face burned crimson red.
‘Your bathroom is through there,’ she said, indicating a sliding door on his right. ‘And there’s a walk-in wardrobe through that archway over there. Unfortunately Tom picked out the clothes we got for you. Mostly skate wear with some sports gear thrown in that he thought you’d like. Actually, there are some pretty cool jeans in there and a hoodie that I’ve got my eye on if you don’t want it.’ She smiled before turning her back on him and moving towards the door. She added, over her shoulder, ‘As Dad said, we can go out soon and you can pick yourself a whole load of stuff to your own liking. I know some great shops in London that I bet you’ll love.’
He watched her as she started to leave the room.
‘Just one thing, Alexa.’ Trey called after her, and she stopped in the opening, turning towards him again. ‘That mind-speaking thing you do – how did you learn that?’
‘My mother was a sorceress. Before she died, when I was young, she started to teach me magecraft. I’ve carried on learning from books and the people that work for my father. I’m pretty good, if I say so myself.’
‘Can I ask you not to read my mind any more? I’m not comfortable with it.’
Alexa laughed and gently shook her head at him. ‘I can’t read minds, Trey. I’m nowhere near that good yet. It’s just a simple thought-transfer spell. It’s all one-way traffic, I’m afraid.’
‘But earlier, when you said, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” how did you know—’
‘Trey,’ she interrupted, ‘when a boy stares at a girl’s lips and starts licking his own, it’s really not too difficult to work out what he’s thinking.’ She turned and went to leave, stopping one more time. ‘Like I said, just try to hang on in there. We’ll see you in the kitchen for dinner when you feel good and ready. Take your time.’ She gave him a little wave and added with a playful smile, ‘Oh, and if you’re going to hang around here for a while, it might pay to learn the correct terminology. Vampires don’t eat people, they tear their throats out and mercilessly drain them of their blood. And the mirror thing? Rubbish. All vamps have reflections. Why wouldn’t they?’ She winked at him, before finally leaving and pushing the door shut.
Trey looked at the back of the closed door. Despite everything, he found himself smiling again and he resolved to at least listen to what Lucien was so determined he should tell him.
He walked into the bathroom that was bigger than his entire bedroom back at the home. Stepping into the shower cubicle, he stood beneath the hot jets of water and allowed the day’s grime to be washed away from him, toying with the silver amulet that hung around his neck. He had to force himself not to dwell too much on what had happened so far that day, redirecting his thoughts to more neutral and pleasant things, because when he didn’t, fresh floods of panic and doubt roared through him, convincing him that he was insane to still be there. No, he’d listen to what they had to say and then make up his mind what he would do.
When he had finished in the bathroom, he quickly dressed, putting on some of the clothes that Tom had bought him, and left the room on shaking legs to eat with his new hosts.
6
They had sat down to eat around a large, circular table next to the kitchen area. Dinner consisted of a fish and seafood stew that Trey actually thought was one of the best things he’d ever eaten. Alexa kept him at ease, asking him about his life in the care facility and how he had coped with living there. He surprised himself by eating the entire plate of food, losing himself in the conversation and briefly managing to shut out most of the nagging thoughts that nibbled away at him whenever he allowed his mind to wander.
The vast floor-to-ceiling windows that filled the south wall of the main room extended along the same wall in the kitchen, and Lucien sat staring through these
‘Your bathroom is through there,’ she said, indicating a sliding door on his right. ‘And there’s a walk-in wardrobe through that archway over there. Unfortunately Tom picked out the clothes we got for you. Mostly skate wear with some sports gear thrown in that he thought you’d like. Actually, there are some pretty cool jeans in there and a hoodie that I’ve got my eye on if you don’t want it.’ She smiled before turning her back on him and moving towards the door. She added, over her shoulder, ‘As Dad said, we can go out soon and you can pick yourself a whole load of stuff to your own liking. I know some great shops in London that I bet you’ll love.’
He watched her as she started to leave the room.
‘Just one thing, Alexa.’ Trey called after her, and she stopped in the opening, turning towards him again. ‘That mind-speaking thing you do – how did you learn that?’
‘My mother was a sorceress. Before she died, when I was young, she started to teach me magecraft. I’ve carried on learning from books and the people that work for my father. I’m pretty good, if I say so myself.’
‘Can I ask you not to read my mind any more? I’m not comfortable with it.’
Alexa laughed and gently shook her head at him. ‘I can’t read minds, Trey. I’m nowhere near that good yet. It’s just a simple thought-transfer spell. It’s all one-way traffic, I’m afraid.’
‘But earlier, when you said, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” how did you know—’
‘Trey,’ she interrupted, ‘when a boy stares at a girl’s lips and starts licking his own, it’s really not too difficult to work out what he’s thinking.’ She turned and went to leave, stopping one more time. ‘Like I said, just try to hang on in there. We’ll see you in the kitchen for dinner when you feel good and ready. Take your time.’ She gave him a little wave and added with a playful smile, ‘Oh, and if you’re going to hang around here for a while, it might pay to learn the correct terminology. Vampires don’t eat people, they tear their throats out and mercilessly drain them of their blood. And the mirror thing? Rubbish. All vamps have reflections. Why wouldn’t they?’ She winked at him, before finally leaving and pushing the door shut.
Trey looked at the back of the closed door. Despite everything, he found himself smiling again and he resolved to at least listen to what Lucien was so determined he should tell him.
He walked into the bathroom that was bigger than his entire bedroom back at the home. Stepping into the shower cubicle, he stood beneath the hot jets of water and allowed the day’s grime to be washed away from him, toying with the silver amulet that hung around his neck. He had to force himself not to dwell too much on what had happened so far that day, redirecting his thoughts to more neutral and pleasant things, because when he didn’t, fresh floods of panic and doubt roared through him, convincing him that he was insane to still be there. No, he’d listen to what they had to say and then make up his mind what he would do.
When he had finished in the bathroom, he quickly dressed, putting on some of the clothes that Tom had bought him, and left the room on shaking legs to eat with his new hosts.
6
They had sat down to eat around a large, circular table next to the kitchen area. Dinner consisted of a fish and seafood stew that Trey actually thought was one of the best things he’d ever eaten. Alexa kept him at ease, asking him about his life in the care facility and how he had coped with living there. He surprised himself by eating the entire plate of food, losing himself in the conversation and briefly managing to shut out most of the nagging thoughts that nibbled away at him whenever he allowed his mind to wander.
The vast floor-to-ceiling windows that filled the south wall of the main room extended along the same wall in the kitchen, and Lucien sat staring through these
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