The Overture of Fear & Passion (The Daemonica Symphony Series Book 1) Read online

“‘de U.K.” Fiona answered. “Sean and I are from Ireland, Clarissa and Eric are from London.”

  He turned his head to look down at Juliet, “And where are you from?”

  She blushed at the intensity of his focus despite the innocence of his question.

  “All over really. I’ve been living in Paris for three years, but I was born in London.” She was uncomfortable with the attention and wanted to know more about him instead.

  “Where are you from?” She asked.

  “New York, officially. But I guess you’d say I’m from all over as well.” He definitely didn’t sound like the typical New Yorker; his accent was more precise, almost European.

  “So, how long have you guys been here?” He asked the group, but his eyes returned to Juliet.

  “Bloody too long.” Eric huffed, the metal spike in his eyebrow catching the light as he drew his brows together, “But, my master won’t let me leave ‘til I’ve got over a few… teething pains.” He said with a wink and a smile as he tongued the tip of his sharp looking canine.

  “A year for me.” Clarissa said, not offering any elaboration.

  “Fiona and I arrived togeder six months ago.” Sean said, nodding and Fiona.

  “Most folk are only here for a year, it’s only usually de Vampires who ‘ave to stay longer, what with dem havin’ so much more to learn an’ all.” Fiona said.

  “What did you make of Doctor Livingstone’s speech?” Juliet asked, wondering if it was usual for him to make such an ominous introduction to newcomers.

  “I’ve ‘eard it twice now.” Fiona said. “But I get why he likes to remind everyone o’ ‘de rules. I ‘eard about ‘dis one Vamp a few years back goin’ crazy an’ killin’ one o’ ‘de other guests. Kind o’ makes sense now why you guys are on a strict blood bag diet.” She said to Eric and Clarissa.

  Juliet gulped and nodded. She felt like she was trapped in some kind of weird immersive theatre experience, where everyone was a scripted actor except her, and she had to work out the clues to find the killer. Sadly, she’d never been very good at solving mysteries and this one was giving her a headache.

  She began to zone out, her mind wondering off in confusion as the others exchanged chit chat. Thank God, she thought to herself as Ash approached the dais and drew everyone’s attention. At the same time her phone chirped, and Juliet opened the message.

  “Juliet Vassilios: S.E:03.” What she assumed was a room number was also a hyperlink. Pressing it took her to a map of the facility that even included directions on how to get there from where she was now. For a bunch of crazies, they sure were high-tech.

  “Well look at dat. We’re neighbours.” Fiona whispered, looking at Juliet’s screen and nudging her shoulder as Juliet weakly smiled. At the front of the room, Ash spoke.

  “As much as we all wish you could have more time to get acquainted. We do ask that you kindly make your way to your rooms. Our nocturnal guests need to get tucked away before dawn and the rest of you have a very big day ahead.”

  Ash left the dais with a wave and left the room. Eric and Clarissa left the group with no more than a nod and Juliet took one last look at the gorgeous man with the interesting tattoos.

  “Goodnight.” She said, with a genuine smile.

  “Goodnight.” He replied, his crooked grin making her blush.

  Chapter Seven

  Nikolai Dmitriyev lay in his new bed, an arm propped up behind his head as he stared at the ceiling above. He toyed with a lighter in his free hand, flicking it open and closed over and over in harmony with the whir of the ceiling fan above him. He had been lying in bed for an hour, but sleep evaded him.

  His mind continued to conjure up the image of Juliet. He hadn’t noticed her on the flight in from Paris. Not really a surprise, considering the series of events that had led up to his boarding the plane back in Kyoto. He had spent the entire flight replaying the argument he’d had with his parents. He still couldn’t quite believe they’d threatened to disown him. Niko had no time for the bullshit world his parents lived in and had told them as much, triggering a screaming match between he and his father that would have come to physical blows if his mother hadn’t intervened.

