She was dressed
comfortably, but always in the latest fashion, her dark blue and black gown
sparkled softly in the light of the setting sun, but with no guests and her
parents gone, its design and low cut top seemed pointless with no one else
there to notice it. Still, the last rays of the sun felt wonderful on her fair
skin.
She could tell right away that she was losing
control. She knew that she no longer had the taste for wine, or the well
prepared meal in front of her that had gone cold half an hour ago. Her real
insatiable cravings, that were slowly consuming her every thought, simply would
not go away, and could not be ignored.
"Sevastien." She called out into the
empty room.
Within moments her servant entered the room and
stood politely off to the side and fully at attention. He spoke softly,
"Yes my lady?"
She set the goblet down on the table in front of
her. "A change of plans for tonight my dear. I think I will be going out."
She smiled to herself eagerly at the thought. Sevastien had been her servant
for many years. He knew what this meant.
"Understood. Shall I arrange a coach for
transportation?" Sevastien asked as she stood from her chair to face him.
His calm demeanor was why he was her favorite.
They had been living together for a long time. She knew she could trust him
with anything. Though dressed meticulously in his servant attire, he had an
unruly head of hair, graying slightly now after all these years, but never
losing its brown sheen. He stood patiently waiting for her response as she
looked him over. She could tell by his inability to look upon her that there
was that gleam in her soft blue eyes again. That insatiable hunger. He shifted
uncomfortably. She noticed, blinked several times as if to regain focus, then
looked away.
"No, thank you my dear." She finally
replied, twisting a long and beautiful black lock of her hair around a slender finger. She could feel her growing excitement. She looked back at him over her
shoulder playfully. "I think I'll walk."
Lady Angeline lived in her father's enormous
estate. Lord Raynold Solvari was his name. The Solvari family owned the second
largest property in all the city, almost entirely because they were responsible
for the largest exportation of uncut diamonds in the entire region. Though the
Solvari's were known for their secrets and seclusion, with many members of
their family leaving the estate as rarely as once a month, it was no secret
that they loved all manners of art. The hallways throughout the entire estate
were filled with elaborate paintings and priceless works of art. Statues of
relatives and great historic heroes, paintings of great landscapes, and
marvelous figurines cluttered the walls each competing for its own place within
the estate.
As she wove her way through the seemingly
endless hallways and corridors, glancing here and there at some of her favorite
pieces of art, Sevastien kept pace with her, quietly giving orders to other
servants on how to tidy up the estate for the evening. She reached the great
entrance hall. Her mother spent a great deal of money on this room's design. A
twin set of marble staircases led down to the main floor in the shape of a
large oval. In the center hung an enormous chandelier made of glass but with
diamonds embedded into the outside of the frame. If one were to look upon it
from afar, it would resemble a massive pear diamond in all of its sparkling
splendor. It was a shame that her parents were away on business for the rest of
the month. She loved going out with them when they were around.
"I am afraid that I might not be back until
morning." She reminded Sevastien as she began her decent down the marble
stairs. "Should that be the case, have my bedchamber prepared, I might
just sleep in 'til noon." she said chuckling to herself.
"Of course my lady. Everything will be in
order upon your return." Sevastien said reassuringly with a polite bow. Though Lady Angeline was far too wrapped up in her own mind to look his
way.
She stopped to admire her family's favorite painting while she grabbed her warm coat and
headed for the front entrance. Doing this had grown to become one of her
family's fondest customs. It was an immense
painting beautifully framed and displayed for all to see as they exited through the estate's front door. The painting was of a man in his late fifties, her
great-great grandfather, Antonious Solvari, standing in a dense redwood forest
full of great hills and caverns in the dead of night. A forest that still
surrounded their city to this day, with ancient trees some of which have been
standing for thousands of years. In the picture, Antonious was surrounded by a
pack of ferocious grey and black wolves. Wolves had all but fled these lands
now. They had been disappearing steadily for as long as anyone could remember.
People just assumed it was because of the constant expansions of a city being
established so close to their old dens. However, back in her great-great
grandfather's time, they roamed these lands in great packs. There seemed to be
dozens of them illustrated in the painting in great detail before her. All of
them snarling in the faint moonlight and closing in for the sure kill. However, the man depicted in the painting was far from afraid, in fact it would appear
that it was quite the opposite. Antonious was not even looking at the wolves at
all. Instead his eyes followed any person who chose to look upon him, no matter where
they chose to view the painting, and he stared at those who gazed upon him with
a knowing grin.
