Raising a hand to touch her lips, Katherine was shocked to see that her fingers too were wet with blood. It was clear that she had claimed another victim, but this time she had lost her composure and gone too far. She could have sworn that she felt her heart skip a beat, but it hadn't beaten for years and was as dead as it had been for the past few decades. It was unusual for her to kill her meal, but it wasn't the first time that she was forced to clean up after herself.
Katherine's existence as a vampire was unpredictable at best, a constant battle between the beast inside of her and her remaining humanity that had already begun to dwindle as the years went by. It became increasingly difficult for her to care for those who had such short lifespans, especially when compared to the endless nights of a being such as herself; one who transcended the passage of time. Mortals were so insignificant in comparison, yet they still had that spark of life that her kind lacked, making them interesting curiosities if nothing more. She could recall a time in her life when she had actually loved and cared for human beings, but the strain of remembering those moments was becoming too great to be worthwhile.
In the corner of her eye, Katherine caught a glimpse of a leather boot lying on the rug by the side of the bed. As unusual as it seemed, she quietly prayed that it belonged to her victim and that their body was still lying back there. She hoped that they hadn't somehow gotten away to tell the tale, exposing her to the world for the predator that she was, but she knew deep inside that it wouldn't be the case.
Creeping towards the end of the bed, Katherine peered over the edge and tried to see what was back there without getting too close. What she saw splayed over the floor confirmed the fear that she had indeed killed again, as a fresh and barely recognisable corpse awaited her, its clothing in a much worse state than her own. The fabric and the flesh beneath it was torn and shredded, as if the man lying there had been savaged by a wild animal, his three piece suit and frilled shirt all but destroyed. It was a truly horrific sight to behold, one that was far too similar to the nightmares that haunted her on a daily basis to be a mere coincidence.
There was something familiar about the scene in front of Katherine that sparked a memory that had been lost within the depths of her mind until now. It was a memory of a pretty, blonde haired girl staring into a shattered mirror within a very odd looking room. The lights were a pure bright white that hummed with whatever magic kept them alight, the broken glass beneath them glistening like diamonds. Behind the pale faced figure, within a stall of some sort, lay a body similar to that of Katherine's own victim. It was battered, bruised and bloody, yet somehow still alive. What wasn't clear was whether or not the girl had been the one to harm them, as she looked far too innocent to commit such an act.
As strange as the room was, the girl's clothes were stranger still, with an unusual design that Katherine had never seen before. The fabric was torn and bloody in a similar manner to her own dress, like she too had undergone some sort of physical struggle. The girl's big blue eyes turned to stare back at her, her thick eyebrows raised in surprise and lips smeared red. Katherine somehow knew this person with a certain familiarity, as if they were old friends, yet she couldn't recall ever meeting her before. For some reason their destinies had been intertwined, although their paths had remained separate at least for the time being.
As vivid an experience as it was, Katherine knew that the memory couldn't belong to her, as the place that she laid eyes upon was far too bizarre to be anywhere within the Americas or the old world from whence she came. Taken aback by what she had seen within her mind, Katherine stumbled backwards a few steps, managing to catch herself before she could trip over her own dress. It was then that everything came to her all at once, bursting open the flood gates that had held the torrent at bay. The image of the blonde haired girl was quickly washed away by the current, soon replaced by much more recent events.
Katherine was faced with the realisation that she wasn't the only monster in the room, she was merely the one who had survived. The man on the floor had been known to her, quite well in fact. He was a vampire like her and part of Renita's inner circle, yet he wanted far more from her than she was willing to give. She had known people like him before, the type who wouldn't take no for an answer, but she was no longer willing to let them take advantage of her. Katherine was an extremely different person to whom she had been in life and as far as she was concerned, she was all the better for it. The consequences of his death would be great, yet they were still preferable to any alternative that had been presented to her thus far.
A sudden knock at the door signalled the arrival of another, yet Katherine had no time to think or respond before a voice called out through the woodwork. "Louis? Is everything alright in there? We heard screaming!"
Katherine instantly knew who the woman was, her stomach twisting as she began to realise the full extent of her situation. "Oui… He is present..." She couldn't stop the words from slipping out of her mouth, the guilt that she now felt beginning to weigh heavily on her mind.
Without warning, the door burst open, the weight of it crashing against the wall as three figures entered the room, a fourth standing just behind them and keeping to the shadows. Katherine knew each of them personally, having spent a great deal of time together in the colonies and New Orleans.
"Katherine! What in God's name are you doing in here?" The masked woman at the front of the group demanded, her porcelain face like a ghost in the night. "Where is my brother?"
Renita Marquette had been Katherine's friend for some time now, but she had never laid eyes upon the aristocrat's true face. It was always hidden behind a doll-like mask that remained eerily still, the brown curls of her hair near flawless. She looked so small in her overly laced dress, flanked by two tall men with their velvet jackets and silk cravates.
