The Coming From the Shadows Series
Previous Instalments:
- CFTS: A Family Trip – Awakening Love: A Family Trip to Spain
- CFTS / A Family Trip: A Summer Interlude – Exploring Relationships: A Summer Family Holiday
- C.F.T.S: Isolation at the Hotel – Strangers and Secrets: A Tense Family Getaway
- CFTS / Family Trip: Strangeness in Spain – Exploring Relationships and Fear on a Family Trip
- CFTS / Family Trip: Chaos in Spain – Chaos Unveiled: A Family’s Spanish Adventure
Coming From the Shadows
Family Trip:
Conspiracy and Unease
Background:
From a Family once steeped in a mysterious secretive war to normalcy; the lives of the modern descendants of Lydia Langdon have found themselves being revisited by the old horrors of Cults and Secrets.
Lydia Langdon, a woman that sought and eventually found normalcy within her eventual partner; a British soldier, tried to distance herself from the life she had been born into; trained from a young age alongside her older twin sister; Elizabeth, Lydia struggled to find her own way, even after her initial escape in 1905 at the age of 15 – in 1908, shortly before her eighteenth birthday, she would encounter Thomas Davidson in the Himalayan mountains, a man that would find himself dragged willingly into her life of secrets as he did what he could to prove himself to her.
In 1911; she would finally break from the life at the age of 21 after witnessing the supposed death of her mother; finding herself fleeing to Santorini and abandoning the group she had been part off since her escape in 1905, even her own sister; where all of her contained emotions broke through; it was Thomas’ presence, his refusal to abandon her that led to reconciliation, and the decision to finally try escaping, and while it wouldn’t be permanent it would lead to her rebuilding her life on her terms with Thomas from 1912 onwards.
Now, in 2014; that war Lydia had secretly been part of, continues on beneath the surface, the once contained Ancient Celestial Master of the Imperium is now free, and things have begun to spiral, Poverty and Greed making he world ripe for the Celestial’s ‘Child of Darkness’ to thrive, threatening to enforce the life Lydia had sought to escape back onto her descendants.
Introduction:
3rd of August, 2014 A.D.
Blackpool, England
Ralph; the Grandson of Lydia and Thomas; sat quietly in the living room of his home, like he usually did to the start of his day, he had been up before dawn, gone for a pleasant early-hours walk, and now had begun enjoying his morning breakfast alongside his wife; Barbara, though their pleasant morning was disrupted by the news report Ralph had put on as background noise, drawing their attention to it when it spoke of a act of violence in Lloret de Mar.
Lifting his attention away from his breakfast and now towards the television he listened intently.
“During the Late evening of the 2nd of August; a violent act of what is being described as ‘Vigilante’ justice occurred at a Bar named the ‘Dorada Medias’ that has been revealed to have been a centre of enforced sexual enslavement of several young women; witnesses describe a robed hooded individual with unnatural strength that came in through the main entrance, sources claim this man withstood several stabbings and, unbelievably; a shotgun at close range before hurling full grown men around like ragdolls and breaking down doors freeing imprisoned women, displaying once again, little effort in the proceeding display of power – while the individual in question has not been found, his act of violence has been left on display”
Ralph listened intently to everything being said, Barbara shifted uncomfortably “Jenna and the children aren’t in Lloret de Mar right?” she asked hesitantly, her eyes shifting towards Ralph
Ralph gently shook his head to confirm she isn’t “No” he said, leaning back a moment “No, she isn’t, I think she is in Tossa de Mar” his eyes drifted towards his wife; she could see something going on behind his eyes, like something had come back from his past, it provided him a strangely haunted look
“Ralph?” she reached her hand forwards, gently squeezing his hand
“I have tried desperately to escape something, you know that, but I think it’s going to come crashing back into our lives” he said with a guarded tone, concern lacing the undercurrent “I think I will need to give our son a call, see if he can check on his sister”
Barbara nodded, her eyes drifting back to the television.
Chapter 1:
2nd of August, 2014 A.D.
