Souls Apart (Book 1 in the Lost Souls Trilogy) Read online

  Souls Apart

  Lost Souls Trilogy – Book 1

  Anna Pescardot

  Copyright 2011 Anna Pescardot

  Amazon Edition

  Thank you for purchasing this eBook.

  This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and events depicted are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales are entirely coincidental. This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank Dynamite imagery at freedigitalphotos.net for the wonderful cover image.

  -1-

  I pulled back the drapes and shuddered as I saw it; an involuntary shudder. I averted my eyes quickly but I still couldn’t get the image out of my head. It stood at the top of the hill opposite my window, casting dark shadows onto the village below. I was sure it was haunted; the huge mansion house with crumbling walls and blackened window frames. I remembered going up there when I was a little girl. One of the boys had dared me. I’ll never forget the face of the old woman with long grey hair who appeared at the window and sent me running back down the hill again, fear etched on my face. Nobody knew who lived there because we didn’t see any signs of life. There were no lights on at night and the house looked as though it was being left to rot. As I glanced at it again I noticed the ivy was getting out of hand and there were more crows than normal, gathering on the roof. I was so excited that today I would finally get to know more about the house that had captured my imagination for so long; my friend, Amber had texted me to tell me that there was going to be an attic sale this morning and there were sure to be some bargains. I was more interested in seeing who lived there but Amber was more concerned with getting her hands on some retro dresses. She used to get picked on because of here weird taste in clothes, but now that retro was actually in fashion, the popular girls were starting to ask for her advice. It’s strange how things can suddenly turn around like that.

  I, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about fashion. I preferred to dress in clothes that were comfortable and yet didn’t make any sort of statement. I liked to fade into the background. I wasn’t interested in being popular but I didn’t want to be bullied either. I pulled on my boyfriend jeans and a grey hooded sweatshirt and pulled my blonde, shoulder-length curls into a ponytail. I applied some clear lip-gloss and used the last dregs of mascara to darken my pale eyelashes. I glanced at the house one last time and noticed several people making their way up the hill, obviously eager to grab some bargains; or more likely, to nosey at the people who were living in such a scary building. I shuddered again. Something about that house wasn’t right.

  ***

  Amber was early. I’d not even finished tying my laces when she started banging on my door.

  “Be quiet; you’ll wake my mom,” I said, aware that it was only just after seven.

  “Hurry up, Charlie; all the good stuff will be gone.” She started tapping her feet impatiently.

  “Ok, Ok,” I said, grabbing my bag and locking the front door.

  We both walked up the hill, well I say we both did; Amber practically ran up she was that eager for bargains.

  As we came face to face with the huge wooden door I felt a weird sense of unease. I shouldn’t go in there. It was as though something was trying to tell me to go back home. Amber wasn’t having any of it though. She banged on the door with her fist and a woman with long, blonde hair answered. She looked about thirty and was quite pretty and not in the least bit scary.

  “Hi, are you here for the attic sale?” she asked.

  “We sure are,” Amber replied, pushing past the woman.

  The woman looked at me and I felt a shiver as I gazed into her clear, blue eyes. “Have we met?” she asked.

  “No,” I said, “but I’ve lived in the village all my life so maybe you’ve seen me around.”

  She pushed her hair behind her ears. “Yes, maybe that’s it. Well, come in anyway.”

  The inside of the house was in much better condition than the outside, I noticed. The hallway was quite bright and a huge staircase led up to a balcony which stretched across the width of the room. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the whole place screamed out wealth. I walked into the hall and noticed several tables all lay out with various artefacts. I saw Amber’s bright red hair, right in the middle. She had several items thrown over her arm already; most of them clothes.

  “You took your time,” she said before holding up a long, black, gothic-style dress. “Don’t you just love this?”

  “Yeah, it’s nice.”

  Her eyes widened. “Nice? It’s out of this world.” She took hold of another similar dress, which was also long and made out of a gold fabric that, to me, looked like a pair of drapes. “This would look great on you,” she said holding it up to me.

  I felt the fabric. The material was luxurious. It was an original dress too; you could tell by the lining; a red, satin material. An elderly man stood behind the counter, watching us. “How much is this?” I asked.

  He looked disinterested. “Five dollars.”

  I couldn’t leave it there for that price. “Great, I’ll take it.”

  Amber paid for her bargains and led me to another table, which was covered in the most beautiful costume jewellery. While Amber rummaged I felt an intense burning in the back of my head. Someone was staring at me. I turned around and noticed the most amazing man I’d ever seen. He had short, dirty-blond, dishevelled hair and the most intense blue eyes. They were focused directly at me. I felt that weird shiver again and my heart started to beat faster; I had to grip hold of the table to steady myself. I had never felt like this before. What was happening? Was this what they meant by love at first sight? I was compelled to walk over to him; my legs were moving as though an unseen force was either pushing or pulling me to him. Once I’d gotten as near to him as I could without us actually touching I gave him, what I hoped, was a winning smile.

