CHAPTER 1 - DISCOVERED

Disclaimer: I don't own Skins

I never really thought Dad was a keeper of secrets. He was clearly not the type outwardly. Plain, boring bit of a twat without any drop of mystery and excitement in his life. But I guess that when one lives as long as he has, some stuff inevitably pile up in a hidden closet, especially favoured by the fact that it is not in human nature to disclose the truth. Not in my nature anyway, I always lied as easily as I breathed. However the ability to conceal the truth and the one to recognise people with similar potential are two separate and not necessarily mutually inclusive skills, I pondered as I analyzed the box in my hand. I ran a thumb over the soft dark green velvet of the lid before popping it open yet again. He kept it stuffed in the depths of his wardrobe, where he thought no one would ever search. Wrong he was and kind of lame if you think of it, but who cared what Dad did anyway, except for me in need of a, well, let's say 'unauthorized loan'. So I normally wouldn't have cared if Dad kept a velvet box containing a picture and a lock of hair of some girl who was not Mum, some remnants of his ancient history, if it hadn't struck me in an odd way. The girl was very young, maybe about Effy's age, and had Effy's large, dark-blue, haunted eyes. The similarity was stunning, but the picture was old, and no one I knew from our family looked so much like my sister. It also had this special vibe about it, of something known, and as such it intrigued me to no end.

"Fucking hell, Tony!" my father shouted suddenly, making me turn around, a bit startled.

Either I had gotten reckless or he'd become unexpectedly clairvoyant; how else could he have known I was in his room? Damn it, anyway. I was preparing to deliver a clever excuse when I witnessed his momentary anger melt down into a more indefinite expression, something strangely resembling panic, as his eyes dropped from my face to the object I was still holding in my hand. Out of a sudden impulse, I decided to play the boldness card once more.

"So who's this, Dad? I don't remember seeing this picture before…"

It took him a while to answer, in which time he appeared to be struggling with himself, before he could eventually get himself to speak.

"That's my sister" he murmured at last, uncomfortable, as he drew closer and snatched the box from my hand with a firm gesture.

"I thought you had no siblings, Dad" I said, surprised in turn. Then it struck me that maybe I'd made a goof – the hurtful sort. "What was her name?"

"Melanie. Her name is Melanie" he muttered.

"Is? You mean, like, she's alive? But… how come you never told us about her?" Okay, so I was just asking a perfectly normal question there, or so I thought, but Dad suddenly got all worked up about it.

"I told no one about her!" he pointed bluntly. "I wanted her out of my life and certainly nowhere near you and your Mum! She's dangerous! When you have family like her you don't talk about them! Ever! It's not right!"

"Is she mental?" I asked without much thought. But seriously, why else would he have had such a reaction?

"She's a witch" he blurted out defeated. He looked cornered and like he had no choice but to – finally – speak some truth that had been burdening him for a long time. And I would have certainly felt it for him if what he'd said hadn't been plain nuts. As such all I could grant him with was a disbelieving look.

"She's a what?"

He didn't answer, just shook his head and raised his hands in a dismissive manner. "Just leave it, Tony. Forget we ever had this talk, yeah?"

"I'm just thinking, Dad, what were the odds of anyone ever finding this, you've had it stuffed down deep after all… but I did and there's something you don't want me to know about her, isn't it?" I wasn't quite sure where that had come out from, but I had a strong feeling of familiar about her, of closeness that made me at least curious.

"For fuck's sake, Tony, why do you have to be so nosy all the time? Why can't you just mind your own fucking business for once?"

With that Dad literally shoved me out of his room, obviously unaware that there was a phone number scribbled on the back of the picture and I'd happened to see it.

-x-

I let my fingers trail lazily along the length of a random dusty shelf, glancing curiously at the various peculiar bottles, boxes and jars of all colours, sizes and shapes. I took a deep breath, trying my best to get a calm and composed countenance as I waited in the semi-obscurity of the hallway. The large mansion's interior was impressive in the strangest of ways, starting with the ancient bell and ending with the weird looking furniture. It was creepy, and not in a good way, if it was ever such a thing, but I liked it. It felt like home, in a way my own house never did. I do have to say that having this strange feeling of belonging to this basically foreign place rather than my own family's home made me slightly guilty. Not too much though - before I'd left I'd told Dad where I was going and he'd said nothing. Just ignored me. It was a taboo but he wasn't even trying to keep me away from it anymore. But then again Dad has always been a twat in the way that never disappoints.

I turned around casually, only to notice I was being stared at. Well, not exactly stared at, but curiously examined, at any rate. A young woman stood silently, leaning against a wall with her arms crossed, head slightly titled to the side, observant. She looked rather unexpected – long dark brown hair let loose and a bit ruffled, pale skin, almost no makeup, a simple grey top and jeans – nothing of the 'professional' Goth look I'd imagined. Pretty, though.

"Oh hi…" I spoke a bit hesitant, struggling against an uncharacteristic shyness. "I'm looking for Melanie Stonem, she lives here, right? I'm-"

"Another Stonem" she stated as a matter-of –fact, with a hidden hint of irony. "Come, she is expecting you"

I wasn't sure I liked how that had sounded, I thought while I followed her in silence down a smaller corridor. She eventually opened the door to a large living quarters and motioned for me to go in. My gaze wandered a bit around the room, curiously – large windows draped with velvet curtains, a fireplace, cozy sofas and a small table. No crystal ball or potions cauldron anywhere, I briefly noted a bit malicious. My observations came to an end when I eventually spotted the woman sitting at the table with her head propped in one hand. I recognised her from one glance, even though I'd never actually laid eyes on her before in my life. I could not say that my aunt looked in any way familiar, but when she glanced up at me I couldn't help noticing the trademark deep, dark blue eyes.