South of the Pyrenees, Spain
To the south of the French border and North of a Spanish village; La Jonquera located deep in a are of trees along a mountainous hill the air was thick, a suffocating blanket woven with the smell of damp earth which blended with something ancient, acrid; here, a two Archaeological teams had uncovered something; an ancient obsidian structure beneath the surface; its ancient stairway uncovered.
The darkness simply absorbed the head lamps of L.E.D lights, and the interior itself was simply refusing to surrender its secrets even as the ventured deep within, lights set up struggled to reach very far; what they had so far uncovered though within this oppressive darkness was a gruesome carvings depicting inhuman beings being revered by a civilisation that they simply couldn’t explain.
One of the team; a woman by the name of Sarah; a rather warm and bubbly individual examined the wall carefully with a torch, hoping it would help her with understanding what she was looking at “Remarkable” she said, her voice in awe, echoing within the unnatural structure “This…, material…, I haven’t seen anything like this before, something that absorbs light so effectively on this scale” shifting her gaze a moment, she looked into the eerie darkness, a shiver crept down her back, she felt as though there was something watching her, and even as the man beside her was very obviously there, he still made her jump
“Almost like its sentient?” the man said; ‘Martin’ he watched Sarah before his own eyes canned their surroundings
Slowly she nodded as she looked towards him “Yes” she confirmed “What has Philip agreed too with getting us involved in this exploration”
“I am not sure” Martin said; his gaze drifting around, he noticed a member of the first the team that they had only recently begun working with; they were already moving ahead, he had noticed they seemed less interested in the carvings, and seemed to be searching for something else entirely “I don’t trust them” he whispered
“No” Sarah agreed “They don’t seem at all interested in this place the same way; they act like this is normal for them” Martin slowly nodded in agreement
Outside; Philip Wright, a man driven by the love of his job, so much so that he had been consumed within it, and what had been originally a work outing, had involved his family in some vague attempt to act as though he was trying; in reality, the moment he had actually gotten the chance to pursue his career, he’d immediately gone for it.
So far, he hadn’t even been back to visit his family since the first day; at present though he was stood over a laptop, examining a picture recently taken; it was of a grotesque carving someone had managed to take that adorned the walls, similar to those Sarah and Martin were examining, only, this scene within the carving depicted scenes of unimaginable cruelty.
Figures with elongated limbs and vacant eyes performing rituals that defied human comprehension; just like everyone else so far, Philip just felt as though the images were…, alive.
3rd of August, 2014
As the morning mediterranean sun began to beat down; Philip shifted his position, his hands close to his face as he rubbed his eyes, yawning before glancing over to the larger man approaching him; Tom, his American colleague and whose face had recently adopted an ever permanent frown “This place isn’t right Philip” he stated firmly “Whatever we’re searching for…, this discovery shouldn’t be kept hidden away; are you certain you don’t want to start asking questions to this ‘Benefactor’ of ours?”
Smiling, he waved off the concern “Tom; think of the funding” he slowly pushed the chair back before rising to his feet and stretching “If we secure whatever it is we’re here to investigate, we secure the funding needed to expand from small projects to things that could make us famous”
“Philip; what exactly is it we’re even searching for” Tom questioned “He gave us no information beyond a location, and the first team here, that we’re now working with; they don’t exactly operate cohesively with us, they do their own thing entirely and don’t share any research with us”
Philip chuckled “Doesn’t matter; we find what we’re searching for; we secure the funding” the two men begin moving; continuing their civil discussion, with Tom’s increasing frustration clearly present, eventually getting closer towards Philip’s rented car “Trust me Tom; it’ll be worth it”
Tom crossed his arms, a look of irritation present “When do you intend to be back anyway?” he watched as Philip got into the car “Philip; I can’t run the dig on my own indefinitely”
“I will return tomorrow afternoon; I do have my family to deal with as well you know” Philip replied waving his hand absently “And, I intend to go and speak with our Benefactor, give him an update on our progress, maybe he’ll let me know what we need to keep an eye out for”
Town maintained his deep frown; watching as Philip set off “Sometimes buddy, I wonder what your wife saw that got her to marry you” he said quietly to the silence before turning to return back to the excavation.
Chapter 2:
20th of June, 1910 A.D.
