by Amy Cross
My voice faded as I saw that it was too late. Stepping back, I realized she was dead. The whole room seemed so still, and as I turned and looked around, I saw the bodies of her courtiers all around.
“Go where?” I whispered. “What am I supposed to -”
“I have to deal with my brother,” I suddenly remembered Matthias saying, “but I know exactly where to find him. It's rather poetic, somehow, that he's seen fit to take up residence in the old Zieghoff mansion.”
“The Zieghoff mansion?” I muttered, trying to work out where I'd heard that name before. “What's the -”
Suddenly it came to me. I remembered Belinda mentioning that place. It was somewhere outside the city, some kind of abandoned house that had been causing controversy. I wanted to run, to go back to London and pretend that none of the madness had ever happened, but at the same time I was starting to realize that no matter where I went, I couldn't escape. If Jackson was part of what had been happening, I'd never be able to trust anyone again, even in England. Despite the fear in my chest, I knew I had to at least take a look at the Zieghoff place and find out what was really happening.
Turning, I began to make my way toward the archway.
And then I stopped.
Behind me, there was a faint, low shuffling sound.
I hesitated, telling myself that I must be imagining the whole thing, and then slowly I turned. At first, the room was too dark for me to see anything other than Antoinette's body still resting on the throne, but a moment later I spotted a hint of movement in the shadows. Raising my phone so I could use its light, I saw to my horror that several of the dead courtiers on the ground were now stirring.
One of them turned to me, and I saw thick puncture wounds on his neck. As soon as he saw me, he opened his mouth, revealing two large, sharp fangs, and he began to let out a faint hiss.
Stepping back, I looked around and saw that all the dead courtiers were stirring, as if somehow they'd been woken from death. They were moving slowly, as if their bodies were still stiff, but one by one they were starting to get to their feet.
“I told you,” Antoinette said suddenly, “to run.”
Turning, I saw to my horror that she too had begun to rise. A smile crossed her lips, and I saw that she was now baring a pair of fangs.
“Hugo's followers turned us,” she continued, stepping off her throne as her courtiers slowly rose all around her. “Unfortunately, that means we are now bound to him. We have no choice. His bidding is our only care.”
Stepping back, I saw that all the courtiers were now on their feet. Still moving slowly and stiffly, they began to turn and face me. I knew I had to run, but for a moment I felt frozen in place, as if I didn't dare move.
“I'm so sorry,” Antoinette said with a grin, “I hate to do this, Chloe, but...” She turned to her men. “Take her down.”
As soon as the courtiers started shuffling toward me, I turned and hurried out into the corridor, only to see that another dead man was making his way along the corridor, blocking my way out.
Suddenly the buzzing sound flared in my ear, causing me to step back as I felt a flash of pain.
“The other way!” Matthias's voice hissed. “Chloe, there's another way out, but you have to trust me! Run!”
Still barely able to believe what I was seeing, I backed away from the archway as the other courtiers began to come through.
“This isn't real,” I whispered, hoping against hope that I might suddenly wake up from a nightmare. “None of this is real.”
“Chloe!” Matthias's voice shouted. “Run!”
Turning, I started hurrying along the dark corridor, heading deeper and deeper beneath the bridge. I glanced over my shoulder and saw that although the courtiers were still following me, they seemed not to be able to move too fast, which at least allowed me to get around the next corner and hurry along another corridor.
“At the end,” Matthias's voice continued, “there should be a right turn. Go that way, and the ground will start sloping up again. It'll be pitch black, you won't be able to see anything, but you just have to trust me. At the next turn, you need to -”
The buzzing sound flared again, and for a moment I heard him screaming.
“I need to what?” I asked, turning right and making my way through the darkness, with only my phone's screen to light the way. “Matthias, what do I do then?”
Reaching the next junction, I waited, but all I could hear in my thoughts was an intermittent buzzing sound, as if Matthias was screaming.
“Which way?” I asked, trying not to panic. “I don't know where to go!”
“Go?” another voice said suddenly in my head, with a hint of amusement in his tone. “You don't have to go anywhere, Chloe. Just wait right there, and my men will be along to help you.”
“Who are you?” I asked, stepping back.
“Don't you recognize me?” the voice asked. “You sadden me, Chloe. We were once such good friends. Oh, it feels so good to finally be in your thoughts again.”
Turning, I saw something moving in the darkness. Holding my phone up, I realized that the courtiers, although still slow, were getting faster as they gained on me.
“Matthias is dying,” the voice sneered. “You didn't think he'd actually be able to stop me, did you? For everything you destroyed, Chloe, you must now pay a heavy price. For Judith, for all the pain. For how she died. Did you really think I'd let you get away with it?”
“I don't know what you're talking about,” I stammered, before looking along the two empty corridors. Figuring that I should take the one that sloped upward, I began to hurry away from the advancing courtiers, even as the buzzing sound returned to my mind. It was as if Matthias was reaching out to me again, blocking the other voice from my thoughts.