She knew just where she was headed. Her hunger
only increased as she made the long walk along the well paved cobblestone path.
The guards at the front entrance to her estate greeted her with a simple
"Madam," and a knowing nod as they opened the gates, flintlock rifles
close at their sides.
It seemed that the city was growing bigger every
day. There was never a dull moment and people came pouring in from all around the countryside. Though she lived well on its outskirts, she often ventured in during
nights likes these when she needed to get away. As she traversed the city
streets, full of busy citizens and with city watchmen posted on every other
block, she took in the changes in the atmosphere. She could taste the sweat of
men headed home from a long day's work. Smell the prepared suppers of those
waiting anxiously for their loved ones to arrive home safely. She was barely
able to control herself. Her pupils dilated as the hunger began to take over
and dominate her better judgement. Only through sheer willpower was she able to
continue on, mentally calming her less civil sensibilities. Making her way to
the more high-end establishments, she finally arrived at the place she desired.
An older but very well-known and frequented tavern, The Black Dog. She walked
inside with excitement clearly written across her face.
She absolutely loved this tavern! It seemed the
most intriguing people from every corner of the city gathered here to enjoy
their evenings with good company. The tavern was dimly lit with ample seating
for dining as well as a seated bar for ordering drinks. There were people
playing cards and gambling away their hard earned fortunes and others keeping
mostly to themselves. There was a large hearth in the back right corner and
above it, mounted on a sturdy wooden pedestal, was an exquisite carving of a
wild black dog. It was said that the tavern's original owner Mira was attacked
by a monstrous bear while traveling on the roads to this very city, alone and
nearly helpless, she considered fleeing her carriage and abandoning her goods
until a black dog came barreling out of the forest to her rescue and barked
viciously at the bear, staring it down with its wild brown eyes until the bear
retreated. Afterwards the dog followed the carriage until she reached the city,
guarding her from all that would do her harm and then disappeared back into the
forest, never to be seen again. It was stories like that, so full of mystery and
danger, that drew Angeline here instead of to other establishments.
"Well look who decided to stumble on in! I
thought I'd be long retired before you ever showed up here again Lady Angeline!
Welcome, do grace us with your stunning presence." Dale the current tavern
keeper said with a booming voice and a warm smile.
All eyes turned on her and many stayed to admire
her alluring beauty. She left her coat by the door and walked over to the bar
as if she knew everyone was still watching.
"Oh hush now Dale, I was only gone a few
weeks! You still have many years left in you before you will have to
retire!" She replied playfully, grinning with every syllable.
"Retire from work or from this good green
Earth?" He asked, and they both shared a laugh. "How is your dear
mother doing?" He asked. He was an older man now, a big rotund fellow with
a head full of gray hair and grayer whiskers coating his face.
"Esmeralda is doing very well, I will be
sure to tell her that you asked after her when she gets back." She glanced
around and could tell that most of the other patrons went back to their
business, a few eavesdroppers still listened in, but they talked openly anyway.
"So what can I do ya for tonight my
lady?" Dale asked casually, attempting to be formal with her again.
"Oh...I am not quite sure what I am
looking for just yet. How about you get me started with some of that mead I
can't get enough of while I try and decide." She replied with a wink.
"Of course my lady you just take as much
time as you need, I'll set you up with some of my famous 'honey water'."
He said, raising his eyebrows enthusiastically.
As he left to fetch her drink she turned to
watch some of the other patrons. She loved to watch people. She found it highly
amusing to see how much she could learn about someone without ever speaking to
them. As she sat there patiently, taking her mead in hand from Dale, she
overheard several of the other patrons but none seemed to catch her interest.
As her eyes explored the dimly lit tavern, she happened upon a reclusive man
whom she just could not take her gaze off of. She watched him with great
interest for a long time undisturbed. No one would here in this middle class tavern would
dare approach a lady uninvited.
He was well dressed. He sat by himself at a
small table for two in a corner by one of the tavern's windows. He had a drink
with him but he had not touched it in a while. When he was not peering out of
the window, he was scribbling words down in a small journal he kept on his
person. Most intriguing of all was that everyone else in here was dressed like
a well off merchant or businessman, he was not. In fact everything about him
was somehow...unusual. It was thrilling to Angeline, she had to know more.