South of Portbou, Spain
The Spanish countryside had been a blur of green and brown streaks for Lydia Langdon as she clung to her horse; her long raven-dark hair having come untangled in her haste.
She and her companion; Thomas, had been following a lead on the Imperium’s French Cultists; the ‘Roosters’ when they had been caught by surprise, during that ambush, one of the Cultists, a Spaniard named; José had managed to acquire a mysterious puzzle box that Lydia had kept with her since her escape from her fathers manor during its burning down caused by her older half-brother ‘William’ – the Smythe Estate, which had once sat at the mouth of the River Thames as a place of power for the Cult of the Minotaur, another of the Imperium’s powerful Cultist groups.
The puzzle box, despite not having any idea what it was; had been a constant companion to Lydia, she felt drawn to protect it, even if she never understood why; though the ambush allowed for the Spanish Cultists to flee with it.
Now; having tracked José down; her silvery-grey eyes were razor-sharp with her focus; despite the usual look of innocence that hid a deceptively dangerous weapon; that expression had faded in the face of her fierce determination to reclaim what had been taken.
Ahead; she could see the carriage she and Thomas had been pursuing; it had careened wildly, and now was overturned, it’s wheel still slowly spinning useless in the air, debris scattered across the empty road; pulling back on the reign; her horse finally slowed; beside her, Thomas also slowed.
Thomas; shifted his eyes a moment taking their surroundings before watching as Lydia jumped down from her horse before it had even fully come to a halt, she stumbled but quickly regained her balance; he only jumped down once his horse came to a halt.
Lydia; her bag bouncing lightly against her hip which had a strap reaching to the opposite shoulder, her slender fingers grasped the hilt of the Jian Sword that was strapped against the bag; pulling it free from the scabbard; it slid out in a fluid motion whispering into the air as it came free, its polished metal reflecting the light of the sun.
“Lydia” Thomas shifted his gaze a moment before his eyes returned to her “Be careful” he told her, drawing his revolver and slowly approaching the carriage with her
Lydia acknowledged his concern with a subtle nod as she moved purposely towards the carriage, her movements light and elegant; but the closer she got, the more predatory her approach became, slowing down as she began to circle the overturned carriage, Thomas approached from the opposite direction to ensure there wasn’t anyone waiting.
A muffled groan emanated from beneath the wreckage; Lydia, her eyes focused spotted José pinned beneath the carriage; its full weight holding him down, moving directly over him, she pointed the tip of her sword at his throat “Where is it” she demanded, her voice while deceptively soft was threatening “Where have you taken it”
The Cultist eyed Lydia with terror in his eyes; his face blooded as he felt his limps twisted in pain beneath the carriage “Please…, mercy”
“The box!” she said; her voice, while polite had now raised “You have dared to take something that does not belong to you; something valuable, I want it back”
José gestured weakly towards a fallen wooden crate “There…, it is in there; please…, don’t kill me”
Lydia raised her head; her eyes locking onto the fallen wooden crate, she moved immediately towards it, moving the Jian sword and sliding it back into the scabbard tied to her back and kneeled down looking for how to get inside the crate; she then looked to Thomas “Thomas; could you help me?”
Smiling, he approached, making a quick glance about, he then looked at the crate and kicked at it with a slight grunt; splintering the wood; inside, nestled amongst its content was a strange puzzle box, an intricate pattern adorning it, but, as Lydia retrieved it; Thomas noticed that there was no obvious indicators of how it was meant to be opened “Thank you” she smiled as she stood up, checking the box carefully before opening the bag and sliding the mysterious puzzle box into her bag along with various other important and useful objects ranging from her personal journal, sets of throwing knives, tools for pick locking, a Mortar and Pestle, fragile egg-shells carefully separated from the other, harder objects, she also carried items clearly packaged for medical situations and a revolver.
“What about him?” Thomas queried, his eyes drifting to the fallen Cultist; Lydia’s gaze also followed “Are we…, leaving him?”
