Chronicles of Darkness: Shadows and Dust (6 page)

            Faced with
the man's blasé attitude, Chalice became angry. "Hey, you! I have to make
a living somehow! Some pompous, rich bastard, like you are, wouldn't understand
that, of course!"

            Azrael
wasn't impressed in the slightest, and he continued his nightly walk.

            Fuming,
Chalice followed him. "All of my life, I've been rejected one way or the
other. Do you honestly think I'm going to let myself get belittled by an
arrogant asshole like you?" Defiantly, she waited for the man's reaction.

            He
actually stopped walking. "Beware, little girl! You are trying my
patience, greatly, and I don't want to waste my precious time with a hussy like
you!"

            Chalice
hesitated for the blink of an eye. "Then what are you looking for, here in
this bad part of the town? What kind of dark business led you here?"

            Azrael
turned towards her. "I'm warning you, if you are going to continue
questioning me, I will end this conversation right now. In a deadly way for
you."

            Suspicious,
the girl looked at Azrael. "So, you are one of those perverts that kill
helpless women?" Without feeling, Chalice added, "If that's the fact,
I don't care."

            Surprised,
the vampire gazed into her empty eyes, void of the familiar vividness of the
humans, and he thought,
No spark of life or will is illuminating her
weak heart. Only pure hatred exists inside. Never before have I seen a nearly
soulless heart. It fascinates me greatly. Will I be able to extinguish the
human soul completely, without ripping it from her body through death? I want
to see how she turns into my tool.
Out loud, he said, "You will submit
to a dangerous game, but your reward will be incomparable. If you surrender
unconditionally, I will make all your wishes come true, and you will get the
life you deserve."

Azrael's engaging
offer had the desired effect. Chalice became a willing prisoner in his world...

         Suddenly,
Chalice was brought out of her thoughts by the loud screaming of a man.
"The bull got loose from the wagon's chain! Get to safety!"

         The wild,
enraged animal stomped ahead at full speed, directly towards the group of
playing girls. Two of them found shelter in another alley. Frightened, the last
girl froze, directly in the path of the aggressive bull.

         Without
thinking, Chalice dashed to the girl, picked her up and pressed her against the
house wall, shielding her with her body. As soon as the danger had passed, she
put the girl down and knelt before her. "Are you alright?"

         "Thank
you, thank you, Mademoiselle! You just saved my life!" Then the girl
noticed the expensive dress beneath Chalice's cloak. "You are a real
princess, aren't you? I would like to be a fine, noble lady, such as you
are."

         Chalice shook
her head sadly. "Be grateful that you are not." She gave the girl a
golden coin and got up. As the young woman left, the girl called after her,
"May God always protect you, Mademoiselle!"

*****

         Careful not
to cause any noise, Skylar opened the big door and peered through the little
crack into the darkened room. Slowly, she stepped inside, tiptoed barefooted to
the bed and gently brushed the bed's silky curtain aside. Grinning wildly, she
looked at the big lump beneath the covers. Quietly, she crept to the window and
with a mighty pull on the string, she opened the drapes. Immediately the bright
sunlight of the new day flooded into the room.

         "SOL
INVICTUS," screamed the blond girl at the top of her lungs. She jumped
onto the bed. "Wake up, dear brother! Come on, sleepyhead! If you were a
vampire, I would have killed you by now."

         A head with
long, dark and disheveled hair, worked its way from beneath the covers.
Finally, Kyrian's sleepy face appeared. Still tired, he rubbed his eyes and
blinked in the sunlight at his sister, who was beaming at him, happily. He
stretched and yawned. "Well, then I'm really glad that I'm not a vampire.
Oh Skylar. Mighty huntress of the honored Leosol family."

         "Now
that's a sound for sore ears. You may continue singing my praises." Skylar
giggled, striking a graceful pose.

         "Yes,
you would like that. By the way, do you have any idea how late it is, dear
little sister?" Kyrian asked.

         Skylar
shrugged her shoulders. "It's not dark anymore."

         Kyrian
scratched at the first traces of beard stubbles, before slumping back into the
pillows. "It is far too early. You should still be asleep. I should still
sleep."

         "It's
not dark anymore. Besides, Papa always said,
the early bird will catch the
worm
." She started to pull on his arm to get him to leave the bed.

         "Hey,
hey, slow down! I need this arm!" Kyrian protested.

         "Then
get up already!" Skylar said, stomping her foot impatiently.

         Kyrian
grinned, not moving an inch. "Mama always says
patience is a virtue
."

         The girl
crossed her arms and pouted.

         "That
won't get you anywhere with me, you know that, Skylar," Kyrian responded.

         "You are
so mean!" she declared boldly.

         With
lightning speed, Kyrian grabbed his sister, turned her on her back and started
to tickle her. "You take that back this instant, you little pain in the
neck!"

         Skylar was
laughing so hard, she wasn't able to say anything, until her brother stopped.
"Since I'm very much awake, now, may I offer a suggestion?"

         Expectantly,
Skylar looked at her brother. "What?"

         "While
I'm dressing, how about you go to the stables and saddle Nightshade?"        

         "We're
going for a ride?" Skylar's eyes lit up in excitement.

         Kyrian nodded
and laughed.

         Skylar hugged
him happily. "You are the best brother in the whole wide world," she
announced and hurried from the room.

