The Stirrings of a Cold Heart Ch. 23

Seeing the coffin right below him, Erik's first inclination was to leap down and rip the lid off of Aidan's prison. It could be done within seconds, but he dared not do it. Whoever was behind all of this was down there expecting him to make some kind of grand entrance. He crept back over to the darkness of the wings. Taking hold of one of the ropes that controlled the curtain, he slid down to the stage, then hid in the shadows and folds of velvet. The coffin was right there only a few feet away. She was so close, but he couldn't risk exposure, not yet anyway.

"This is ridiculous. Let's just kill her and get it over with," a voice suddenly said, breaking the silence. "If he had given even the slightest damn about her, he would have shown up already." This voice was familiar to the vampire, although he hadn't heard it in quite a while. Pulling back a tiny bit of the curtain, Erik looked towards the center aisle and saw that his memory was indeed correct.

Strutting like a peacock in all his best foppish finery was Emile Claudel. So this was the Englishman he had been told about. The former tenor was dressed, or rather, overdressed in an array of velvets, satins and silks. His collar and the cuffs of his shirt were dripping in elaborate lace work. He was so over done in his finery that it seemed to Erik that he looked less like a man of breeding and culture and more like a dandy or a popinjay. He almost seemed comical. Indeed, the vampire might have found himself snickering, but for the former tenor's self entitlement. His constant complaints about how long everything was taking along with his suggestions of what they could do to Aidan were no laughing matter either. Emile's penchant for flashing his fangs and red eyes after each of his proposals were juvenile and less than amusing, even to his master.

"Patience," responded another voice that was clearly tired of the other's antics. "He'll come." Erik recognized it as Ryuu and he was very close by. "He's probably already here."

"If he was, we would know," Emile commented, his arrogant vibrato outweighing his caution. The vampire was pleased to see that some things had definitely not changed when it came to the former tenor.

"Would you?"

'Le Coeur Noir' looked up towards the balcony to pinpoint where Ryuu was and discovered him seated like a king in a box just off the stage to Erik's right. Things would be so much easier if it were only Emile he had to contend with. The vampire was well acquainted with men like the former tenor. They noticed very little and were generally all talk with nothing to back it up. This man, Ryuu, was his greatest threat. He would hear every little sound and see every little movement. He was trying to gauge whether or not he would be fast enough to plunge a stake into him, when the sound of something falling in the lobby caught all of their attention.

"It's him!" Emile announced with an excited grin, but Ryuu only waved him off and motioned for him to be silent. He then pointed at the coffin in a silent request for him to guard it while he went to investigate.

Once his master was gone, Emile stepped onto the stage and barely glanced at the box that held their captive. He should have been preparing for the fight that was looming, but instead he was his usual overconfident overblown self. He wasn't on his guard nor was he paying attention to anything. Instead, he started to sing an aria from some opera. The former tenor may have discovered immortality, but his voice was still only mediocre. The only thing making his impromptu performance enjoyable was the knowledge that he was completely distracted.

Erik transformed into smoke. Keeping within the shadows of the auditorium he was able to move unnoticed to the back of the theater and silently close the doors. It was easy since Emile had his back to him. He then tore the molding from around the door and used it to fashion a makeshift cross by threading the shorter piece through the handles and letting the long piece fall against it. He had to make sure it fell just right, because he could not adjust it once it was in place. He then did the same with the balcony doors ensuring that Ryuu would have to find another way in. That would at least buy him some time.

Rematerializing, Erik began to walk down the aisle getting Emile's instant attention. The former tenor smiled broadly, brandishing his fangs and glowing red eyes. Perhaps he had hoped that this would intimidate 'The Dark Heart', but it didn't. The vampire stared at his foppish opponent coldly, his face void of emotion as he strode toward him. Of all the humans in the world that could or should be made into nosferatu, Emile was one of the worst to choose. He was narcissistic, ineffectual, and would readily stab his own master in the back if he saw any benefit for himself. That anyone as intelligent as Ryuu would pick such an oaf was baffling. Of course need and desire can make a person do things they might not otherwise do. No doubt Emile had possessed something his master wanted. As far as the former tenor was concerned he had finally become 'somebody'. He had wealth and power and believed that he was great enough to make Kings quake on their thrones.

"Ahhh, Erik Ambrose. The last time we met, the deck was stacked in your favor, but as you can see times have changed."

"Hardly," the vampire corrected. "You are young yet, inexperienced, and not as strong." You lack ability and are little more than a pompous bag full of piss and wind. You would barely have my interest at all except that you are standing between me and the precious contents of that box."

"You think you can make me fear you with your lies, but you're wrong."

"I vowed to you once that your life was forfeit after you shot Aidan years ago," Erik responded. "I failed to keep that promise, but it's not too late for me to rectify that."

"Try."

Emile leapt from the stage at 'Le Coeur Noir', but instead of rushing him as he had hoped, the vampire caught him by his clothing and sent him straight into the auditorium chairs. The force of his body knocked them over and smashed off one of the legs. The former tenor got up and balling up his fists took a swing at Erik which the ancient vampire easily dodged before punching Emile right in the gut. As the self-absorbed fop doubled over in pain, 'The Dark Heart' caught him by the hair and pulled him up to look at him, then landed a blow to his pretty face.

