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

  “Righ’, I’ve gone over th’ gist ay th’ place. Th’ main room ye want tae know about is th’ one that’s this way.” He turned and led them down a flight of stairs and towards a pair of swinging doors.

  “Righ’, stay close behin’ me and don’t touch anythin’ or it’ll be my head, y’hear?” He pushed through one of the doors and held it open, allowing her to go through.

  Juliet looked around admiringly at the biggest kitchen she had ever seen. Copper pots and pans hung from walls like baubles on a Christmas tree. The arched ceiling was low enough that she needed to stoop when standing too near the edge. Juliet breathed in the smell of freshly baked bread, coffee, and a nuttiness she couldn’t name. She felt instantly at home and took a moment to notice that William was talking to a woman in a white coat with black buttons. He turned back to Juliet and the pair smiled.

  “This ‘ere is Chef Adrienne, she’s in charge o’ th’ kitchens. I’ll let ‘er tell ye ‘ow she likes things to run aroun’ ‘ere.” He said as he folded his arms across his chest.

  “Zank you, William,” she said with a thick French accent, “As William said, my name ees Adrienne…”

  Juliet listened as Adrienne went over the way the kitchens for the manor were managed and couldn’t help but be impressed that everything was produced locally or within the region. Juliet didn’t consider herself to be a foodie, but she had watched enough cooking shows to know that the guests here were in good hands.

  After a quick farewell, William ushered her back out the doors and they made their way towards the spot where Juliet had run into Niko that morning.

  “Righ’ so…” his voice boomed across the yard, despite her standing right in front of him.

  “There’s jist one other thing ye need to know about.” He said, “This is where ye’ll need to meet on Saturdays if ye want to go into the village. Me n’ Patty ferry ye’ lot there n back. If you miss a bus or it’s full, it’s a long walk. Any questions?” She opened her mouth to speak but William carried on.

  “Righ’, tha’ concludes yer tour, now bugger off. Some of us ‘ave work to do.” And with that he turned and walked off without a backwards glance.

  Chapter Nine

  Niko had returned to his room after Juliet had run off that morning and had been overwhelmed by the urge to draw. He’d pulled a pad from his bag, sat at the desk of his room and lost himself to his sketching. What emerged on the page was an image of Juliet, her face in profile, lips softly parted and eyes bright.

  He’d been so lost in his work that he hadn’t noticed the repeated pings of his phone abandoned on his nightstand and the knocking on his door. It was only after he’d finished the drawing that he realised how much time had passed. He quickly threw on shoes and a shirt and made his way to the conservatory, having already missed the tour his phone had tried to warn him about.

  Dismissing the trays of food laid out, he grabbed a bottle of water and made his way to the gardens where the majority of guests seemed to be enjoying their lunches in the warmth of the sun. He hoped to see Juliet, but he was out of luck and made his way over to a mostly empty table instead.

  “So, Scott. What’s it like where you’re from? Lots of kangaroos, right?” He asked. Scott had been friendly enough to introduce himself when he’d sat down and Niko was trying to take an interest in spite of having a different, more female, blonde on his mind. He’d picked up from his accent that he was Australian and was genuinely curious about what life was like ‘down under’.

  Scott laughed at his weak attempt at humour and dove straight into a lengthy description of the beachside town he called home and all the natural attractions he was sorely missing, in particular, the surf.

  “I’m telling you, there’s nothing like catching a wave as the sun comes up on a perfect set, y’know.”

  “Sounds sweet, I’ve never actually done it.”

  “What, never?”

  “Nah, not a lot of free time.”

  “That sucks bro, after you’re done here you have to come down to Sydney, I’ll totally hook you up.”

  Scott started rattling off the names of places that Niko should visit, but he’d lost his attention. Juliet had finally made an appearance, stepping into the sundrenched garden and everything else had slipped away.

