The Paris Escapade

The only, ONLY, good thing about my situation right now was that the room Kieran gave us was actually pretty nice.

It had high ceilings, like much of the rest of the school. The walls were unfinished red brick that was aged perfectly. The bed was a four poster, something I’d only seen in magazines or on TV. There was one window, but it was huge. It was covered by a thick red curtain. The floors were polished hardwood, and the lighting came from an ancient wrought iron chandelier.

“This room is reserved for guests, it hasn’t been used in quite a while, so I apologize for any dust.” Kieran smiled warmly at me, the skin around his eyes crinkling ever so slightly. Okay, maybe there were TWO good things about my situation.

Kieran had to go all too soon, though. “I’m on watch duty.” he explained. “I will come and retrieve you in a few hours.” He lifted my non-manacled hand and brushed his lips against my fingers. Then the door was closed and he was gone.

I stared at the door and sighed. Gabriel tugged on the manacle. “Are you just going to stand there?” he griped.

Turning away from the door reluctantly, my mood soured. I turned off the light, leaving just a crack of sunlight seeping out form the curtain as the only illumination in the room. “I’m tired. I’m taking the bed.”

“There’s enough room for both of us.” he pointed out practically.

My stomach tensed, but I didn’t let my uneasiness show. “Whatever.” I shuffled over to the bed and laid down on one side. The finger of sunlight from the edge of the curtain fell over me. I covered my face with my free arm.

I felt the mattress dip as Gabriel sat on the bed next to me. It was a large bed, I reassured myself, we could both sleep on it without even touching each other. Besides, even vampires needed sleep.

I peeked at him from under my arm. He looked like he hadn’t slept in a while, now that I really pay attention to him. My eyes had adjusted to the semi-darkness and I could see how haggard his face was. He laid down on his back slowly, as if he found it difficult to relax.

“When was the last time you slept?” The words rushed out of me.

“Why are you asking?” he looked over at me.

“Because you look like hell warmed over.” I sat up, taking a good look at him. His cheeks were sunken and his eyes were dull. “When was the last time you fed?” I was starting to feel alarmed. How had I not noticed this sooner?

I reached over and pulled his shirt so that it flattened against his chest, showing his protruding ribs. “What are you doing to yourself?” I demanded.

He shrugged. “I haven’t been hungry.”

“Since when? The middle ages? You look awful.”

“What? Are you offering a donation?” His eyes were heavy-lidded, a smirk played across his lips.

“As if.” I dropped his shirt and shoved his side. He laughed, but it was a little hoarse. I turned on my side, away from him and laid back down. The chain between us rattled loudly.

‘Whatever.’ I fumed silently, forcing my eyes closed. ‘If he didn’t want to bother taking care of himself, why should I care? If he wants to starve himself, that’s his business.’

I still couldn’t push it out of my mind, though. I didn’t exactly like Gabriel, in fact he got on my nerves. A lot. But... we had been through quite a bit, circumstances having thrown us together. I’d seen him in incredible pain, and I’d risked my life for him once. I guess... deep down... I pitied him.

It was these thoughts that carried me into sleep, making my dreams troubled and confusing.

********

When was the last time I had fallen asleep? I don’t think I remembered anymore. Months now at least. Ever since last year...

It’s not like I hadn’t tried. It was just every time I closed my eyes... I saw her face. So young and familiar, yet twisted by hate, and shock at my betrayal. I had seen it in her eyes so clearly, that rage turning into pain.

My hand gripped the blanket under me unconsciously, my nails dug into the fabric. I looked over at Evangeline. From the rhythm of her breathing, she had fallen asleep. Good, I didn’t feel like dodging any more questions.

I stared up at the ceiling, counting the minutes that slowly turned to hours. The finger of sunlight from the window crept slowly down Evangeline’s form, never quite reaching me.

I lifted my unconfined hand up, inspected it. The skin had grown rougher, more lined. I was growing weaker each passing day, yet I still did not have the desire to feed. My body had been hollowed out by agony and grief, and blood would not ease that ache.