  The fight had been all but forgotten once he’d set eyes on her. His attention had been drawn to a small movement she’d made; her fingers toying with a piece of paper in her hand. One similar to his own card that now lay crumpled on the floor next to his discarded jeans. He’d instantly hoped that she was also on her way to Livingstone and was relieved when she had approached the lumberjack with the ‘Livingstone’ sign.

  The darkness of the bus ride and walk to the castle had left him frustrated that he couldn’t get a better look at her. He wanted to see her face, her eyes in particular. If only she would turn and look at him.

  His imagination had not done her justice; she was more beautiful than he could have predicted. Her ivory skin appeared to glow in the soft light of the hall. Her high cheek bones told him that she had Nordic ancestry, but the fullness of her lips suggested some exotic lineage.

  Those same lips had fallen open ever so slightly as she reached out to touch one of the wooden panels in front of her. He had been struck with an overwhelming desire to have her reach out and touch him that way and he’d been shocked by the intensity of his response. He’d been with countless women, but none had ever caused him to feel that way.

  She’d noticed him watching her and he’d turned away, embarrassed. But, by the end of the doctor’s speech, he was drawn to her again and he found himself unable to resist the pull of her lyrical voice. Without thinking, he joined their conversation and had been rewarded with the most captivating smile he had ever seen.

  He’d looked into her blue eyes for only a moment, but it felt like an eternity. He could still see them now as he lay in his bed, the flecks of green and gold sparkling as she’d looked up into his face. The memory of her smile and those long fingers left his body itching for her touch. He hadn’t felt this turned on in… well, ever.

  He continued to stare at the ceiling, unable to sleep while thoughts of Juliet were on his mind. He wondered if she was asleep. Probably. He imagined what she wore in bed. Some cute fluffy pyjamas that girls seemed to like. Maybe some silky camisole, with lace? That turned him on even more. And then another possibility, maybe she slept naked like he did. The image had him rolling onto his front to stifle a growl into his pillow.

  He reached over the edge of the bed and grabbed his jeans, pulling them on roughly and muttering under his breath as his tucked himself into the tight denim. He pulled on his t-shirt and left the room, desperately in need of a cigarette. But he had the feeling that smoking wasn’t permitted in the ancient building, so he wandered around searching for an exit before finally finding a door that lead to the grounds.

  The sky had turned violet, hinting at the dawn to come as he walked in the dim light, looking for somewhere that he could smoke without the smell attracting attention. He didn’t mind the bite of the gravel on the soles of his bare feet, the subtle pain stifled his erection and refocussed his mind.

  He rounded a corner and made his way to a fenced clearing. He leaned against the timber rail and looked out over the field before him. The morning had grown lighter, turning a dark shade of lilac that paled as it approached the horizon.

  Niko fished his lighter and a cigarette out of his pocket as he watched the first flicker of sunlight begin to bleed through the silhouette of forest trees. He was barely able to make out the shape of horses, their tales flapping in a lazy morning dance. Low clouds shrouded the castle and grounds in a thick blanket and the cool air cleared Niko’s mind.

  The first beams of sunlight pierced through the trees as Niko finished one cigarette and lit a second. He was beginning to get lost in thought again as the early dawn light bounced off the yellow field of summer grass, reminding him of Juliet’s hair.

  As if conjuring the woman herself, he heard the crunch of gravel and turned his head as Juliet came
around a corner and into his line of sight. She was wearing headphones and hadn't seen him, her attention focused on the sunrise. She was dressed in snug, grey leggings and a pink, cropped hoody. She’d tied her hair into a loose bun and a few strands had come loose, some sticking to her dampened neck.

  His gaze was drawn to her exposed abdomen, watching her ribs rise and fall as she breathed heavily and the shimmer of a jewel at her navel bouncing sunlight off its reflection. He stifled a groan and hunched over the railing as an explicitly sexual image formed in his mind.

  Either his movement or the sound must have caught her attention because she turned her head towards him. She smiled and raised her eyebrows before quickly looking away again, shaking her head a little before she removed her headphones and made her way over to him.

