Saga of Sins by Talie Delemere (cat reading book .TXT) 📕

PANDORA'S DAUGHTER: Book One

CHAPTER 1

“That is not her, surely?” asked the young man his voice grave and his face lined with scepticism. He was standing atop of the university building staring down at a girl who had her head thrown back and was laughing she was surrounded by three males who were clearly entranced.

“Do you doubt us Finlay?” he was asked by a dark haired male who stood behind him not even turning to check.

“We've been following her for weeks now” stressed Finlay “and she has demonstrated zero redeemable traits, not wit, kindness nor honesty” He emphasised the last word “yet she's meant to be the answer to salvation?” He shook his head. "She is vain and spurned on by the wiles of her male counterparts" The other man laid his hands on Finlay's shoulder, in what he hoped was a reassuring fashion, he wasn't at ease with human emotions, not like Finlay

“It wont be easy, but we never claimed it would be, this is a war that has existed and ended and has been re-born, Callista Conrad is our only hope”


*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*


“Oh my God” whistled Emma Greene nudging her best friend Cally in the ribs “check the new boy” Cally sighed turning her head slowly, she really couldn't care if there was a new guy on the scene, she had more male attention than she could deal with, or would like secretly. She followed Emma's eye line until it stopped upon a tall guy with scruffy blonde hair. Cally shrugged.

“He's nothing special Emma, your taste in guys is dire” she laughed and the guys surrounding her laughed in a domino like fashion time lapping in her disdain towards another male. It was then he turned to face their group and Cally felt the air around her change. Her skin felt on fire and everything seemed to come to a pause. He was staring at her, she knew it. Even though her face was one amongst thousands and he stood on the other side of the courtyard something in her bones told her that the intensity in his blue eyes were for her and her only. As quickly as time came to a halt it had started again, he'd turned his back made his way into the masses of other students and Emma was waving her hands in front of her face.

“Thought he was nothing special?” she was standing in front of Cally her brown ringlets framing a face that was laced with smugness. Cally turned her head away, she felt as if her cheeks would betray her, flushed crimson with a feeling she didn't recognise. It burrowed in her stomach like a worm.

“Oo0oh” started Emma a voice full of mockery “does the ice queen miss Callista Conrad have a crush” At the use of her full name Cally snarled and kicked her friends shins.

“You take life far too seriously” she snapped snatching her holdall of the bench and storming off. What annoyed her though was that Emma was right, not in the crush sense, but that she'd noticed there was something different about this guy, something that unnerved her, not his outstanding beauty, she was used to hot guys, hot guys who threw themselves at her, he seemed otherworldly. Almost as if he was lost.


“Martin's still at the door” shouted up Helen - Cally's aunt. “and he's been at the door for a long time now!” Cally pouted in the mirror. She liked to make them wait. She liked Martin he was smart, tall and rowed on the university's team. He also came from a good family, but he had no spark. She liked her guys to make her laugh so hard she would become breathless, or at least be able to summon butterflies. Martin did neither, he did however take her to lavish dinners and happen to be best friends with an extremely hot footballer. She stood up in front of the floor length mirror that took central place in her bedroom examining her appearance. Whilst she may not have really planned for her and Martin to suddenly become the next 'it' couple she did like to make an effort and be pleasing on the eye. As always she'd succeed dressed tastefully in a black pencil skirt and pretty silk blouse both which hung to her effortlessly as her blonde hair tumbled down her back. Her natural beauty allowed for little make up. She gave herself the mental thumbs up, counted to twenty in her head, a little more waiting couldn't do any harm and proceeded down stairs to see Martin standing at the bottom fidgeting and pulling at his sleeves. He was dressed how she liked a guy to dress, grey cashmere jumper and dark jeans. Quite smart but not overly trying. She reached the bottom of the stairs and he gave her a kiss on each cheek pulling away quickly. It may have been the 21st century but he was as traditional as a character straight out of a Bronte book.

"What time's the reservation for?" she asked looking down at the floor and then straight into his eyes, it was a subtle trick she'd learnt a long time ago and as per usual he lapped it up, swallowing before he spoke.

"Eight" She looked at the clock behind her it was already half past seven, perhaps you actually could make someone wait too long. "I'm driving though, so we'll make it in plenty of time" He smiled, she liked it when he smiled he looked more manly because the laughter lines round his eyes cracked. Him driving also meant he wouldn't be drinking which was good, she hated drunk men. Before they had a chance to leave her aunt came from the kitchen an apron round her as always, Helen was always cleaning or cooking, activities Cally had zero interest in. Helen's eyes were red and swollen a common sight with her aunt as she had a bizarre fondness for onions.

“Come here” said Helen undoing her apron and striding over to Cally before she'd even had time to react to her aunts command. She flung her arms around Cally which both annoyed her as it gave her hair a sense of disarray and confused her, whilst she certainly cared for her aunt they had a rather placid relationship.

“I love you Callista, you know that don't you?” Cally turned to look at Martin who was propped against the front door desperately trying to radiate a sense of coolness.

“Hmmm” mumbled Cally not sure what else to reply turning back towards Helen who's eyes seemed almost glazed over.

“You promise me you'll never forget that?” Helen's voice was urgent now. Cally felt uneasy, something was not right, it wasn't often anything felt other than peaceful and perfect in her world and now this was twice in one day.

“Helen, what's wrong?” she had her grasped by the arms more tightly than she felt her aunt intended.

“Please, promise me, remember me” her aunt wasn't making sense now, she turned to Martin for help, but he was lying in a heap on the floor, she hadn't even heard him fall. She shook her aunt off who was now muttering things under her breath she couldn't make sense off. She ran into the back kitchen hoping to find her uncle who often helped Helen out with the cooking. Instead she found leaning against the fridge, like it was nothing unusual, it was that guy. Him from this morning. He was dressed down and looked even scruffier than she remembered. A brown leather jacket hanging over his shoulder his wrist home to an abundance of bracelets. His eyebrow was cocked and he was looking at her as if she was the only person who had ever existed, his face was sculpted, a real square jaw, painted with stubble. She couldn't help but notice how much more effortless his appearance was compared to Martin and it didn't even bother her that the thought was completely inappropriate given the situation. Once again the air felt empty, like everything had paused, as if the clocks didn't dare to tick or even the air to move around the room.

“What are you doing here?” She intended to yell to let this intruder know she wasn't scared of him, however it came out feeble and desperate. Cally was scared, she began to back away into the garden before something stopped her and made her tumble backwards over a heap. Looking behind her as she fell she registered what the lump was that had caused her fall. It was her uncle. She screamed fear rushing through her body, she was stuck on the floor helpless, trying to clamber up over her uncles body, despite the fact he looked peaceful panic radiated throughout her not knowing if he was dead or alive. In a desperate attempt she screamed to Helen for help. She knew her cry for aid would be unanswered and it was. He was approaching her now, slowly, though it felt like there wasn't enough time to do anything. He paced towards her she knew she had no escape, his face remained unchanged, almost bored as if this was a normal situation he reached his hand out to her. In one last useless struggle she tried to drag herself backwards but it was too late his hands were cold, painfully cold, like ice thought Cally before her world went black, the last thing she saw the face of the young uncaring man, undisturbed palm facing outward towards her.

Publication Date: 01-07-2011

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