"Ah, you are awake at last."
Guillaume pulled himself into a sitting position and looked over the top of the chaise lounge in the direction of the voice. As soon as he saw the man, memories of the previous night came flooding back to him, making him scramble to his feet. Despite his ordeal, there were no aches and pains when he moved, but the hunger remained, raging in the pit of his stomach.
"You are lucky," the stranger continued, stepping forward. "I have chosen you to join me in my quest and now you will live for all eternity. My name is Lucius Octavius Drusus. You are to address me as Master for now." He smiled at Guillaume, but the gesture only served to emphasise the cruelty in the lines of his mouth.
"What quest would that be?" Guillaume asked, keeping the chair between himself and his kidnapper.
"We must find a Day-Walker. I am a creature bound to the night—as are you now—but some of our people have acquired the gift of being able to walk in the sunlight. How this happens, I do not know, nor do I care. What I do know is that draining the blood from a Day-Walker will transfer those powers to me. Then I will be unstoppable. I am amongst the oldest of my kind. If I could rule the day as well as the night, everyone would bow before me." He paused, lost in some private thought. "You must feed now." He clapped his hands twice.
A door across the room squeaked open, and a young woman was pushed inside. She stumbled, trying not to let go of the tattered remains of her dress as she held it together across her chest. Drusus grabbed her arm, hurling her forward, and she was forced to release the material, exposing her pale breasts.
She fell at Guillaume's feet, and he found he could not take his eyes off her trembling form. Her body shook uncontrollably, and she muttered an incomprehensible muddle of prayers and entreaties as she tried to pull the material back into place over her nakedness. Crouching beside her, he reached out to gently brush her arm.
Her eyes, previously flitting back and forth, now focused on him, and her upper lip trembled as tears cascaded down her cheeks. "Please, help me!"
Guillaume drew her into his arms, trying to hush her sobbing with gentle words. A shadow fell across them, and he looked up to see Drusus standing over them. "What do you want with this poor girl?"
"Why, nothing. She is for you. Follow your instincts. What do they tell you to do?"
Guillaume turned away. The girl's sobs were more intermittent now, although she continued to cling to him. He could feel the press of her full, young breasts against his chest, and he pulled her closer. Then he noticed something else. He could hear the girl's heart beating, fast and strong. The rhythm seemed to fill his head until he could hear nothing else and his own body beat in time with it. He closed his eyes, shutting out everything but her heartbeat, his hunger lurching like a beast inside him. He could smell her skin now: sweat, salt tears, and fear. Her flesh was warm and inviting against his own cold skin, and he nuzzled his head into her neck as his hand stroked her tangled hair. He brushed his lips against her throat, every part of him alive with sensation. He could feel her blood racing just below the surface of her skin, and he wanted it. He wanted to drain every last drop from her body.
What am I doing? Guillaume sat up suddenly, pushing the girl away from him. She dragged herself back behind the chair, her eyes wide. Her pulse was racing even faster now, and he fought to expel its hypnotic drumming from his mind.
"What are you waiting for?" Drusus asked impatiently, dragging him to his feet. "You must feed on her."
"No, I will not. I will not become a monster."
"You are already one of us now. You cannot go back. Your stubbornness irritates me. Feed!"
"No!"
With an angry growl, Drusus pushed Guillaume out of the way and strode towards the girl. She tried to back away, crying out and pleading. Guillaume realised he should do something, help her in some way, but it was too late. Drusus grasped her head between his hands and twisted. The heartbeat inside Guillaume's head stopped abruptly, and he watched as Drusus let her lifeless body fall to the ground. Her head came to rest at an impossible angle, but her eyes remained open, the look of fear captured forever in their gaze.
"I am going out," Drusus declared. "You will have to go hungry tonight. Perhaps tomorrow you will decide to obey me."
The door slammed shut and Guillaume found himself alone with the dead girl. Her eyes seemed to follow him around the room until he could bear it no longer and bent down to shut them. Her skin was clammy now, and her dress was in disarray once more. He pulled at the remains of the fabric, covering her as much as possible, and then turned away.
I cannot stay here. He could never learn to live as Drusus wanted—killing humans and seeing only the shadowy night skies. He could never let himself become a monster that would kill indiscriminately. The fiend had gone, and he might not get another chance. He had to end it now.
He walked across the room and drew back the heavy drapes that covered the window, looking out across the city. There in the gloom of the night, Paris still slumbered. He comforted himself with the thought that when they woke he would be no more. A few hours ago, he had been desperately trying to stay alive, clinging to life, but now he wished he had joined the other Jacobins, his friends, at the guillotine. Death at the hands of another would surely have been easier to face than bringing about his own demise. But it was too late for that now.
He wrenched open the window; a waft of icy air entered the room. He was aware of the cold, could feel it pressing insistently against his skin, but it no longer seemed to affect him as it once had. He was thankful for his slim body as he squeezed through the opening. It was tight, but a newfound strength helped him to manoeuvre himself out. Once his legs were free, he dropped to the street below.
