Dead Souls Volume Three (Parts 27 to 39)

by Amy Cross

  “What else did I tell you?” he asked, with a flicker of anger in his eyes.

  “Edgar -”

  “It's important. I need to know whether I lied to you, or whether I trusted you enough to tell you the truth. Did I mention any names, or any places?”

  “You...” She paused, trying to remember the conversation. “Someone named Cassandra, I think... And Patrick? A place named Gothos, a city... Anthion, or something like that? Sepphos?” She waited for a reply, but from the look on his face, she could tell that she'd said something that had struck at his core. “So did you lie to me in the future, or do those names mean something to you?”

  “They mean something,” he replied, clearly shocked. “They mean a great deal, but... Why would I tell you about them? It makes no sense.”

  “I don't know, but you did.”

  “The war was pure,” he continued. “It was a time when all vampires came together and showed where they stood. Some of the lesser races tried to take part, but we barely even noticed their pathetic efforts. We strode the dark-lands that spread out from Gothos and we tore down our enemies wherever we found them. Their blood flowed into our mouths and we rejoiced, and then we kept going, losing ourselves in the battle for years at a time. Can you imagine how it feels to go from something like that, to... this?” He turned to look back toward the mansion, which could be seen many miles away, its lights burning through the night. “Can you imagine how petty and unimportant everything seems now?”

  “You're not the first person who's come back from a war and found it hard to settle back into his old life,” she pointed out.

  “Do not compare me to the soldiers from your wars,” he replied. “That would be like comparing an ant to an elephant.”

  “You told me you lost people in the war,” she continued. “You told me you lost friends, and that whole cities were destroyed, cities you cared about.”

  “I did not lose anyone,” he said, turning back to her. “They died in battle, which only made them greater. Sometimes I feel that I should have done the same, but the gods chose to let me live.”

  “And now you find yourself wondering why they chose you?”

  “Did I tell you that in the future too?”

  “No,” she replied, “I just... I think I see it in your eyes.”

  He paused for a moment, before looking down at the ground. “Where is this entrance?” he asked. “Show me.”

  “It should be right here,” she replied. “In the future, this is where it is, but -”

  “Stand back.”

  “Edgar, it's not -”

  “Get out of my way,” he told her, getting to his knees and starting to tear at the soil with his bare hands.

  “Edgar, I don't think you can -”

  “It might just have grown over,” he continued. “If this chamber truly does exist, it certainly hasn't been used for many years, and it might even have been hidden.”

  “It exists, Edgar,” she told him. “Why would I lie?”

  “I don't think for one second that you're lying,” he replied, pulling more soil from the ground, “and if I believed you to be mistaken, I would not be on my hands and knees, trying to -”

  Suddenly he stopped, as if he'd found something.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  Pulling another section of soil away, Edgar reached his hand through the gap and felt around for a moment. “A passageway,” he said finally, with a hint of awe in his voice. “The walls are solidly constructed, with stone mixed into the soil.” He tore another section away, before leaning through and peering into the darkness. “It runs for quite some distance, just as you described it. It would appear to lead directly beneath the stone circle.”

  “I can't see a thing,” she replied, kneeling next to him. “It's so dark...”

  “Human eyesight is no match for mine,” he told her, pulling more soil away, “especially in such darkness. I have no means of lighting the way, so if you prefer to wait here while I go inside, I understand.”

  “No way.”

  “You're not scared?”

  “No. I mean, not really. I mean...” She paused, before realizing that there was no way she intended to give in to the fear that was slowly twisting a knot in her gut and tightening her chest. “I've been there before. I know what it's like down there.”

  “Are you -”

  “Besides, you might need my help.” With that, she slipped past him and crawled into the passageway.

  “I might need your...” He paused, shocked by the idea, before a faint smile crossed his lips. “Well that's certainly not something I expected any human to ever say to me.”

  II

  “Madeleine?” Benjamin said, after waiting for several minutes. “Are you... Did you hear what I said?”

  Standing a few meters away, staring out at the moonlit ocean, Madeleine kept her back to him. She was listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore below, and trying to match her heartbeat to the rhythm of the sea. At the same time, in the darkest reaches of her soul, she could already feel two competing forces tugging at one another, each trying to prove itself the strongest. She felt as if, at any moment, she might be ripped in half.

  “I anticipated that you might need time to consider the matter,” Benjamin continued. “There is so much to plan, so much to think about, it only makes sense that you would need time to make your decision. This is not a trifling matter, it's something that affects both of our lives, forever.”

  She opened her mouth, as if to reply, before her mind was briefly filled with an image: her brother, snarling as he tore her lover's head clean away and began to drink his blood. The image faded soon enough, but she felt a cold shiver pass through her body as she realized that Benjamin clearly had no understanding of Edgar's true rage.

  “Forever,” she whispered to herself. “What do you know of forever?”

  “Your brother came to see me,” Benjamin said finally.

  She turned to him, shocked.