Trying not to panic, I made my way along the next corridor, and then the next, but I was starting to think that I'd taken the wrong route. Finally, however, I spotted a patch of light ahead, and to my relief I found another gap in the wall, leading out to a patch of barren soil near the main road. I had to climb over some rocks and other rubble first, but after a moment I reached out to -
Suddenly I heard a loud hissing sound over my shoulder, and I turned just as one of the courtiers lunged at me from the shadows. Falling back, I slammed against the wall, hitting the back of my head. The courtier grabbed my shoulders and started pulling me down, and I watched in horror as he leaned closer to me, baring his fangs. The gap in the wall was just a couple of feet away, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't manage to get free of the courtier's grasp.
Slamming my knee into his chest, I managed to push him away slightly, but he grabbed me again as I lunged toward the hole in the wall. He was able to overpower me quickly, pulling me down into the shadows, but at the last moment I managed to grab the edge of a rock and start hauling myself up. The courtier quickly pinned me against the wall, and when I reached up and put my hands against his chest, I found that I was powerless to push him away. I moved my hands up to his neck, but he was far too strong.
“Please,” I gasped, “stop...”
He leaned closer.
Squeezing his neck tighter, I focused on trying to slam his head against the wall, figuring that maybe I could knock him out. After a moment, however, I realized that he was still too powerful. I started pushing him away, and finally I was able to shove him toward the gap in the wall. He was still holding me down, and I knew I needed to find some other way to escape, but suddenly I realized that the courtier was starting to let out a low, pained gasp.
Seeing that I'd inadvertently pushed part of his face into the sunlight that was streaming through the gap in the wall, I watched as his flesh started to burn. He seemed to be in pain, and his grip on me was loosening a little, so I pushed him further into the light. With my hands still around his neck, I saw his flesh charring and cracking, and finally he let go of me entirely, as if he was desperate to get away from the light. Too shocked to react, I simply stared at him as m
ore and more flesh began to ripple and burn across his features.
Suddenly he screamed, desperately trying to pull away from me. I let go of his neck, but flames were starting to flare across one side of his face and blood dripped down from his mouth. He recoiled into the shadows and I turned, quickly scrambling through the gap in the wall. I could still hear the creature's pained cries, but I didn't look back, not until I'd managed to get several meters away, at which point I turned to see that there was no sign of the other courtiers coming after me. As the agonized scream continued, I realized that morning sunlight was holding them back, forcing them to stay in the shadows.
My hands were trembling and in my mind's eye I could still see the creature's hideous face as it burned. It would have been one thing if I'd simply imagined such a thing, but I'd felt its hands on my skin, and I'd noticed the foul smell of its breath.
It was real.
It had to be real.
Looking past the road, I could see the city of Paris gleaming in the distance, its lights already dazzling beneath the brightening sky. As much as I wanted to run, I knew that once night fell again, I couldn't possibly be safe. With a heavy heart, I realized I only had one other option.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Matthias
“Where are you?” I called out as I limped along yet another corridor, heading deeper and deeper into the heart of the mansion. “Hugo! Why drag this out? You know I'm dying! No matter how ravaged and weak you might be, you have to realize that I pose no threat!”
Reaching the old ballroom, I listened for some hint of my brother's presence. After a moment, however, I couldn't help but feel struck by the fact that the mansion had fallen into disrepair. I remembered grand nights as Zieghoff's guest, back when I had fewer cares in the world. Back when I could turn a blind eye to the horrors of the world. Before someone changed me. Stepping forward, I was about to go and look at the old piano when, suddenly, my right leg gave way and I dropped to the floor.
A fresh surge of pain raced through my chest, but on this occasion the discomfort was mercifully brief.
Slowly, I stood again.
“Have you heard the sound of the prophecy asserting itself?” I called out, convinced that wherever Hugo was hiding, he'd be able to hear me. “You can't fight it, Hugo. Neither of us can. Any time we try to change the course of events, the fabric of fate itself pushes back. The cycle can't be broken. That's what the whistling sound means. It's a way for the prophecy to gently steer us back on course. Or not so gently, in some cases.”
Making my way across the ballroom, I looked around, but there was still no sign of him.
“Why don't you make your move, then?” I asked, wincing as fresh pain rippled through my chest. Reaching the door at the far end of the room, I limped through and found myself in the old banquet hall. Still, however, Hugo was keeping out of sight, although I could sense his presence nearby. I paused for a moment, letting the air settle, reaching out with my mind and searching for him.
Suddenly I felt him push back.
I turned, but there was still no sign of him.
Still, I definitely had his attention, which was important since I needed to keep his focus on me, at least while I waited for Chloe to be ready.
“Why don't we talk?” I asked. “I know you came up with some grand plan, Hugo, but even in the depths of madness you must realize it's doomed to failure. The only person to blame for what happened is Zieghoff, and he's dead now. Although perhaps I should take some responsibility as well. I made mistakes, and I didn't step up when I should have.”
I waited.
Silence.
