The Blood Painted Cage

The next morning I was mobbed by an unimpressed Viorel. He stormed into my room with his hair dishevelled and his clothes crumpled and his face a picture of thunder. Livia had obviously explained why Dana was roaming around the house like an enraged tiger and Sonia was boiling silently on the sidelines. I was planning to go down to the dungeon again. There were questions that span around my head frantically that needed answering and only Blackburn could answer them.

“What did he do to you Eva?” He demanded and cupped my face, tilting my head to get a good look.

“He only warned me Viorel.” I mumbled sleepily but fingered my throat. It didn’t hurt from where his hand took hold and it felt like there was no bruising. It seemed Blackburn’s intention truly was only to scare me.

“Did he hurt you?”

I tried to shake my head but his hands were holding me firmly in place. “Not much. For a psychotic killer he was surprisingly gentle. Firm, but gentle.”

Confusion flooded Viorel glassless face. “He tried to kill you.” He snapped loudly.

“Wrong.” I pushed his hands away and hopped onto my feet. “He was warning me.”

Viorel watched me with an expression of unsuppressed shock. “Eva, you’re not going soft on him are you?”

I hesitated in the journey to my door. “No. I don’t condone what he did.” I said then trotted out of the room while wrapping my dressing gown around me.

“But you’re going down to see him aren’t you.” Viorel stated knowingly as he followed.

“It was what I was told to do Viorel.” I said lightly and smiled down at Sonia who waited at the bottom of the stairs with my morning tea. “I was told I was to keep him alive. So that means feeding him and tending to the wounds he has.”

“Sonia, tell her what she’s doing is stupid.” Viorel pleaded.

Sonia glanced at me as I sipped my tea then shrugged. “The day is strong so he will be weak and Dana is down there already with a gun trailing him. If he so much as moves he’s dead.”

I wrinkled my nose in disapproval. “I hope not. Margot would not be impressed with me.”

Again Sonia shrugged and silently took the tray and empty cup away. I swept off through the house, ignoring Viorel’s attempts to change my mind and smiled when Livia welcomed me at hearing my approach. However when her sleepy eyes took in the fact I was still in my night gown she gaped.

“Lady you can’t be planning to go down like that.” She demanded.

“I see no reason why not. It is not like I will allow him to touch me.” I said, frowning slightly.

Livia wanted to argue, I could see it in her face, but she gave up with a heavy sigh. “This way then, Lady.” She said, letting me step ahead of her.

“You are to stay here Viorel.” Livia said firmly when my young human friend tried to follow, causing me to stop.

I turned my body far enough to look back up the spiralling stairs at the angry demeanour of my young friend.

“I go down there too Livia. I am not leaving her alone like I did last time.” He said stubbornly.

“The vampire down there is deadly. I will not let a human near him.”

I watched the two carefully. I agreed with Livia. I did not like the idea of a sixteen year old boy going down there. But Viorel was nervous and fearful for my safety. Livia would have to guard the door to stop him entering, something none of the maids would want.

“Let him come,” I said and smiled when bright warmth filled Viorel’s face. “But you stay a fair distance away and do not cause trouble. Dana and Livia will need to have their focus on me to make sure I remain safe.”

Viorel nodded instantly and followed me when I made my way down the steps with Livia sighing heavily behind me. The aura of Blackburn did not frighten me so much when I entered the dungeon. I knew he was in pain, deep inside, and I wanted to understand why. Knowing something about the pain might shed some light on his bloody actions.

Viorel stopped and sat on the cold stone floor where he was told, far enough to remain safe but close enough to watch. Livia stayed close to me as I approached Blackburn’s cell and let out a warning hiss when his eyes lazily slid up to mine.

“I have come to treat your wounds.” I stated with a warm smile.

The unease came again, the same anxiety that gnawed at his mind that was there they day before when I mentioned about getting near him.

“I thought I gave a clear warning about the consequences of coming near me yesterday.” He said, flashing me a tight smile and baring his fangs in the process.

I shrugged and took the box from Livia, waiting patiently as Dana slowly opening the door and in a way that made it clear she was not happy with the arrangement.

Dana came in with me, holding the barrel of the gun at Blackburn’s face while I slowly approached him. He didn’t move, just stared blankly that eventually gave way to anger. But the scent of his agitation was growing, even giving way to something that could be fear.

Very slowly I knelt beside him and placed the box to my left. He hadn’t moved still. In fact he was like stone. The muscles in his body were tight and immovable and his jaw was clenched firmly. His focus was forced on the bars of his prison, telling me he refused to look at me.

Gently I reached up to the collar of his filthy and foul shirt, murmuring softly to him on my movements and actions so nothing came as a shock to him. I observed the wound and decided it was created by a witch blade. Only a wound created by Matter, an energy only witches possessed, could make a healing process so slow it risks infections and scarring on a vampire.

I set to work quickly now, cleaning the wound and sewing it smoothly, all the while murmuring to my increasingly unnerved patient. It was only after an hour of cleaning, disinfecting and stitching that something in room began to change. The aura of hatred and blood lust began to thicken and it was then that I realised Blackburn’s aura had dulled compared to my first meeting with him. Hesitatingly I looked up at him and flinched physically, unintentionally moving myself away. His eyes which had always been such a deep brown they were virtually black had turned a bloody red. He was still in the same position, still stiff as a board, but now his hands were gripping his arms and his nails were thick now and lengthening.

I did not have much time to observe him any longer when Dana grabbed me and hauled me on to my feet. She shoved me into Livia’s waiting arms with her back facing me and her gun pointing at Blackburn. Locking the door and instantly shuffling me out of the dungeon, we left just in time before a thick black and blood chilling aura erupted from Blackburn, so dense I nearly chocked. But the roar that followed startled me. It was an animalistic roar filled with fury, blood lust and pain. A roar that terrified me.

Livia kept me close to her side and I held Viorel’s shaking hand as Dana came back up the steps with a grim expression. Silently she looked at me then looked back at the dungeon stairs with the echoes of a man in agonising pain flooding up. Dana was just as confused as I was, I knew. He had been calm throughout my duty and completely sane but now he was screaming and baying for blood.

I swallowed heavily and gently rubbed my thumb over Viorel’s hand, trying my hardest to soothe away his fear, as I stared glumly at the darkness of the stairwell.

What on earth happened to him?