It was fitting for me, to waste away into nothingness. I deserved it. Yet, some small part of me still fought to stay alive, to keep me endlessly awake. I needed answers. No... something more... I needed salvation.

Was it really out there for me? And if I found it, would I be able to recognize it?

I sank into a dreamless stupor, half lucid, letting my consciousness slip into my surroundings. This building, Katrina had spent much time here once, I could still detect her presence, like a ghost drifting through the halls.

Down, down, down, I felt another presence.

My eyes widened, and I was suddenly alert. I could feel something, something that didn’t belong here. It was dark and twisted and crawled in the shadows. It did not want to be seen.

I sat up abruptly, my senses craning for some sound, some scent. I was out of the bed before I realized it, dragging Evangeline across without even feeling her weight. With a cry of surprise, she fell to the floor with a thud.

“Good, you’re awake.”

“What the hell-” she began, ready to launch into an angry tirade.

“Shh!” I hissed. “There’s something here.”

That silenced her. “What is it?” she asked fearfully, using one hand to push herself up. She peered around the room. “Where?”

“Not here.” I strained my senses, trying to track the presence. “Downstairs.” I whispered. “Let’s go.”

“Shouldn’t we alert someone?” she asked, following close behind me. Together we crept towards the door.

“If we make too much noise, it might get away.” I told her softly. “If we see someone, we can tell them.” I carefully opened the door a crack, peering out. The hallway was empty.

I slid the door open just enough to slip out. The silver chain clinked together softly. I turned to Evangeline, holding up my bound hand. “Hold onto this.”

She picked up the chain carefully, holding it to her stomach. I took her hand in mine, shortening the gap as much as possible and giving her as much of the chain that I could. I couldn’t have it getting in the way right now.

We crept down the hallway like that, straining our ears with each step. I could feel the presence, flickering below us. I found a wide door that might lead to some stairs. I pushed it open carefully and found I was right.

I sensed danger immediately. Up the staircase crawled what looked like a living shadow, seeping up the steps quickly towards us. Behind me, Evangeline drew in a sharp breath.

Acting quickly, I turned clamped my free hand over her mouth before she could scream. With the bulk of my mass I pushed her away from the door and into an alcove nearby. We stood uncomfortably close, wedged next to a stone bust of some long dead scholar as the shadow spilled out from under the door and down the hallway.

Once it was gone, I turned back to Evangeline. Her eyes were wide with panic. Our bodies were pressed together, the silver chain and her arm the only thing separating us. I could feel the cold metal through the fabric of my shirt, eager to burn me. “Don’t scream.” I cautioned her before removing my hand from her mouth.

“Did it see us?” she whispered fearfully.

“I don’t think it can see. It didn’t have any eyes.” I craned my neck back, looking down the hall. It was gone.

“What the hell is it?”

“I’m not sure.” I turned back to her, noticing for the first time just how much she was blushing. I pulled away from her. “Honestly, your juvenile hormones have to kick in now of all times?”

“I can’t help it.” She whispered defensively. “It’s a fear response. I’m still...” she changed what she was going to say at the last second. “...young.”

“Let’s go after it.” I said, not paying much attention. I reached behind me for her hand. When she didn’t take it, I looked back. Her cheeks were still red. “Oh, come on.” I grabbed her hand. “I don’t want the chain rattling to startle it.” Reluctantly, she gripped my hand, and we set off silently after the shadow.

It didn’t seem to have much substance, I wondered what it was, exactly. Why was it even here? What was it after? Its essence was vampiric in nature, but I had never seen a vampire turn into a living shadow before. Sure, there were vampires that could make illusions with their influence, but I was still strong enough to see through almost any illusion.

We headed down the hallway, and turned a corner. We ended up right outside of a large open area. I could see a railing through an archway at the end of the hall, with some tables and chairs arranged on the floor below. Cafeteria, I guessed.

I spotted the edges of the shadow as it slipped out into the Cafeteria. Evangeline and I flattened against the wall and crept after it, myself in the lead. As I drew close to the archway, I saw more of the floor below. There was a figure standing there, a young woman dressed in a bathrobe. She had a crossbow in her hands, aiming at the shadow.