Was this the one she would pick tonight? She ground her teeth slowly at the
thought, gripping her mug of mead until her knuckles turned white. The
anticipation was almost too much to bare.
He had short cropped brown hair with some facial
scruff. The man had probably been working all day she thought from the length
of his prickly beard. He seemed like he could have been a soldier or an off
duty city guard. He was well built, but not stocky. He wore a brown leather
jacket with a warm furry collar, probably to help shield against the chilled night air. He was well dressed and well kept, but unlike damn near everyone else in
here, he was not trying to flaunt it. There was nothing lavish about him. He
simply kept to himself. She could not wait any longer. She had to meet him. She
turned to the tavern keeper.
"Dale, I think I know what I will have
tonight." She informed him standing from the bar. He gave a nod and a
smile as he scratched at his beard and turned to take orders from other
customers.
Angeline walked coolly over to the man. He did
not seem to notice her until she was nearly right beside him. He looked up with
a curious expression, eyebrows furrowed as he was caught off guard. Yet he was
careful that his eyes met her own and did not linger elsewhere. Oh, she knew
she would like him already.
***
"Are you waiting for someone?" Lady Angeline asked, motioning to the window.
He followed her hand motion and took a little too long before he responded. No, I'm...I'm sorry I came here alone. Have I taken your usual table or something?" He asked hesitantly, taking a sip of his drink to avert his gaze.
"Not at all, I simply grew tired of the droll chatter at the bar and was looking for...better company." she flashed a disarming smile.
He coughed having almost choked on his drink. She took advantage of the moment and sat down without bothering to ask permission. Her dark dress gleaming in the soft light of the candle resting in the center of their quaint little table.
"I know this is forward of me. My name is Lady Angeline Sovari, my father owns the large estate not far from this place. I venture in here every so often, this is quite possibly my favorite establishment in the entire city!" He could tell that she was excited.
"I have heard of you before my lady, I am most honored to have you share a table with me this evening, I am Vincent Cardwell, I was born and raised on the east side of the city, where the old watermills used to be, down by the docks." He explained.
"Ah, yes I have heard of it but have never been! The waterfront I believe they call it!"
"That's right my lady." He replied as he tucked away his book sitting closed on the table. It was clear that he would not be using it again for a while.
"And what is it you were doing just now if I may ask? What is it you were writing in there?" She pointed, reaching across the table seemingly unabashedly at the chest pocket where he had put away the book. He reflexively followed her hand motions again. He got a strong whiff of her faint perfume as she reached across the table. It took him a few heartbeats to regain focus. He blinked it off and recovered very well however.
"It's a...uh...journal I keep for my work."
"May I?" She turned her outstretched hand over so it was palm up and smiled innocently.
"Listen, I'm terribly sorry my lady, but my work requires that I don't ever lose this, or share its contents with anyone." He said almost reluctantly. He got another hint of her perfume in the air when she turned her wrist. Her perfume was intoxicating. It pulled at something almost primal inside of him.
"My apologies then, may I instead ask what it is that you do? She asked seeming rather unimpressed.
"I'm a...mercenary of sorts."
"What does that mean exactly?"
"Well...people hire me to do jobs for them. If I do them to their satisfaction I get paid a handsome fee for my efforts."
"What kind of jobs do mercenaries typically get hired for?" She asked cocking her head slightly to the side with intrigue.
"Oh, all sorts of things. The more dangerous the job, the more they pay you for it." He replied. He rested his elbow comfortably on his side of the table.
"Dangerous you say?" Her soft blue eyes seemed to glimmer in the light and he was already having a hard enough time not staring at her. She was beyond gorgeous. "So you must be quite brave to willingly take on jobs like those."
Was it just his imagination or was she toying with him? "Or foolish." He replied with a chuckle. He sipped more of his drink.
"And why were you staring out the window so intently earlier?"
He stared out the window again and seemed deep in thought. "The moon is particularly clear tonight, there doesn't seem to be a cloud in sight. I was just thinking that it's not every night that you get to enjoy such a brilliant full moon." He finally replied while pointing.
"I know exactly what you mean." She said softly. Her elbow now resting on her side of the table as she leaned in to gaze up at the pale moon high in the sky. Vincent tried to look at her but was lost in a great mountain of her cleavage, her body bathed in the moons pale light, he almost had to slap himself to regain focus and pull his eyes up to her face.
