luken with or without your help I will do this. Besides I should do this alone.”

“Then you will do this without my help.”

I nod accepting that he must agree with me. The closer I came to the ballroom I could hear the chatter of people. Music thumped through a power generator in the corner. It seemed to get darker I barely could see the eyes of others and their silhouettes moving around the ballroom. The moonlight cascading into the room through the windows helped evade some of the darkness.

Becca is hanging near Xavier, “Becca,” I say reaching for her arm. “Keep the party going, I will be back. I will take care of this.” I could see her shadowed form nod. “Oh and if you need Luken he is nearby.”

She doubles back for my arm. “Wait if I need him, he’s your boyfriend.”

I shake my head, “yes I know, this time I’m on my own.”

Becca questioned me with her eyes, “what do you mean this time?”

I walked out into the night, marched into the woods holding my head high.

“Where are you coward, reveal yourself?” I fumed. A light flowing fog poured into the woods. I walk until I can no longer see traces of the mansion behind me. I hear the faint echoes of screaming come from that direction.

“I know you’re here.”

He causes me to jump twisting around to face him. “No need to shout. I am right here.”

Glowing red eyes and willowy shadowed cloak engulfed his ghostly form. He glides toward me without touching the ground. “Did you enjoy the way I toyed with your mind? I rather enjoyed it.”

The devilish smile formed on his shadowed lips, not the least bit attractive. It is malicious and filled with viciousness. “You made me have that dream?”

Jefferson swirled circles around me. I am surrounded, no matter which I turn he is there blocking my way. He cloned shadows into his form, boxing me in place. Two shadows flanked my sides wrapping vines of dark shadows twisting around my wrists tightly. I am unable to move. His laughter chills my entire body, bile rising in my throat. I held my head high staring straight. I am beginning to wish I didn’t come out here alone. My strength would not be deterred this time and my fear is swallowed by the anger vibrating to the core of my soul.

“You invaded my mind.” I shout. The anger boils inside.

Jefferson slithers and walks toward me, “it had been so easy.” I narrowed my eyes. “You won’t get away with this.” He starts to pace me pondering.

“Ah where pray tell is your admirer, I expected to see my nephew again.” He smirks glancing around tauntingly.

The shadows wavered on my wrists, I pulled them loose. Finding my opening I broke free from the grasp Jefferson had placed on me. He changed appearance, without his black cloak enhancing his crimson irises.

Jefferson was consumed in shadow. No longer appeared translucent or even a speck of human. The shadows swallowed him whole. He continued to control their every move. “Run!” He said with a vicious smirk.

“No I am done running.” This confident voice erupted from my mouth.

Jefferson contorts into a shadowy fog. “Run it is the last chance I am giving you.”

My hazel eyes widened. A black cloud forms behind Jefferson and at his sides. Backing away slowly, I turn running toward the mansion. As it comes into view my ankle is grabbed knocking me to the ground. I scrambled to my feet. The double glass doors to the ballroom opened ahead of me. People started to come out into the fresh air.

“No…don’t open the doors,” I yell waving at them. “Get back inside.” I try to run faster.

Becca saw my horrified face she managed to talk people into coming back inside. Some chose to ignore her. When they saw me they ran back inside. Becca is about to lock the door in place when she hears my voice. She got one door closed before I am on her tail. I yanked the other door closed latching them with the inside lock. “Everyone get down.” I cried.

“Avaya what happened to you,” I am about to answer, “do not…” and the glass sprayed the room. Screams scattered. Jefferson walked into the room formally. No, this was not happening.
Wake up Avaya,
I kept telling myself.

“Becca try to get out of here. We need Luken.”

Becca nods. She takes off toward the doors leading into the hallway making a run for it. Jefferson caught sight of her. Shadows latched on to her, grabbing her arms and her waist. I watched horrified as my cousin is thrown against the wall, a human rag doll.

“Becca,” I screamed. Echoes vibrated off the walls until it circles the room. The shadows filled the room with black fog. I found my way to Becca. She lays on the ground unconscious. Her head lay to the side. Becca’s arms and legs spread upward. “Becca, this is my fault. I am sorry.” I didn’t want to touch her.

Strong hangs grip my shoulders. “Is she alive?” Xavier asks reaching over to press his fingers to her pulse.

When the fog clears the room is empty with Jefferson on the opposite side. “Where did you send them?” I frantically ask.

Jefferson smile is villainous, “do not worry they are all alive…for now.”

I shake my head, Becca lies delicately. Unbroken, I hope. Dirt covers my dress and legs from falling in the woods. Making the rest of the crowd fade away,
Jefferson has a twisted way of delighting in abandoning people in the woods with no chance of being found or finding their way back.

The only thing I knew about Jefferson is his relation to Jonathon and how he died. Jefferson and his youngest son were in a fatal accident. They had no chance of surviving. Both of them are buried on the property in the Vandersen cemetery.

I had to think quickly on how to destroy him. I caught a glimpse of movement in the hallway through the open door. I thought it was Luken, but I was wrong. It is the maid I had seen in the servant’s corridor carrying a silver tray. 

Jefferson approached me too swift for words to escape my mouth. He grabbed me by the throat. Oh no, he is going to toss me to the side, like Becca. I kicked and struggle when he pushes me backward. Crumpling to the ground, shooting pain tingles through my arm.

It hadn’t broken I don’t think. The pain is so intense I hold my arm close to me. I turned to run to the hallway. I didn’t make it, the door closed in my face. I was trapped with an unconscious Becca and the life of the others somewhere else in the frigid cold.

Closing my eyes I said a silent prayer.

At least Jefferson is only after me, I knew the others would be safe for now. Where ever it is Jefferson sent them.