The quaint little bell rang as they opened the old door, and the saleswoman seemed thrilled to have customers. She put down her paper and hurried over, and couldn’t have been more gracious.
Caitlin handed Rose to Caleb as she browsed, and the saleswoman was delighted.
“Wow, what a beautiful puppy,” she said, her eyes opening wide. “Is that a husky?”
Caleb smiled. “Something like that,” he said.
Ten minutes later they exited the store, Caitlin dressed in a new outfit from head to toe. She felt like a new person. She looked down at herself and nearly laughed aloud. It was so not her. She had gone from wearing all Salvation Army to being decked out in a series of pastels: lime green jeans, a pink tee-shirt, a light purple, cashmere sweater, and a lime green Kiera coat. It’s not like she had much of a choice: it was the only store open, and it was all that they had left this time of year in her size. The coat hugged her firmly, and had an inner pocket just big enough to hold her journal, which she transferred from her other jacket. For shoes, she’d bought gold, sequined flats. She could have been in a Lily Pulitzer catalog.
Well, if she was going to get caught up in a vampire war, at least she’d be fashionable. And probably the only vampire not wearing black.
She smiled as she recalled the saleswoman’s surprised expression when she’d told her to just throw out all of the clothes she’d wore in. It must not have been every day that a customer said that.
A part of her kind of liked it. It was a whole new her. It certainly wasn’t the wardrobe she’d had in mind in this journey with Caleb. She pictured herself wearing something all black, like him, maybe something leather, with high collars, something Gothic. But that was fine. They were new, and she was so grateful for that.
“Thank you so much, Caleb,” she said, as they walked out the store. She really meant it. She’d never had any guy in her life buy her clothing, much less clothing this nice. And having been so kind and gracious about it. She really felt taken care of, and she was more appreciative than he would ever know.
He smiled and took her hand, as they strolled down the street. She felt so warm in her new clothing, perhaps too warm, but she knew it was an unusually hot day, and that it would be better to be too hot than too cold.
They had asked the saleswoman if she’d heard of The Vincent House and had been happily surprised that she not only knew where it was, but reported that it was only a block away.
As they headed in that direction, for the first time, they were not walking in a mad rush. They strolled, taking their time. In the back of their minds, they both had a feeling that once they got to this house, discovered the next clue, things would heat up again. They were both tired. Neither of them was in a rush to get rolling at a frantic pace again. And neither of them were too eager to find whatever was there. On the one hand, they did. But on the other, they both knew that once they found it—whatever it was, wherever it was—their lives would change irrevocably. And that would probably entail their parting ways.
Caitlin set Rose down and allowed her to walk beside them. She was happy to see that she was well behaved, keeping pace with them and not wandering off. She ran to a small patch of grass to relieve herself, but then ran right back. Caitlin reached down and gave her another small piece of the hotdog, and she ate it happily.
They passed a large, historic church, walked alongside a small, white picket fence, and then turned and entered a walkway that led through immaculately kept grounds. The grass was green and vibrant, even this time of year. To one side of them was a magnificent old whaling Church, and to the other was an enormous whaling house from the mid-19th century, with a large veranda in the back. The sign read: “The Daniel Fisher House.” It was the most beautiful house she’d ever seen.
She could happily picture herself living there. Strolling through its backyard, with Caleb holding her hand and Rose by her side, it almost felt like they were home.
They continued down the walkway another hundred yards or so, and eventually it led to a small, historic house, set back from everything. She looked up at the plaque: The Vincent House. 1672.
They both stared at the structure. It wasn’t anything much. A small, low-ceilinged house, it looked like the typical 1600s house, with only a few, tiny windows, and a low roof. It only looked large enough to hold a bedroom or two, and was a modest, wooden structure. Not what Caitlin had expected.
They walked to the front door, and Caleb reached out and tried the knob. Locked.
“Hello?” came a voice. “Can I help you?”
They both turned to see a woman in her 60s, immaculately dressed and wearing a stern expression, approaching them in an official, businesslike manner.
Caleb turned to Caitlin. “This time it’s your turn,” he said. “I want you to use your mind control. You can do it. Vampires have it over humans. Yours is not yet developed, and may not be as strong, but you definitely have some power. Practice on this woman. Influence her. Stay calm, and allow her thoughts to become your thoughts. Allow your thoughts to become hers. Suggest to her what she must do. In her own voice. Your mind can do it all. Just let it.”
The woman, getting closer, called out again, “The house is closed for the season, like the sign says,” she said, very proper. “I’m afraid you’ll have to come back in-season. It’s under restoration, and there are no tours before then.” She looked down at Rose. “And we certainly don’t allow dogs.”
The woman, only feet away, hands on her hips, had a very stern presence, like that of a strict schoolteacher.
Rose looked up and growled back.
Caleb looked at Caitlin.
Caitlin looked at the woman, nervous. She had never tried this before, and wasn’t sure if she could do it.
OK, Caitlin thought, here it goes.
She stared at the woman, trying to get a fix on her thoughts. She felt a lot of firmness, a lot of strictness. A person not easily controlled. She felt anger, annoyance, an insistence on the rules. On order. She allowed it all in.
Then, Caitlin tried to send her an outgoing thought. She tried to suggest that it was OK to bend the rules once in a while. That she could leave them alone. That she could let them in.
Caitlin stared at her, wondering if it was working. The woman continued to stare angrily back. It didn’t seem to be working.
“Thank you for informing us,” Caitlin said to her sweetly. “It was so nice meeting you. We are so grateful that you are going to bend the rules for us, just this once, and let us tour the house ourselves.”
The woman stared back.
“I didn’t say that!” she snapped.
But Caitlin breathed deeply, and closed her eyes, focusing.
She opened them, and stared right at her.
After two full seconds, the woman’s eyes began to glaze over. Finally, she said, “You know what…I guess there’s no harm in bending the rules once in a while. You two have fun.”
The woman turned and walked away, and was soon out of sight.
Caitlin turned to Caleb, elated. She was shocked at her own powers, and so proud of herself.
Caleb smiled.
“Only use it when you have to,” he cautioned, “and only in a way that will never harm others. This is what separates the benevolent vampire race from the evil.”
Caitlin extracted the small, silver key, excited to try it. She tried the lock on the front door, but it didn’t work.
“It doesn’t fit,” she said.
Caleb took it and tried it himself.
He finally furrowed his brow in frustration. “You’re right.” He looked around. “Maybe there’s another entrance.”
They walked around to the back of the house, and found another door. Caleb tried the key. It didn’t fit there, either.
“Maybe it’s not to a door,” Caitlin said. “Maybe it’s a key to something else. Something inside the house.”
“Well, I guess we have no choice,” he said, then, after looking furtively around, reached up and broke the handle. So much for preservation.
They quickly entered the house and shut the door behind them.
The house was dim, lit only by the exterior light filtering through the small windows. The ceilings were low, and Caleb had to nearly crouch as he walked. It was all wood: wood ceilings, wooden posts, wooden beams, and wide plank, wooded floors. The center of the room was made up of a huge, brick fireplace. The house was perfectly preserved, and it was like walking into 1672.