The Paris Escapade

Chapter 18 - An Ounce of Blood

I could tell that Gabriel was aware of the voices up ahead before I could hear them, because he lifted his head ever so slightly, focusing his eyes on the door at the end of the hall.

It wasn't till I was right in front of the door that I heard them too.

They were both female. One was very angry, her voice shooting up at times. The other was soft and low. I couldn't understand what either one was saying.

"What the heck are they saying?" I asked softly.

He didn't mince words, he didn't have the strength even if it was his nature. "Véronique is threatening a student."

So someone in the building was actually awake. "God, where is Kieran through all of
this?"

"Don’t ask me, I left him at the pier."

"Do you think he’s passed out with everyone else?"

"Call his cell phone and check."

I sighed. "I can't, it's broken."

"No it's not."

I turned may face towards him. "Yes it is. He showed it to me, it was all smashed up."

"I used his phone to call your cell phone when you disappeared." Gabriel said with certainty.

I gave him a sharp look. "Are you sure it was his? He might have lifted one off the vampires he was hunting."

"Your number was in the address book."

I felt my expression harden. “I’m going to have to have a long talk with that boy when I get a chance. I have a feeling that all the things we don’t know about him will get us into a lot of trouble.”

Gabriel managed a small laugh that was more of a gasp. “Looks like your Spring has ended...”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped at him.

“Never mind.”

I huffed under my breath. “Whatever. Pull yourself together, because we have to go in there now. Véronique doesn’t know it yet, but she is waiting for us.”

********

She placed her hand on the door latch and pushed it open without waiting for me to reply. Just another testament to her foolish recklessness. I managed to stand up straight without her support, but I hadn’t had a chance to heal properly.

What I really needed was blood, vampire blood preferably. Also, I owed Véronique for the scuffle in the graveyard, seemed like the perfect opportunity to feed was before me... if I could stay alive long enough to do so.

We were on the wide balcony overlooking the cafeteria, just like our first night here. Except it wasn’t the monster we were going to face, but it’s Mistress.

“I’ll only ask you one more time!” Véronique’s voice carried quite well in the large space. “Why did you take her? Did you hurt her? Where is she?”

She and the student were below us, in the middle of the cafeteria. Two of the circular tables had been pushed together, about half a dozen small girls sitting at them, their heads laying on the table tops.

Véronique held down an older student by the front of her blazer, pressing her back into a table top. “Answer me!” She cried.

The older student, a pale girl with light reddish brown hair, spoke through gritted teeth. “It’s my turn to watch the girls tonight...” One hand was braced against the table behind her and the other clutched at something sticking out of her thigh. It was a silver crossbow bolt. That explained how she was still awake. She must have realized what was going on and stabbed herself to prevent the unconsciousness that had gripped everyone else.

Clever and ballsy, Véronique wasn’t going to get anything out of this one.

Véronique lifted the girl up about a foot, then slammed her back onto the table. The student cried out in pain, then gritted her teeth again. “It’s my turn to watch the girls tonight...” she repeated.

Next to me, Evangeline knelt down, picking up another abandoned crossbow. She checked to make sure this one was in working order. “Don’t worry Daisy...” she muttered under her breath, a look in her eyes I had never seen before. “Help is here...”

She aimed the crossbow and fired quickly, but Véronique heard the slight noise and looked up in time to throw herself backwards out of the path of the bolt. The silver shaft embedded itself in the floor a few inches from Daisy’s feet.

Daisy collapsed against the table, her hands scrabbling against the front of her blazer. She tore open her collar and took a few deep, painful breaths. Then she dropped down limply to the floor. Above her, the children slept peacefully on, unaware of their guardian’s plight.

Véronique looked up at the two of us standing on the balcony. Her eyes narrowed when she saw me. “Gabriel...” she seethed. She ignored Evangeline, treating her as a nominal threat.

I put my hands in my pockets and gave her a chilly stare. It was best to keep her focused on me, she might make a mistake and Evangeline could hit her with the crossbow. It took all my effort to put up a cool front and I prayed Evangeline wouldn’t screw up horribly. “Miss me?” I asked in French.

“I knew you were behind this!” she screeched. “One Nora wasn’t enough for you, you’ve come back to take away another!” She lifted up one hand and hurled something tiny up at me. I caught it deftly, then opened up my hand to see what it was. In my palm lay a small gold pin, in the shape of the school crest. I recalled when Nora was here that one of the little girls had handed her something. This must have been it. No wonder Véronique was looking for Nora here, she probably hadn’t been home when I brought her back.

I shrugged, tossing the pin back down to her. “If that’s what you want to believe.”