  “Hi,” he said grabbing hold of my hands, “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  His voice was amazing, soft and deep with no hint of any accent. It was the sort of voice that could hypnotize people.

  “I’m Charlotte,” I said.

  He grinned. “I know.”

  I felt uneasy. How did he know me? What was happening? “How do you know who I am?” I asked.

  He picked up my hands and kissed both of them. I glanced back to see if Amber was watching but she was too busy grabbing as much as she could before anyone else got there. I turned back to him and felt my heartbeat speeding up again. “I’ve seen you around the village,” he replied, “You get the right answers if you ask the right questions.”

  “Oh,” I said. “So do you live in this house? I’ve not seen you before.”

  He quickly let go of my hands and pushed me away. His eyes seemed to turn a dark shade of grey. “No, I don’t live here. I live in the village. Not far from you.”

  “I haven’t seen you before, that’s all. I’m sure I’d have remembered you.”

  He smiled again and his eyes returned to normal. “I don’t get out much. I’ m too busy working.”

  “Where do you work?”

  “I work from home. I’m a writer.”

  “Wow, that’s exciting.”
>
  “Not really. Anyway, I’ve been waiting such a long time to take you to dinner. Are you free tonight?”

  “I’d love to come out with you,” I said, excitement welling up inside.

  “Great, I’ll meet you here at eight?”

  “Ok.”

  It was only when I’d gone back to Amber that I started to think it was weird that he wanted to meet back at the house. Her reaction told me she hadn’t even noticed I’d gone. “Aren’t these just divine,” she said, holding up a pair of crystal earrings in the shape of crosses.

  “Yeah, they’re gorgeous. I can’t believe you didn’t see that guy. He was out of this world.”

  “You know me, Charlie, once I get near clothes and jewellery…”

  I tried to point him out to her but he’d gone. And I didn’t even get his name.

  -2-

  My mom was dishing out the lunch when I got home. It was meat loaf; my favourite. I just loved inhaling the smell of it.

  “So? Did you get anything nice from the attic sale?” she asked, placing my food in front of me.

  “I did. Look.” I showed her the gold dress. She reached out her hand to touch the fabric and then she gave a sniff. “It’s not the sort of thing you usually wear, is it?”

  “It was only five dollars. I couldn’t leave it there at that price. I may never wear it. It’s an investment piece.”

  “Well, I don’t really like it. It gives me a weird feeling.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know. It’s just a bit creepy, that’s all.”

  “It’s not for you, it’s for me.”

  She placed her own plate down at the table and sat down. “I know that. I thought that house gave you the creeps too. So what was it like inside?”

  I waited until I’d finished chewing a delicious mouthful of meat and then I told her what a magnificent place it was and how it wasn’t scary at all once you were inside. I also told her about the guy I’d met and how I was meeting him again tonight. She wasn’t pleased but, as I was seventeen and old enough to look after myself, she didn’t bother to argue too much.

  ***

  I felt like a different person in the golden dress; like a princess from the olden days. It seemed to reflect into my hair, making it seem even more golden blonde than it was already. It also brought out the small, golden flecks inside my blue eyes. It fitted like a glove, too. The neckline was square at my chest and made me look as though I had cleavage, for once and it fitted snug against my waist, before flaring out over my hips, giving me an hour-glass figure. I started to think about who’d worn it before me. Did it used to belong to the blonde woman who’d answered the door? If it did, then why did she want to sell it? The woman would have easily fitted into it and I’m sure she would have looked gorgeous in it. It was certainly making me look more gorgeous than usual. I couldn’t stop staring at myself. Normally I’d try and do everything I could to avoid seeing my reflection. I used to envy vampires; it was something they never had to worry about. I sat down at my dressing table and started to apply my lip-gloss and mascara. The wand was becoming really clumpy now and the lip-gloss was too pale to compete with the drama of the dress. I went into my mom’s bedroom and borrowed some of her stuff. She always looked glam; she was a waitress at the nearby rock café and she always made sure she looked the part. It was like staring at somebody else entirely once I’d finished applying bright red lipstick and smoky grey eye shadow. My mom almost fainted when she saw me.

  “Oh my,” she said.

  “Do you like it? You don’t think it’s a bit over the top for a first date do you?”

  She shook her head; her mouth open.

  “I feel a little overdressed, actually,” I admitted.

  “It just isn’t you, Charlie. You’re like a different person.”

  “I know. Shall I go change?”

  “No, you’re dressed now. It’s good to make an effort for a man. Lets him feel special.” She came over and gave me a hug. “My little girl’s all grown up, eh?”

  I smiled and gave her a kiss. Ever since Dad died my mom’s been there for me. She sacrificed a lot to give me a good education; working two jobs. I made sure she realized I appreciated it, as often as I could. “I’ll see you later then, Mom.”

  “Remember; call me if you need me.”

  “I will.”

