Chronicles of Darkness: Shadows and Dust

by Andrea F. Thomas

  "And what if I were?" Chalice snapped, her eyes flashing.

  "Kyrian is not here and I do not want you to meet with him."

  Chalice crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You can't keep us apart. We love each other."

  Helena became angry. "Love? That is a big word. I don't believe that you know the actual meaning of it. Take my warning and stay away from my son."

  "Why? That's not your decision to make, it's Kyrian's," Chalice retorted harshly. Her nervousness increased.

  "You take advantage of his inexperience and try to use him for your own purposes."

  "You smother him and don't want to share him. That's all. My intentions are pure. With me, he gets everything he wants."

  "Well, if your intentions are so pure, then tell me the truth. What were you doing in the Quartier Latin that night? I am sure you remember. You stood beneath the light of a street lamp."

  Chalice paled and froze.

  Helena nodded. "Yes, I have seen you, just as you have seen me. So, tell me, what kind of game are you playing?"

  Chalice took a step back, trying to get some distance between herself and the huntress. "I don't know what you mean."

  "That night, when I saw you standing there. That one night is etched into my memories. I'm asking myself, what a nice girl could have been doing there at that late hour? And in one of the town's most notorious quarters no less."

  Fear rose inside Chalice and she didn't know what to answer. Finally, she stuttered helplessly, "I... I'm not a prostitute... if that is what you mean..."

  "No, no, I really don't mean that. I mean that you should tell me to whom you belong?" The huntress watched her intensely, trying to gauge her reaction.

  Beads of sweat formed on Chalice's forehead. "To... to whom I belong?"

  "Are you going to deny that you have been to this house before our family arrived here?" Helena's eyes hardened. Challenging, she stared at the young woman.

  "What?" Chalice screamed, fear written all over her face.

  "Is it not true that you use Kyrian to spy on me and sabotage my work?"

  "What... what are you talking about?" Chalice's eyes darted nervously around.

  "Who are you really?"

  Nothing could hold Chalice back any longer and she bolted, running as fast as she could. The huntress followed her. But in the deep forest she lost her trail, and Helena stopped the unsuccessful chase. "I do not have much time. I need to act right now."

  She didn't notice that Michel had watched the scene from the window. He smirked and waited calmly for her return. The candles and the fire had been extinguished in a wondrous way. Motionless, the police chief stood beside the window and stared at the fading sun. "Tonight, my beautiful huntress, we will finally meet. It will be the beginning of the end." He straightened his coat and left the room.

  In the hall, he said goodbye to a very surprised Monique, before walking to his carriage and driving back to Paris.

  *****

  Badly upset, Chalice crouched in a hole beneath a fallen tree. She panted for breath and her face was red from exertion. Sharp pain in her sides tortured her and one thought echoed through her mind. 'She knows... she knows everything... what shall I do?' Panicked, she tried to form a clear thought. Her whole body trembled. "I have to put all on one card. I need to talk to Kyrian, before his mother does." Gasping, she crawled out of the hole and stumbled on to find the young man in time.

  *****

  Helena hurried up the stairs to the library, carrying a tablet with the tea utensils. She put on a friendly face and entered. The scent of freshly brewed mint tea filled the room. For a moment, she was confused. "Why is the fire out and where is Michel?"

  Helena set the tablet on the table. Her gaze fell on the window and she realized the great view one had of the herb garden and the forest behind it. "Hmm... Michel must have seen the scene. He probably thinks I am chasing her. Hopefully, he will not do anything thoughtless. Now I wish he would have stayed here, for his own safety."

  Agitated, she began to pace. "I have to wait for Kyrian in order to get some news. He should be back by now."

  At a hurried pace, Helena left the library and went to her chambers to prepare for the upcoming night.

  *****

  After having spent the whole day at the Quartier Latin, Kyrian was making his way back to the castle. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. A mere second ago, he had been thinking about Christine and there she came, running towards him on the street that led to Paris.

  Dexterously, he slid off Nightshade's broad back and ran to her.

