“Your Trademark is Audacity”
~Pens&Keys
Sitting at the kitchen island with my parents and Elloren sitting at the dinner table. I began my recap of everything Clarissa shared with me. My father sipping blood replied,
“It has been long time since a traitor crossed my threshold.” With grin infecting his face my father sat the red crystal glass, that I am sure he either stole or was gifted, down on Amazonite Green Marble rectangular island. The blues and greens of the table dancing together under the crystal glass reflection.
“Non, papa we do not know if she is a traitor. Only that she brought Clarissa our home.”
“Either way Alucard we need to get back on campus. Classes pick up tomorrow.” Elloren said with a mouth full of eggs and eel. Why the hell do we have eel in this house? Must be for the upper servants.
“Oui.” My mother said sliding her fingers across the marble table. Dust was not to be found on her finger.
“Daughter of mine, why do you trust that this Clarissa is not being deceptive?” Gliding over towards the back ceiling to floor windows in the kitchen. My mother frowned out at the night. Something is on her mind. Something she has not worked completely out yet. The rest of us will not know what it is until she could present it perfectly. The last thing my mother would ever regret is sounding half-thought out.
Snow began to fall steadily now. Within the next few hours this island would disappear underneath the weight of it. Sliding off my crystal chair, I kissed my father on the cheek. If Elloren and I are going to make to campus before the snowstorm we need to go.
Turing to face my mother I replied,
“Trust is not the word I would use to define why I am helping her out. She is clumsy. When I left her, another memory surfaced. Clarissa spent forty percent of her time bumping into, tripping over, or falling. When I met first met her, she was reading a book to the dead. During the short period I accidentally looked at her. She spilled coffee all over her book. Dropped the book, then tripped over the long skirt she wore. Tonight, she spun round in her room, graceless and heavy footed. That is the real Clarissa. Besides she is a medium. A gifted medium. Having her in my debt one day alongside a necromancer will come in handy.”
I felt my father move more so than saw it. Staring down at me with red eyes that are slowly losing their power. My father’s black hair fell like a black sea framing his face. Placing his hands on my cheek, there was no warmth to be given. Only the implications of it. My father said,
“This is the first you have spoken regarding your plans for the throne my child.”
If my father remembered how to cry, I am sure he would have. I could hear the pride leaking through his gaze and his fingertips. Pride that I have only felt once before when he found out I was more vampire than human. Pride that he did not freely give. Pride that came at a cost. The first time was my sanity this time it might be my freedom. Freedom to choose another path. There is no response to his statement. Nevertheless, my statement did what I wanted it to do. Place my father in a better more consenting mood.
Elloren and I need to get back on campus with as little issues as possible. Unless The Headmaster is going to inconvenience herself to greet us at the gate. No other soul would question my father. He is The Count after all.
Zero questions later, I was sitting in the coffee shop on campus. Elloren deciding that she needed to train, headed towards the training grounds. Looking back at me she asked,
“Why don’t you train as hard? You haven’t ascended yet Alucard. Aren’t you at all worried that you won’t?”
Placing a cup of warm blood on the table, Abegal glanced at Elloren. Her emotions displaying their intensity in her eyes. Elloren doing the kind thing ignoring the bubble gum hair girl. Never let her gaze slip into Abegal’s face. Only once Abegal’s eyesight stood no chance of catching Elloren’s, did Elloren look at her. Memories causing her lips to curl into a smile she fought away.
“Non, I only require combat training. Time is the only thing that allows me to grow stronger.”
“Well come fight me then.” Taking a sip of blood and glancing out the window where snow began to pile up on the window’s ledge, I replied.
“Without your fairies my speed alone would end the fight before you could take your first full breath.”
“What you are saying is that you rely mostly on your speed to fight.”
“No Elloren. That is what you are saying. My speed is a part of who I am. I do not require a spell to use it. It’s not required that I think about using it. It happens naturally. Your magic is your weapon, not your body. We do not fight the same. My instinct is to kill. Yours is to survive.”
Walking out the café door, in a normal voice because she knew I would hear her reply.
“I have survived a lot more than you have killed Alucard.” Watching her make her way through the snow falling and the snow piled on the ground. Elloren eventually disappeared from my eyesight. Taking a deep breath, I let my head fall on the table. These last few days have been hell. For a few moments I let allowed the chatter surrounding me to fill my ears with nonsense so I could focus on something else.
Closing my eyes, I remembered why I always liked this café. While a coffee shop, they did serve blood here. Nasty blood but blood, nevertheless. Inhaling deeply, I could smell the age on the books that lined the walls. I could taste hues of emotions that flooded this place daily. There is no fluorescent lighting in this café. Only sunlight, moonlight, candlelight, and orb light. The dark wooden floors did not creek despite the wooden being worn down. The seats always welcoming your ass as if the cushions held a memory agent. Coffee beans, creamers, sugars, metals, syrups, paper, water, dish soap, glass, footsteps, rubber, and the sun.
The Sun? Slowly letting my eyes open. The sun stood there staring at me. No expression on his face. No lines that would indicate a human life. Cloudy silver eyes said he should smell more like winter over the summer. He should be the moon instead if the sun. With his face vertical my eyesight, I groaned. Why does he keep finding me?
