CHAPTER ONE
"Hey-Ya!" I shouted as I kicked the thief to the ground.
Now I realize that this looks bad but trust me it isn't. You see ever since I was little I could see and talk to ghosts. Now I know this sounds, bizarre believe me I was freaking out when I first found out but in some ways it is good, I have a "higher" calling so to speak. This calling entails me to sheppard ghosts to crossover to the unknown and in the process kick some evil ghostie ass. Off course the person whose ass I was kicking definitely wasn't a ghost, in fact he was the person who stole and then put my client in the grave. So I guess that meant I was kicking a thief and murderer's ass. It was a lot of fun, really it is.
After I secured the guy and then called the cops I made my way home riding my bike. I lived in Carmel, California where my Mom and Dad had grown up. It was a calm town with just a bunch of tourists in what they thought was 'hip wear.' I laughed silently to myself thinking what a lie that was. It seemed lately I was getting more and more murdered victims who people didn't know had been murdered. As I contemplated these pleasant thoughts my mind wondered over to the bluff. For months some rich lawyer, bloke had been building a house there. From my vantage point it looked almost completed. My Mom and Dad would be happy to know that.
Ever since they read in the paper about the house being built they had acted strangely. Sometimes I got the feeling they weren't telling me everything but then again I wasn't exactly truthful with them either. I love my parents I really do and I talk to both my Mom and my Dad a lot but this thing about me talking to dead people, well I couldn't do that. My Mom worked at the school I go to and my dad was a doctor, hardly would they believe in the supernatural. I was just asking to be checked into a coo-coo place.
I rode up to my house, which was a two hundred year old house. I put my bike away and snuck into my room. Sighing I sank down onto my soft feather mattress and drifted off to sleep and stayed like that until my mother decided to wake me up with a nice bellow. I showered and grabbed clothes then I went downstairs.
"Mom, it's still the summer. I have one more week, ONE MORE WEEK, before school starts can't I sleep in?" I knew I was whining but I didn't care. Last night I was out late and I was only lucky I didn't have anything besides circles under my eyes to show for it.
"As you said school is in one more week, which means we have items to buy for you, Merce. Also a friend has moved to town and I would like to go over and see him, I would appreciate if you went with me," She said breezily.
I nodded grudgingly, curious about whom the friend was but to tired to ask though I did inquire, "so does this school shopping mean we can go clothes shopping?" without even answering my Mom turns around laughing and leaves the kitchen. "Well that's a nice how do you do!" I shout after her. It was just a regular ole morning in the De Silva household.
After we indeed go clothes shopping among other things we stop at my Moms friend's house, which turns out to be the one I had been gazing at last night. Up close it wasn't a house but a mansion, a very rich and lavishly done mansion. I gaped at it in disbelieve. Both my parents make good chunks of change and I was able to buy nice clothes but they had nothing on this. There was a nice sprawling lawn, big tall windows, ten balconies (okay maybe five), a huge swimming pool, everything.
A blonde, tall, skinny, woman came out to greet us.
"Suze, it's so nice to see you again," the woman said hugging my Mom. She released her and turned her sickly sweet perfume on me. "You must be Mercedes. I have heard so much about you," she exclaimed pulling me into a hug before she could see my cringe at being called by my full name. "Now where is my son, Ian, Ian, come here darling," she said an octave lower ten shouting noise.
All I could do was gape at this strange woman until Ian came out. I had no words. I didn't even have a sarcastic quip. He was gorgeous, tall with a mop of brown hair and dark brown eyes. He was tan, probably from spending time on his yacht-even though I hadn't seen a yacht. Now I am not the type of girl to lust after guys but if there is someone to lust after he would be my pick. There was something about him that spoke of mystery then again it could have just been my hormones all out of whack from this guy.
After my Mom nudging me introductions were made. Of course then it explained a lot, of course I knew who Kelly and Ian Slater were. Not.
"So is Paul here?" my Mom asks.
"Of course. You know we are both so excited to be back here again. I really hope Ian likes it here." Mrs. Slater says and then turning to Ian and I who were trailing behind silently, "of course my husband will want to meet you Mercedes but afterwards Ian why don't you go and show her around."
Without saying a word Ian nods while I cringe. I am now officially a charity case or worse just the daughter of a guys mother who I have never even heard about. I was thinking these thoughts when an older version of Ian came out a door, which I presumed was an office.
"Suze, it's wonderful seeing you again, and this must be your daughter Mercedes. Welcome I'm Paul," he says giving us each a hug.
I could only stare as it slowly began to dawn on me at least I think 'it' did. A long time ago my parents had mentioned someone named Paul but they hadn't been on the best terms with him. He had had a thing for my Mother and couldn't stand my Father. No, it couldn't be I said to myself, unless my Mom really did follow the teachings at the school.
Having had introductions the adults left me with Ian so we could 'get to know each other' while the adults 'catch up.' We walked in silence along the grounds with Ian occasionally pointing images out to me.
"You know," he said after awhile, "There use to be a triangle or rather square back in the day with the wrents," he stated.
"Funny, I didn't know any of this until today," I stated not thinking it was funny at all.
"You didn't? Well here let me tell you what happened," which is exactly what he did for the next half hour.
"That's an interesting story except for a few important facts," I started saying when he finished, that was before I was so rudely interrupted.
"Yo lady what the hell you looking at?" a tall Spanish looking man with a Spanish sounding accent, menaced at me.
"Why don't you treat a lady with respect," Ian retorted.
I looked at him in shock then looked at our friend. "You…..you can talk to ghosts?" I sputtered.
"You mean I'm a mediator? Yeah, I can." Ian replied sounding like this was a regular conversation he had everyday.
"A midatar….whatever. Where's the bathroom?" I asked non-to graciously. After getting directions I hurried through the house stopping when I heard voices.
"You seem to have done very well for yourself Paul," I heard my Mom say softly.
"You have done pretty well yourself Suze. Mercedes is beautiful and I take it she is a shifter after her mother?"
"I don't know what she is Paul and frankly I don't care. She isn't going to have the type of life I had growing up."
"Awe, come on Suze, it wasn't that bad. What if she already does 'see dead people?' she has a right to know what she is capable of and if not what her grandchildren could be capable of."
"She's not knowing, Jesse and I have already discussed it. It's what's best for her at this point. I'm happy Ian knows and that he has handled it well but Mercedes isn't Ian and I am not you," I heard my Mother say sharply before going out a side door.
I sank against the wall in shock. I had no idea what a shifter or meda-whatever was but I had an idea it was something to do with my talking to the dead. Both my Mother and Father knew what it was. Perfect strangers knew what it was, yet I didn't. I had a feeling that I was only just discovering who I was and that feeling intensified when I looked up and saw the Spanish dude down the hall from me. There was one thing I was sure of and that was that things were about to get messy very, very messy.
reveiws and comments please
love kat