  “I didn’t expect to come across anyone else this early.” She said, her eyes seeming to avoid his as she looked from the sunrise, to him and back again.

  Taking her lead, he returned his attention to the trees and sun which had turned the clouds a brilliant shade of lavender.

  “Couldn’t sleep.” he replied before taking another puff. From the corner of his eye, he noticed her frown.

  “Don’t you know those will kill you?” She asked. He turned to face her, wondering if she was serious. Her scowl and the hand on her hip told him she was. He shrugged his shoulders, feigning indifference even though her disapproval felt like a kick in the guts.

  “Millions of people die in car accidents; you don’t see everyone jumping up and down about it. Besides, we have cures for common little ailments like cancer.”

  “What?”  She said, her eyebrows narrowing.

  “I mean, I know it’s expensive and everything, but I’ve been told Vamp blood is a pretty sure bet against just about all kinds of cancer these days.”

  She opened her mouth to ask another question, but her attention was caught by a figure walking towards one of the horses. It looked like the driver from the night before.

  “Do you know what his deal is?” She asked, her interest in another man making him instantly jealous. He shook his head, both in response to her question as well as at himself. What the hell was going on that he was jealous of a human over some girl he’d just met?

  “I don’t know, don’t worry about him, he’s just a human.”

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” she said, her frown growing more severe. He seemed to be saying all the wrong things, a problem he had never had before.

  She looked at her smart watch and returned her cordless headphones back into her ears.

  “I’m getting cold. I’ll see you later.” And before he could reply she was running again, this time away from Niko.

  He watched her go, letting his cigarette turn to ash in his mouth before eventually discarding it and stomping it out with a curse.

  Nice going Niko, you fucked that up royally, he thought as he turned and headed back towards the manor.

  Chapter Eight

  Juliet ran for an hour after leaving Niko in the clearing and returned to her room. She made her way into the tiny ensuite and quickly stripped off before stepping into the shower. She stood shivering for a minute hoping the water would warm up quickly, but the copper pipes looked nearly as ancient as the building itself and she’d learned at a young age that water was a scarce commodity is most parts of the world, so she gritted her teeth and got on with the task at hand.

  She’d given up on sleep an hour after she’d gone to bed. The combination of information overload and overwhelming confusion had left her restless. Her mind racing from one thing to another.

  Geneviève had said that she was a Demon, that she and her mother were too. She’d just assumed it was all nonsense, even after the woman who called herself a Witch had showed her that illusion, she still hadn’t really been convinced. Now she was in a building full of people who were either just as delusional as Geneviève, or they were right, and Juliet wasn’t human.

  The run had brought some calm to her mind but the short discussion with Niko had just muddled it all over again. She wondered if confusion was just a constant state of mind for her now, or if she would eventually begin to understand what everyone was talking about. Had Niko been telling the truth that Vampire blood was a cure for cancer. She still wasn’t one hundred percent convinced that anyone here wasn’t human. But if it was true, then that brought up even more questions. Did her mother know there was a cure for cancer? And if she did, what could possibly cause her to choose to die rather than seeking it out?

  Getting out of the shower, she wrapped a towel around herself and stood before the mirror, examining her reflection with more attention than ever before. She turned her head from side to side, stuck out her tongue and examined her teeth. She even tried pulling on her skin to see if there was some way, she’d never thought of to try and remove it somehow. She didn’t look like any kind of Demon, conjuring images of monstrous creatures from scary stories and horror films in her mind. She heard a chirping noise from the direction of her watch on the floor and her phone by the bedside and went to investigate.

  A new alert informed her than breakfast would be served in the conservatory at eight-thirty A.M, a quick look at the top of the screen showed eight-oh-one. The message again linked to the self-navigating map.

  As she began pulling clothes out of her suitcase, there was a sudden, quick knock on her door.

  “Got any shampoo?” Fiona asked, as she let herself into Juliet’s room wearing only a towel.

  “Uh… yes?” She replied, her eyebrows curving as she watching Fiona make her way into the ensuite and return quickly, shampoo in hand.