"Tony! I'm glad to meet you at last" Melanie Stonem greeted me, a smile warming her rather ageless features.

I advanced and sat down at the table in front of her, feeling a bit more encouraged, and smiled back.

"So… I suppose your father has told you about me. Not that long ago, right?"

"Actually, he didn't quite tell me… He did, eventually, but he never meant to. I found this picture of yours, rather by chance, and I asked"

"I suppose he was uncomfortable about it?" she suggested.

Yes, sort of… although I cannot help but think that he should not have kept this from us. That we should have all met, like a family. I mean who cares that you're a fortune teller, right?"

"Did he say that I'm a fortune teller?" Melanie asked with a confused frown, sounding a bit offended.

I chewed my lip. Okay, a little goof there, shit. "No, but… He said you were a witch so I supposed… "

"Actually I'm in a slightly more serious business, a bit dangerous too" she began explaining, leaning back in her chair. "We are 'consultants' if you like; it's just that we help people overcome problems of a more special nature – haunting, curses and so on. Supernatural"

"Like Voodoo?"

"Not really our cup of tea but we'll deal with it if we have to"

"Oh. Cool." I didn't quite know what to say to that. "I mean, that's out there… Do you charge high fees?" I asked innocently.

"Yes" she replied and laughed. I took a deep breath, glad to notice she had sense of humour.

"Okay, so I guess Dad has 'mixed feelings' about your job – which is quite special, I have to say – but that doesn't justify him acting like you need to be cast out, like you're doing something bad or…"

Melanie's smile faded and she sighed almost inconspicuously. "Tony, when you have relatives in this trade you don't talk about them. Not with your friends, not with your other family, not with anyone. It's not safe."

"It seems to me like we're not such a big secret" I half joked, shrugging. "I've just been told that I'm another Stonem. Sounds like a brand, our name. Not necessarily a good one though…"

My aunt turned towards the young woman who waited patiently by the door, looking quite bored.

"This is my most trusted assistant, Ella Meharan. A vile little creature who always has a kind word for everyone" she explained amused. Said assistant shook her head and walked out, muttering something along the lines of 'fuck you both'. I smiled in acknowledgement of a fellow smartass.

"And it's a family business mainly, yes. Probably that qualifies as a 'brand'"

"I see. So it's like your children will take over at some point?"

A shadow of sadness passed over her face for a brief moment before she answered. "I have no children" She sighed. "This is no place for children anyway. But someone from the family will indeed"

"Not my Dad though…?"

I managed to make her smile yet again.

"No, it works like this: there were always two children born in every generation, a boy and a girl, both had powers but only one of them was required to join… Your father was most likely hoping it would never happen, not to any of his children"

"Whoa… What do you mean by 'powers'?

"Well, special abilities"

"Prove it" I dared her bluntly, crossing my arms. "Because I quite frankly don't think-"

"Don't you always have it your way with people, Tony?" she said serious. "Do you not twist and turn them like poppets?"

"Well I don't…" like to admit it, but I kind of do and I'm kind of… not sorry for it either

"And you have this sort of positively outrageous luck, don't you?"

I stiffened a bit at that. "I got hit by a bus – not really what I would call luck…"

"And survived against all odds" she added with a knowing smile. "You are special, Tony, there's no point denying it. You've inherited some really particular stuff"

"Okay, maybe…" I agreed half-heartedly, hands up. Surely not from my Dad and hopefully none of his particular stuff "So I'm supposed to work with you now?"

"Should you wish to take it upon yourself, yes" my aunt said tentatively.

I shrugged, kind of uncomfortable. "Um, yeah, I guess" I no longer felt any need to try and hide anything. She was making me feel safe in a way I wasn't quite able to figure out, safer than I'd felt in a long while, with anyone. "Sounds exciting, at any rate"

"Actually we were hoping that Effy would make this choice" Melanie answered after a moment's thought. "Most of the times the girls are more in touch with the mystic nature of things, if you know what I mean. Also…" she went on, drawing a deep breath. "It's sort of like a custom – the boy gets to live his life, have a family, to become a respectable member of society. The girl can carry this burden somewhat easier – we're a bunch of strange hags, folks fear us and nobody asks about our business. We don't draw much attention."

"Like 'the boy lives, and the girl will be sacrificed', right?"

I instantly regretted the bitterness in my tone when I saw her features harden, but she agreed with a silent nod. I pondered in turn. If this was some dangerous stuff – and it must have been, she'd admitted it herself and hell, Dad was freaked – there was no way I could let Effy do it.

"The truth is that Effy is quite delicate, sort of unstable too, bit of a mess really… I don't think she can cope responsibly with having a job. Well, not this job anyway. So I have to do it."

"It does take a lot of work and dedication, too" my aunt pointed.

Am I not all about that? I nodded.

"It's settled then."

She rang a small silver bell and the assistant poked her head inside.

"Ella, starting today my nephew Tony will be my new apprentice" she announced proudly. "Please provide him with all the necessary materials so that he can begin to study"

"How very interesting…" Ella observed, with un-dissimulated irony this time. "Of course, I shall provide him with everything he needs. And you with less wine"

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