*****

         Impatiently,
Skylar stood next to the paddock, holding Nightshade at the reins, waiting for
her brother.

         He walked
towards her, shaking his head softly, laughing. "Isn't it about time for
you to get your own horse?"

         "No,
why?" the girl responded cheekily. "I like riding with you on Nightshade
best."

         "Well,
if that is so." He helped Skylar to climb on the stallion's back and
settled behind her.

         The sunlight
fell through the roof of leaves above them. Unhurried, they were riding at a
leisurely pace through the woods, while Skylar's thoughts circled around the
conversation from the evening before. "Kyrian, do you think it could be
possible?"

         "Could
what be possible?"

         "That
story Bernard told us yesterday evening."

          "Of
course. Why should he make up such a story?"

         Skylar rubbed
her chin. "I just think it is strange for an immortal to work together
with a mortal. Wouldn't one of his own kind be of better use?"

         "Hmm.
Yes, the whole alliance is strange. Still, it is possible. We don't know
anything about this Chalice and what reason she has to be with the
vampire."

         Skylar
nodded. "That's true. But, there is another thing that's peculiar. Why
does he cut out the hearts of his victims and takes them with him?"

         Kyrian
contemplated that briefly, before answering, "You know what Mama is always
saying, how the heart is the seat of the human soul?"

         "Hmm."
Skylar murmured.

         "I think
it gives him some kind of perverse pleasure to know that, even after their
deaths, his victims will never be free, as long as he owns their hearts."

         His sister
shook herself. "A nasty thought. If he is that cruel to humans, how can
this woman stay with him? I don't understand that."

         The young man
ruffled his sister's long hair and said, "Don't wrack your brain with such
heavy thoughts. We will find this vampire, and we're also going to take care of
his companion, so that everyone will be able to sleep again at night, without
any fear."

         "Maybe
the woman doesn't want to be with him. It could be possible that she is a
victim, too. Or perhaps she is under his spell?" Skylar threw in.

         Kyrian
shrugged his shoulders. "It could be possible. But after Bernard's tale, I
don't think so."

         "It was
just a thought."

*****

         A pot of
steaming and delicious smelling herbal tea was added to the bread, cheese and
fruit on a tray. Monique dried her hands on her apron and adjusted the little
white bonnet, which covered her light-brown curls. She took the tray and was
about to head to the chambers of her new mistress. As soon as she turned
around, she got a fright. The tray slipped from her hands. Crashing to the hard
kitchen floor, the china burst into a million pieces. Trembling, Monique
grasped at her wildly beating heart. "Are you totally out of your
mind?" she screamed, at the person opposite her. "You scared ten
years off me!"

         Chuckling,
the tall, broad-shouldered man removed the horrible mask, which had covered his
tanned face. "Awww, come on. Don't be like that. It was only a joke."

         She pressed
her hands to her hips. "Joke? You call that a joke, Jean? It is a miracle
that my heart didn't cease to beat!"

         Jean rolled
his eyes and sighed. "You always have to exaggerate."

         "Lord
almighty in the heavens! You, at your age, are acting worse than a little
scallywag!" She smacked him with a towel.

         He ducked,
laughing. "I just wanted to remind you that there is a funfair
today."

         "I know
that there is a funfair today," she grumbled, still angry about his prank.

         Jean bent to
her face, waggling his eyebrows. "So?"

         Monique
wrinkled her forehead. "So what?"

         "Will
you go with me?" He asked, gazing adoringly at her with his big, blue
eyes, until the cook started smiling, immediately forgetting all about being
angry.

         "Be
careful with your eyes. They might pop out of your head. Besides, you know my
answer to that question." Monique answered.

         Jean
pretended to be ignorant. "Your answer? I'm supposed to know it? Well, I
don't remember. You've got to help my memory."

         Monique
swatted at him, playfully. "You know that I will be going with you, and
now get out of my kitchen! I need to clean up the mess you caused."

         Jean laughed,
heartily."Oh, I love it when you take command!"

         Monique took
hold of a wooden spoon, swinging it, threateningly. "Disappear, and get on
someone else's nerves!"

         Still
chuckling, he left the kitchen. "See you later, sweetheart!"

On the stairs, he came
upon Helena and greeted her politely," Good morning, Madame."

         Helena
smiled, returning the greeting. "The same to you." She entered the
kitchen, where Monique was busy cleaning up.

         As the cook
saw her, she leaped up from her task and dropped to a curtsy. "Good
morning, Madame."

         "Good
morning, Monique. Are my children already up and about?" Helena asked.

         Monique
responded, enthusiastically. "Oh yes, that they are. I think your daughter
was the first of the household to greet the new morning. Such a cute, little
thing, if I may say so and so well behaved."

         Helena
smiled. "Oh, thank you very much. I'm doing what I can. And? Where are
they?"

         "They
went out with the horse." Monique returned to the stove and stirred something
in a big pot.

         Helena
nodded, in understanding. "Ah, an early horseback ride through the
woods."

         "Yes,
Madame. They set out shortly after dawn. They should be back soon. Where does
Madame wish to dine?"

         "Here,"
Helena said.

         Monique was
astonished and turned to Helena. "You mean
here
? In the
kitchen?"

         Helena arched
her eyebrows. "Is there a rule against this?"