Debtor's War Pt. 02

"I did." Her lip quivered ever so slightly but she pulled herself together. "Now it's far too late for visitors, and far too late to leave. Here." She pulled back a tapestry to reveal a small alcove with a servant's cot.

"I scared you, didn't I?" I said sheepishly.

"Not at all," she said more firmly. "I get a little confused sometimes when I'm tired."

"I'm sorry I disturbed you."

"Nonsense, I don't know how could I have left you unchaperoned with Nathan. The fault is all mine."

I slipped off my outer garments and stowed them under the cot. The lady seemed all at sea, but hers was a gentle kind of madness compared to what I'd known. "You've been so kind to me, Lady Barbara, let me help you."

She didn't make a fuss as I straightened out her hair, removing the tangled seed pearls and gold thread. The fine woollen gown was of an unfamiliar design with laces and hooks cinching it at the waist. It took me a while to unfasten by the dim light, but I soon had her clad in linens tucked up in bed.

I hung her gown up beside her little hearth and damped down the fire. As Nathan has instructed, I hung my charter up in the warm to dry. When the Bürgermeisterin finally started snoring I put out the lamp and crawled into the little refuge.

Sleep was the last thing on my mind. Uncanny sounds carried, both from the city outside and from the great hall, even if nothing had disturbed us it would have been the longest night of my life. My heart raced as I heard the door open with a sharp click. Lady Barbara didn't stir at all.

"Leave that, we don't need the light." The man's words carried the undeniable ring of authority, though the tone was light-hearted.

The woman ignored him, brought the lantern in with her and set it on the table.

"Or do as you wish," he said more sharply, "it's not as though the light will disturb anyone."

"With seven hours until dawn, my lord, must we pass the time in miserable darkness?" A rich alto that matched her face perfectly, and an accent I couldn't place that leant a most un-German sibilance to her words.

"Miserable darkness indeed," the man grumbled.

"You must?"

"I could happily set fire to your infernal tapestries. Wouldn't you rather warm my bed?"

"That vessel is exhausted, Johannes." The stool creaked as the woman sat at the little dresser, just in my narrow line of sight. "You will kill her if you feed again tonight."

He stood behind her, hands resting affectionately on her shoulders. "Mortal blood has no appeal when you are with me."

"I am your servant, my lord. Do as you wish."

He sighed petulantly and sat down heavily in the arm chair. "What's gotten into you? You've barely said two words all night, now this."

"If you must know, I have had a foul taste in my mouth since you had me apologize to that derranged harpy."

"Good God darling, not this again. Sacred Heart is Rosemary's own domain!"

"As the masquerade is yours. Or are you blind to the malefactor's abuses?"

"Don't test me, woman."

She sniffed gently and dabbed her face with the same washcloth Lady Barbara had used on me. "You asked the question, Johannes. I would never offer such an opinion in public."

"Your face does enough talking for both of us. You could have soured milk tonight with that scowl."

"Do go on, my lord. My mood is already improving."

"Rosemary does more than her fare share to keep the peace."

"Seventeen corpses, just in the last two weeks, not including the Ruthenian delegates. And that debacle with her degenerate band of ghouls is still the talk of your generals."

"Enough!"

"You are all blind when it comes to your Childer."

He smacked his hand down on the table, "What the devil do you know of such things?"

She froze at the violent sound, her head slowly turned towards him, but she wisely held her tongue.

"Well?" he snapped. "You who guard your vitae as though it really were the blood of Christ? We've lost a dozen kindred since the siege began, at least Rosemary cares enough to replenish our forces? Speak woman!"

"I am not ready. I would never inflict such a curse on this city as an untried Sire and Childe. The war is not enough?"

"Nonsense."

"You have my sword and my heart. Do you care nothing for my judgement?"

"This city is fighting for its life, the voievodate care nothing for our sentiments. In fact, the entire world has no time for our sentiments."

"You should never have embraced her."

"I won't rise to it again, I see your game. Tell me, whom would you have chosen with the benefit of hindsight?"

"True nobility has nothing to do with breeding."

He laughed heartily at that, I heard him slap his thigh.

"No, my lord. No one else is laughing. Whosoever begat her, that woman posesses not one grain of nobility, she is a slave to the very devil, in body and in mind."

"Please," he chortled, "coming from the very mother of Portugal and Spain. The blessed grandmother of the most Catholic Ferdinand and Isabella."