“Hugo?” I continued. “I'm sorry! Is that what you want to hear? Don't blame Chloe for what happened! If you can't blame Zieghoff, then blame me! I'm here, and I'm dying, and I want to make sure you don't do something foolish! You can't change what happened, and you can't change what's about to happen, but there's still time to chase the darkness from your heart! It doesn't have to end like this. You can still -”
Before I could finish, I heard a faint bumping sound over my shoulder. I turned, just as my brother bit down hard on the side of my neck.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chloe
It had taken all day, but I'd finally found the place. The sun had begun to set, filling the sky with shades of red and orange, as I made my way through the deserted park. Ahead, silhouetted against the evening sky, stood the huge, abandoned Zieghoff mansion.
I couldn't help looking over my shoulder every few seconds, just in case a figure appeared, but so far I seemed to be alone. It had taken so long to locate the mansion, and then to find my way to the surrounding park, and now that I'd arrived I was starting to wonder whether I was making a huge mistake. The silence of the park, which I'd initially found comforting, now seemed a little foreboding, almost as if all other life had retreated from the area.
Up ahead, the dark mansion awaited. The place appeared completely deserted, but the ringing sensation in my ears was getting stronger and I felt certain that Matthias was somewhere nearby.
By the time I got to the bottom of the steps that led up to the front of the large house, I realized that turning and running was no longer possible. I'd been steered toward the mansion, and all my other escape routes had been blocked. I couldn't go back to my apartment or to London, because clearly Jackson was somehow involved in the madness, and I couldn't go to the police because, again, dark forces seemed to be waiting for me there too.
My only hope, I figured, was that I was indeed losing my mind, in which case I needed to force the issue.
And then, of course, there was the possibility that scared me the most. The idea that it was all really happening, that Matthias and Antoinette and all those other figures really were what they claimed to be. After all, I'd been attacked by one of Antoinette's courtiers, and I could still feel where the man's clammy dead hands had grabbed hold of me. Somehow, deep down, I was starting to accept that the vampiric courtiers, and everything else, had been real.
Either way, I had to know for sure.
Forcing myself to start walking up the steps, I felt a heavy, crushing sensation in my chest. I'd been scared before in my life, but never truly terrified. Part of me still wanted to turn and run, but part of me had found a new sense of strength from somewhere, and finally I reached the top of the steps and saw the mansion's courtyard ahead.
The reddening sky cast long, warm shadows all around. I paused for a moment, feeling as if I was being watched, and then after a moment I spotted a figure sitting nearby on top of an old, damaged stone plinth. Although she was several meters above me, I recognized the figure immediately.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, stepping closer.
Belinda turned and looked down at me, with tears in her eyes.
“He told me to sit here and wait for you,” she replied, “so that's what I'm doing. It's not like I have a choice.”
“Who?” I asked, stopping at the foot of the plinth and staring up at her. “Who's telling you what to do?”
“His name is Hugo,” she continued, wiping away her tears. “You should run, Chloe. I'll have to stop you, of course, because that's what he told me to do, but... You should run. And when I come after you, please... Try to find a way to kill me. Maybe try driving a stake through my heart. That's supposed to be a way to kill vampires, isn't it?”
“You have to help me,” I told her. “I don't know what's happening, but the whole world seems to be going crazy.”
“He's not right in the head,” she replied. “He's obsessed, and angry, and he keeps lashing out.”
“Who?”
“I already told you! Hugo!”
“I don't know anyone named Hugo!”
“Well, he knows you,” she continued, her voice trembling with fear. “That's what this has all been about. He's after revenge.”
“Revenge?” I took a deep breath. “That's insane. How can someone I haven't even met want revenge? I've never
done anything to hurt anyone in my life!”
“That's not how he sees it.”
“Belinda, please -”
Before I could finish, I heard a sudden, loud scream from somewhere inside the building. Somehow, I instantly knew that the scream was Matthias's. I didn't know whether to feel horrified, or relieved that at least – for now – he was still alive.
“There he goes again,” Belinda said with a sigh. “They're brothers, did you know that? Matthias seems okay, kind of hot, but Hugo...” She shuddered. “Hugo's out of his mind. I can't even begin to imagine what could do that to someone, but it's as if all the rage and anger of the world has been funneled through him and it's started to burst into the open.” She paused, before reaching up and touching her face. “You can see it,” she added, with a hint of disbelief in her voice. “It's as the fury burned so bright in his soul, it began to destroy his body. How is that even possible? How can someone be so angry?” She tilted her head a little as she peered at me. “How did you make him so angry?”
“I don't know what you're talking about!” I hissed. “I swear, I've never met anyone named Hugo before! He must have got the wrong person! This must just be a case of mistaken identity.”
Slipping down from the plinth, Belinda landed in front of me. Her face was pale and her features seemed more gaunt than before.
“You have to understand,” she said calmly, despite the tears in her eyes, “that I can't disobey him. He did this to me. He killed me, and then he brought me back, and that makes him my master. So if I do awful things to you, Chloe, if I hurt you, if I allow others to hurt you, please don't hate me. Please understand that even though I'm still me, I can't resist his orders.” Tears started streaming down her face. “Promise you won't hate me for all the things I'm about to do to you. Please, Chloe, you have to promise.”
I took a step back, but she immediately reached out and grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but she was holding me too tight.