Мишель Роуэн - Stakes & Stilettos

Marcellus had invited them to a performance of the commedia dell'arte and then to dine in the vaulted cellar of a tavern near the river.

The tavern was filled with vampires—something that stunned Thierry. He'd never seen so many of his kind in one place before. He'd been a vampire for two centuries but he was still amazed that such a thing existed. Veronique had sired him into this life after the point he'd wanted to continue living. He had already made his peace before he'd been saved from the death and disease of the plague years.

Now he was to live forever. Much like the beings that surrounded him. They laughed and drank and danced and listened to the music in the tavern as if they were normal.

But they weren't normal. They were creatures who looked human but needed blood to survive. He ran his tongue along the sharp tips of his fangs. Veronique indulged her thirst frequently but he did not. He didn't care for the feeling of intoxication when he drank blood—the feeling of being out of control. He valued his control above all things.

"Don't be silly," Veronique always told him. "You should relish this second chance at life

I've given you."

"I do," he assured her.

He wondered if she regretted siring him. Or marrying him. He did care for the dark-haired beauty in his own way. After all, despite her self-involved actions and behavior, Veronique was not evil. She did what she could with the life she'd been given. As did he. She made for a fine companion and had taught him many things about being a vampire.

But he didn't love her.

He had loved his family, but they had been destroyed by the plague. One of his sisters had still been healthy when the villagers had taken her late one night and burned her body among the dead to prevent the spread of the disease. There had been nothing he could have done to prevent it. That was the night that Thierry ran as far away from his village as he could, only to end up in the same situation as his sister.

Veronique had saved him. She'd been hungry and he'd apparently looked appetizing enough for her to pull his half-dead body from the pile of burning corpses.

The plague had long since left Europe, leaving behind a path of death and destruction.

Thierry was still alive. Still breathing. His heart still beat, but now he had to drink the blood of others to keep it that way.

It was a monstrous life.

The only thing he had was Veronique. Yes, the woman who was now seated upon her sire and old lover's lap with his tongue down her throat. Thierry watched them from the shadows. Veronique hadn't even noticed his departure from the table.

She would be unfaithful to him. Thierry was surprised that the thought didn't bother him as much as it should have.

He watched as a man approached Marcellus to touch his shoulder and then whispered something in his ear. Marcellus nodded and disengaged from Veronique's embrace long enough to stand up, smiling as he left the table to venture outside. Thierry followed, keeping to the shadows, watching as Marcellus's easy smile faded to a tense but determined expression.

"And the man who told you this?" he asked the man next to him sharply after he'd taken the stairs to street level.

"A solid source. It is good, reliable information. They are almost upon us."

Marcellus's expression shadowed. "I only wish I had more time. There are arrangements to be made." His serious gaze then moved to where Thierry stood silently. "You there.

Perhaps you can be of help to me tonight."

"I didn't mean to overhear anything," Thierry said, feeling exposed and ashamed to be caught lurking in the shadows.

Marcellus's lips curled. "Of course you did. And I can't say that I blame you. After all, I have been preoccupying Veronique all evening."

"Are you apologizing for that?"

"No." His gaze was steady and unflinching and Thierry felt uncomfortable for a moment.

"What do you want from me, then?"

"Leave us," he told the other vampire, who bowed and with a glance at Thierry left them in privacy.

Marcellus pulled a chain out from under his collar. There was a key on the end of it. "If I ask you to do something for me, will you do it?"

"It depends what it is you ask."

The smile returned as he slipped the chain over his head and glanced down at the gold key.

"This is the key to my home near the city wall." He told Thierry the precise address. "I want you to take this key and let yourself into the house. Destroy the papers you will find there."

"Why?"

"Because tonight I shall die, and if those papers get into the wrong hands, many others shall die as well."

"I don't understand."

"No." He shook his head. "I don't suppose you do. I am a very good judge of people. I know those I can trust by looking into their eyes. Do you know what I see when I look into yours?"

Thierry didn't reply.

"I see a man who has suffered, and even though that which has caused your suffering has left, you still hold on to that pain. However, I sense that you are honest and honorable. I don't know how you came to marry Veronique, nor does it matter anymore."

"You left her."

"Only because I had to. For her own safety. You see, I am a hunted man. There are those who wish to do me great harm, and they have finally found me. I cannot escape. They will end my life tonight and I must embrace it. My death must be on public record so my secrets shall die with me."

"The papers."

"Yes, the papers must also be destroyed. There is no other choice."

"Why can't you simply leave?"

He walked off to the side and gazed out at the dark, empty street outside the tavern.

"Have you ever heard of the Diable Rouge … the Red Devil, Thierry?"

"Yes." The Red Devil was a vampire rumored to save other vampires from the threat of hunters. His identity was not known, but his deeds were legendary.

Marcellus turned to him. "The Red Devil dies tonight. The hunters believe that they know his true identity and they want to end him."

Thierry frowned deeply. "I don't understand."

Marcellus smiled. "It is best that Veronique never learn the truth. I want her to believe that

I left her years back for selfish reasons. She must never know how deeply I loved her, how much I still love her and have missed her for all of these many years. I felt great jealousy when I first met you, Thierry, for you have what I cannot: Veronique.'"

"You are the Red Devil?"

"It is a silly name, but yes. I am. Until tonight."

Thierry shook his head. "Then it's too important for you to continue. You must escape."

He smiled, but it was a sad smile. "Do you know what it feels like to be betrayed by those you consider your friends? All is lost. The papers have names, locations, details that in wrong hands would do too much damage… if the Red Devil is gone, then that information must follow."

"How can you accept something like this? So easily? After all that you've done to help others?"

"I am almost five hundred years old and am weary with life. To be a vampire is to live forever, but it is finally time for me to rest. Seeing Veronique again has given me a last happiness."

The other man stepped back outside. "Marcellus, they approach."

Marcellus nodded to him and then handed Thierry the key. "Take this."

Thierry took it and looked down at it with a frown. "But, Marcellus… you cannot—"

"I must."

"What about Veronique? She is still downstairs."

"I will ensure her safety if it is the last thing I do. I swear it." Marcellus smiled, and

Thierry could see the strain of such a long life in his expression. "Now go… hide yourself.

They must not find that key." He paused and grasped Thierry's shoulder. "Take care of

Veronique for me. Farewell, mon ami."