"Life is very different from Operas and stage shows. There's no director to choreograph your steps," Erik said as he picked up the broken chair leg. Incensed, Emile once more tried to lunge at him only to have the vampire side-step him and cause him to land hard against the floor. 'Le Coeur Noir' lifted the wooden leg and slammed it through the former tenors back and into his heart. "I always keep my word," he said, then took the dagger from its sheath and sliced off the former tenor's head.

With Emile dead, Erik immediately turned his attention to the coffin on stage. In the flash of a second he was there ripping the lid off of its hinges, careful to not touch the cross that was on top. There she was, still wrapped up in blankets like a mummy. He pulled back enough of the wrappings to see her still scarred face but stopped as the sound of clapping met his ears. Softly he whispered for Aidan not to move and stay silent. 'Le Coeur Noir' turned around to see Ryuu standing up on the third balcony watching him.

"You just can't leave my coven alone, can you?"

"I didn't start this. You're the one who sent thugs to kidnap Aidan," Erik pointed out.

"Wrong," Ryuu shouted, his voice echoing against the walls of the empty theater. "You started this when you murdered Rabon and Madrikashi. They belonged to me. If you had a problem with them then you should have come to me."

"Perhaps you should have learned how to control your family. They tried to tear apart mine and you did nothing to stop it so I did." He stepped to the center of the stage and threw out his hands in a show of surrender. "If you want to take my life as payment for your loss then so be it, but leave 'Mon Coeur' alone. She has no part in our fight."

"I can't do that. She is your family and I swore I would wipe you and your coven from the earth," Ryuu responded with a shake of his head.

"Then stop talking and get it done," Erik challenged, his fangs lengthening and his eyes glowing red.

"As you wish."

Ryuu dove from the third balcony onto his opponent, knocking the blade from his hand. The two vampires erupted in a fury of fists and punches, each doing their level best to get the upper hand. With a flip Erik was on his back with his adversary repeatedly hitting him in the jaw. With an upward kick and thrust of his arms 'Le Coeur Noir' flipped him over his shoulder onto the floor then quickly got to his feet. The two forces collided again but this time Erik managed to knock Ryuu back against one of the apron lamps, toppling it over and igniting the oil as it spilled into the orchestra pit. Leaping back to his feet, he ran at 'Le Coeur Noir' and, catching him around the waist, threw him from the stage into the aisle. He then jumped down after him with a loud growl clipping another lamp with his foot as he went.

The two rolled on the ground knocking over more chairs. Ryuu grabbed one of the chairs and hit Erik with it followed by another one. Each time the vampire raised his arms to block, but there was still enough force to knock him down. He too grabbed one of the chairs and threw it but his adversary easily ducked and the piece of furniture hit one of the lamps knocking it over on the stage. Ryuu began kicking Erik with all the force he had in the ribs, causing him to yell in pain as his ribs cracked and then broke. He finally managed to catch his foot and shove him backward, gaining a moment to get to his feet and spit out some blood.

Ryuu rushed at Erik, and almost had him, but the vampire managed to side step, Catching hold of his clothes, Erik sent him through the auditorium door. His opponent screamed as he hit the makeshift wooden cross that had been used to seal the entrance. Flames were beginning to lick the curtains of the stage and fill the orchestra pit. 'Le Coeur Noir' started to run towards Aidan to get her out of the blaze, but before he managed to reach the end of the aisle he was struck by the brass candle sconce that formerly hung on one side of the entrance. He turned to block but Ryuu continued to strike him, breaking his nose, knocking out teeth and disorienting him.

Erik tried to get his wits about him and get away but it was getting more difficult with every blow. Ryuu raised his hand to level another blow only to stop as a stake of wood suddenly pierced right through his chest. He stood there a moment in shock then turned to see Alex standing in the doorway, his crossbow raised and loaded with another stake. Ryuu started to move towards the hunter and he fired, hitting him again in the heart. He stumbled backwards, his eyes never straying from Alex. He loaded another bolt into his weapon and once more pierced his target. Blood was dripping from the vampire's mouth as he turned and staggered to the orchestra pit and fell into the flames.

There was no time for either of them to savor the victory. Flames were beginning to spread across the auditorium floor and eat away at Emile's decapitated body where it lay in the center aisle. The stage was quickly being engulfed and Aidan could no longer stay still and quiet. She screamed at the intense heat and the sound of crackling all around her. Erik rose and with all his remaining strength leaped over the orchestra and onto the stage and got hold of her. Alex screamed at them to get out, but the flames around the two lovers were only getting higher. Through the fire he could just make out Erik cradling Aidan in his arms as she suckled at his wrist.

"Take the chance and both of you jump through the flames!" he called, but they couldn't hear him through the blaze. A portion of the balcony started to fall forcing the hunter back and the smoke soon drove him out of the building altogether and across the street where he stopped. People were already beginning to arrive and grabbing buckets of water to put out the flames. There was only so much they could do as higher and higher the flames rose, chewing away at the wood and brick structure. Before long the golden, orange and red fingers of the inferno reached up into the sky along with billows of smoke. One man ran over to the hunter to see if he was okay and Alex assured him that he was.

"I saw other people go inside that building earlier. Were they able to escape?"

At the question the hunter could only shrug, then he straightened himself and a look of determination came to his eye.

"No. They got out."

"How can you be sure?" the man asked, staring at the hunter in disbelief as the shadows and flame-light reflected off his face. "No one could survive a blaze like that."

"The fire is not yet out."