“Would you prefer I leave you be?”
“Yes please…. Actually no.” Picking my head up and waving for Godric to sit. I asked my question.
“Why are you here Godric? You are a God. Why come here?” Picking up a menu, Godric seemed to study every item on offered on it before asking my question. His expression unimpressed.
“I am here because I enjoy speaking with you. I am a God the title is reflected in my name. Although, I am inclined to believe that is more a statement over a question. The answer to your last question is directly related to my first answer St. Vincent.”
Clasping my hands together prayer style and leaning my elbows on the table. I glared at Godric. He did not mind this as he continued to stare at the menu.
“Non, Godric. What I mean is. Why does a God attend this school. Does it have anything to do with the mass poisoning?” Maybe if I give him something he will give me something. Similar to when he opened up a little regarding his sister. Placing the menu back on the wooden table Godric leaned forward. Even sitting down his height is unrealistic. Why is he so damn tall?
“That was indeed the original Clarissa I smelled in your home then.” Leaning back in my seat refusing to take my eyes off Godric for even a second and not wanting to be so close. I asked,
“Is she the reason you came to The Hunting Games?”
“Non. Locating her was not something I sought after.”
“Then what are your seeking after Godric. To be clear I am asking you flat out if you are a friend or an enemy?” Exhaling normally Godric mimicked my stance. Only with more grace and more attractiveness. Not until moment did, I notice his hair looped around his neck. The bow on the end landing directly on the breast pocket of his black button up shirt. Underneath the button was a black turtleneck shirt created from thicker cotton. Waiting for Godric to respond with Ethan’s words on repeat in my mind. “It’s not him Alucard.” I want them to be true. Ethan has never lied to me not once. Even before he knew of my powers, he never held back his version of the truth from me. Please do not lie to me now Ethan.
“To Elloren you are her protector. To Ethan you are his owner. These are things they require from you. These are also two different versions of you St. Vincent. You withhold your full self with both for two different reasons. Indulge me St. Vincent. I require no protector. I require no owner. What version of friend could you be to me? What is it you think I need? What part of yourself do you believe you are going to withhold from me?”
His tone tells me how serious he is. His gaze tells me he expects answers to these questions. His questions tell me he is seeking a friendship. His observations tell me he could be an enemy.
Opening my mouth to speak, seemed to be Abegal’s moment to appear.
“Would you like me to reheat the blood?” Shaking my head no. Abegal eyes could not locate Godric’s face fast enough. Partly because vampires and her people have a terrible history. The bigger part being able to stare at Godric under the rue of taking his order.
“And you sir? What can I get you?”
Without taking his eyes off me, Godric recited his order. Abegal continued to stare at Godric a full six seconds after completing his order. Flipping her pen through her fingers, she begun regurgitating his order back to him. I am sure she said something incorrect just to get more conversation out of him. However, Godric did not correct her. My answers seemed more important than his food order.
Abegal was disappointed that he did not correct her. But she left us alone once again. Her purple dress and pink hair disappearing to the back kitchen. Off to make some sort of strawberry Danish and a cup of Columbian dark roasted coffee. No cream no sugar. I did note that only psycho people drink coffee black.
A slight lift in Godric’s eyebrow was the only indication he is ready for me to speak. Crossing my arms over my chest I said,
“Godric, you seem alone. Sad almost. You run from sleep that you know you are not going to get. You miss your sister. The gap she has left in you is so wide I can crawl inside of and still have space to multiply myself. Which leads me to believe all of me would be required to help you heal. Elloren nor Ethan have the space to hold all of me. No, that’s not true. I do not care to share all of me with them.”
“Why is that? They are loyal to you.” Glancing out the window yet again. I answered,
“One day when I become Queen of The Underground. Ethan can not come. Elloren can not come. They are human, different species of human however, human, nevertheless. I want them to forever have stories to compare with each other. They will need each other.”
The snow fell was falling harder now. So much so that without perfect vision I am sure I wouldn’t be able to see anything other than the snow dust. We should go if we did not wish to be trapped here. The Winter Elemental is awake now. The snow would only stop once she slept. Good news is she slept for 72 hours at a time.
Downing the last bit of cold blood, I stood up. Wrapping my scarf around my neck and putting on my coat. Godric did the same. His thick wool coat stopping just above his ankles.
“In about twenty minutes ice will be everywhere.”
“If this is your attempt at an escape from my last question. It will not work.” Leaving money on the table to cover just about everyone’s bill in the café. I glanced up at Godric. I want him to be my friend. As much as I hate to admit it, I like that he always keeps finding me. Maybe I need to be found. With everything transpiring. It is wise to pick my battle based on the war I need to win. I need to know what Godric knows. Starting with how he knows the original Clarissa.
“I am not trying to escape. I just want to make it to my room before the ice comes. Dodging elemental ice can be compared to playing Russian Roulette.”
“Is that an invite your room?”
Buttoning up my coat I replied,
“The landscape of the school and locations of the dorms change in the winter months to protect the school from the ice storms. My room location has been altered. Remember when you advised me that your sister showed you how to track vampires?”
With a hint of amusement in his silvered eyes. Godric nodded and I took off.
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