Philippe and Vincent were as handsome as they came; twin brothers who looked similar, yet so very different. One was blue eyed with blond hair that he kept tied back in a ponytail, where the other let his long brown hair flow free, his dark eyes like those of a wild animal. Both were clean shaven, tall and quite slim; the perfect catch for any woman who was so inclined, but to Katherine they were just close allies.
The poor creature at the back was Antoinette, the hunchbacked fiend to whom immortality had not been quite so kind. Her red eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, her grey mottled flesh blending into the shadows with ease.
Renita caught sight of the crimson pools on the floor and ran towards the bed, her voice panicked as she picked up the scent of blood. "Louis!" she shrieked, falling to her knees by her brother's side. Grasping at a body that had already begun to rapidly decay, she screamed hysterically, paying no mind to who or what would overhear. "What did you do to him? What did you do?!?"
Katherine didn't move a muscle, knowing full well that Renita's entourage would prevent her from leaving, by use of force if they had to. They may have been her friends too, but they followed their duchess with unquestioning loyalty, like some sort of hareem. Vincent had already positioned himself in front of the door, while his brother moved to comfort the crying wreck who was now holding little more than a soupy mess in her gloved hands.
As for Antoinette, there was no longer any sight nor sound of her, but she was likely to be somewhere close by, ready and waiting to prevent any escape attempt. All Katherine could do was wait to be judged, her fate growing more dire by the second. There was no telling what the grieving sister would do in her current state, especially in the presence of the murderer.
Unsure as to what she should do to ease her situation, Katherine was fully aware that her chances of survival were slim. However, she still cared for these people with whom she shared a common kinship and wanted nothing but their forgiveness. She hadn't intended to kill Louis, but he had triggered something inside of her that she had no control over, paying the ultimate price. "Renita, I am sorry… I…"
"Silence!" Phillipe's booming command halted her mid sentence as he turned to gl
are with anger burning in his eyes.
Vincent snarled, making his presence known as he continued to block the doorway. There would be no getting past him, his speed and strength too great to overcome.
Another minute passed before Renita managed to stand, positioning herself by the bedpost for support with gloves saturated in gore. It was clear that she was struggling as she leant against the wooden frame, her lifeless mask unable to depict the raw emotion beneath.
"Katherine…" she muttered, pausing for dramatic effect, or perhaps to consider her words carefully. "What have you done?"
There was no obvious answer to the question, at least not one that wouldn't place her deeper in trouble, but Katherine had to try to explain herself regardless. "I am truly sorry, Renita, I really am… It was an accident, I swear it.” She wasn't feeling calm by any means, her reply born of desperation more than anything else. “I did not mean to kill him, but he gave me little choice and I... I snapped."
Renita started to shake as her black eyes stared Katherine down, her body quivering with fury. “Louis loved you with all his heart... And this is how you repay him? You butchered my own brother!”
Standing by his duchess's side, Phillipe matched her gaze with quiet indignation. He lay a hand on the hilt of his lion pommeled sword, signifying that he was ready to act if the order came. One of the drapes by the bay window moved so slightly that it was barely noticeable, but it was enough to let Katherine know that Antoinette was still present and within arms reach.
Knowing full well that her only chance lay with her reasoning and appealing to their friendship, Katherine tried her best to clarify what had actually occurred. "Renita, please listen… I know that he is your brother and that you love him, but he was not the man that you believed him to be." As surprising as it was, the duchess didn't make any attempt to interrupt, allowing her to continue. "He forced himself upon me... I tried to tell him no, but he did not listen. I assure you that his advances were unwarranted, but that did not matter to him one bit."
Unfortunately, Renita remained unmoved and was seemingly unconvinced by any attempts to sway her opinion. The siblings had never been that close and had never confided in each other, but they loved each other all the same. "Do you expect me to believe anything that you say? All I hear are lies coming from your mouth. We should have never placed our trust in a piece of garbage such as you." Her hands were animated as she spoke, her outrage plainly obvious to all those present. "I am not blind to the evidence within this room, nor the fact that you were here in the first place! You clearly led my brother on and then grew bored when he refused to be another of your conquests…"
"That was not how it happened!" Katherine did what she could to defend herself, but it was impossible to gain the support of those who stood against her.
"Ta gueule!" Phillipe exclaimed, taking a large stride towards her. "We have heard enough of your lies!" He raised a hand as if to strike her, but managed to restrain himself at the last second.
Vincent growled audibly, stepping further into the room himself. He never was much of a talker, at least in comparison with his brother, but there was a ferocity behind his actions that made people think twice before crossing him.
The red glow of Antoinette's eyes could be seen in the reflection of the nearby mirror, her twisted form just a couple of feet behind Katherine and ready to strike.