  Chalice fell right into his arms and embraced him fiercely. Harsh sobs shook her body. Kyrian held her. His fingers combed through her long, disheveled hair and he tried to calm her down. "Christine? What happened?"

  "Your mother... oh, Kyrian... she hates me... even though I never did anything to her..." she managed through her tears. "She said things... horrible allegations... why does she hate me so?"

  "I do not think that she hates you. She just doesn't know you." Kyrian soothed.

  "No, no! She hates me, I know it... I've seen it in her eyes..."

  The young man grabbed Nightshade's reins and took her hand. "Come on. I will escort you home."

  "I... I don't have a home."

  Kyrian stopped walking. "What do you mean? You have to live somewhere, sleep..."

  "I'm an orphan," Chalice admitted in a small voice and looked at him innocently with her doe-brown eyes.

  Kyrian felt his heart clench. "But where are you spending the nights?"

  Chalice looked at the ground to hide the wide, triumphant grin. She knew she had him. No matter what she would say, he would believe her. Quickly she put on a sad expression as Kyrian lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "You can tell me. I will not judge you," he promised lovingly.

  Hesitatingly, she said, "At the Quartier Latin. The rooms are cheap there. Sometimes, I carry out tasks for people and they give me a place to sleep." Chalice noticed his horrified expression and added, "Believe me when I say that I'm not proud to live like that."

  "That's not it. My mother was right. She saw you there."

  "Yes, I was there," she admitted. "Some dark creatures were chasing me. I've never seen anything as weird and scary in my life. I don't know what they wanted from me and then they just disappeared."

  "Why didn't you explain this to my mother?" Kyrian wanted to know. Holding hands, they slowly followed the road to Paris.

  "Because she wouldn't let me!" Chalice blurted, unintentionally fierce.

  Silence ruled after her outburst and Chalice tried hard to come up with something to say. She let go of Kyrian's hand, wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned her head against his strong shoulder. "I don't want to be alone anymore, Kyrian. Only with you by my side, I feel safe."

  Hearing these words made his heart jump for joy. He placed a small kiss on top of her head. "I will protect you. Come what may, against all odds."

  "What... what about your mother?" Chalice inquired softly, inwardly tense about his answer.

  "Leave that to me. I will take care of it. Go to the Quartier Latin and get your things together. I will come soon and get you. I can't allow that you have to stay there another night." With a serious expression, Kyrian climbed on Nightshade.

  In the fading light, he didn't see the triumphant sneer on her face, nor could he hear her thoughts. 'It's done, my Master. The Sunlions are turned against each other.'

  "How are you going to find me?" Chalice asked, looking at him like a lost child.

  Kyrian wrinkled his forehead in thought, so she gave the answer herself. "Wait for me at the abandoned Palais? You know the building?" Gently she placed her hand on his leg.

  The young man shook his head. "No, this place is too dangerous at this time of night, Christine."

  Chalice took his hand and kissed it softly. "Don't be concerned, nothing will happen to me. You are going to back soon, promise?"

  "I promise," Kyrian an
swered. He pulled hard on the reins and Nightshade reared up, before they galloped back to the castle.

  Chalice watched him leave, until he was out of her sight. She giggled madly and went on her way to Azrael. "Everything is happening as you wish, my Master."

  *****

  Carefully, Skylar opened the door to her mother's chambers and peered around the corner.

  Helena stood at her table, reading a letter. Casually, she said, "Come in, Skylar. The corridors are cold and drafty."

  Wearing a white nightgown, her daughter padded on bare feet to the bed and jumped in, snuggling deep into the soft covers. "Are you going away tonight?" Skylar asked fearfully.

  Helena folded the letter. "Michel sent a messenger with a letter. I just don't understand..."

  Skylar guessed her mother's thoughts. "You mean because of earlier, when he was gone so quickly?"

