Duality
Chapter One:
One Year Earlier
The Bludworth clan held vast properties in --, none so more important than Parkland Hall: a grand estate in an English tradition, that had been built at the behest of Lord Bryce Bludworth, the head of the Bludworth Clan and their representative on the Joint Council, the ruling authority of the Night World.
Bryce Bludworth had immigrated from their rural holdings in England to America in the 1920s to make a name for himself among the new stomping ground of the fashionable and powerful figures of the Night. And he had done just that.
Now being the Third Family among the Lamia, related to the ruling Redfern clan by blood, they were secured as a ruling family in the Night. As such it was important for the Bludworth's to set an example for the rest.
Violet brushed hair from her face to stare into her eyes without obstruction. Though she had no use for vanity. Violet had ever been considered the plain daughter.
She appeared like a modern sophisticate, it was part of her breeding. Perfectly sculpted features meant for seduction and worship, provided by two uncannily handsome parents. But the problem was Violet Bludworth was not looking at her reflection, she was staring into the callous eyes of her identical twin sister.
If Violet was plain then Rose was considered wild. She was beautiful and unrelenting. She shone wherever she went, eclipsing all others in her pursuit for affection and attention. Rose was a wild creature.
"Oh don't look at me like that." Rose sighed.
Violet had pointed out the white powder clinging to the inside of her nostril. Rose wiped it away with the back of her hand. Mysteries. The hottest and most dangerous drug of the Night.
"Get dressed." Rose said turning her back on her sister. As if her imperial say so would somehow make Violet forget. But then there was nothing Violet could do.
Violet retreated to her own room. The rooms in Parkland were large, each room and its own en suit bathroom and dais which lead to a queen sized bed. Where Rose's bedroom was lush, feminine and tastefully decorated Violet's room was draped in swathes of black fabric and bright, garish posters were pinned to her walls.
Violet pulled a little boring black dress against her frame. She felt like a fraud. She felt as if she were wearing her sister's skin.
"Violet?" Rose's voice chirped from the other side of the door.
"I'm not going." Came her petulant reply.
"Violet?"
She squared her shoulders and faced her reflection. "I'm not going."
Rose sashayed into the room, her nose wrinkling at the sight of the Never Mind the Bollocks poster.
"Don't be ridiculous. You have to go, you have no choice."
She pushed past Violet and went to her wardrobe, a mere shadow of her own. She pulled out a blood red ball gown.
"Put this on, fix your hair and I'll meet you in the car."
Violet obeyed. There was little point resisting Rose, she always got what she wanted in the end. She was a force of nature.
Before she left, as she always did, she went to check on their mother. Coral Bludworth nee Redfern was collapsed across her bed, dead drunk and melancholy. It was a familiar and saddening sight despite Coral having been like this for as long as Violet could remember.
Violet pulled the bed clothes over her mother's body, as she gurgled softly in her sleep.
She turned to tip toe out.
"Wait." Her mother's voice rang clear. "Go to the second draw on the left." One hand emerged from the blankets to motion imperiously toward the mahogany bureau - despite it not being thought smart for a vampire to own wooden furniture.
She did as she was bid and Violet plucked a hair pin with an ornate ivory iris. It was beautiful and very delicate. Violet had only seen it once worn by her mother.
"Wear it."
She pushed it into her black hair. She felt like a 1940s star.
"Now get out."
She closed the door softly behind her.
The fire engine red Lamborghini was waiting in front of the house for her, their cousin Ash Redfern was seated in the driver's chair. Rose was engaged in an animated conversation, her fingers splayed intimately on his thigh.
Violet knocked lightly on the window.
"Where the hell have you been?" Rose fumed. Eyes flicking to her hair pin and then back to Ash.
Violet noted there was no room. "Hi, Ash."
He nodded at her but didn't open his mouth to greet her. He shifted in his chair looking uncomfortable.
"I'll take the Porsche." She said softly.
Rose's eyes were cruel. "We'll see you there."
Violet got to the car slowly, dragging her feet. She drove in silence; she had the window rolled down to let the night air seep in. The distant stench of the iron city wafted to her nostrils. Cigarette smoke and perfume.