  It was getting dark and I felt apprehensive as I walked up the hill. I pulled my long, grey duffle coat closer to my body. I could hear the sounds of crows and an owl hooting in the distance. I noticed a silhouette of a man, standing near to the house. He was waving. Phew! At least he’d turned up. I was worried he wouldn’t have.

  “I’m glad you came,” he shouted, making his way down the hill to meet me half way.

  “Me too,” I said, noticing again how handsome he was.

  “Wow, you look amazing” he said.

  “You do too.” He was also wearing a long, black, military-style coat over black jeans and biker boots. He looked like one of those warriors from a sci-fi movie. I felt so happy as he placed his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. We started to walk.

  “You don’t think I’m overdressed, do you?” I asked, worried he was taking me to the local fast food outlet.

  “No. You look perfect. I’m taking you to a great place. It will be our place.”

  We walked through the village and onto the outskirts. I’d never been to this part before and I was starting to feel a little nervous. He wasn’t speaking much. I remembered that I didn’t know his name. “You didn’t tell me your name.” I said.

  He turned towards me and his eyes bore into mine again. “It’s Edward. But you can call me, Eddie.”

  I shuddered when he gave me his hand to shake. It was probably some sort of reaction to how handsome I found him.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, because it seemed we’d been walking for over an hour.

  He stopped still. We were in the middle of some sort of forest. He leant back against a tree and pulled me towards him. He gazed directly at me again and I felt all my nerves vanish. “You ask too many questions,” he said before taking his hand and running it through my hair. “You have beautiful hair. Exactly as I remembered.”

  “Well I haven’t really done that much with it since this morning—”

  “Sshhh,” he said. “We’re almost there. We’re going to my house. I hope that’s ok?”

  I really wanted to see where he lived and so I nodded as he got up from the tree and grabbed hold of my hand. We continued walking. I realized that I wouldn’t remember how to get to his house as it was all so unfamiliar. He lived miles from me. How could he have seen me around the village when he lived so far?

  We passed through a cemetery and I felt shivers again as I heard more owls hooting. A noise from the bushes startled me, but it was only a cat. Its eyes widened when it saw us and it arched its back and hissed. I was so frightened I forgot we’d only just met and I buried my head into Eddie’s chest. I felt his arms around my shoulders and I felt safe again. Once I heard the cat run back into the bushes I looked up.

  “Are you ok?” he asked, his hands stroking my cheeks.

  “I am now,” I said.

  Our faces were so close that I half expected us to kiss; I sure wanted to kiss him, but instead he took hold of my hand again and led me out of the cemetery and towards a small black hut. “This is it,” he said.

  I was scared again. It wasn’t a proper house; it was some sort of run-down shack. “What’s the matter?” he said, his eyes darkening again.

  “Nothing.” I took some deep breaths.

  “Come on, It’s much better inside than out.”

  He pushed open the door, which wasn’t locked and he put his hands in his pocket, taking out a lighter. He lit a candle which was pinned to the wall in a black, cast-iron, holder. I could see the room better now. The floor was made of wood and he’d placed some colorful rugs onto it. There were beanbags on the floor which he u
sed for chairs and in the corner was a camp bed. It was very basic. There was no kitchen; just a shelf with some tins of beans on it.

  “You live here?” I said, wondering how someone could survive like this in the twenty-first century.

  “I like it,” he said, defensively.

  “No, I didn’t mean it like that; it’s just not like most people’s homes.”

  He smiled “I’m not like most people.”

  I sat down on the bean bag next to him, which was surprisingly comfortable and watched as he opened a wooden box and took out two silver wine goblets and a bottle of red wine.

  He poured out a glass and handed it to me. “Wait here,” he said before leaving me alone.

  I was scared now. I took out my mobile phone so I could text my mom but there was no signal. I heard strange sounds outside and for one horrible moment I seriously considered that Eddie might be plotting to murder me. I placed down my wine glass. I didn’t want to be poisoned, thank you very much. There was a very strange atmosphere inside the hut and I noticed that Eddie didn’t seem to have many things. Maybe this wasn’t his real home. Maybe this was his lair – a place where he lured girls, plied them with drink, had his wicked way and then murdered them. This place was in the middle of nowhere. He could have buried bodies here and got away with it. My mind was working overtime. I was about to make a run for it and try and find my way back, when I heard his footsteps outside the door. He pushed it open and I noticed he had a package in his hands.

  “We can’t have dinner without food,” he said with a little giggle that made me feel warm inside. He opened the bag and took out some sandwiches. He’d made a selection and so I took a cheese salad one. He’d also brought chips and some cookies. As we snuggled together I started to hate myself for thinking such bad things about him. He was gorgeous. I felt so sorry for him having to live here.

  “Where did you get these from?” I asked pointing to the sandwiches and other goodies he’d brought.

  “I made them earlier. A friend of mine lets me use her kitchen. She’s only around the corner.”

  I felt a stab of jealousy cut through me. He had a woman friend who let him use her kitchen? She had to have ulterior motives. Surely it wasn’t only me who could see how gorgeous he was.