Lydia thought; her eyes turning towards him “What would you do?” she asked, uncertain
“I’d give him a chance; being stuck beneath that…, he’s not going to be able to defend himself at all” Thomas watched as Lydia walked back; he followed her, she could see she was processing her thoughts by the subtle changes in her face; when her expression softened she looked back towards him before gesturing to help her
“If you lift; I can pull him from under?” Lydia smiled “Because I wont be able to lift that”
“Fair enough” he smiled; gripping whatever he could, he readied himself then, with a great amount of effort lifted the carriage upwards, he could immediately feel the shift in weight as things still tied in place moved to the carriages movement; Lydia; she grabbed José and pulled him back as best she could, dragging him across the floor until he was no longer underneath the carriage; once safe to do so; Thomas dropped it back down, it immediately landed with a heavy thud as more items came loose and fell free to the floor
“Let’s go” Lydia said, Thomas nodding as the two walked back to the horses; letting José decide on what he intended to do now that he was no longer pinned; all he could do is watch as the two rode away, leaving him where he was.
Chapter 3:
3rd of August, 2014 A.D.
Tossa de Mar, Spain
As the morning sun streamed onto the balcony of the Wright Families hotel room; it illuminated a scene of peaceful tranquillity amongst the group; Philip’s absence being so common, they barely even acknowledged his absence.
Eliza; Jenna’s eldest daughter, born in 1992 held the same physical similarities to her mother, her long dark hair, but, unlike her mother and sister, Eliza had inherited the Blue eyes of her Great-Great Grandfather; Thomas Davidson.
Eliza also seemed to inherit a mix of her families traits, since the age of 7, Eliza had entered into Martial Arts; learning Tae-Kwon Do where she met her partner; Tyler, which evolved from classmates to friends and just as with the evolution of Local, to Regional and eventual International Competitions, so too did their friendship shift towards romantic involvement.
Eliza sat with Tyler, her eyes currently fixed on her mischievous younger brother; Dylan, an eight-year-old with restless energy; unlike his sisters, Dylan was a blend of both of their parents, inheriting his mothers dark hair, but also his fathers dark eyes; though due to his fathers constant absence, he had developed a rather strong bond with Tyler ever since he became a constant in Eliza’s life, his reoccurring presence fostering a brotherly-bond between them and the only real male-role model he had.
At present; Dylan was attempting to build some kind of fortress on his plate with his toast, much to everyone else amusement.
Then there was Raven; the middle child; inheriting her mother’s physical similarities; her hair dark, but longer than her sister and mother; Raven’s hair usually reaching to the middle of her back, though she had adopted a signature style for her long hair, often tying it into a ponytail deliberately pulled to the left of her head where it would usually hang limply over her shoulder, then, like her mother, she had inherited the Silvery-Grey eyes of her Great-Great Grandmother; Lydia Langdon.
Raven was a rather shy and passive girl, often preferring quiet observation; she was the polar opposite of her girlfriend; Yasmin who sat beside her; her long hair also dark, and her eyes an ocean blue; due to her abusive upbringing, Yasmin had developed a boisterous and rebellious nature; but, this was often tempered by Raven’s calmness since their first meeting as children in nursery; their relationship moving from a childhood bond to romantic involvement in the beginning of summer that year; and as of recently, Raven’s adoption of a black velvet choker had become a symbol of that close and loving bond.
Yasmin also had a strong relationship with Raven’s mother; Jenna, who had usually acted as a surrogate mother-figure due to being aware of Yasmin’s abusive family, often providing her warmth and safety, particularly during times Yasmin experienced a need to escape when her father was heavily drinking.
Jenna; she observed her youngest, shaking her head “Dylan…, it’s food, not to play with; eat it” she told him, a sly smile curving her lips as she shifted her gaze towards her eldest
Tyler grinned; though, he noticed something on the television in the living room; getting up, he moved through the doors and sat perched on the edge of the couch, putting the volume up to listen about the ‘Vigilantism’ in Lloret de Mar.