I rushed forward to try to warn her, but it was already too late. She fired three bolts in quick succession. They arced over the railing and right through the shadow, their silver points embedding into the wall.

And unholy shriek rent through the air. The shadow writhed, but was not stopped. It’s shape coalesced, sprouting long, spindly arms ending with jagged claws. Then it prepared to dive at the girl.

“Evangeline.” I said firmly.

“Got it.” she responded, dropping the silver chain.

We rushed the shadow, the chain stretched out between us. There was no time for grace. We circled around it on opposite sides, then slammed into each other. Evangeline grabbed the ends of the chain with both hands, holding them together. I closed my hands over hers.

The shadow was successfully ensnared. It shrieked again, pulling and twisting, trying to free itself. “Hold it!” I shouted over the din. Evangeline’s expression was determined.

Dark, noxious smoke rose up from the foul thing, the silver chain blackened with ichor. I could feel Evangeline’s hands shaking as the shadow tried to break free, but I held them clamped together firmly. My hands were larger than hers, and the silver bit into them greedily. I gritted my teeth against the pain.

Doors slammed open, and running feet thundered towards us, but I didn’t spare any attention. Slowly the shadow sank and melted into the floor, the chain slackened, then fell. “Watch it.” I pulled away quickly. We stepped back, avoiding the smoking mess.

Ms. Brun approached us very quickly. “What is going on here?”

Evangeline and I held up our hands at the same time. “Stay back!” Evangeline warned. “Don’t step in it.”

The Headmistress looked about ready to explode. “What the hell have you two been doing?”

“Wait! Headmistress!” the girl in the bathrobe hurried up the stairs to the walkway. “It wasn’t them! I thought I saw something, and tried to attack it.“ She turned to Evangeline and I. “They saved my life.”

Ms. Brun turned back to us, her expression slightly less severe. “What was that thing?”

I knelt down next to the black stain. It smelled of char, and something else. I touched the liquid with two fingers, the only two to have not been singed by the silver, then held them up to my nose. “It’s blood.” I declared. A few eyes in the crowd widened. “Le sang.” I tried again, and there was a collective gasp. “It’s vampiric. From a papillon.”

“But how?” Ms. Brun asked.

“I’m not sure.” I stood up, pulling a handkerchief from my pocket and wiping my fingers off. “Apparently while I was asleep, my kind have been learning some new tricks.”

Kieran stepped forward, kneeling down by the mess, his eyes were on something in the middle. He reached into his pocket for a pair of gloves. He slipped them on, then prodded what turned out to be a thick sheaf of paper, folded in thirds. He picked it up, turning his head to the side, trying to make out some of the words.

Then he dropped it in disgust. He stood up and turned to his mother. “It’s the patrol list. This is how they’ve been ambushing us.”

I only half-watched this exchange. My eyes were on my hands, watching the burn marks slowly heal. My vision blurred. It was time for me to get back to the room. I turned towards the archway, and my surroundings spun.

“Gabriel?” Evangeline’s voice was distant, and quite alarmed. I tried to turn towards her, but that’s when everything went black.

********

I hurried and grabbed Gabriel before he hit the floor. I kept my manacled hand behind my back, holding him with the other arm. He slumped over my shoulder, his weight making my knees bend. His face was close to mine and I saw a lock of hair, just at the part, rapidly turn white.

Kieran and Ms. Brun both stepped forward. Kieran lifted Gabriel off of me, holding him ‘damsel’ style while his mother unlocked the manacles. Once the chain was off, I rubbed my wrist. The leather had made it sweat and itch.

“What is wrong with him?” Ms. Brun asked me.

I shrugged helplessly. “He hasn’t been eating.” I told her.

“Let’s bring him back to your room.” Kieran said, strain in his voice. “He’s heavier than he looks.”