"Would you...go for a walk with me Vincent?" He noticed she was staring at him. "The moonlight is so perfect tonight, we could walk among the redwoods and not even need a lamp." She was still staring at him. No, she was focusing her gaze very intently upon his lips as she started biting the corner of her own full bottom lip. Was it that easy? Did he just say 'yes' and they got up and left together?
"Sure," He heard himself answer. "I could go for a walk."
They got up and left together soon after. The chill of the night air was quite welcoming to him from the heat of the previous moments.
"Have you ever seen the south side on nights like these? The view from the forest is absolutely breath taking!" She was getting excited again.
"After you then my lady. I have no doubt I'll get us lost if I take the lead."
She chuckled at him and led the way through the winding streets as they made their way southward. They made idle small talk nearly the entire way. He was a very good conversationalist when he was not distracted by her incredible beauty and could focus on the paths ahead. They talked about the city life and about her occasional pursuits for interesting people. She asked all about him and where he grew up as well. He replied that he did not think he was all that interesting. But clearly she thought that was not the case, for she had picked him out of everyone in the tavern tonight.
Her pace quickened as they approached the southernmost entrance to the great redwood forest.
"It's been too long since I have been able to walk among these trees. Oh, I have surely missed them." She remarked as she wandered her way through the forest and he followed along behind her. She would slow down and admire a particularly tall or misshapen tree here and there as they walked, glancing back around to smile at him as they traveled deeper and deeper into the dense forest.
"My great-great grandfather was one of the first to explore these forests." She continued. "There are hundreds of hills and caverns everywhere. It was not far from here that I am told he found his first diamond. Deep inside one of these caves."
She looked ethereal in the pale moonlight. Its soft glow dancing off her smooth skin and sparkling with every twist and turn of her dress. Every curve of her body. "You know," She began as she slowed to a stop near a small clearing in the forest. "You are the first stranger I have meet in almost thirteen years who knows what I am." She said coyly. She was smiling at him, a short distance away. The light filtered through the trees behind her casting her face in an eerie shadow, but her eyes seemed to glow faintly through the dark.
He dropped his relaxed composure instantly. "How long have you known?" He asked evenly. He took a step to the side, setting his feet wider apart. A fighter's stance.
"From the beginning of course." She chuckled playfully and tilted her head to the side to keep strands of her long hair from covering her gorgeous blue eyes. "I could read what you were scribbling down in your little book." She smiled. A gorgeous smile, seductive and yet sweetly innocent at the same time.
His heart seemed to miss a beat. She could see what he had written down? She must have been thirty paces away when he was writing in that tavern, and he had been writing by candle light!
"Not all of it of course, though...let's see. 'Over seventeen missing persons that I have been led to believe had last frequented The Black Dog tavern.', 'fifteenth day of no real suspects or meaningful leads, will have to investigate from inside the establishment.', 'Tavern keeper is still the prime suspect.'" She recited the notes he had written for himself perfectly. She saw the expression of disbelief he gave her and clapped in applause for him. "I admire you Vincent. You were very close to being right. And all of that in just a few short weeks? You must be quite the...mercenary."
This time when she smiled, it was all teeth. Gleaming white elongating teeth, her smile stretched grotesquely wide and her whole body seemed to shudder as she let out a soft groan. Her teeth were getting longer, growing into sharp fangs as her jaws cracked and extended to allow room for their new fangs. Vincent took a step back, the horrible truth that he sought after was finally being realized. Trying to keep his composure, he looked down and reached into his jacket to produce the slender matchlock pistol he kept with him at all times. When he looked back up, she was gone.
He had only taken his eyes off of her for a second. He looked around trying to take in his surroundings and pin point where she could have gone. In the dead of night the pale moon was the only source of light as it flooded through the tall redwood trees. He needed proof. Proof of their existence to bring to his employers. If he could kill her while she was in this state, it would be enough to start a city-wide investigation. This was the hunt he was waiting for. Though he was certain, for the moment at least, he was not the one doing the hunting.
A voice sounded then, as he cautiously stepped between the trees in his search. It sounded like Angeline's, though it was almost hypnotic and far less human.
"Can you feel it? Can you taste it Vincent? The hunger." The voice seemed to start in one direction and end elsewhere. Could she really be moving that fast? "My great-great grandfather found the mining caves all those years ago. And with them...within their depths...he found so much more. Have you ever wondered why there are so few wolves left here now? They would gather in great numbers and attacking us on sight. They can sense it. The gifts that we possess. It drives them mad with fear."