Noticing, Eliza moves as well, drawn by Tyler’s intense focus, sitting beside him and leaning her chin against his shoulder as she looked towards the television “Lloret de Mar isn’t that far from here” Tyler comments, his brow furrowed “And with how that stalker has been a constant presence, first following your mum and brother, then getting into the lift to follow Raven and Yasmin…, it’s a little concerning”
Eliza thought for a moment “You and Mum went to tell the Hotel, and police were here a little while ago; but.., if attention is now on all this, maybe whoever it is, will try disappearing, avoid being found and just…, maybe leave us alone now”
“Maybe…, we’ll have to just keep an eye on things” Tyler said
Later into the morning; the group ventures out from the hotel, once again into the heart of Tossa de Mar, a vibrant maze of shops and stalls; Jenna announces her intention to go and do some shopping, Dylan choosing to accompany his mother; Eliza and Tyler, they decided to explore a nearby market; Raven and Yasmin, hand-in-hand decided to wander the crowded streets, their eyes wide with wonder.
As they walked though; Raven suddenly stiffed up; her silvery-grey eyes widened with a primal fear; her hand tightened around Yasmin’s; Yasmin, shifted her attention immediately to her before glancing about, checking their surroundings for the cause of her sudden shift and distress; she saw him, the same stalker from the lift incident, he was watching them from a stall, eyes fixed onto Raven.
Yasmin, being fiercely protective, didn’t hesitate; she pulled Raven and they moved directly into the crowd; she weaved easily, not once letting go of Raven; they managed to somehow avoid bumping into anyone, they carefully moved between tourists and locals; purposely ensuring the stalker couldn’t keep track of them.
Chapter 4:
Keeping her hand tightly around Raven’s, Yasmin continued to lead the way; she used the sheer number of people to their advantage; by cutting through another market, they found themselves on the street leading directly towards the shop that Jenna went too, and intertwined her fingers with Raven’s as she kept moving.
Jenna, emerging from the shop with Dylan took notice of Raven and Yasmin coming towards them; her protective instincts taking over as she moved towards them as soon as she saw the undisguised fear in Raven’s expression; Jenna’s eyes shifted, she looked for signs of what had caused her daughter such distress, while Dylan, a little confused at his older sisters panicked expression, and adding in his childish curiosity raised a question “What’s wrong?”
Yasmin looked towards Yasmin then to Raven; then again back to Dylan as she began to explain they had seen the Stalker from the previous night that had got into the Lift at the hotel with them; not seeing any sign though, Jenna gently urged the girls to follow, her eyes constantly sweeping their surroundings as they began walking.
Back at the Hotel
Philip had finally returned back to the hotel; but, upon entering, discovered that no one was there, wandering through the empty hotel room, he shrugged, realising that they must have gone out; making his way to what should be his and Jenna’s room, he found the bed was tidy and well made, though, his belongings still sat unattended; still unpacked in his suitcase “Can’t do that after I got you all this holiday” he groaned to himself
Deciding to finally begin unpacking, he started putting his belongings away, as he started putting his shirts into the draw, there was a subtle creak that echoed from the hallway, pausing he glanced towards the open door, he had a good angle to see one direction along the hall but not the other; hearing another creak; he decided to walk over and stand in the doorway; the hallway though was empty, the air still.
Then, a momentary chill swept through; it raised goosebumps along his arms, a wave of unease washing over him as he began to feel as though he wasn’t alone; that someone was stood watching him, he shook his head “Your imagining things Philip” he told himself, returning back into his room to carry on unpacking, but the feeling persisted, as though he was just under a constant watch by someone.
The Tossa de Mar Street Stalls
The stalker, having lost Raven and Yasmin in the crowd, soon picked up another scent; Eliza and Tyler; he watched them from across the market, observing their easy camaraderie as they browsed the stalls, their faces alight with laughter.
Though, Eliza felt a prickling sensation that crept up the back of her neck; it caused it to stop talking, turning to look, Tyler followed her gaze, they spotted him; the Stalker, he had already turned though, and Tyler, felt as though he recognised him from the previous night just as he was melting into the throng “Was that him?” he asked, his voice adopting a more serious tone “I swear that’s the guy I saw when I returned to the hotel last night, before Raven and Yasmin had their encounter”
Eliza frowned; se hadn’t managed to get a good look “I’m not sure…, but I am certain he was watching us” deciding to finish up with their shopping, they set off to find Jenna, Raven, Yasmin and Dylan.