He had entertained some hope the fall would kill him, yet somehow he managed to land on both feet, his knees bending automatically with a cat-like grace. He knew now of only one sure way to destroy himself and the monster he had become. He had to stand in the sunlight. A faint tinge of orange on the horizon told him dawn was drawing close, and he set off towards it. His body fought for a while, instincts telling him to seek shelter from the day, but he studiously ignored them, pressing ever onwards.
He ran and ran, tirelessly moving through the city, putting as much distance between himself and the house as he could. His greatest fear as he sped through the streets was that Drusus would find him and drag him back before he could accomplish what he had set out to do. He could only hope the monster would return home too late to pursue him.
Guillaume hurried along the increasingly sloping streets of Montmartre. He reached the ruins of Saint Pierre de Montmartre church and paused beside Chappe's new optical telegraph, its bizarre construction reaching skyward, swaying faintly as the breeze picked up. The horizon glowed amber, the heat uncomfortably warm and bruising against his skin.
He sat on the dew-laden grass and waited. His eyes remained fixed on the approaching sun, willing it to rise and consume him. He found himself remembering a prayer his mother had said at his bedside each night when he was a boy, and he whispered it now under his breath, eyes closed, hoping for forgiveness from a divinity he wasn't certain he actually believed existed.
He didn't know how long he'd been there before he realised his plan hadn't worked. He opened his eyes to see the sky fully visible on the horizon. Its rays fell on him, heating his skin, but doing no more. He was not reduced to flame and ash as he had expected.
He waited a moment longer, uncertain how to proceed. Then he recalled Drusus's words, his quest for a Day-Walker. Is that what I am? Guillaume threw back his head and laughed uncontrollably, feeling a sudden mad joy. All this time the monster had been searching for a Day-Walker and now he had unknowingly created one.
Once he managed to cease his laughter and focus his mind, Guillaume suddenly realised the implications of his situation. He was what Drusus wanted, and if he didn't get away before the truth was known, he would be hunted down.
Guillaume stood. He w
ould not let Drusus win. He set off down the hill, determined to use the daylight hours to get out of the city and then out of the country.
Chapter 9
Darci's head was spinning as she came out of her trance and fell forward into Will's arms. She had felt as if she were trapped in Will's body, experiencing everything with him: the pain, the fear, the horror. She was hyperventilating, and she tried to take some long, deep breaths to steady herself. Will's arms were wrapped around her, supportive but not oppressive, as he waited for her to regain her composure.
When she was ready, she sat up and looked at him. Knowing what she now knew, it was like seeing him for the first time again. His face was taut, the strain of past memories still visible in the lines across his brow and the curve of his mouth.
"I am so sorry, Will," she said, reaching up to brush a strand of coppery hair away from his eyes, tucking it back behind his ear.
"It was a long time ago."
"Yes, it was," Stefan said, sitting down beside them on the bed. "The more pressing issue now is what to do about Draken. They clearly know what you are, Will, and you need to get out of here."
Darci shook her head. "Wait; go back a second. Who is Draken?"
"He's the ruler in these parts," Will explained. "Most major cities in the world have a vampire population of one size or another, and the most powerful among them is the leader. Vampires wishing to visit or move here have to announce their presence to the local ruler. Draken has a particularly vile reputation and is known to be searching for a Day-Walker."
"So you've met this guy and he didn't realise what you are?" Darci asked, her mind still racing with the overload of new information.
"No, I only spoke to his adjunct, Artur, who deals with most matters on his behalf. I have been here several months without incident so I assume their suspicions about me have only recently been formed."
"It's because of me, isn't it?"
"It's not your fault. I was the one who took unnecessary risks."
Stefan dropped his hand onto Will's shoulder. "I can have a plane ready within the hour to take you anywhere in the country. After that, you are on your own."
"You have to leave now, this minute?" Darci looked between Will and Stefan, waiting for one of them to tell her she had misunderstood.
Stefan's forehead deepened into a frown. "I'll go and make the arrangements." He gave Will a pointed look then slipped from the room.
As soon as the door was shut, Darci flung herself into Will's arms. "Take me with you!"
She suddenly knew beyond any doubt that she loved Will and she couldn't bear the thought of ever having to be apart from him.
"I can't. It's too dangerous, and I couldn't ask you to give up your life here for me, give up your career."
"I can sing anywhere, Will, and there's nothing else holding me here."
"You don't understand. You haven't had time to fully comprehend what I am and what my life entails. I drink blood to stay alive, human blood like yours, Darci, and I will live forever. Even if I don't hurt you or kill you accidently when the hunger rages, I will never age even a single day and you will begin to resent me for it as the days become months and the months turn into years. One day you will look in the mirror and realise you have wasted your life on me, and you will hate me for it. No relationship between a vampire and a human can ever work."
She turned her gaze away, her mind racing as she fought to find a solution. She would do anything to stay with Will. In desperation, her mind ran through every vampire movie she'd ever seen, every book she'd read, until the answer came to her. "Then take me with you as an equal. Turn me." She flicked her hair away from her neck, exposing her throat.