  “He was trying to warn me,” he continued. “He wanted me to stay away from you. He didn't threaten me explicitly, but the implication was clear.” He paused, waiting for her to reply. “I got the impression that you weren't the one who told him about us, so I can't imagine how he learned my identity. Either way, I realized that the time for hiding is over, and that staying here on Thaxos together isn't really an option, so... We must leave, Madeleine, but we must do it together, because the two of us as husband and wife will be stronger than the sum of...” His voice trailed off for a moment. “Will you think about it? Will you at least take some time to consider the possibility? I'm sure that eventually you'll see we can make it work.”

  Again he waited for a reply, and again the silence grew between them.

  “If it's too soon,” he added, stammering slightly, “we can try to carry on as before, I just...”

  She tilted her head slightly, while keeping her gaze fixed firmly on him. Finally, just as the silence seemed to grow so large that it might shatter, she dropped the white rose and let it fall to the ground. As soon as it landed, one of the petals fell away, although the rest remained attached.

  “Madeleine -”

  “You're pathetic,” she told him.

  “I... What?”

  “You're truly, insufferably pathetic,” she continued, her eyes dark with pain, “just like the rest of your ridiculous little species.”

  “Why are -”

  “Do you really believe that a creature such as myself would want to marry something as lowly as a human?” She took a step toward him, crushing the rose under her bare foot in the process and not even flinching as the thorns dug into her flesh. “Have you somehow contrived to mistake a brief sexual fling for something more important?”

  “Madeleine, I really think you -”

  She began to laugh.

  “Madeleine -”

  “You're an idiot,” she replied, interrupting him. “I mean, I knew you weren't the smartest
creature in the world, even for a human, but I had no idea that you had such a vast capacity for delusion. Do you seriously think that I would marry you? In what twisted reality would such a thing even be possible? My brother might have decided to soil his hands by marrying a human, but I can assure you that I am possessed of no such weakness. The idea is simply laughable.”

  “But if -”

  She stepped closer, with the rose still stuck to her foot thanks to the thorns embedded in her sole. As the thorns ripped through her flesh, she didn't even flinch.

  “Madeleine -”

  She began to laugh again, although this time there were tears in her eyes.

  Taking a step back, Benjamin tried to understand the sudden change in her disposition.

  “Look at you,” she continued. “The confusion in your eyes is priceless. You're like a dumb little ant that has suddenly crawled out of some hole and seen the bright lights of the heavens. You can't comprehend what's happening, and your little mind is fit to burst.” Reaching down, she ripped the rose from her foot, tearing her flesh with its thorns, before tossing it to one side. “You have vastly misinterpreted the nature of our relationship,” she added, fixing Benjamin with a determined stare, “and you are very lucky that I haven't already punished your temerity by taking your life. Be thankful that I find you so amusing.”

  “Why are you saying this?” he asked. “Madeleine, if my proposal was mistimed I am sorry, but I genuinely believed -”

  “Oh, Edgar will laugh when he hears about this,” she continued. “And Nixon too. We'll sit around the fireplace and laugh at you. Even Estella will recognize your foolishness, and she's a fool herself.”

  He shook his head. “Madeleine, please -”

  “Every second you stand there,” she told him, “is another second when I might decide to end your life. I would prefer to let you live, but let me assure you that if I did kill you, I would have forgotten all about you by the time I reached the edge of town.” Stepping past him, she began to walk away, into the darkness. “For your sake, I think it is for the best that we terminate this unfortunate, degrading spectacle.”

  “Wait!” he called after her, before hurrying over and putting a hand on his shoulder.

  Turning, she bared her fangs and hissed, stepping toward him and forcing him back several paces.

  “Madeleine -”

  “Don't use that name again!” she sneered, summoning up her best impression of her brother. “Don't even think it! If you have any dignity left, little man, you will forget that I exist and you will never think of me again. If you see me in the street, you will avert your eyes and pray that I don't decide to amuse myself by cutting your throat. In fact, I would highly recommend that you never even look up and cast a glance toward the mansion, lest I might notice and decide to tear your heart out of your chest.”

  He took a step back, shocked by the venom in her eyes.

  “I took you as a lover because I thought it would pass some time,” she continued. “It did that, I suppose, at least to a limited degree. Unfortunately, you have become tiresomely attached to me, and I find that so very boring and predictable. Please understand that if you try to contact me again, by any means, I will end your pathetic life.” She paused for a moment, as if she was on the verge of adding something, before turning and walking away. After a few steps, once she had almost disappeared into the darkness, she began to run.

  “Madeleine!” he called out, taking a single pace forward before realizing with shock that it was too late. Looking down, he saw the crushed rose on the ground, and he reached down to pick it up with a trembling hand. Nearby, a solitary loose petal was whipped into the air by the wind, before starting to drift down toward the sea.

  ***

  “This house,” Jacob explained as he carried a glass of milk and a plate of chocolate cake across the candlelit kitchen, “is no place for little girls.”

  He set the glass and plate on the table, in front of Anna.

  “How did you even end up here?” he asked, making his way back to the counter and fetching another glass and another plate, before taking them to the table and sitting opposite her. “I can't imagine that anyone willingly brought you up here, no-one would be that foolish. You should be tucked up in bed, my dear, dreaming of wonderful things.”