  "Not only that. He was acting so different, so strange. He writes that he wants to meet me at midnight in the Quartier Latin... at the abandoned Palais. He must have discovered something. Perhaps he managed to do what I couldn't; to follow Chalice and find her hideout." Lost in thought, she looked at her daughter, who gazed at her questioningly. Helena didn't tell her that she suspected Chalice and Christine to be one and the same person. Instead, she mentioned, "I fear that something might happen to him there."

  Skylar's fear increased. "Maybe he found out something and now he does not know what to do with his knowledge?"

  "You mean he knows about the existence of vampires?"

  Skylar nodded and wrapped the warming blanket tighter around her body.

  "That would be disastrous. It could mean the end of his life," the huntress said seriously and clenched her hands impatiently. "If only Kyrian would come back. I am worried about him."

  Creaking sounds came from outside.

  Hurriedly, Helena left the room to investigate, but there was nobody. Restless, she closed the door and made a decision. "I will ride to Paris right now, to prevent a tragedy from happening." The huntress fetched all the important utensils, which she would need. At last, she put on her weapon belt and took the holy sword.

  With growing anxiety, Skylar watched her every move. "Mama, please, don't go," she whispered fearfully. "I have a bad feeling..."

  Helena sighed, went to her and sat down on the bed's edge. She reached out and tenderly stroked Skylar's hair. "I will be back soon. And when your brother returns, do not let him leave the house again, yes?"

  Skylar nodded obediently.

  "You are my good girl." Helena smiled and kissed her lovingly on the forehead. "You can sleep here in my room, sweetheart. Goodnight, my precious child and dream something nice for me, alright?"

  Skylar forced a small smile to her face. "Goodnight, Mama." She watched her mother leave the room and whispered, "Please, be careful."

  *****

  Covered in black from head to toe, Azrael strode through the dark streets of Paris. No one was about in the alleys, except for some beggars, prostitutes and other creatures of the night. As soon as the night fell, everybody sat entrenched in their houses, fearful of further attacks from the Heart Taker.

  His ebony cane's metal tip clicked on the cobblestone street and an icy wind blew around the corners, but the vampire didn't mind the cold. Azrael entered the abandoned house that served as his hideout. He took off his cape and gloves. From beneath his vest, he pulled out a small, carved marionette. It had the form of a skeleton with a big read heart painted across its chest. The marionette was a souvenir from the puppeteer's daughter, whose blood had quenched his hunger tonight, at least for the moment.

  Azrael twined the strings around his fingers. Waggling and twisting his hand, he made the skeleton dance. "The Heart Taker strikes again!" he announced, laughing loudly. "Soon, all will bow to me. After they realized that I am the only true leader, who will guide the vampires to a better world. All the clans will become loyal to me. They will make my army truly invincible and I will subjugate mankind for all time!"

  Azrael put the marionette aside and walked to the chest where he kept his sacred relic, the old epitaph, once found in Babylon. Carefully, the vampire lifted it from the chest and his eyes slid over the cuneiform, his mind working feverishly to decipher the words. "If only I knew. Hmm... Utu... God of the sun..." His fingertips brushed over the edges of the words. "What does the sun god have to do with the folk of night? I have to find the connection between the verses, otherwise I won't be able to decipher the secret."

  A small cough sounded behind his back and surly he turned around.

  Chalice stood at the door and asked bashfully, "May I interrupt, my Master?"

  "You already did," he growled. "What is it?"

  The bad mood of her Master did nothing to improve her own grumpiness. Almost insolent, she snapped, "I no longer want to be the nice girl for the little huntsman." Furtively, she waited for Azrael's reaction, but he had only eyes for his epitaph. He seemed to have forgotten about her presence.

  Chalice prattled on. "His mother truly guards him like a lioness. Yes, she sure honors their name," she snorted. "Kyrian is nothing more than a lion cub."

  "What did you say?" the vampire pressed quietly.

  "Uh..." Chalice hesitated. "That he is a lion cub?"

  "Their name," Azrael whispered, staring at the stone slab.

  "Master?" In the face of his strange behavior, Chalice became insecure. "I... I'm sorry. Of course, it's not the correct translation. I know. Actually, it would be Sunlion, but that sounds so funny. It only... the comparison... well, it seemed fitting to me."

