Lucian's Mark

Chapter Eleven

I glanced down at my plain apparel, appealing? I looked up for some verification that she was just kidding but Anastasia had already began to walk off. It was then that I actually noticed my surroundings and exactly where we had arrived.

On either side of me sat car after car of luxury, vehicles that I had ever only seen or heard of in movies and commercials. Where the plethora of cars ended, the landscaping began. Tall greenery of perfection, trimmed to the perfect size and shape, lined the walkway of the deep black stone which lay beneath my feet. It all lead up to the center of it all, their casa. I couldn't help but revel at the breathtaking mansion before me. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It reminded me of the old castles of ancient kings that I had once seen displayed in a travel brochure. That was the best attempt my mind could make at comparisons. But unlike the travel brochure, this mansion looked as if it's last stone could have been laid down just yesterday, even though it was possibly centuries old. It was gleaming. Made of this rich deep brown stone it towered over everything and anything in distance, standing like a tall throne which gave place to the night sky.

Anastasia, who must have noticed moments ago that I had not been following, stood a few feet ahead of me waiting patiently.

"This...this is where you live," I exclaimed in awe, more of a confirming statement than a question.

 "Welcome to Bellevicio Manor Lilly Stone," She nodded for me to follow her and I quickly jotted forward to meet her place.

"It is where we live," she corrected as an afterthought.

 As if on cue I began to feel many cold eyes on me. Their bodies unseen, I could sense the glares of the many residents of 'Bellevicio Manor' bore into me as I followed Anastasia's swaying hips up the stone walkway. The unwelcome feeling broke my captivation.

'Don't let the beauty fool you Lilly...you are not truly safe here,' whispered my subconscious.

Anastasia had suddenly stopped walking and I looked up to see that we had reached a large two door entrance enclosed in beautiful designs and framed by lush green vines which ran along its sides. Engraved across the center of the beautiful marble doors were these unfamiliar words etched in calligraphy. Mezmorized I stepped forward slowly, cautiously raising a hand to run my fingers through the deep grooves of the scripture.

"It is Latin," Anastasia said aloud, answering my unspoken question, "It reads 'Enter friend of the night. For it is the night which guards the day, and the unseen which guard the night."

I only nodded as a response, completely captivated by the timeless art. Keeping my admiration in check I turned to face her.

"No other human has seen this," I waved  my arm in a half circle which encompassed the manor and all its counterparts, "any of this, before me?" My voice was quiet, registering a note of sadness.

She stared at me intently, reading my expression before shaking her head slowly, "You are the first and undoubtedly last Lilly Stone. We are a secretive and protective breed, and to be frank, we do not bring dinner home."

I took in her reply as I removed my hand from the entrance. If I was welcome here, it was no more than the warm welcome of a lamb in the slaughterhouse.

Anastasia nodded at something distant and unseen. The sound of a hawk's cry met my ears and just like that the doors began to open, causing the Latin greeting to be broken in two.