"I am overjoyed to hear you laugh, my lord. I am gratified that my legacy brings you such joy, but I must remind my lord that my heritage is far less highly exalted."

"True, true," he wheezed theatrically. "I hear it, and am convinced."

"Then acknowledge the suffering of your own people. You must rein her in somehow, or the Brujah will do it for you, and you will have civil war on your hands."

"All true, but it burns me to hear it my darling. Especially from you."

"Your maddening questions deserve such answers."

"Then give me something better to do with my mouth, woman. And employ your own in my service."

She moved out of sight, and I heard the rustle of her skirts then silence but for the little gasp she gave. The bed creaked under their added weight, but still Lady Barbara did not stir.

I savoured the heavy copper scent that rolled to me as they played. With the wet sounds of kisses, and breathless little gasps from both of them, I felt my heart pounding in my head and hot loins alike. No fear has ever come to me without lust, no anger without lust, since Enzo broke me. I clenched my fists and ignored my stupid cunt, I barely dared breathe.

"Enough, enough, my lord..." she murmured.

He gasped, in frustration or release I couldn't say, but the suckling stopped. The mortal woman in their bed began to snore gently, and the vampire woman sighed. "That would be heaven indeed. To be so satisfied I could sleep, righteous, in my lord's bed."

"Do you hunger, my love?"

"I am well enough, my Prince."

The gentle rhythm of Barbara's breathing continued, much to my relief, but silence between the pair was strained.

"How can you rest in my arms and lie to my face?"

"Please, Johannes..."

"I've taken everything you could give, you must hunger. Why lie?"

"You and your infernal questions!"

"Eleanor wait, I didn't mean..."

The door slammed hard.

The bed creaked again as he sat on the edge, moments later, the woman returned. This time she thought better of slamming the door.

"I apologize," she said stiffly.

"It's nothing. You're mad to flee starving into the night rather than take..."

"As though you had not put me in this abominable state. I am barely a century dead, and already I crave elder vitae? It is far too soon to call this the Methuselah's thirst, my Prince. It is the diablerist's thirst, the curse of incontinent lust."

"But you hunger?"

"I did not speak a lie my lord, I was happy to hunger for you. Feed for you. Return to you"

"You're not happy, you're afraid."

"May God yet permit you to see sense. Let me feed from my own mortal herd for goodness sake, jealousy does not become you."

"God has nothing to do with it. I will not beg, Eleanor, I am your Prince, must I command this of you?"

"Have you no dignity at all?"

"Drink. Drink deep without regret. Yes..."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes that even hundred year old men are fools for lust. She did as he asked, and he took great pleasure in the sensation, I trembled to hear it. When at last he was satisfied, she retreated to sit at the dresser, dabbing at the blood stains on her chin and clothes.

"I never took you for such a man." Her body language was a world away from the confident poise she'd had before. It saddened me.

"Well, I never took you for such an insolent scold."

"Shame on you and your misbegotten house!"

"And on my incontinent lust, eh? Stay out of sight until the sortie, and pray I can stand to look upon your miserable face again by tomorrow night."

Then it was his turn to slam the door. Now I was certain Lady Barbara must either be comatose or feigning sleep.

Eleanor sat and stared. It seemed an age before she buttoned her emotions back up, washed the carnage from her lily white skin and moved to sit closer to the fire. What madness leads a vampire to sit staring into the flames? I remembered the monster's terror of fire, and now this creature almost dared the flames to do their worst.

It's difficult to separate the feelings I had then and now but there was something, watching her, watching the flames, some kindred fascination. Then her gaze shifted to the right of the hearth. She stood up and moved out of sight.

"Rouse yourself now little puppet, your master is gone. Are you fool enough to play dead with me?"

I almost jumped out of hiding myself, but the intended puppet was lady Barbara.

"No your grace..."

"What is this?"

The poor woman fumbled out of bed, bare feet pattering on the rushes. She struggled with limbs still half asleep, but did not hesitate to obey. The room grew lighter as she managed to spark up another lamp.

"Something I had Nathan put together, it's nothing really."

My heart sank.

"It is by no means nothing. It bears today's date, and your husband's mark, but you and I both know it was not his doing. Who are these Walder women?'

"W... women? What?"

"Oh ho but you know this is not a good time to try my patience. Kneel. Now."