Somewhere near Girona, Spain
Hidden away within a warehouse near Girona; a hooded and robed figure melted into the darkness, but, he spoke with a deep, inhuman voice that seemed to resonate from the very walls of the warehouse “Leroy’s actions have demonstrated the lack of restraint within the Imperium; he defiled the very notion of what you all claim to represent, you claim to serve, you claim your loyalty to me; and yet, one of you dares to ensnare victims” a pair of red eyes flash within the darkness, what had begun as light steps progressively become heavier, harder thuds; almost like hooves against concrete the dark figure of what had been a man, had grown, a large shape moves slowly, methodically within the darkness “I despise your kind; you so often prove me correct, such greedy servile creatures”
Stanley stood quietly; he was use to this; he had so far been the only Cultist to have gained the ‘Dark Masters’ respect; having been the first Human to not only find the Ancient Celestial Prison hidden within Crete, but, Stanley had been willing to enter, drawing in German soldiers to their deaths, at the height of the invasion of Crete; Stanley had breached a Celestial Prison and liberated its imprisoned occupant, despite his age though, Stanley seemed to have not aged beyond the look of a man between his late 30’s to early 40’s, he stood quietly, listening intently to the rant.
“The Imperium has been a disappointment since I emerged from that Prison; after centuries, it seems to have become nothing more than something to allow for the corrupt” the icy voice snarled “And Elpis had so loved your kind, she had hopes, I tolerated your people because of her”
There was a heavy grunt; Stanley continued to observe the large hulking figure move slowly; the movements had remained heavy thuds “Garcia; that ‘Benefactor’ as he likes to view himself as, he allowed Leroy’s actions under his watch, he must now be investigated, if he is forcing people into servitude, then he shall face the same fate; a Willing Sacrifice is a Sacrifice; they volunteer, it holds meaning, not to me, but to them to give themselves for something greater, to serve loyally means one will never betray; they can be relied upon, as you have so often proven yourself”
Stanley remained silent, listening intently, when there was a pause he maintained his impassive expression “I shall get the investigation underway” he said calmly, bowing his head
A subtle growl emanated from the darkness “Make sure this line is never crossed again; or it wont simply be small purges I will commit too, I shall purge the entire Imperium outright, and yes Stanley; I want you to inform your council of that statement”
Stanley simply nodded before turning; walking away as the large shadowy figure seemed to vanish completely.
Chapter 5:
24th of June, 1910 A.D.
Girona, Spain
Thomas was the first to be down from the horse; moving over to help Lydia down; she smiled at him, normally, she would not accept someone else helping her, she had spent so much of her life being trained or raised in brutal environments; her fathers Cultist education had been particularly brutal, it had left lasting mental scars, and after reuniting with her mother after 5-Years of separation between 1900 to 1905; she agreed to be trained by her mother; Cathryn and the enigmatic figure simply known as the ‘Monk’ – it had made her from a timid frightened child to a weapon.
Thomas though, had begun breaking through those barriers, she was less hostile with him compared to anyone else that she considered an ‘outsider’ of the group, Thomas and his Kenyan-comrade from the Army were relatively new, to that said group; yet, his persistence had made massive gains in establishing trust with her; Lydia herself had begun feeling things that she didn’t understand, new emotions that often confused her, even when she found herself staring at Thomas, she didn’t understand why.
As he helped her down, she placed her hands against his shoulders to help support herself as he got her down; smiling at him; he was much taller than she was, so, once on the ground firmly, she looked upwards at up as she smiled, the two finally deciding to go inside the safehouse.
Cathryn; her mother, had been a fiercely Anti-Imperium ‘Hunter’, first born into a disorganised group in 1872; raised in isolation in Kings Langley after her parents were forced to flee the ‘Hunters’ farmstead in Lancashire; Cathryn had unfortunately fallen into domestic slavery to Lydia’s father between 1890 to 1900; now, she organised the return of the ‘Hunters’ once again.
