One day when I was working, the phrase "The Life of the Herondales" suddenly popped into my thoughts. I didn't even know where it came from. I wasn't even thinking of a new story. But since I found the name (which I have read from Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices) appealing, I decided to make a story out of it. The story itself was not new. It had been in my mind for quite some time now but I never wrote it because I had no plot in mind. Seeing as the title had already been 'revealed' to me, I decided it was time to put it into writing. Thus, my characters adapted the name Herondale (they did not have a surname before).
The story is about a family headed by an incubus who had settled down and had produced three sets of twins, each composed of a boy and a girl. Their lives are complicated and their nature always gets in the way of things. They strive to be normal, but how can they do that with the unique needs that they have?
In the original story, there were only two sets of twins. But their gap was too big, so I decided to put another twin between them. This twin will be the focal point of the story and it is through their experiences and adventures that the other family members will be introduced.
I hope you like it. Enjoy! :)
Chapter I.
It was already morning when he woke up. At first, the room looked unfamiliar to him. He didn’t recognize the elaborate and massive chandelier high up on the ceiling, nor did he recognize the feel of velvet against his skin as his own bed covers. When he turned to his side, he noticed that a woman was sleeping soundly beside him, a small smile evident on her face. So that’s why.
Slowly and silently, he crawled out of bed and realized that he was naked except for his boxers. He scanned the room and found his jeans strewn across the floor. He took it and hastily put it on while his obsidian eyes searched for his shirt. After he found it on the back of the chair beside the table, he searched for his shoes next.
The woman stirred just then, and he panicked. He took his unworn shoes and tiptoed to the door, opening it a crack just enough to let himself out. He slipped out without any sound, shoes clutched against his chest, his lungs bursting with the air he had been holding. After he had successfully closed the door shut without waking up the girl, he heaved a sigh. And finally, he ran.
He hopped on one leg as he tried to put on a shoe on the other, then did the same for his already dirty foot. He managed to get out of the mansion without anyone stopping him, and before he knew it, he had already reached his car. He pushed a button and the engine started. He pushed another button and the car began moving, already on its way to following the directions predefined through its intelligent software. He was going home.
Chastin barely had time to lace his shoes when the familiar stone gate structure that looked more like a castle than a house came into view. There were turrets on each of the four corners of the three-storey house that was double as wide. Chastin knew there were at least thirty rooms all over that imposing house, and just a handful of them were occupied. He let his convertible park safely on the driveway and hopped out without bothering to open the driver’s side door. He landed on the balls of his feet, but almost tripped on his undone shoelaces. Finally, he walked up the side entrance. It was just six in the morning and he knew everyone would still be asleep, except maybe for the servants who were busy working on the meal for the day.
He fished for the keys in his wallet and opened the old-fashioned lock to let himself in. The receiving room was still dark, but he sensed the presence of someone looming about. He walked the familiar steps to the second floor landing as silently as his sneakers allowed him to.
Unfortunately, he did not make it to the top of the stairs as stealthily as he had hoped for. The lights at the ground floor fluttered opened and he was greeted by one of the servants still in her bed clothes. “Chastin? What are you doing this early?” asked the seventeen-ish servant, her brown curls in disarray around her oval face.
“Shh, Tanya. I was just—“
“So.” Chastin turned around, already waiting for the glare that his twin sister was sure to be giving him right now. He had sneaked out of the house without her knowing, and they swore that they would have each other’s back, so she must have covered for him. But that didn’t mean she would forgive easily.
“Chels,” he raised his arms in surrender. Chelsea had her arms ready to strangle him, her eyes all serious and alert. She was clad in blue pajamas and her straight hair was still in disarray, but she looked more than awake. In fact, Chastin wondered if she had slept at all.
“You dare leave without telling me?” Chelsea’s powerful voice echoed across the deserted hallways. Tanya had left the two to settle their squabble to begin with her morning ministrations in the kitchen.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Chastin apologized profusely, but Chelsea didn’t heed. “I won’t do it again, I promise.”
“We both know that won’t be possible, Chastin.” The way she said it made Chastin flinch, because it was true.
Chastin and Chelsea were twins. But they weren’t just any normal twins. Their father had been an incubus before he had settled down with his mortal mate. That resulted in the two of them having…cravings. Well, at least Chastin seem to be manifesting such cravings already. Chelsea was still learning the ropes. Needless to say, Chastin had been sneaking around with random girls almost every day now.
“Father said—“
“How about you decide on your own and not just listen to what you are supposed to act like?” Chelsea scolded. She had turned her back on him and was ready to enter her room directly opposite his. He followed suit and opened his door, but he apologized again before entering. “Chastin, I also have the same blood as yours, so how come I don’t act weirdly. It’s mind over matter, Chaste.”
Funny, that. Chastin thought to himself as he closed his door and changed clothes. He had always been Chaste to the family, but he seems to be the most affected by his father’s genes. That was as far from being chaste as possible. He shrugged and decided to go to bed to steal a few winks before someone knocked on her door to announce breakfast. He only wished Tanya wouldn’t rat him out to his parents. He knew Chelsea wouldn’t, but there’s no reason for Tanya to hide his secrets, is there?