"I swear, your grace, it was one woman, only one, I took pity on her was all. She had no recourse to any guardian, I thought it fitting to grant her the means..."

"It is not your purpose to think of such things."

A wet choking sound carried from behind the curtain.

"The milk pudding Johannes has left between your ears is barely powerful enough to keep you walking in a straight line."

"Please, your grace, I didn't mean any harm..."

"Look at me."

"Please don't... please..." she begged, "I'll tell you everything but please don't f... force me, it still hurts so m... much..."

"Now now, you grovel most beautifully but I will have your eyes if you do not meet mine. There now. Much better. You see? No pain at all, it is simply a sign of respect."

Barbara breathed fast and shallow in her terror and I remembered the weight of a vampire's mind gouging into my own. There was no way a mortal woman would be able to keep secrets.

I pulled back the tapestry, and the sheer look of indignant disbelief on Eleanor's face was almost worth everything that came after.

Lady Barbara pointed at me with her shaking hand.

Eleanor let go of the poor woman's neck and Barbara slumped down, pressed her face to the floor, sobbing with relief.

I almost did the same but thought better of it. I knelt instead, kept my hands in sight, and bowed my head contritely.

She stalked towards me and I looked up into her eyes for the very first time. They were vivid green, flecked with gold, like an autumn day, and behind them was a world of sorrow I couldn't comprehend. I felt a raw fear, born of everything I had seen and heard, I knew her power and a lust for it filled me.

"Tell me who sent you?"

"Herr Lugoz." My mouth spoke almost before I heard her question.

"Not Sister Rosemary?"

"No... your grace. Not her."

I gasped as I felt tendrils of control enter my mind, I would describe it as ice cold water dripping into your eyes, running up over the top of your head, warming as it runs through your hair. Once the initial shock had passed I barely felt it so long as I didn't resist.

"Who. Sent you."

"Herr Lugoz the tanner..."

"To this room? To spy on us?"

"To buy my freedom! To go home I'd have had to walk between all of you. All you... nobles. Lady Barbara said I could stay, we didn't know you'd come, we're really sorry..."

"Why not make your presence known? Offer your service?"

"I didn't want to die." My voice cracked just a touch as reality set in.

"Then why show yourself now?" The grip tightened, and the cold became heat building inside.

"You were hurting her," I whispered, "there was no need to hurt her like that. We can't hurt you." Pressure, unrelenting, because I had not spoken the whole truth about Radu's threats or Enzo. I was holding back, "Rosemary never told me her name. But I know who you meant. She... she doesn't know I'm here."

"But you are loyal to her?"

"No! I'm terrified of her!"

I shuddered as her tendrils slid out of my mind, and a sharp smile lit up Eleanor's face for a second. I followed the vampire's eye across to Lady Barbara who had crawled over to lean against the bed. "How long do you suppose she has left?"

I gave the question some thought. If the vampire wanted a hurried answer she'd have kept her fist clamped around my mind.

"When I found her she couldn't even dress herself for bed. She couldn't remember me at all. Is that why... Do you kill people when you've finished with them?"

"Personally?" Her lip curled into a gentler, less fleeting smile. "Not often. Neither do I toss gold into wishing wells, or pour good wine down the drain, but when things are broken?" The vampire shrugged. "She is not mine to dispose of."

The implication being that I was? What could I say?

The smile broadened. "Do you believe you have already wronged me so badly?"

"I'm sorry... I... I shouldn't have been listening and..."

She shook her head, "What hollow words. If you feel that you have wronged me, then there must be restitution. Reparations."

"Reparations?" I said weakly, "What can I give that you can't just take?"

"I could take your life, cleanly, with dignity. I could take your memories, but you see, that could have catastrophic consequences for your intellect" The icy trickle spread across my mind again, and I froze, lost in the deep pools of her eyes. "You could give me something more. Pledge your oath and keep my secrets."

The choice was rope around my neck. A clean death, a fool's contentment, or what? I felt a deep sadness, knowing that this may well have been Lugoz's plan all along. "You'll fuck me over anyway, just like everyone else has, whatever I choose."

"Is that your fate? To condemn yourself?"

I shook my head. "If I keep your secret, will you please let me go?"

Her eyes narrowed just a fraction, was that not the answer she'd been looking for?