She pulled up to the Grand Hall. It was once a expansive country estate but some of it had been torn down and a development project abandoned. It was often used for Night gatherings and bacchanals. Tonight was a celebration, all the eligible Lamia gathered to drink and dance and forge trysts and alliances.
She sat in the car, breathing deep to try and calm the awful feeling in her guts.
She saw another sleek sports car pull up nearby, she glanced over to see Calder Marwood-Thorn. He started to approach. A tall vampire, cold and handsome as their kind was wont to be but his eyes were emerald green, twin jewels cutting swathes through the night.
"You look gorgeous, Rose." He opened the door for her. She didn't move. He leant forward and sniffed the air and drew back sharply as if repulsed. "Oh, Violet, it's you."
"Rose's already inside." She said softly as she climbed out of the car. Her cheeks warmed at the compliment despite herself.
He turned his back on her and strode into the hall. Violet hated Calder Marwood-Thorn with a passion. They had grown up together, all three of them and he had always treated Violet like a specimen.
She took her time approaching the building. This was everything she hated about Night World society. The lavish parties, expensive and lush decor masking the excuse for the meat market. She wasn't ready to be sold into slavery, diamond ring or not.
She slipped into the room, beautiful silk gold and black drapes. Tables full of glasses sparkling with blood red wine lined with human blood.
There was a stage. The curtains drawn concealing some activity.
There was beautiful lighting tonight, both spectacular and soft and romantic.
"Drink?"
She turned to find Ash proffering her a glass.
"No, thank you." She didn't like to drink cool blood and hated the taste of sour wine. Together it was a sickly cocktail that took days to remove itself from your tongue.
"Just hold it, you can at least pretend to have a good time."
She took the glass and watched the light touch the glass, she could see the congealed blood and felt nauseous.
"How have you been? You've been away a long time and I hear your sisters have settled on the main land."
Ash smiled but his lips were tight, it was an uncomfortable expression. "They've settled very well."
"Strange not to see them here."
"They're not ready for this kind of thing yet."
She nodded. She could understand how tiresome Lamia socialising could be, a smile was never just a smile, a touch never just an innocent touch. As Ash murmured in her ear her eyes were searching the crowd for her twin.
She found Rose tucked in the crook of Calder Marwood-Thorn's arm and she felt her heckles rise, her grip on the glass become a little tighter.
"They make a good looking couple." Ash said following her gaze.
"They deserve each other." She hissed. Vain twits.
There was a commotion on stage, the vampire MC appeared. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming." He chatted for several minutes and Violet stood rigid and painfully self conscious anticipating her escapes. "I have an announcement to make."
The curtains drew back. Rose and Calder stood together centre stage.
"...an engagement."
Cheers went up through the crowd.
Violet felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her lungs. She blinked for several moments watching her sister's arms slither around Calder like serpents on a branch.
From the periphery of her vision she saw Ash move toward the stage to offer his congratulations. She stood alone, feeling fragile, as if a part had been ripped away. Her twin and the one Lamia she hated, she couldn't bear to think of it.
They had known Calder since they were young; they used to play when they were children in the forests of Parkland and the Marwood Estate. He had always hated Violet and cleaved to Rose with a sick kind of devotion. When he had come into their lives Rose had began to spend more and more time away from her twin.
Violet gulped down the blood wine and almost gagged on the bitter taste.
She dropped the glass to the ground, sickened by the spectacle and strode to the Porsche ignoring the glittering eyes that turned with intense curiosity.
"Where are you going?" Rose had chased her outside.
"You should have told me."
Rose folded arms in front of her chest. "Would it have made a difference?"
"Do mother and father know?"
Rose's smiled fell and the unspoken, 'no' hung in the air.
"I should never have come." Violet muttered and closed the car door and pealed out of the Grand Hall driveway heading for home. Rose's silhouette caught in her rear view mirror.
She walked into the house, furious.
She went to her room, her mother was standing in the hall staring at her. She looked dishevelled, still stinking drunk. "I knew it would look good on you, my darling Rose."
Violet froze, the rising fury gripped her. She tore the pin out of her hair and threw it at her mother. The ivory ricocheted off the wall and chipped. Coral let out a dismayed cry.
"It's Violet." She screamed. "My name is Violet."