Taking a few steps forwards, Renita pushed past her tall, handsome companion and positioned herself between them all. Her attention was entirely focused on Katherine, her real eyes now visible within the black holes of her mask. “You are lucky that I do not have them kill you where you stand!” She took a deep and unnecessary breath in between sentences, as if she were attempting to pacify her rage. "But know this, Katherine… From this night on, we are through. The rest of us will be leaving Louisiana for good. We are going to leave without you, but do not even think about trying to follow. You are no longer part of our family and will never be welcome among us. It would be unwise to show your face to any of us ever again."
The duchess's words cut deeper than any knife. Katherine's entire existence had revolved around their social circle for years, and as Renita had said, they were as close to a family as any of them would ever have again. The fact that she would now be an outcast from them brought her nothing but misery.
It had been so long since Katherine had been on her own that she had forgotten her former independence. She had no idea how to survive without others by her side, and it had been so long since she last laid eyes upon Shani that she had no idea where to find her. The sense of loss that she felt was overwhelming and she knew that without her friends to support her, she would lose a little more of her humanity each night.
Katherine was hurt and not thinking straight, her feelings of rejection spewing from her lips in the form of insults. “You may try to act like a future queen, Renita… but there is not a single morsel of royal blood in those cold, dead veins!”
Gathering her allies around her, Renita dismissed Katherine with a wave of her hand. “And you think that there is in you? You are nothing but a whore, Katherine! You always were and always will be!” She proceeded to lead her small procession out of the bedroom and back down the landing from which they had entered.
Antoinette followed her duchess without a sound, with Philippe close behind. Neither of them stopped to look back at Katherine, acting as though she no longer existed. None of them except for Vincent that is, who took his time to give her one final look. He inclined his head in a manner that would usually denote respect, a gesture that struck her as highly unusual considering the circumstances.
Before a single word could be shared between them, he too made his exit, ducking his head under the door frame as he closed it behind him. There was a certain finality to his actions, as if that was to be the last Katherine ever saw of them. It was with that realisation that her loneliness began to truly set in, a feeling of abandonment beginning to eat away at her brain.
Left to stew in self loathing and regret, Katherine couldn't help but feel angry at herself for all that had happened. She was upset that she had ruined everything that she had worked so hard to achieve. Perhaps if she had just given into Louis' desires and accepted his proposition, then everything would have remained the same and she would still have a place to belong.
The fact that the thought even crossed her mind made Katherine sick. After all, she wasn't the one at fault. It wasn't her fault that the man was a pervert with an insatiable appetite for preying on women; she had never wanted that kind of attention. Maybe she could have dealt with the situation with a little more tact, but she had never wanted to unleash the beast upon him, it was just part of her nature.
It didn't take long for the sadness to be erased by a rising sense of hatred, tempered by the resentment of those who had renounced her. Katherine knew that none of it was really her fault, it was all Louis's, and Renita would have let him get away with it. How dare they all stand by the duchess and frame her as the villain, not that she wanted to be labelled as a victim either. If it was an antagonist they were after, then she would give them exactly that. Even if it took a hundred years, she would do everything within her power to get back at them. She would show Renita and her blind followers what it meant to betray her. She would show them all.
**********
Alice awoke from her days slumber in confusion, tucked away within the relative safety of a campervan that had seen better days, but by some miracle was still running. Her dreams had revealed to her another part of Katherine's past, but now she was beginning to wonder if her own mind was altering them in some way, shape or form. She found it hard to believe that Katherine had seen an image of her within her mind so long before they had ever met face to face.
Such a vision should have been impossible, as although the two of them were linked through their shared blood, the awful events within the diner's bathroom had occurred long before Alice had been turned. Perhaps this was a sign that he
r path had always been predetermined and that she never had a real say about anything in her life. She didn't want to believe it, but she had to consider the possibility that there was no such thing as free will and that all of her actions had already been dictated by fate.
No. Alice had to believe that she was still free to choose. After all, it was just a dream and she shouldn't accept everything that she saw within it as fact. She wondered if the memories had been merged with her own experiences, mainly because Katherine's predicament reminded her of the similar ordeal that she herself had experienced. They had both been assaulted as their attackers thought them to be defenseless and had both lost control, fighting for their survival with tooth and nail. The broken mirror, the crimson pools of blood and the beaten bodies lying motionless; they were all parallels that linked the events through time.
If the dream hadn't been changed and was the exact memory of what Katherine had been through, had she somehow received a glimpse of the future? It was a power that she had claimed not to have, which was the reason that she hunted Alice down, wanting to claim the gift of foresight for herself. Did that mean that Katherine would steal the ability in the future, sending ripples back through her own timeline? Or had Alice unwittingly revealed herself as an observer as she delved into her old mentor's past? The lines between fact and fiction were beginning to blur, and she was no longer sure if she could trust anything that she saw.
After witnessing what had happened to Katherine all those years ago, it was only natural that Alice felt a connection to her. However, they had both dealt with a similar situation in completely different ways, and she felt pity for the woman who had taken a much darker path. She knew that Katherine wouldn't want her pity, as she hated being pitied by anyone, but it was hard not to feel that way when someone with so much potential had been corrupted by such negative events.
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