"I would hear your plea, but for the inconvenient detail of Sister Rosemary. If I were to let you go, you would fall back into her hands. What foolishness."

The words left me hollowed out somehow. It didn't matter how I tried there would be no escape. This other world was eclipsing my own, and the future I had imagined with Claudia and Lugoz was fading out of sight.

"I never asked for any of this. I just want somewhere safe for me and Claudia, a living, a life, is all."

"Commendable. Yet you would be dead twice over by now, but for the whimsy of that satanic witch. I do not offer patronage lightly."

"My sister still needs me."

She wrapped my charter back up in its case, then casually tossed it to me. I caught it, staring stupidly at her.

The vampire sighed. "Dress yourself. Hurry now."

There was no weight of command behind her words, but I obeyed of course. I watched her out of the corner of my eye, casting off her own grand woollen gown and headwear. From a corner chest she unwrapped an arming jacket and breeches, and styled herself as a common soldier, but for the lustrous black tresses that fell to her waist.

I felt uncomfortable watching, awkward too, standing there clutching my scroll case. The Bürgermeisterin acted as the lowest servant, rousing herself only to fold and hang the cast off things. The vampire had done everything else for herself, boots, buckles and straps, finally braiding her hair into a flat bun at the nape of her neck.

"All right then." She snapped her fingers at Barbara and pointed at the bed. "You are unwell. A physician will see to you in the morning, sleep now."

"Thank you, your grace," the woman stammered.

"Douse the lamp child," she said to me, "and come."

The house had become deathly quiet, outside too was eerily lifeless. The drizzle blew in gusts right at us, the cloudy night was black, not a soul stirred. I thought of Enzo then. He'd have made me rest well in the calm before the storm.

"You are still considering your options, no? Keep in mind that if we had not run into each other tonight, people would have assumed that you were in my service anyway."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Nathan's pen is my own. The Bürgermeister's scriptorium, my own. His master, my vassal, my domain by the Prince's decree. Now. That perception alone would have been enough to deter a sane adversary, but we both know that does not describe your would be mistress. There would have been blood shed, believe me."

I could see where she was taking me, so I didn't ask again. In the window of Lugoz's place, a lonely light was burning. She stopped right across the street, under the eaves of a warehouse, and beckoned me into the shelter.

My teeth were chattering by then, but it eased off once we were out of the wind. She was as unmoved by the cold as she had been by the fire, she might have been made of stone. "You're not like her," I said bluntly. "I don't know what you want from me."

"Everything," she said, "and nothing. I know you will keep your silence, but the oath is more than words. I will protect both of you, just as I protect all my interests, if you will make this oath of blood."

I nodded as I met her eyes again. She stood half a head taller than me, and the way the ground sloped toward the road made me feel even smaller. "How will you protect us? I won't go to Sacred Heart tomorrow night, I won't take Claudia to those butchers, but Radu will come and find us."

"I know you are perfectly capable of defending yourself. The first task I require of you is to bring me his head."

"But he won't come after me alone!"

"Oh, he will be very much alone, believe me, but that is beside the point. Can you bring yourself to do that, Elizabeth? Saw through the neck of someone you once called a brother in arms? Dispose of the rest of him so carefully, that no one can ever say for certain what became of Radu the bold? I know you will defend yourself, but that is something monstrous, child."

She caught the fingertip of her gauntlet between her teeth and pulled it off, gave it to me to hold in my shaking hands.

"Something as base and vile as this."

She drew the pad of her thumb across the jagged points of her eye teeth.

My mouth watered at the sight of her vitae, a fat, ruby pearl oozing from the wound I put out my tongue to receive this perverse sacrament, all the while holding that predator's gaze. She pulled me round against the wall, hooked that bleeding thumb into the corner of my mouth and forced her knee between my unsteady legs.

The taste of her did things to my body that no mortal lover could hope to do, lit me up from the inside like water on burning oil. I bit down on her thumb with all my might, ground my body against her thigh, if she hadn't such a firm hold on me I'd have melted onto the filthy ground.

Her strength poured into me, one measured drop at a time. She cupped my breast in her free hand, raised her knee higher, lifting me off my feet, pressed up against the rude building. I felt helpless in her power, but one look at her face was enough to make me moan in grateful pleasure. She was totally in control. My body spasmed like lightning, hers was steadfast, calm, her expression as mild as the virgin herself.