While I held Véronique’s attention, Evangeline stood half behind me, hiding her movements as she slowly slotted another bolt into the crossbow. She quickly aimed and fired again, but Véronique’s reflexes were too swift. She dodged out of the way, this time bending down and lifting up Daisy again. She held the girl aloft, using her as a shield. Evangeline’s hands paused midway through slotting another bolt. “Call off your little pet, and I won’t snap this one’s neck.”

I held one hand out to Evangeline. “The crossbow for Daisy.” I told her. Reluctantly, she handed it over.

Véronique laughed. “Look who’s soft-hearted. Is it just that you prefer humans?” Her eyes slid over to Evangeline, really looking at her for the first time. Her eyes widened in shock. “Are those MY clothes?”

I looked over at Evangeline. It was true that the two females were dressed similarly, though Evangeline couldn’t quite fill out the clothing like Véronique could. “Where did you get the wardrobe?” I asked her.

She crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to look self-conscious. “Dimitri took my clothes. This was all I could find.” she said defensively.

Véronique spouted off several unladylike words and dropped Daisy to the floor. She rushed forward, jumping up onto one table, then leaping towards us, her eyes murderous daggers centered on Evangeline.

Before either of us could react, a click! followed by a thwip! cut through the air. Véronique’s face contorted in pain and she dropped back to the ground under the balcony. Daisy leaned heavily on a table, crossbow in hand.

Evangeline and I peered over the balcony railing, looking down at Véronique. She was grasping at something behind her that was just out of reach. As she twisted, I saw a crossbow bolt embedded squarely in the middle of her back. Smoke rose from the wound and Véronique snarled in pain and frustration.

She finally gave up trying to retrieve the bolt. She turned her attention back on Daisy, looking to vent her ire one way or another.

“Daisy, watch out!” Evangeline cried out in warning.

Véronique lifted up one of the round tables one-handed as Daisy stumbled to her feet. The girl managed to throw herself away from the still-sleeping girls as Véronique shrieked in rage and flung the table across the room at her.

The table hit the girl, bearing her to the floor and shattering upon impact. Splintered chunks of wood lay everywhere. Daisy lay in the center of the disaster, on her back, unmoving.

The next instant, the crossbow was ripped out of my hands and Evangeline was leaning over the railing, raining silver bolts down on Véronique, her hands working with a speed that only desperation could grant.

Her aim was wildly off, Véronique managed to get through the barrage with only a few grazes. When she ran out of bolts, Evangeline threw the crossbow to the ground. Hot tears welled up in her eyes, and I suddenly realized that I had seen the anger that was in them before.

Something inside of her had slipped, some barrier was now down and I could feel the waves of emotion rolling off of her. Anger, grief, and helplessness combined to make her into something truly dangerous.

I had seen the same thing happen in a young girl’s eyes a long, long time ago, as my family murdered hers. Those feelings had ultimately resulted in my greatest adversary: Katrina Riley.

Véronique did not recognize the danger in the air now. “You’ve broken your little toy.” She called up to to us, her voice singsong and practically cooing. Her hands were clenched at her sides, betraying her cool exterior. Anger, and insult, were roiling just beneath her skin.

“Oh yeah!” Evangeline called down. “Well, in New York we say ‘Come get some’!”

I had to defuse this situation before someone else, probably me, got hurt. “Evangeline stop, you’re embarrassing the both of us.”

She rounded on me, unleashing the full effect of her furious glare. “Don’t you tell me to stop! She hurt Daisy, and I’m going to hurt her back!”

“There’s no point, that girl is already dead. She won’t see you defending her.” I was as practical as I could be. “Do you really want to endanger the rest of the students down there?”

My words had the opposite effect than I intended. Instead of calming down and acting rationally, Evangeline’s eyes welled up, her anger hardening her expression. Tears ran down her cheeks, but she didn’t acknowledge them. She created an image before me that seared into my brain, etching itself there permanently. I would never forget the look on her face till the day that I died.

Sensing danger, she turned swiftly and time stood still. Véronique was reaching over the railing, her eyes murderously locked on Evangeline. As she turned to her, much too slowly, Evangeline’s hair whipped up. Two twinkling tears broke away from her skin and hung in the air for the briefest, impossibly slow, second.

My body moved on it’s own, there was no time for quick thinking or a clever plan, only to react. When time caught up with itself again, I had hurled myself at Véronique, launching the both of us back over the railing and to the floor below.

We landed with a thunderous impact. My body pressed tightly against hers, I buried my fangs into her neck. She writhed violently, ripping me off of her and forcing me away. I rolled easily to my feet as she regained hers.

