Charlie
Oh God. Now my mother wanted to have a word with me. I hope it didn’t involve a sex talk. How embarrassing was this going to be? My schedule was already a bit full on. Let me see. I counted on my fingers.
1. Get used to being in my twenties.
2. Reassure Alyssa that we were still friends, seeing as I was now a lot older than her.
3. Chat to Alyssa about Bartholomew - who was also a lot older than her.
4. Become Queen of Wyvern Sea.
5. Look out for impending war with special attention to any fire, heat, and sausage rolls!!!!
6. Try to get past my dad to see Kai, my hunky merman.
7. Throw off the last traces of being fifteen which kept tripping my system, ie wanting to stomp about in protest at my dad’s behaviour and call him lame.
But one thing at a time and that was catch up time with my mum, who I had to say was really looking in need of a coffee right now.
“What are you counting? Is it days to the war? Do you know something?” She ranted, her face creased in concern.
“Just how many things are on my ‘to-do’ list. I’ll get us both a fresh coffee, Mum. Take five.”
Alyssa was hanging around the counter throwing shade at Maisie who hadn’t left yet. I watched as Maisie stalked up to the front of the shop. She stood next to Alyssa and leaned in. I dashed over ready to protect my friend if need be, only to hear Maisie say:
“Baby girl, I don’t want your man. He’s a weak human. Anyway, out of the two of you, you’re far more attractive. Shame I’m a cat, and you’re a dog. Not a good mix.” She wrinkled her nose.
Alyssa’s face contorted. “I am not a dog. I am a wolf.”
Maisie laughed and headed to the door. “You lot are so easy to wind up. You need to not give a shit. Be more cat. Ciao, miaow.” With that she left.
I ordered my drinks from Bartholomew.
“Are you around later?” I asked my best friend.
Alyssa’s lips drooped. “Look at you, Charlie. You’re gorgeous; all grown up and the Queen-to-be. Let’s face it, you don’t need me anymore.”
Sighing, I rolled my eyes at her. “That’s not true, but right now I have to chat with my mother. We need a catch up later. By the way, you’re being too clingy around Sir Loins. It’s true that sometimes you have to treat em mean to keep em keen.”
She quirked a brow. “Are you going to be mean to Kai when you see him?”
My heart stuttered for a moment and my stomach flipped. “Shit, I can’t even think about that right now. I’m so nervous. Anyway, talk later. Get out of here, Lys.” I took my phone out of my pocket and sent her a text.
Alyssa took hers out of her pocket and read it.
Charlie: Pretend you got a text from a guy from the pack.
“Oh, Dermot back at Hogs, wants to see me about some pack stuff. That’ll be a hardship given he’s fucking hot.”
I elbowed her. “Ooooh, try to take a pic.”
Bartholomew came over to the counter with my drinks. “Dermot, you say? Oh, I was just going to see if you wanted to hang around the coffee shop with me, Alyssa. It’s almost my lunch break.”
Alyssa looked at me. I texted her again.
Charlie: NO!!! It’s working. Go!!!
Alyssa shrugged her shoulders. “Another time maybe, hun. Although it’s a bit lame me hanging around here anyway.” She turned to me. “Bye, babes. I’ll let you know if I’m free later, or if Dermot’s keeping me busy.” She gave me a wink and left the coffee shop looking a lot happier than before.
I smiled at Bartholomew, who struggled to smile back, thanked him for the drinks and headed back towards my mum.
“Thanks, love. I’m most definitely ready for this drink after this morning. It was all rather a waste of time in the end. We’re no further forward, are we?”
“I guess not, but you know, Mum, if there’s one thing my super-speedy aging has taught me, it's that life is for living. I have no real idea of how long I’m going to be around. I have a feeling that my vamp genes will kick in and I’ll stay this kind of age for a while, but what if I don’t? What if in a week's time, I’m like a hundred?”
My mum bit her lip. “Aww, Mum. Don’t get sad. I know this must be weird, but I’m a prophecy, here to save Withernsea. Maybe that’s my entire purpose?”
My mum shook her head. “I can’t believe that, Charlie. I won’t believe that.”
She leaned back in her seat and let out a huge sigh. “Do you know what? It’s not even a year yet since I met your father. This time last year, I thought I was human. When I think about everything that has happened from then until now my mind is blown. I hope the war really is some nonsense about the last sausage roll in Greggs so that we can just get on with our lives and relax for a little while. Maybe I could spend some time shopping with my beautiful daughter rather than having to discuss saving the world.”
