The Lamia Hunt

Chapter Fifty-One: Lucy's Arrival

18:51 21/03/2015

As Summers had told her they would, they made it into the country without a fuss, and the four of them were soon pulling up outside a stone-faced mansion at the top of a hill.
Without a doubt, this was where the Lamiae Verae would be found. Lucy couldn't explain how it was that she knew that, but she did, knew it with every part of her, as if it were caught in the air like smoke.
The car jolted to a stop, and Jordan opened her eyes, yawning.
"What was that?"
"We're here," said Summers, not turning around. "Get out of the car."
Jordan responded with a loud grunt.

Soon enough, they were standing outside the door, and Summers stepped forward, knocking on.
Within an instant, the door was opened slowly from inside, and a pallid face – the face of a child – appeared in the crack of darkness that they could see.
The child narrowed its eyes at them, its gaze flowing over each of them, as if it was testing them. Lucy had a bizarre flash of a thought that it would be like a film, and that the child was going through a robotic check: Lamia, check. Type: Fierus. No, Nescius. Acceptable. Now onto the next one.
It was the stupidest thought she'd had all day.
"Hello," said the child, thickly, opening the door to all of them and letting them into a large, grand entrance hall, where a red-carpeted flight of stairs took up most of their attention.
The room was empty, and Lucy heard clearly as Hudson whistled, and as Jordan yawned again.
Suddenly, there was a shout from their left.
"Maria!" The voice was frantic, male, and mildly accusatory.
The girl who'd let them in gasped, and immediately ducked behind Lucy's leg as the owner of the voice – a short Lamia dressed in a tuxedo – entered, brushing his dark hair out of his eyes.
As he saw the four of them, he sighed, loudly, in two broken gasps. Evidently, he hadn't been having the best of days.
"Sorry," he said, speaking quickly. "I have – I am looking for a... A girl has-"
Lucy felt the girl behind her grip the back of her leg, and flinched forwards, nearly falling over. However, before she could steady herself, the Lamia cried out again,
"Maria!" He was angry now, and stormed towards the girl, grabbing her wrist and talking loudly at her. Lucy had no idea what he was saying, and from the others' expressions, she supposed that they didn't, either. What was certain, though, was that the kid was getting a bollocking, and none of them were going to get any help until it was over.

#

It was at least half an hour later that they were finally in their rooms – there were two, with an interlinking door, each containing two single beds, and with windows overlooking the ocean.
There were clouds gathering out there, on the sea, and it was probably only a matter of time before it would rain here. Perhaps tonight, if they got enough wind.
It didn't really matter, though.
After all, what was a little rain?
Lucy looked away from the window, around the room that she and Jordan were sharing. There was nothing particularly interesting about it; it was almost like a hotel room, bar the mints on the pillow.
But then, there wasn't much need for them where Lamiae were concerned.
She flopped down on her own bed, closing her eyes. She wasn't sure why, but she had a feeling that she was really going to need a rest before tonight.
As it happened, she was right.