  Niko watched as she walked past his table with the Witch and Shifter from last night. The trio held trays laden with food and Fiona and Juliet were listening attentively to Sean as he spoke animatedly, and they sat on the grass.

  “Earth to Niko.” Scott said, waving a hand in front of Niko’s face. He blinked and returned his attention to Scott, frowning.

  “O.K, which one is it?” He asked. “No, let me guess.” He scanned the garden slowly.

  “Hmmm...” He said, tapping his chin. “My money’s on... the blonde.” He pointed his finger directly at where Juliet sat and turned to Niko to scrutinise his reaction.

  “Bam! I’m good. Well, I mean, I don’t blame you, bro. That girl is fine! A little skinny for my liking but yeah, I can see it. You know her?”

  Niko looked down and tried to hide a smile; he was surprised to find himself so easily figured out.

  “Nah, we were on the same flight in last night and we’ve run into each other a couple of times, that’s all.”

  “Well, it’s only early days, plenty of time to work out a game plan. You want me to do some digging, ask around. See who can get us the inside scoop?”

  “No, nah. Really. It’s O.K. I don’t think she’s interested anyway. I kind of had a chance this morning and fucked it up.”

  “Shit. Nah. A pretty boy like you?” He laughed, “No worries mate, I’ll sort something out, get you another chance. Just leave it with me.”

  They resumed their earlier conversation, Scott explaining that he had been at Livingstone for only a month and hoped to get the twelve-month crash course in all things Daemonica. His water affinity having come as a bit of a surprise since he’d grown up unaware of his Demon DNA.

  Niko was genuinely curious about how something like that could even happen but was interrupted by his phone vibrating before he could ask more questions. A notification advised that his introduction to Livingstone would commence in the east wing and a map directed him there. He noticed Scott was examining his own phone and the pair got up at the same time. Niko took one last look at where Juliet had been sitting but she was already gone.

  ASH CLOSED THE doors to the small lecture hall as Niko took his seat, leaving two empty ones between himself and Juliet. Ash waited behind a lectern at the front of the room, tapping a hidden device on the slanted top.

  With the click of a button the projector flashed to life at the same time as the lights in the room dimmed. Across the screen, in bold letters read ‘Welcome to Livingstone. An introductory guide.’

  Ash smiled at the two faces in the room that were now shrouded by shadows.

  “By now, you have been on a tour of the manor and it’s grounds and I trust that your experience up until this point had been satisfactory.” Niko made a mental note to explore it for himself when he got the chance. Ash swiped a finger across the tablet and a new slide appeared; ‘Schedule’.

  “Let’s just jump straight in shall we, there’s a lot to cover.” Ash paused for a heartbeat and continued.

  “You’ll possibly have noticed a few people that you would have met last night are absent today. For obvious reasons, our nightwalkers are safely tucked away in their quarters to sleep away the daylight hours. Their tour and introduction will take place after sunset. We run on two schedules here, designed to accommodate both day and night dwelling guests. Many training sessions that would appeal to both are held during evening hours. Once your orientation is complete, your schedule will be sent to you directly. Lessons run in seventy minutes blocks. Day sessions commence at ten A.M and two-thirty P.M, night sessions take place at nine P.M.”

  “Meals are served at eight A.M, twelve P.M and seven P.M, with other refreshments available in t
he dining halls and common rooms in between those times.”

  Niko’s eyes moved to the screen as a new slide emerged; ‘Training’.

  “Training and lessons in various topics are the reason you are here, after all. We have a vast range information at our disposal and try to cover as many topics as possible. Understandably there is an enormous amount of material available but after a few centuries we’ve had to narrow it down a bit.” Ash’s lips pursed at what must have been a subtle attempt at humour that was lost on Niko.

  “We block lessons into four categories.” Another slide change as Ash continued, “The sciences are the foundation subjects. They include species biology, physiology and genetics. We then have History, Theology and Mythology.”