My fangs had down considerable damage; blood ran freely down the side of her neck, quickly staining her white shirt. There was a small chunk of flesh in my mouth and I spat it out, not taking my eyes off of her.

A large red stain was also spreading out on the front of her shirt as well. I realized that by forcing her to the floor I had pushed the crossbow bolt deeper into her body, till the tip pierced out the other side.

Véronique was a complete mess now. Her hair was wild, and her clothes were stained and torn. As she stood, she listed to the side slightly. Blood leaked from the corners of her mouth. But, as she looked at me, her lips slowly spread in a smile.

She grinned, her teeth gruesomely bloodstained. “I am stronger than you, Gabriel. All this is nothing.” she gestured to herself. “Come, let me show you my true power.”

The flow of blood running down her neck intensified and began spattering on the floor. I wondered briefly how making herself bleed out faster was supposed to make her stronger than me, but I kept my mouth shut. There was something sickening about the way her blood was beginning to move.

The blood on the floor began expanding, darkening in color. As it rose up I realized with horror what it was. Those gelatinous monsters that had attacked us in the courtyard, had nearly overwhelmed me in the graveyard, that had been found slithering the school’s halls the first night we arrived, all had been made out of Véronique’s blood.

Vampires are unable to vomit, but right now I really wished that I could. I had seen some strange and repulsive things in my long, long, lifetime, but this was definitely close to the top of the list.

The black sludge continued to grow until it was taller than me. It’s entire mass quivered sickeningly for a moment, then it attacked. As it lurched towards me, a wall of flame erupted before me, blocking it’s path. The sludge fell back at once, not daring to go near the fire. I took a few steps back myself, as I felt the heat from the flames.

Then it was gone, Nora standing in it’s place, her back to me. Her surroundings were completely unmarked by the sudden fire. Such was her terrifying control over the element. “I am here Véronique, there is no need to continue this battle.”

There was genuine relief in Véronique’s eyes, but her voice was still hard. “I came here to find you, and I am attacked and insulted.” she said. “Do you not see how wounded I am? I will take this indignation out of his hide.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why do you stand against your family to protect him? He killed my sister.”

“Gabriel does not need me to protect him. If this fight continues, the children will be hurt.” Nora turned her head slightly towards the sleeping girls. “I will not have them hurt.”

The stairs leading up to the walkway were behind me. I could sense Evangeline coming down the stairs, though she was trying to hide the sound of her footsteps. I watched her out of the corner of my eye as she hurried over to the fallen student and knelt down next to her.

Véronique’s attention was on Nora. She curled her lip in disgust. “You would not have them hurt? What do you think you do every night? Father sends me out to snap their little necks and drain them dry, just for your meals.”

Nora shook her head. “Not any longer. From now on I will hurt no child, directly or indirectly.” She squared her small shoulders. “Or anyone else for that matter.”

Véronique laughed jeeringly. “Father has never allowed you to feel hunger before, always taking care that you would never feel pain or discomfort. If you not drink, you will feel it, and it will consume you. You will not care whom you hurt.”

Nora reached into the pocket of her nightgown and pulled out an empty white bottle. “I am serious, Véronique, from now on, I shall drink pig’s blood.” She looked back at me and smiled warmly.

When she looked back at Véronique, she saw her expression had become enraged again. Her eyes were locked on me now. “What have you poisoned her mind with? What did you do to her?”

I shook my head. “I’ve done nothing. This is Nora’s decision. She finally has something to care about outside of your ‘family’.”

Véronique stepped towards me, pushing Nora to one side. “I’m going to tear your lungs out and shove them down your throat.” she said venomously.

I didn’t think I could win an all-out fight in my condition, but I was willing to try anyway. I settled into a fighting stance.

Evangeline stepped up next to me, her expression inscrutable. “Let’s get her out of here, Gabriel.” she said softly. “Before someone else gets killed.”

Her stance, her expression, were so transformed from what they were, I felt like a different person was standing next to me, someone I had almost forgotten. With her like this, I felt we almost had a chance of winning this fight.

I spotted something glittering in her hands, the long silver chain that had bound the both of us together our first night. She held a cuff in each and and was slowly winding the chain around her hand. “Where did you find that?”

“It was near Daisy.” she answered, her eyes darkening.

Veronique approached, the bloody mass on the floor following her, starting to rise up again. “All right, follow my lead.”

Thin tentacles separated from the main body, the tips hardening into sharp spikes. Behind Véronique, Nora held up both hands, fire sparking in them.

“Go look after the girls, Nora.” Evangeline called to the girl. “We’ve got this.”

********

Nora turned and hurried over to the sleeping children, but I felt no relief. Something terrible was brewing inside of me, dark and twisting and no mall amount of hope could light it.