Finding her mother in the back alongside her adoptive younger sister; an Italian girl that had a remarkable twin-like similarity; ‘Norina’ she smiled “Hello Norina” she said warmly, before approaching her mother, giving a quick, but warm hug to her
Cathryn smiled; her own silvery-grey eyes taking in her daughter “Hello Lydia” her eyes then drifted to Thomas as she maintained her smile “Thomas” she greeted, giving him that knowing look
Settling in; the four began to discuss things while enjoying a herbal tea; Lydia began recounting the events from France and more recently Spain; noting how the Spanish Cultists seem to have reorganised a lot since her time in training with ‘The Monk’ in 1906; Cathryn listened intently, as she leaned back she glanced towards the maps a moment “The Imperium’s reach is everywhere unfortunately, but, you have provided valuable information” her tone then shifted, becoming more concerned “Elizabeth is having trouble back in England though”
“Difficulties?” Lydia raised her eyebrow as she leaned against the table “Elizabeth?; as in my sister?”
“Do you know another Elizabeth?” Cathryn raised her eyebrow “The last telegram I received from her…, was vague, but, it spoke of Cultists named Bartholomew and Jack, and how they have been causing her a great deal of trouble; she may need our help”
Lydia nodded slowly “When do we intend to return?”
“I am waiting on another telegram; once I have that, I shall let you know, but, I need to know what Xian is doing before I can decide, if I just gather everything up, he will not know what is going on himself” Lydia slowly nodded n response
3rd of August, 2014 A.D.
Tossa de Mar, Spain
The heat of the afternoon sun seemed to intensify; for Raven, it felt oppressive now, she felt the sweat running down her forehead, she actually wanted to spend time by the pool now, her hand remained within Yasmin’s as they walked; she did switch her attention though every moment as she listened to her little brother; he desperately wanted to explain something she had no clue about, she raised her eyebrow as she looked to Yasmin who simply smiled; she felt Yasmin gently squeeze her hand.
Eliza and Tyler discussed random topics about as they continued to walk, though they did also involve Jenna; finally though the group reached the hotel; its whitewashed façade a beacon amongst the vibrant colours and tourist-filled streets.
Entering into the cool- air-conditioned lobby, Jenna turned her attention to Eliza and Tyler as she held up one of the plastic bags to them “Thank you for going shopping yesterday Tyler” she said smiling warmly “I got some things for he both of you”
Tyler grinned “Don’t mention it Jenna, I am always happy to help”
“Right” Jenna said moving one of the other plastic bags she had, its plastic biting into her palm due to its weight “Time to go back to our rooms and then we can just chill with the rest of the day” she said as the group entered the lift; ascending the building; the first stop was Eliza and Tyler; they resided in the hotel room just a floor below Jenna; waving, Eliza glanced back and smiled as she watched the doors close before she and Tyler walked to their room.
When Jenna, Dylan, Raven and Yasmin returned to their own hotel room; Jenna unlocked and pushed the door open, Raven and Yasmin having now taken to carrying the bags, after noticing how red her palms had begun to get; the room was stifling, but there was a gentle breeze that drew their attention towards the balcony.
She saw him then; her father, Philip.
He was sat out on the balcony enjoy the sun; topless and had his back to them, despite the pleasantness of the sun, he also had his attention on his laptop which was precariously balanced on his lap.
Raven’s felt her unease suddenly skyrocket; unlike how her mother and sister, even her younger brother; had been supportive of her relationship with Yasmin, her father had been a firmly disapproving figure the entire time; Yasmin could see the look in Raven’s eyes, gently taking the bag, Yasmin quietly put the shopping down in the kitchen before moving back and quickly leading Raven away before Philip would notice, taking Raven to their shared room.
Chapter 6
Unlike his sister who immediately retreated with Yasmin to their room; Dylan skipped happily towards the balcony, a mischievous glint now in his eyes “Hi Dad!” he called out happily, Philip though barely even registered his presence; grunting while his eyes were fixed on the laptop, tugging at his father’s shorts he tried to get his attention “What are you doing dad?”
Finally pulling his attention away from the laptop, he looked at Dylan and smiled slightly “Just working Son; what do you want?”
