The Blood Painted Cage

I stood there, waiting for him to continue while the news of his words whirled in my mind. I had guessed Susan was an orphan by unnatural cause. The fact Lucius had taken her in and was desperate in keeping her in one place indicated to that theory. But to hear Vincent was the cause? It shook me.

But I remained calm, I had to. Vincent had more reason to be in need to comfort than I, which was what I intended to do. I let my thumb brush over his cheek while my other hand was still being held by his.

After much silence and patience he spoke again. Obviously opening up was not something he liked and took much effort, which didn’t surprise me in the slightest.

“I went to her family for help, as you know, but I remained away from them. Whenever I was close to them I could feel the poison react. Hannah Harlow realised this and only spent a small amount of time with me, just enough to monitor my symptoms and take blood for analysis. However after the fourth day I felt danger.

I felt a group of vampires walking towards the house and with the obvious intent of killing. Hannah and her older sister were adept witches with the gift of the Harlow Family of a strong amount of Matter. But it made me angry. I didn’t like this family who were trying to help me being threatened. After that I don’t remember much, just going to meet the small band of attackers in battle. It was only when I felt the haze lift that I realised what I had done.

While I had taken down the families enemies, I had turned on them and killed them. Hannah, her sister and husband, her two elder girls. I had ripped them apart in my madness.”

“But not Susan.” I mumbled.

His eyes focused on mine and an expression flittered over his face that told me he had zoned out and forgotten that I was here, standing close beside him in comfort.

He shook his head. “Susan, as the youngest, I think was hidden and defended by her sisters. The only reason she remained alive is that I felt someone coming. They’d smelt the blood and was investigating I believe but it was enough for me to wrangle some sanity back and run.” He sighed and squeezed my hand that was trapped in-between his long fingers. “You know what happens after that.”

I nodded my head sadly. After the first killings, he was hunted down for months and many more of the Old World people fell to his parasite before he was finally caught and brought to me.

“Susan survived though, and I am please she did.” I said softly. “But the Harlow’s deaths are not your fault.”

His eyes hardened and growl rumbled out of his throat. “I killed them, Lady.”

“But it wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t sick. The poison is the cause behind their deaths, not you. You tried to protect them which is more than enough proof that harming them was never your intention.” I said firmly.

While his growling was silenced, his scowl remained but I felt something shift in his mind, something warm growing. I squeaked unintentionally when his hands grabbed my waist and pulled me close and I didn’t have much time to react when his arms engulfed me and he buried his face in my neck. He didn’t speak, just held me tightly and inhaled my scent.

At first I was frozen with my face growing brighter and my heart hurting from how fast it was beating but eventually I reacted. I moved my hovering hands and let them stroke his curled hair while I closed my eyes and pressed my cheek against his head.

I am not sure how long we stayed like that but I was content and pleased he was calming down. I didn’t like it when he was vulnerable, it wasn’t him. Vince was strong and blunt. I never thought something would bother him enough to make him open up to me but he wasn’t insensitive. Vince was actually very gentle and kind, even if a little angry sometimes.

Much to my dismay, Vincent let me go and pushed me away by my shoulders to hold me at arm’s length.

“I should tell the child.” He said roughly.

I think I saw flicker of surprise when I shook my head. “No, don’t tell her. She would only hate you.”

“She must want to know who killed her family.”

“She might but she won’t. I won’t have you as her enemy when it wasn’t your fault.” I said stubbornly. His eyes hardened and his throat growled, making me sigh gently. “I will speak with Lucius then and see what he says.”

The growl turned into a snarl. “I won’t have him involved.”

“Lucius is Susan’s guardian, Vincent, and the vampire you sensed. He’s the one who saved her.” I said, making him shove his hand through his hair in annoyance. “I shall speak with him tomorrow after I have seen to Susan.”

“You surprise me with your stubbornness sometimes.” He commented darkly which made me smile.

I took his large head and tugged him gently. “Now come back to the house. There is no reason for you to hide now.”

He let a low chuckle rumble into life and squeezed my hand after slotting our hands and fingers together. “I will return now, especially after hearing that man has been in the same room alone with you.”

I shot a spectacle glare at him. “I still don’t understand why you hate him so much. You haven’t even spoken to him.”

His mood plummeted drastically and I instantly regretted bringing that subject up again. He seemed quite content only a moment ago. “I just hate him.” He replied sharply.

I sighed lightly. That answer again. Sometimes I swear Vince could be just as stubborn as I was.

“That does not explain much.” I told him.

“It’s not meant to.”

I gave up but confusion settled in. He was more than happy to tell me of his sadness about Susan’s family and what he did to them but he remained so stubborn when it came to Lucius, not even opening up a little to explain why he loathed him so much.

I took comfort though when he let his thumb stroke my hand in comfort in an attempt to ensure that our brief closeness was not entirely destroyed by his unexplained rage and unspoken hatred towards Lucius. He wasn’t angry with me at least and I was thankful for that. I never wanted him angry with me.

I called for Dana who came to my side quickly and silently with her scythe in hand. She glanced at Vincent then at our clasped hands but didn’t say a word. Instead, she expressed her pleasure that I appeared happier and calmer before she trundled off ahead of us to the house, swinging the giant blade from one shoulder to the other.

I continued to hold Vincent’s hand down to the gardens and guiding him through our small walk. He never spoke but I could feel his anger, even if it had died down to something mild. It appeared I would have to work out his hatred of Lucius on my own if asking about it riled him like this.

I sighed before we entered the house but was forced to stop when Vincent’s hand remained clasped around mine and he refused to move. I turned to look up at him with an inquisitive expression but the way he was looking at me made my heart stop. He looked surprisingly gentle and his eyes were so warm and soft but he remained silent. He raised his hand at cupped my face, stroking my cheek with his thumb before he stroked my hair.

He wanted to say something. Not only did his expression say so but his mind too however the sound of footsteps caught his attention. Vincent’s hands withdrew and so did his rare soft expression as his scowl returned. Without looking at me or saying a word, he slipped past me and entered the house, leaving me feeling a little anxious.

What had he wanted to tell me?

My attention however was taken by Viorel when he came rushing into my presence. He looked flustered for a moment but he caught himself, pushing his glasses up his nose before speaking.

“Eva, I’m sorry.” He mumbled sheepishly.

I blinked. “What for?”

He hesitated for a moment then cleared his throat hard. “I’ve lost Susan.”