Морган Райс - Loved

They both stared at the structure. It wasn’t anything much. A small, low-ceilinged house, it looked like the typical 1600s house, with only a few, tiny windows, and a low roof. It only looked large enough to hold a bedroom or two, and was a modest, wooden structure. Not what Caitlin had expected.

They walked to the front door, and Caleb reached out and tried the knob. Locked.

“Hello?” came a voice. “Can I help you?”

They both turned to see a woman in her 60s, immaculately dressed and wearing a stern expression, approaching them in an official, businesslike manner.

Caleb turned to Caitlin. “This time it’s your turn,” he said. “I want you to use your mind control. You can do it. Vampires have it over humans. Yours is not yet developed, and may not be as strong, but you definitely have some power. Practice on this woman. Influence her. Stay calm, and allow her thoughts to become your thoughts. Allow your thoughts to become hers. Suggest to her what she must do. In her own voice. Your mind can do it all. Just let it.”

The woman, getting closer, called out again, “The house is closed for the season, like the sign says,” she said, very proper. “I’m afraid you’ll have to come back in-season. It’s under restoration, and there are no tours before then.” She looked down at Rose. “And we certainly don’t allow dogs.”

The woman, only feet away, hands on her hips, had a very stern presence, like that of a strict schoolteacher.

Rose looked up and growled back.

Caleb looked at Caitlin.

Caitlin looked at the woman, nervous. She had never tried this before, and wasn’t sure if she could do it.

OK , Caitlin thought, here it goes .

She stared at the woman, trying to get a fix on her thoughts. She felt a lot of firmness, a lot of strictness. A person not easily controlled. She felt anger, annoyance, an insistence on the rules. On order. She allowed it all in.

Then, Caitlin tried to send her an outgoing thought. She tried to suggest that it was OK to bend the rules once in a while. That she could leave them alone. That she could let them in.

Caitlin stared at her, wondering if it was working. The woman continued to stare angrily back. It didn’t seem to be working.

“Thank you for informing us,” Caitlin said to her sweetly. “It was so nice meeting you. We are so grateful that you are going to bend the rules for us, just this once, and let us tour the house ourselves.”

The woman stared back.

“I didn’t say that!” she snapped.

But Caitlin breathed deeply, and closed her eyes, focusing.

She opened them, and stared right at her.

After two full seconds, the woman’s eyes began to glaze over. Finally, she said, “You know what…I guess there’s no harm in bending the rules once in a while. You two have fun.”

The woman turned and walked away, and was soon out of sight.

Caitlin turned to Caleb, elated. She was shocked at her own powers, and so proud of herself.

Caleb smiled.

“Only use it when you have to,” he cautioned, “and only in a way that will never harm others. This is what separates the benevolent vampire race from the evil.”

Caitlin extracted the small, silver key, excited to try it. She tried the lock on the front door, but it didn’t work.

“It doesn’t fit,” she said.

Caleb took it and tried it himself.

He finally furrowed his brow in frustration. “You’re right.” He looked around. “Maybe there’s another entrance.”

They walked around to the back of the house, and found another door. Caleb tried the key. It didn’t fit there, either.

“Maybe it’s not to a door,” Caitlin said. “Maybe it’s a key to something else. Something inside the house.”

“Well, I guess we have no choice,” he said, then, after looking furtively around, reached up and broke the handle. So much for preservation.

They quickly entered the house and shut the door behind them.

The house was dim, lit only by the exterior light filtering through the small windows. The ceilings were low, and Caleb had to nearly crouch as he walked. It was all wood: wood ceilings, wooden posts, wooden beams, and wide plank, wooded floors. The center of the room was made up of a huge, brick fireplace. The house was perfectly preserved, and it was like walking into 1672.

They walked around, the floorboards creaking, examining every nook and crevice. They also pored over all the furniture. But Caitlin couldn’t find anything in which the key could fit. In fact, she couldn’t find any hiding places at all.

They each circled the house, and met in the middle.

“Anything?” Caleb asked.

She shook her head. “You?”

He shook his, too.

Suddenly there was a noise, and they both spun around.

The front door to the house opened, and a large, black man, 50s, stood in the doorway. He took several steps in.

He stopped before Caleb and stared.

Caleb stared back.

“Caleb?” the man finally asked.

Caleb’s expression softened.

“Roger?” Caleb asked.

The man broke into a smile, as did Caleb, and they both embraced in a huge hug. They held it for several seconds.

Who is this? Caitlin thought.

Roger began to laugh—a deep, warm, generous laugh. He held Caleb by the shoulders and looked at him. Caleb was a big man, but even so, Roger towered over him.

“Son of a bitch,” Roger said. “I haven’t seen you in what…a hundred and fifty years?”

“More like 200,” Caleb said.

They both stared at each other, surprised. Whoever he was, this had clearly been an important man in Caleb’s life.

Caleb turned, and held his hand out to Caitlin. “Excuse my manners,” he said. “Roger, may I introduce Caitlin Paine.”

Roger did a half bow. “A pleasure to meet you, Caitlin.”

Caitlin smiled back. “A pleasure to meet you, too. How do you guys know each other?”

“Oh,” Roger said, smiling, “let’s just say we go way back.”

“Roger is one of my oldest friends,” Caleb said. “He’s saved my life once or twice.”

“More times than that,” Rogers said, laughing.

Rose peeked her head out of Caitlin’s jacket, and Roger’s eyes lit up. “Well, hello little fella,” he said, coming over and petting her.

Rose licked his huge palm.

“How did you know we were here?” Caleb asked.

“Caleb, please,” Roger said, as if the answer were obvious. “This is an island. Your scent has nowhere to go. It’s visible from miles away.”

“So you knew the second I got off the boat,” Caleb said, smiling. “And you waited to see where I’d go.”

“Of course,” Roger said. “Wouldn’t you? But I would have guessed it would be here.” Caleb looked carefully over the room. “Why?”

“There’s only one reason one of us comes to the Vincent House. The sword, right? Isn’t that what you’re after?”

Caitlin and Caleb looked at each other.

“We might be,” Caleb said warily.

Roger smiled.

“You know, the thing about that sword,” he said, “is that only the person meant to find it will. As in, The One . I know you’re not The One. And as for your friend, with all due respect…well, I don’t mean to make any assumptions, but unless she—”

Caitlin reached into her pocket and held out the small, silver key.

Roger stared at if for several second, speechless.

His jaw dropped.

“My god,” he said, in a whisper.

He looked at Caleb, as if for confirmation, and Caleb nodded back.

He exhaled.

“Well,” he said, humbled, in an entirely different tone, “this does change everything.”

He looked Caitlin over. He shook his head.