Daisy... she was going to be my friend. When I had met her, I had known it then, that this was a girl I connected with. I wasn’t the type to have many friends, I preferred quality over quantity. Daisy was kind, taking time to help out in the infirmary, and looking after the little ones, she was someone who would have been the best kind of friend.

But now, I would never know.

The rage building up inside of me was not a bright burning red, but a seething black that encompassed me completely. And it was centered entirely on Véronique.

She stopped a few feet from us and those sharp tendrils moved forward, incredibly swift, aiming right for us.

Gabriel held up both hands quickly, and the tendrils just stopped. Dozens of sharp points hung in the air in front of us, some just inches away.

I didn’t pause to marvel, I saw an opening and I took it. Véronique was distracted, staring at Gabriel in disbelief. I stepped up to her and punched her as hard as I could.

Silver points could pierce a vampire’s tough skin easily. Their skin burned whenever they touched a silver object. But what I had learned the first night I met Gabriel, was what happened when silver hit a vampire with force.

Compared to vampiric might, my strongest blow was paltry, but I had the silver chain wrapped around my fist. When I hit Véronique’s face, she flew backwards.

She quickly caught her feet, one hand trying to cover a large black burn searing her cheek. I rushed her again, first burying my fist into her stomach, then connecting with her jaw.

She skidded along the floor, upending tables left and right. Her back fetched up against the wall underneath one of the cafeteria’s large, stained glass windows.

She was dazed, but I wasn’t giving up my advantage. I stood over her and rather than bending down, I waited for her to try to get to her feet.

Once she was up, I punched her again, this time sending her right through the window. Colored glass rained down in a cacophonous mess. I braced one hand on the ledge and leap over the sill and out into the courtyard.

Véronique lay on her back, too dazed to try to get to her feet again. I grabbed the front of her shirt and hauled her up just far enough to punch her again.

One punch wasn’t enough, though, I kept at it, till her skin seared and smoked. She stopped moving altogether, but still I kept at it, trying to quench the black fire that burned inside of me.

Strong arms reached up under my arms and held them back. “That’s enough!” a rough voice shouted right in my ear. “Let her go!”

I snarled and fought, trying to get free of his grip. “Let me go, Gabriel, I need to hurt her!”

The arms hauled me backwards. I released Veronique, who dropped to the ground. “I am not Gabriel.” the voice said as the arms let me go and I was spun around. Kieran stood right in front of me, his face stern. “And you’re going to kill her if you keep going.”

“So?!” I shrieked. “Why do you care, aren’t you a hunter? She killed Daisy!”

“Exactly!” he shouted back at me. “I’M the hunter, not you! Killing someone, even a pappilon, is a heavy thing to carry around. Don’t welcome that weight if you don’t have to!”

I felt the tears coming again. My insides crumpled and my strength fled me. I stood there meekly, tears rolling down my face.

He drew a silver gun from his coat and pointed it at Véronique. “I’ll take care of her.”

Before he could pull the trigger, Nora stepped up and gently placed her hand on his arm. He looked down at her, startled. “Please, do not kill ‘er.” she said softly. “She iz my family, she only came ‘ere out of concern for me. I vill take care of ‘er.” She gave him the full force of her golden eyes.

Kieran lowered his gun. “All right.” He continued to look down at her, mesmerized. “Who are you?”

“My name iz Nora.” she smiled faintly at him. “Pleaze, ve must get back inzide. The zun vill be rizing zoon.”

Kieran knelt down next to Véronique obediently and lifted her up. He then carried her unconscious form back into the school.

I stared at the ground miserably. My rage was gone now as well, and it had left behind a cold, hollow feeling in my chest. Nora walked up to me next, peering up into my face. “I am zorry about your friend.” she said sadly. “Thiz ‘appened because I left ‘ome.”

I shook my head. “It’s not your fault, Nora.” My voice was raw.

The little vampire wrapped her arms around my waist suddenly, burying her face in my stomach. “I’m zorry, but I can feel it, ‘ow much you are ‘urting. It ‘urts me too.”

Strength flowed into me, warm and golden, giving me energy. I put my hand on top of her head. “You’re the first vampire I’ve met who has empathy, Nora.” I told her weakly. “I’m not sure vampires are supposed to have empathy, but it gives me hope for the rest of you.”

She pulled away and looked up at me. She gave me a timid smile that was also kind. “You be careful.” she said seriously. “Gabriel needs you to keep ‘im out ov trouble.”

“Speaking of which, where did he go?” I turned and looked back through the broken window. I hadn’t seen him since he stopped those spikes...