Kieran carried Gabriel back, while Ms. Brun and I followed behind. She turned to me as we walked. “Don’t think this means I entirely trust you, but thank you for saving my student. Such ingenuity in the face of peril! You’re Great Aunt would be proud of you.” The Headmistress smiled warmly, her eyes seeing some distant memory.

“We’ll prove to you that we’re not the bad guys. Even Gabriel. I’ve only really ever seen him feed off of other vampires. Honestly, I don’t think he puts human blood much higher up than pig’s blood.”

Ms. Brun looked doubtful, so I tried to reassure her. “If it wasn’t for him, we’d never have gone after that thing. We were in our room and I guess he sensed or heard it somehow.”

Ms. Brun raised a hand, silencing me. “What was it, that broke him so?” she asked. I felt surprise run through me. She saw it in my face and turned away. “I’ve never seen a papillon who would starve himself to this extent. It is not their nature. Feeding is the most powerful instinct, and it is vicious at it’s source. When it comes to blood, feelings do not matter.”

I looked over at Gabriel, who was being helplessly carried. His eyes were closed, his hair falling in his face. That white streak stood out starkly against his black hair. Even unconscious, his face was lined with tension. I felt a dull ache in my chest and turned my eyes to the black and white linoleum.

“He... lost someone, someone he truly loved.”

“I see.” Ms. Brun said no more. At the end of the hallway, she nodded to Kieran, then went the opposite direction.

When we reached the room, I hurried ahead and held the door open. Kieran carried Gabriel inside and laid him on the bed. I took a moment to inspect my hands. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, they were starting to throb.

The silver chain had dug into my hands deeply, leaving red marks that would be bruises tomorrow. In some places, my skin had split, scabs already forming over the oozing cuts.

Kieran straightened up, hands on his lower back as he stretched. I put my hands behind my back before he looked over at me. “It’s interesting.” I said. “The school was attacked the same day we arrived, thus allowing us to prove our good intentions. It’s bizarre, like something from TV.”

“It’s not strange, if you think about it.” Kieran walked over. “No one else noticed it. Rose, the girl you saved, is a bit ‘trigger happy’ as it is, she jumps at shadows constantly. But the rest of us had no idea it was moving around the school. It had the patrol list, so it knew it’s way around. Who knows how many times it’s been here, or even if it leaves in the first place. It could have been here for weeks and no one would have known. If it hadn’t been for your papillon’s keen senses, of course.”

“Gabriel doesn’t belong to me.” I told him. “He doesn’t belong to anyone, he’s his own vampire.”

Perhaps Kieran thought I has hiding my hands to be coy, because he smiled in interest and stepped a little closer. “And? Who do you belong to?”

“I don’t belong to anyone, either.” I told him. “Can I ask you a question?”

He put a hand to his chin and gave me a dubious look. “What is it?”

“Do you ever take off that duster?” I nodded to his coat.

He laughed. “Occasionally. It offers some protection.” He pulled one side open to show me the inside pockets. “Plus, it holds all of my favorite toys.”

“Do you always have to carry an arsenal on you?”

“I never know when I will need it. As a fellow hunter, you should understand.”

I had left my gun and glove in my suitcase, for various reasons. I felt a little vulnerable without some protection on me, but I wasn’t yet at the point of paranoia that Kieran obviously was.

“I’m not a hunter.” I told him. “I just take care of Gabriel’s house.” He arched a brow and I hastened to explain, holding up my hands. “Technically, it’s my house. I inherited it from Great Aunt Katrina, but she originally got it from Gabriel.”

With a speed that was comparable to a vampire’s, Kieran reached out and grasped my wrist. My eyes widened in surprise as his expression darkened. “You are injured.” His tone was accusatory.

“I-I was going to take care of that in a second. I-it’s nothing serious.” My cheeks burned as I stammered.

He turned, his hand still clamped around my wrist, and dragged me towards the bathroom. “You were hiding your hands so I would not notice.”

“That’s because I’m fine. It’s no big deal, really. I don’t need everyone worrying about me when there’s Gabriel and Rose to think about!” I tried to pull away, but he didn’t release me until we were standing in the white-tiled bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out a rather large first aid kit.