“Just wanting to know what your up too” Dylan said with a faltering smile
“Ah…, I am just checking emails regarding the progress of the dig; which, I may share some news later” he smiled “Is your mother making a brew” he questioned, his attention shifting into the hotel rooms living space “Oi; Jenna, you making a brew or what?”
Jenna, raising her eyebrow approached the doorway to the balcony, popping her head through and looking at him “What?” when he repeated the same question absently, her eyes narrowed, a glare formed in her expression “I wasn’t planning on it”
Philip waved his hand dismissively “Ah, come on; we could both do with a drink; go on love”
Irritated, Jenna moved; Dylan saw the frustration rapidly grow in his mother’s expression; deciding now would be the best time to retreat; he went quickly to his own room instead of the living room or his mothers room; Philip then stood up after closing his laptop, now returning into the hotel room and making his way to the kitchen “I think we should all go and see my dig” he announced, his smile wide “You should have a see what we’ve uncovered, it’s amazing”
Jenna barely even registered his words; she was still angry of his dismissal two days earlier; when she had felt threatened due to the stalker that had followed her and their son, which had forced her retreat to the safety of the hotel room from the hotels swimming pool, but, due to it not ceasing, she decided she would try again “That stalker I wanted to talk to you about…” she said, her voice tight
Philip rolled his eyes immediately “Following people isn’t dangerous”
Jenna stared; aghast “He got in the lift the other night with Raven and Yasmin”
Philip shrugged “So; People are going to be always curious about our daughter you know…, you encourage that…, relationship she has” he then changed the subject abruptly “There’s a hotel event tonight; why don’t you and I go, just the two of us”
With her frustration reaching a boiling point, she absently agreed; pushing the mug of tea into his hand, her movements becoming rather mechanical “Here” she said before walking off
Philip raised his eyebrow; watching with a rather confused expression as she walked off, not really understanding “Bloody hell” he said quietly; his presence and attitude had completely disrupted the harmony that had been established during his absence, though he hadn’t even clicked onto that
Down in Eliza and Tyler’s hotel room; Tyler came out onto the balcony, finding Eliza lounging in the warmth of the sun, he made whistled at her causing her to smile; shifting her attention as she raised her hand to protect her eyes from the sun as she watched Tyler come and sit beside her “I’m a lucky man” he said with a chuckle
“Mmm” she said closing her eyes and lowering her hand back down to her side; she could hear the happy screams of children below at the hotels pool, people were simply enjoying themselves in the warmth of the afternoon
Tyler approached the railings a moment, getting a good look over the hotel grounds, watching as families splashed in the pool, couples enjoyed each other’s company at the bar near the pool; the air was thick with laughter and conversation; he took the entire scene in and maintained his smile “You know” he began “We should book a holiday to Alicante next year; I was some amazing deals”
Eliza smiled, keeping her eyes closed “Alicante huh?; I’ll have to think about that”
Tyler chuckled, turning before coming up beside her and kneeling down, gently tracing his fingers against her exposed skin “I think it would be a great idea; Warm Sun, the beach, no creepy stalkers”
Eliza moved her hand to protect her eyes again as she looked at Tyler, she maintained her smile; though it faltered for a moment “Speaking of that…, it’s ben a very stressful past few days all this”
“I know; you don’t usually fall asleep like you did last night mid-conversation” he said, continuing to trace his finger along her skin, slowly drifting upwards until her reaches her neck, then gently strokes her face, he thought for a moment, deciding to shift the subject away from the potential of more stress “What would you like to do then in the evening; would you like to go exploring, maybe go visit the hotel’s restaurant…, or, stay in?”
Eliza thought for a moment, gently chewing her lip as she looked at him “Honestly” she finally said “I want to relax; maybe order some room service, watch a movie”
Tyler nodded slowly, his gaze softening, leaning close, he gently kissed along her neck “That’s exactly what we’ll do then” he said softly; moving his hand to her chin, he smiled at her before kissing her; long and slow, she simply melted into it, her arms her hand moving up to gently stroke his face, it left her breathless by the time he pulled back a little “A relaxing evening, just for you” he said softly
Written By: Westley H.
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