He
stood still, waiting for the faintest sound of her movements. He lifted his
jacket collar to block against the chill night air. His pistol was lit. He was
ready.
"So
whatever this is, it runs in your bloodline. The entire Sovari family is
cursed! That's the reason for so much seclusion. You're all monsters of the
dark." He spat. Tired of her games. He heard a twig snap off in the
distance and turned to face the sound. He was ready!
"Monsters
of the dark..." She echoed. Chuckling once more. "Allow me to step
into the light." What he saw then, would haunt him until the end of his
days. A creature stepped out before him, one hundred paces from where he stood.
A tattered and ruined blue and black dress around her. Lanky pale arms with
long black, dog like hairs extended into long fingers with sharp menacing
claws. A slightly hunched back revealed an impressively strong chest and neck.
Angeline's face was inhuman. An extended jaw revealed wicked canines and
extremely sharp fangs. Her eyes glowed a soft blue, and she sniffed the air as
if she could smell him quite easily from that distance. Her pupils were almost
fully dilated and she shuddered visibly with an insatiable hunger. A low rumble
came from her lips. Turning into a steady, menacing growl.
"I...need
to taste your flesh." She mumbled almost unable to speak anymore.
Vincent could hardly think, could hardly breathe. Monsters were not supposed to
be real! He raised his gun to her. At this range he might miss. He would only
get one shot before it was too late. She saw him raise the gun, and charged at
him. With unnerving speed. She was laughing, joyous laughter, it sounded
freeing.
She
closed the distance between them with great loping strides. Sixty yards. Thirty
yards. Vincent fired his weapon, hitting her square in the chest. The creature
shrieked in pain and crashed to the ground before him and, after a moment of
writhing in pain, lay quite still. Vincent let out a visible sigh of relief. He
almost laughed to himself. He tucked away his pistol after disposing of the
spent igniter and approached the beast, drawing a long dagger he kept tucked
against his leg.
"I
am sorry, Lady Angeline, but unfortunately my employers need proof or else this
whole nightmare will have just been a waste." He knelt down before her,
examining the still creature. He poked her with his long dagger, just to be
safe. "It's finally over." He said with another sigh of relief. He
stepped over her and moved to roll her onto her back when he felt something
grab onto his leg, and experienced intense pain as something squeezed and his bone snapped.
He screamed in shock as he collapsed to the ground beside her body, he looked
down to see one of her clawed hands locked around his once sturdy leg. She
lifted her face up then, cold glowing blue eyes staring into his warm brown
ones. Her gaping maw dripping with an insatiable hunger as she pulled him in
close by his broken leg. He screamed in agony as he tried helplessly to flail
and kick his shattered limb loose.
"Please no! Don't!" He cried out in
vain, his struggling only made her grip tighten. "Angeline, stop this!
Please!" He trembled with sheer terror as she dragged him in. "People
will know that I'm missing!" He doubted she could speak even if she wanted
to, so clearly lost in her desires as she was. He tried frantically to stab her with the
long dagger in his hand and after several attempts it sunk into her shoulder and she howled in pain. Faster than he could possibly react she reached across with
her other clawed hand and grabbed him firmly by the wrist. Yanking hard, she
pulled him so that they were almost face to face. For a single moment in time,
all was still under the pale moonlight. He looked at her, and she look at him.
The chill night air rushed by, and just the sounds of his heavy breathing
disturbed the silence of the night. Then she ripped him to pieces.
***
It was late the next afternoon when she awakened in her bed. Tired, naked and filthy. Vincent's tattered journal rested unopened on her nightstand. She had definitely been out all night. As she started to sit up she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder, she looked to discover it had been bandaged along with a smaller bandage just above her breast. They would heal in a few days' time. She headed to the latrine, where she was pleasantly surprised by a hot bath awaiting her. Sevastien always had good timing. It was one of the many reasons why she liked him so much. She washed up, carefully cleaning the dirt and filth off her smooth pale skin, dressed herself in a comfortable white dress of the latest fashion, and made her way to the dining hall. There, Sevastien was patiently waiting for her with a welcome smile and a polite bow.
"Good afternoon, Lady Angeline! It is a pleasant surprise to see you up so early!"
She laughed at his playfulness. "Would you believe it?" She asked him with a gorgeous and beaming smile only matched by her natural beauty. "I'm absolutely famished!"
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