  Another slide change, “You will explore topics such as the Bible and how it relates to the Otherworld. Was Jesus really a Vampire? As well as folklore from all over the world; Greek, Roman, Norse, Ancient Sumerian and even the Australian Indigenous dreamtime stories.”

  A new slide, “Practical training sessions include skill-based training. These classes cover instruction and coaching in areas such as mental fortitude and physical agility.”

  “In Politics and Social Science based training we explore the foundation of the four kingdoms that make up the Otherworld as well as the political hierarchy or the factions as well as providing coaching for those who require additional support with human assimilation.”

  “Over the week, there will be three introductory sessions per day. This will allow you to get a feel for the way things run at Livingstone as well as providing us with an opportunity to gauge your skill level and how best to cater to your knowledge requirements.”

  Niko lost focus on the Ash’s words, only absorbing the basics as Ash went over the schedule in more detail and about the kind of behaviour that was expected of guests. He couldn’t understand what it was about Juliet, why he couldn’t stop thinking about her, why his eyes kept trying to turn in her direction. He’d never been so enamoured with a woman before and had definitely never let his feelings interfere with his decisions. Yet as he looked up at the screen in front of him, he couldn’t help but wonder which sessions Juliet would choose. And that troubled him.

  FOR THE REST of the afternoon and evening, Niko read over the training outlines that had been sent to him. He skipped dinner in lieu of spending time exploring the mostly abandoned castle. By nightfall he made his way to the clearing between the manor and the forest, the light from a circle of flaming torches helped guide the way.

  He knew a bit about the initiation ceremony; his brother had told him about it when he’d returned from Livingstone after his own time there. But knowing about it didn’t make him any less apprehensive.

  He made his way to the small crowd, instinctively joining the other Demons as they formed a circle. In the middle, a fire burned within a cauldron, the flames shooting sparks into the moonless sky. The Vamps began to arrive one at a time, flashing in so quickly that they appeared almost instantly. Niko heard a few surprised gasps from the group. Clearly some people here weren’t as used to Vampire theatrics. He’d grown up around them and knew that if their masters were here, they’d all get a slap over the head for flaunting their abilities.

  He must have arrived just in time because a moment later Doctor Livingstone made his way to the centre of the circle and raised his hands to silence everyone gathered.

  “Everyone present is here by choice. You will not be forced to stay.” He began, his voice raised to be heard by all.

  “However, there is information that you will be privy to if you choose to stay that we require your solemn vow will not be used to harm another. This will be your last chance to commit yourself to Livingstone, through a blood vow which, thanks to the Livingstone Witches, can never be broken. If you choose not to participate, you will be welcomed to leave. I hope you think carefully about your decision, it should not be made lightly and once made, cannot be changed. You will be pledging yourself to the protection of Livingstone, the sanctity of its secrets and to defend all those who share your allegiance.”

  The doctor nodded at the three hooded figures standing behind him. They approached the cauldron and withdrew small blades from within their cloaks, drawing them across their palms before holding their hands above the flames and letting their blood drip into the fire below.

  As the Witches began to chant, the hum of electricity seemed to build in the air, making the hair on Niko’s arms stand on end. He tried to make out the Witches' words, besides English he was fluent in Russian, German and French, but this sounded older. The only words he could make out were ‘Ana Harrani Sa Alaktasa La Tarat’, which meant nothing to him.

  The chanting stopped suddenly, and the doctor spoke again.

  “Omne Enim Votum.” He said, before translating.

  “One vow for all time”.

  He withdrew his own small knife and slashed his hand quickly before holding it over the flames.

  “We ask you to make no promise that we do not promise in return. We offer our protection, our guidance and our allegiance. And we ask those of you who have already made your vow to do so again. Together we choose to travel the road whose course does not turn back.” He wiped the blade clean with a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Ash who had appeared with little notice beside him.