“Stop frowning at me.” Kieran scolded. “If you do not take care of yourself, how can you take care of others?” He selected a few bandages and some alcohol swabs from the kit.

“I fully intended to look after my own wounds.” I told him honestly.

“That would be rather difficult, with both hands injured.” He tore open a swab packet and took my wrist again. He pressed the swab to my cuts and I sucked air between my teeth. “Does it hurt badly?” he asked in concern.

I shook my head. “It just stings.” Soon, he had me expertly bandaged. I rubbed one finger on a bandage. “Thank you.” I said sullenly.

He put pressed one finger to the middle of my forehead and pushed lightly. “You do not sound grateful.”

I looked up at him. His expression was stern, but his one, sapphire eye held concern. “Thank you.” I said again.

He smiled, and it was like the sun breaking through storm clouds. I could feel my face heating up again. “You’re welcome.” He took my hands in his again and very gently kissed each bandage. “You must rest now, take care of your papillon. Breakfast starts in two hours, I will come and get you then.” I nodded speechlessly. He smiled again before leaving. “À plus tard.” He was even considerate enough to flick the bedroom light off on his way out.

“Seeya later.“ I waved meekly. Once he was gone, I sighed heavily in defeat. Kieran was very different than the guys I was used to being around. His casual displays of affection always caught me off guard. Perhaps it was a French thing.

Or perhaps he liked me.

The heat in my face spiked. I tried to push the stray thought from my head at once. How could that be true? I had just met him a few hours ago. That was just silly. He’s probably just like that with everyone. He’s surrounded by girls all day, he must be used to it.

Which would make him a playboy, I thought wryly.

I shut the light out and trudged over to the bed. Fatigue weighed my muscles down. I plopped on top of the covers next to Gabriel, laying on my stomach. Nervousness was the furthest thing from my mind right now. I just wanted something soft under me.

As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I stared at Gabriel’s profile. Here in the near-blackness, I could not see the lines on his face, or the shadows under his eyes. The white streak was the only thing to remind me of what he was going through. I shut my eyes while I pondered him, my thoughts turning numb with unconsciousness.

********

My eyes sprang open a few seconds before I had conscious thought. I sat up immediately, surprised to find myself lying in bed. Had I been asleep, for the first time in months?

Memories from earlier flooded back to me. No, I had passed out. They must have brought me back here. I put my hand to my forehead, receiving a second surprise when I saw I was no longer manacled.

Something was pulling on my shirt. I looked down and found Evangeline’s hand. She was gripping the front of my shirt between her thumb and bent forefinger. Her sleeping face looked troubled, her brows pushed together.

Carefully I dislodged her from my clothing. The bandages on her hands came as no surprise, I had been gripping her hands very tightly as we struggled with that shadow.

I stood up, walking over to the window. I could feel the sun on the other side of the curtain, dipping below the horizon. Sunset.

Feeling a sudden urge to clean my face, I headed to the bathroom. I usually resorted to washing whenever I felt anxious. Over the centuries, I had gotten so used to water, it actually calmed me.

I flipped on the light, not having the energy to waste on night vision at the moment. I turned on the cold water tap and stuck one hand under the flow of water.

I immediately pulled it back the next second. The cold water had burned my skin! I inspected my fingers carefully. There were no marks, but the water was too uncomfortable for me to use. I shut off the tap.

I looked at my face in the mirror, not liking what I saw, but not surprised by it either. I looked as haggard and broken on the outside as I felt on the inside. The white streak was new, though, and it wasn’t a good sign. My body was going to continue aging like this until I fed, and I would grow weaker and weaker.

I held myself still, turning my focus inward, but still I did not feel the hunger. I still had no desire to feed. Fine then, I would continue to punish myself. There was no one else who could. I looked back at my reflection, watched as tears filled the corners of my eyes.

A desperate, useless rage overtook me. I raised my hand and smashed the glass mirror, cracking it into a dozen spider-webbed pieces. Then, I turned away, shutting the light out behind me as I left.