  Staring at him, Anna seemed too scared to speak.

  “It's good cake,” the old man continued, taking a fork and starting to eat, “even if I might say so myself. My late wife taught me the recipe.”

  Anna looked down at the cake.

  “You're not in any trouble,” Jacob told her. “As far as I'm concerned, I'm simply glad that I was able to find you before things went too far. The door to that basement is supposed to be kept locked at all times, I'm at a loss to explain how it was left open but I shall certainly ensure that this can never happen again.” He waited for a moment, watching the girl carefully. “Whatever you saw down there,” he continued finally, “o whatever you think you saw, you must put it out of your mind, do you understand? There are things that no little girl, no human, can ever truly comprehend, and it will do you no good to contemplate such things. I think you're perhaps young enough to put this memory to rest before it takes root, and for that small mercy we must be grateful.”

  She stared at him.

  “Eat,” he added with a smile. “It really is very good cake.”

  “Jacob,” Estella said as she burst through the door, “have you seen -”

  Stopping suddenly, she stared at the unusual sight for a moment, as if she could barely believe what she was seeing.

  “I'm sorry, M'am,” Jacob said, getting to his feet, “I was just -”

  “Who is this?” Estella asked, making her way over to Anna. “Wait, I think I recognize her.” She knelt next to the little girl and stared at her for a moment, her eyes wide with shock before finally she remembered that she should smile to put the girl at ease. “You live at the store in town, do you not?”

  Anna stared at her, too scared to answer.

  “Come on,” Estella continued, “I know you have a voice, all children do. What's your name?”

  She waited for a reply.

  “Won't you tell me your name?” Estella asked. “It's okay, there's no reason to be scared. I'm not going to hurt you, I'm a friend.”

  “I...” Anna paused for a moment. “Anna.”

  “That's a very pretty name. I'm right, aren't I? You live at the store with your mother.”

  Anna nodded.

  “And with Kate Langley too, I believe?”

  Anna paused, before nodding again.

  “That must be unusual,” Estella continued. “Have you come to know Ms. Langley at all?”

  Anna shook her head.

  “Oh, but you must know her at least a little.”

  Anna paused, and finally she nodded yet again.

  “What's wrong?” Estella asked. “Has the cat got your tongue?” She turned to Jacob. “Do we have a cat?”

  “No, M'am.”

  “That's right.” She turned back to Anna. “We do have a wolf, though. He doesn't show himself very often, he prefers to take a more civilized form, but...” She paused. “What are you doing here?” She turned to Jacob again. “This is no place for a child! What is she doing in this house?”

  “I found her in one of the basement rooms,” Jacob replied. “I'm still trying to ascertain how she came to be here.”

  “In the basement?” Estella seemed shocked by the idea. “What did she see down there?”

  “I wouldn't like to say, M'am.”

  “Oh, you poor thing,” Estella continued, reaching out and putting a hand on the side of Anna's face. “Please, you mustn't let these things traumatize you. Put them out of your mind at once, do you understand?” She waited for a reply, but Anna merely stared at her. “What's wrong with you? Say something!”

  With the first hint of tears in her eyes, Anna turned her head away.

  “No,” Estella told her,
“I'm sorry, please... I didn't mean to sound angry.” She turned to Jacob. “What's wrong with her? I don't understand, why is she crying like this?”

  “I was going to give her some cake,” he replied cautiously, “and then take her back into town. I was hoping that His Lordship wouldn't mind if I left the house briefly for such an errand.”

  “Where is Edgar?” Estella asked.

  “I am not entirely certain, M'am.”

  “And where is Kate Langley?”

  “I... am not certain of that, either.”

  Estella paused, staring into Anna's eyes for a moment. “Get the horses and the carriage,” she said finally. “I shall take the child to town myself.”

  “But M'am -”

  “Do as I have instructed you,” she continued, with a hint of anger in her voice. “Don't make me tell you twice. Edgar told you to obey my orders as if they were his own, did he not?”

  As Jacob left the room, Estella forced a smile and reached out to run her fingers through Anna's hair. “Such a pretty little thing,” she continued. “I remember when I was your age, I used to look up at this mansion and try to imagine all the wondrous things that must happen up here, but I never ever came up to take a look. Do you know why?”

  Anna shook her head.

  “Because I was too scared,” she explained, “and because my mother would never have let me.” She paused. “Is your mother here? The woman from the shop, I mean. I don't remember her name and I can't imagine why Edgar would invite her, but did she somehow end up here tonight?”

  Again, Anna shook her head.

  “So you left your bed and your home without telling her? Or did Kate Langley bring you up here?”

  “I came up by myself,” Anna replied, as a tear trickled down her cheek. “No-one knows I'm here, except you and the nice old man. Please don't tell anyone, I don't want to get into trouble.”

  “I would never get you in trouble,” Estella said, wiping the tear away. “I'm going to take you home, though. This really isn't a place for a child. You should be tucked up in bed, is that understood? The longer you spend in the house, the more you...” She caught herself just in time. “It's not for you, do you see that now?”