  “Thanks. I’ll bring it righ’ back, I’ve run out.” She said, smiling as she left again.

  “No problem.” Juliet replied, staring at the closed door.

  Juliet quickly pulled on her usual jeans and loose t-shirt before combing and braiding her wet hair. She took out her violin and ran through a very hurried drill, annoyed that she didn’t have time for a proper session.

  “Mother Mary!” Fiona exclaimed from the open doorway, making Juliet jump.

  “I had no idea you were a regular Mozart.” she gushed, as Juliet hid her blush and put her violin back in its case.

  Fiona let herself into the bathroom again and when she returned, she grabbed Juliet by the hand and dragged her towards the door.

  “C’mon, I’m famished.”

  THE CONSERVATORY WAS not exactly what Juliet was expecting. Half green house, half dining hall, the immense room was flooded with sunlight. Enormous trees and flowering vines were positioned so perfectly, they appeared to belong there, as if the view of the countryside had found a way through the large, arched windows and into the building itself.

  Juliet stared in wonder, ignoring her tea and toast while Fiona noisily enjoyed her pile of bacon and pastries. They sat at the end of a large table, the room humming with multiple overlapping conversations. Juliet was enjoying the symphony of clinking glass and silverware when Ash stood up at the head of a table. The sound of metal on glass pinged through the room as everyone fell silent.

  “Good Morning. It’s wonderful to see that at least one of our new guests has made it through their first night here relatively unscathed.”

  A murmur of laughter moved through the room like a harmonious wave, as Juliet noticed for the first time that Niko and some of the others that had been at the gathering the night before were absent.

  “By now, you will probably be wondering what’s in store for your first day at Livingstone. Well, rest assured you have a busy schedule ahead. You will have the opportunity to take part in a guided tour of the manor, including outbuildings and grounds before I host a little introductory session, outlining how we like to run things around here. Lunch will be served promptly at one o’clock in the west gardens where you can also take tea at four. You can enjoy some free leisure time before dinner at eight which will be followed by your initiation ceremony.” At the words ‘Initiat
ion Ceremony’ Juliet’s eyes widened and without further explanation, Ash casually sat down again, resuming a private conversation.

  “DID YOU READ de’ disclosure statement dey sent?” Fiona asked, as they waited in the courtyard. She had offered to show her to the meeting point for the tour and had decided to hang around until her guide arrived.

  Juliet shook her head, “I never read those things. Did you?”

  Fiona nodded, “You should really read it. There are all kinds o’ tin’s on ‘dere about Livingstone policies. Like no photography, no social media, no tellin’ ‘umans about what goes on ‘ere. And there’s-”

  Fiona didn’t have a chance to go on as she was interrupted by a familiar burr.

  “Righ’, listen up!” Juliet turned to face the giant of a man whose rolled up sleeves and crossed arms reminded Juliet of a drill sergeant.

  “M’ name’s William. I’ll be takin ye ‘round on ye tour this mornin’.” He began, ‘Fore we begin, I’ll go over some basic ‘ousekeepin.” His voice lowered now that Fiona had stopped talking.

  She gave her a small wink and patted her arm before scooting away.

  “Ye will keep up; I don’ walk fast so ye’ve no excuse for dawdlin’. Ye will save yer questions ‘til I ask if there are any questions. I will not repeat meself, as ye probably ken, I talk loud enough, so pay attention an’ we’ll get along jist fine. Any questions?” Without waiting for a response, he continued; “Righ’, on we go!”

  He turned and began leading the way towards the front entrance of the castle, Juliet laughing quietly as she followed. What a character, Juliet thought to herself as they approached the open entry doors. William didn’t stop at the doors but continued through them as he spoke.

  “I’m not an ‘istorian, if ye wanna ken about th’ architecture or any o’ that shite, ask one of the dandies on the top floor. I’ll show ye th’ useful bits an’ that’s enough.” He led her along at a manageable pace, pointing out areas of interest such as common rooms, libraries and so on, making the occasional narrative of who could be found in this or that space.