“Shopping! Mum, that’s what I need to do. Go to Ebony’s next. Only I’ve grown out of all my clothes.”
My mum laughed, which was nice to see because she hadn’t had much cause to do so lately. “Well, I know they say kids grow out of stuff overnight, but I think you’re taking things a step too far.”
I chuckled along with her.
“If you weren’t such a short arse, I could borrow your stuff.”
“Is it my fault you’re five foot ten? You can blame your dad for that one!”
“My mum is only a few years older than me and my father is 127. And you think I’m weird.”
“Talking about your dad…”
“Oh, Mum. I’m not going to avoid or delay seeing Kai just to appease my dad. I’ve already said life is for living. Kai was my future, and he’s now my present. He’s my one.”
“I know, darling. That’s not what I was going to say. I was going to say you need to see Kai when your dad’s asleep, or tell him you’re meeting Alyssa. You just have to be clever and remember your dad is highly intelligent, has super strength hearing, speed, and has come across a hell of a lot of lies in 127 years so you’ll need to get creative. And of course I can’t be seen to be helping you meet your boyfriend. So, I’ve said my bit, just… be gentle around your father. He’s a sensitive man. Also he killed his own family so he probably wouldn’t think twice about draining Kai.”
“Duly noted.” I took a nice big drink of my coffee.
“So, I got the rest of your results back from Dominica at the caves this morning, and it would appear that you are indeed now part vampire, part witch, and also are coming up as having traces of pixie, faerie, and shifter. It has come along the birth-line and all mixed to become you. Tonight, after tea, I want to transfer the wyvern part over to you, Charlie. It’s time.”
“But, Mum. You’ve only held that power for such a short space of time from grandad passing it onto you.”
“Its home is within you, Charlie, and I believe that’s where it will stay. That your own children, should you have them, will be a beautiful mix of you and your husband, but that the Force majeure will always be you. So I think your vampire aging will kick in. I don’t think you’re destined to go anywhere or look geriatric any time soon.”
Mum finished her drink and nodded towards the door. “So, shall we get you some new clothes? Particularly ones that will appeal to a certain merman?”
I quickly swallowed the last of my own drink down.
“Oooh. What’s my budget, Mum, for a new wardrobe? You know with Dad’s millions in the bank.”
“Ssh.” Mum looked around in a panic. “No one must ever know. A vampire’s wealth can bring a lot of enemies. It’s not their fault they’ve worked and banked for so many years. But,” She whispered. “Let’s have a spree. We’ll start next door and then there’s Tesco’s and the couple of shops on Queen’s Street.”
Some of my Facebook friends talked about shopping malls and centres. We had Ebony’s, two shops that were converted terraced houses, and a small bit of Tesco’s. Oh well. We also had the power to magic a glamour over ourselves of every outfit in the world so there was that. I think maybe I might just glamour the Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels VS Fantasy bra on myself especially for Kai. The £767k one designed by Atelier Swarovski. At least there were some perks of the job!
As we entered Ebony’s boutique there didn’t seem to be anyone around. Then we heard shuffling from behind the counter and a ruffled-haired seer stood up. “Good morning. How-”
“Ebony Marston. What are you up to down there?” My mum’s eyes widened.
Henry stood up, smoothing down his shirt. “Well, I’d better get off to work. Those walls won’t paint themselves.” He slunk out of the doorway past our amused faces.
“Henry was just helping me because I’d dropped-”
“Unless the answer is your panties, Ebs. Save it. Because none of us here are stupid.” Mum told her.
Ebony pulled a mirror in front of her and quickly brushed her hair. “That’s better.” She said in her cut-glass accent. “Would you like to borrow it, Shelley?” She held out her brush.
“No, I’ll stay my dishevelled self, thank you, friend. Today, it’s all about getting Charlie kitted out in a whole new wardrobe. She needs everything, Ebs. Undies, clothes, shoes, more grown up accessories.”
“I have a new range of ladies vibrators. They are a very sophisticated design. It’s a new product line I was hoping to introduce before the wedding, only I didn’t have time. They’re in the back. Excuse me a moment while I go fetch them.”
“I meant bracelets and earings, Ebony. I’ve not come to buy my daughter a sex toy.”
“Right, indeed.” Ebony smiled a ‘customer is always right smile’, ie it was more of a grimace. “Well, Charlie. Thank you for looking after the store for me while I was on my honeymoon. You did a truly fabulous job, so all it takes for me to say now is, you’re fired.”
I looked at her, my mouth dropped open.
“What?”