  Ash echoed the Latin vow, repeating the words in English before making the same blood offering to the cauldron. A blond, male Vampire stepped forward next, followed by the human groundskeeper. Niko realised all five of the factions were being represented and wondered if that was an essential component of the magic within the blood vow.

  Doctor Livingstone took back the blade that was offered to him and readdressed the crowd.

  “Who among you will be the first to make the pledge?” He held out the blade in front of him, his eyes taking in the faces of those gathered. For a moment none came forward, but then a familiar blonde took a hesitant step in the doctor’s direction.

  Her head was lowered, but Niko knew it was her immediately. She paused for a second before raising her head, closing the gap between her and Livingstone and holding out her hand for the blade. The doctor smiled; his raised eyebrows told Niko that he was surprised by her being the first to volunteer. He wasn’t the only one, a hushed murmur had flowed around the circle like a wave. Niko on the other hand, was not surprised at all. It made perfect sense that the person with the most guts would be the girl he was attracted to.

  He watched closely as she held the blade to her palm and scrunched up her face as she forced herself to cut.

  “Omne Enim Votum.” She said in a loud voice that only shook a little bit as she tilted her palm, offering her blood to the hungry flames. The crowd erupted at once in thunderous cheer. Niko’s voice along with others roared with approval.

  Juliet laughed and stood back, holding the blade out in front of her and looking around the crowd to see who would be next.

  Niko didn’t hesitate, he walked up to her, all earlier trepidation forgotten. Her smile broadened and her eyebrows raised slightly as he approached her, holding out his hand for the knife she held. She offered it to him, and he took her hand in both of his, stroking a thumb over the ridge of her knuckles before taking the knife. He gave her his best crooked smile before turning to the flames and repeating the vow offering.

  He didn’t even feel the sting of the knife, all he could feel was the lingering heat of where their skin had touched. The crowd roared again, and Scott approached him from behind, slapping his back and taking the knife. After that it was a quick procession of one volunteer after another before the Witches closed the ceremony and the party began.

  Chapter Ten

  The sun bore down on Juliet’s exposed flesh, browning her skin even through the thick layer of sunscreen. She was busy reading over her notes from the introductory lessons she’d attended and was in the process of forming a pro/con list for each of the sessions she wanted to take. Fiona had dragged her
out of her room to keep her company while she practiced one of the spells she’d picked up. She still couldn’t get over that all of this was real.

  As she watched Fiona’s hands dance over a small bronze bowl, making the contents swirl around on a tiny gust of wind that Fiona had conjured, Juliet thought back to the night of her initiation.

  She’d gone to the bonfire not knowing what to expect and still hadn’t been convinced that everyone at Livingstone wasn’t suffering from a case of mass hysteria, when the Vampires had just appeared. They hadn’t walked, they hadn’t run, they were not there and then they were there. That had been the nail in the coffin, the proof she needed that all of it was real. Or she was now insane too, maybe they put something in the water. Either way, it had been enough evidence to convince her to go all in. The week that followed had flown by in a blur of wonder and confusion.

  She had confided in Fiona that she was new to all of this and she’d responded by graciously giving her the Fiona-version of Demons-For-Dummies. She now understood that she was a Spirit Demon, but she didn’t really know what that meant since Fiona hadn’t met one before. She’d wondered for a while if it had something to do with her unnatural skill with instruments, but Fiona had explained that the power had to come from nature, nothing man-made, so that was out.

  She’d also given her the breakdown of the factions, which had been expanded on in her introductory lessons, although there was apparently some debate still about how the factions came into being.

  The Demon faction which she belonged to was divided into those who could manipulate elements. Earth, Air, Fire, Water and in her case Spirit. Fiona had also explained that demons had extended lifespans, extra-human strength and the ability to health through the use of their element. Beyond this, Fiona was in the dark.

  There were also Shifters; those who could change their form. They varied from all kinds of sentient lifeforms including humans and were in some cases nearly impossible to kill because the shifting process would heal them as well as extend their lifespan.