  "Shut up!" the vampire thundered, gazing at her so frighteningly that she froze instantly.

  "When the blood of the golden lion runs dry, the heir and epitome of Utu will appear... see the connection..."

  "Master? What are you talking about?" Chalice inquired carefully.

  He cut her off with another dismissing gesture. The vampire held the thought and an idea formed, originating from Chalice's comparison. Azrael reached for some parchment and a quill to write down his thoughts. He dipped the quill into the black ink and began. "God of sun... and a sunlion... but where is the connection?"

  He stared at the words. "No, it can't be. How could it be? Was it really right in front of my eyes, the whole time?" he spat in disbelief. "What part do vampire hunters have in a prophecy about vampires? And who will appear? A vampire? A hunter? Who will it be?"

  Brooding, he leaned back and stared ahead. "Vampire hunters named Leosol. It can't be a coincidence." He was not much closer to solving the secret, but calmed down a bit. "At least I can concentrate on this thought, which is more than I had before." A demonic grin spread across his face and his eyes glowed in a deep red. Then he remembered the presence of his subordinate. "Come forward."

  Carefully, Chalice drew nearer.

  "Did the huntress get my message?" the vampire asked.

  Chalice nodded, her heart beating wildly. "Yes," she answered. "She will be here soon. As will Kyrian. Our scouts discovered him when he left the castle, shortly before the huntress. They both are on the street towards Paris."

  "Good, good... what about Michel?"

  "He is waiting at the castle."

  Azrael didn't answer and so Chalice blurted, "My Master, what if the hunters arrive at the same time? Our whole plan will go up in smoke!"

  The vampire rose and smiled at his companion in the coldest way. "What gives you that impression? You did play the orphan in front of this guy, didn't you? You told him about this place?" Chalice nodded and Azrael was satisfied. "He won't go to his mother. His pride would never allow it."

  "What happens then?" she asked, her voice trembling.

  Azrael tenderly stroked the young woman's face. "Oh, did I forget to tell you about the second part of my brilliant plan? No need to tremble, Chalice. You won't have to do much." His hands slid down and enclosed her wrists. He pushed her gently in direction of the bed and lowered her onto it. Azrael let go of her hands, bu
t kept their gazes locked. "It is something you are very good at."

  Confused, she looked at his smirking face, while he wrapped shackles around her wrists and bound her to the bed.

  "What?" Chalice demanded, furiously.

  "Shhh... you will like it, I'm sure. Take your time and relish it. Play the little, lost girl." Azrael showed her the key to the shackles and placed it into a small chest on the nightstand. Taking his cape and cane, he smiled once more at her. "Grigolin!" His voice boomed like thunder through the place.

  Slightly bowed, another vampire crept towards him.

  "Begin," Azrael ordered.

  The servant nodded eagerly, a treacherous grin forming on his scarred features.

  On the threshold, the vampire turned to the desperate Chalice once more, to blow her a kiss.

  After he had disappeared, enormous activity started all around the young woman. Under the lead of Grigolin, Azrael's loyal servants cleared the building, silently and thoroughly. They left Chalice behind, alone and bound to the bed. Silence fell and the young woman's heart grew heavy. Small doubts started to rise in her.

  *****

  Helena arrived at the Palais' locked gates, shortly after the last vampire had left the place. She leapt from her horse and carefully scanned her surroundings. There was no sound. Her watchful eyes slid over the closed shutters. After she had made sure that she was alone, she went to a small door. Something had flashed in the moonlight. There was a knife, which pinned a piece of paper to the door. The huntress pulled it from the wood and read the short message. "Michel's handwriting, as far as I can see... in blood..." she whispered and read the note. "A good night to lose one's heart..."

  Helena's eyes widened as she realized the purpose of the words. "Skylar, Kyrian, my beloved children!" She felt the blood rush through her veins. "It was a trap!" Instantly, she straddled her horse and galloped back to the castle.