Will recoiled, leaping from the bed, putting distance between them. "You have no idea what it is you're asking for. You've not thought this through. You would become a monster, Darci, and I would never inflict this existence on you."
"But you'd happily condemn me to a life of loneliness and regret instead by leaving me behind." The tears she had been fighting back could no longer be held in check, and she sobbed openly, tasting salty tears on her lips as they coursed down her cheeks.
Will returned to her side, hugging her tightly. "I would never rejoice in doing anything that would cause you grief; you must realise that. I care for you more than I have for anyone, human or vampire, in many years. For hundreds of years, I've shunned the world, wallowing in self-pity over the monster I'd become, hiding in the shadows. Then one day I saw you. I watched you walk towards Elder Hall, the sunlight catching in your hair and glowing on your skin, and I had to know you. You've brought me back to life, given me a reason to live. But this is for the best. One day someone else will come along, and you will live a good life, a human life, with him. Trust me, Darci."
She dried her eyes, feeling a little foolish at her display and yet knowing she had meant every word of it. She had always believed herself to be modern and independent, and she hated to feel like a weak woman, unable to live without a particular man by her side. But if Will left now, he would take part of her with him. He had come into her life and made her feel more strongly than she ever had before. If he left, her world would turn from technicolour to black and white, as if she had gone the wrong way over the rainbow and couldn't find the way home.
The door opened, and Stefan entered. He let his gaze hover over her, pursing his lips, but he made no comment on her clammy face, for which she was thankful.
"Everything is ready. A taxi is downstairs to take you to the airfield."
Will stood and held out his hand to Stefan, who hesitated a moment before taking it. "Thank you, Stefan. I'm sorry about all this."
"Yes, yes, too late now."
"I have one more favour to ask."
"Why am I not surprised?"
"See that Darci gets home safely."
"I will take her myself if that would make you happy, although you will now owe me two favours when next we meet."
"Thank you. I won't forget the debt." Will turned back to Darci and held open his arms.
She flew into his embrace, hugging him closer, knowing it would be for the last time. He was the first to pull away, and she had to let him go. His lips brushed her forehead in a soft kiss and then he was gone, so swiftly that she did not even observe him leave the room.
She had no more tears left to cry, but she was aware of an empty hole inside her that was drawing all emotion into it, drowning everything in darkness. She glanced over at Stefan, who waited patiently by the door. When he beckoned, she followed him without a word through the gloomy corridors of the house and out into the night.
Chapter 10
Draken knew things had not gone as planned. Little signs gave it away: the sound of Artur's slower than usual approach to his door and the slight hesitation in his adjunct's knock. The faintest whiff of fear had also begun to seep through his home in the last few minutes as all his servants avoided coming anywhere near his chamber.
"Come," he said. His voice sounded low and calm, but it belied the fury that was already starting to bubble deep down inside him as he waited to hear the news.
The door opened, and Artur crept inside. Draken pretended to ignore the timid bow he was offered, although he was glad to see his adjunct still had enough sense to fear his wrath. A lack of fear would have told him that his right hand man was getting aspirations above his station.
"Well, tell me what happened," he demanded eventually when Artur seemed reluctant to speak.
"My lord, I regret to report that we were unable to detain the Day-Walker." Artur's voice wavered towards the end, and Draken gazed unrelentingly at his servant until he'd made him cringe.
"Who was responsible for the arrest? Bring the man before me that I may devise a suitable punishment for him."
"I fear that is not possible, Master. Gilbert is dead, killed by the Day-Walker in fair combat according to the account of my human."
"Why was your human there?"
"It was this sla
ve who first discovered the Day-Walker. I sent him to keep an eye on Gilbert and make sure the correct vampire was brought before you, Lord."
"Where is the Day-Walker now?" Draken began pacing, his long robes billowing out behind him.
"I do not know. My human left immediately to bring me this news in person and did not see anything else except that he was taken back into the house."
"Which house?"
"Stefan Koske's, my lord."
Draken paused in his walk. "Koske? Have him brought before me tomorrow night. I must discover how much he knew of this stranger."
Draken pondered whether or not he should punish Artur. Something lingering, with fire perhaps, something that would inflict the most amount of pain without actually killing. Artur interrupted his thoughts with a discreet cough, and Draken glowered at his adjunct, ready to create a harsher punishment.
"If I may, Master, there was another there also, a human female."
"That is Stefan's plaything. She is of no consequence."
"No, Lord, I meant another human, one who arrived with the Day-Walker. My slave tells me it was the same woman that accompanied him on the day he was first confirmed to be a Day-Walker."
Draken's desire to chastise Artur diminished in the light of this new information. Perhaps it was not too late to catch the Day-Walker after all. Maybe all they needed was the correct bait for the trap. A frontal attack had failed, but careful persuasion might be a more suitable approach in this case.
"Artur, take Hans with you and find me this woman. Follow the trail from Koske's house if need be."
"That will not be necessary, lord. My human knows where she lives."
"I had a mind to make an example of you, Artur, but your human has redeemed you for now. Amazing to think there is some use for them other than for food. Go, bring me this woman! Get her here quickly and I will pardon you fully for your failings earlier tonight."
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