PAST

WINSLOW

The well lit castle stood atop the hills surrounded by a lot of carriages. A carriage pulled up before a stationed guard who directed the horses to a space. The trio each stepped down with their dates walking arm in arm as they strolled majestically into the large halls of the castle. It had large-sized curtains and the candle lit chandelier was breathtaking.

The guests were distinguished by their outfits and rallied round on their feet with drinks in hand. Olin whispered to his comrades before the Master of the occasion spoke up.

"Try to blend in." Perceival and Trillis grinned a positive reply and then split ways.

"Beloved guests; Ladies and Gentlemen." The MC said atop his voice which echoed through the hall. He too was dressed like a Count with a wig, breeches, coats, knee high socks and long boots. "You all are heartily welcomed to the birthday anniversary of a well respected noble of our age, Count Antonio D'Avirnon." The Count wearing a fur coat, progressed down a stairway which shone like bronze. His steps were followed by kind, jealous and indifferent eyes. " And his beautiful daughter, Lady Bekreana D'Avirnon."

Olin's gaze never left her figure as she took dainty steps with poise and elegance wearing a sleeveless sky blue gown which covered her feet. He noticed the full mould of skin on her chest wedged  tightly by  the dress, the jade stone necklace which dangled between her cleavage, the yellow of her eyes almost like a miniature sun and he felt a huge tug of thirst and want almost immediately.

Murmurs of 'She's a beauty' and 'Where is her mother' were whispered inaudibly but Olin could hear each sound perfectly because of his enhanced hearing. He searched for his friends with his vampire sight, his eyes finally dropping on a figure without a heat signature. He flitted like a slight gust of wind within the crowd unnoticeably towards Trillis who was feeding shamelessly on the lady he came with, his face buried into her neck in a mock love bite and his hair masked the real damage he was inflicting.

"Stop this now!" whispered Olin as Trillis showed his eyes which were sunken and blood red, his fangs were still in her neck. "keep feeding on her like that at a place like this and we risk exposure, there would be plenty of time for that later."

"Just because of a ridiculous hearsay, there is no such thing as a man-wolf," Trillis scoffed wiping at his lips. "Go clean up dear." He compelled as his pupils became icy dots and were normal in seconds.

"It is not just hearsay but news of a supernatural unlike vampires in these parts. Why else do you think we are here?" Olin mentioned in mock amusement while moving towards the banquet table. He knew the fact about vampire emotions being heightened; like could become love, dislike be hate and a simple annoyance become anger. Some humans took out their frustrations on food, such a petty to do but he seemed to agree when he downed two glasses of wine.

His eyes caught sight of Bekreana eating at a cluster of grapes in such a haste uncommon to those of high birth.

"You seem hungry Milady," Olin spoke as he watched those peach lips stop moving and her yellow eyes stare at him.

"I am famished." She exclaimed with a bright smile while munching at some apples. Olin bowed a little. "Olin Tragellas at your service."   "I would have told you mine but you already know, although really special friends call me Krea," Krea mentioned while reducing her voice to a whisper. "Let me let you in on a secret, all these eating is a ploy to hide my real hunger."

Olin noticed the mischievous glean in her eye and decided to play along, feigning wide curiosity. "And just what would that be?" 

"Flesh, especially deer," Krea cooed in a craving voice. "Exquisitely tasty," she stopped when she noticed Olin's scrutinizing look. "I sure fooled you, the look on your face was priceless." She laughed while Olin gave a low smile. She extended a hand to him when the instruments started to play. "Do you dance?"

Olin paused for a minute, if he had a pulse he was sure it would have stopped at that moment making it hard to breathe but since he didn't, it was just a momentary freeze which he shook off. "Of course, wouldn't find a better dancer elsewhere."

"Cocky. I like it," she replied as he guided her expertly to the dance floor where they stepped, sidestepped, spun and just slow danced while gazing intently at their different eye color till the music faded, both completely unaware of the crowd around them.  "You are not from around these parts are you?" Krea asked while trying to break the long gaze they had going, now studying the intricate lace design of his collar.

"Well, I am from Virginia. I journeyed with my friends and we suddenly found ourselves here at this occasion," Olin replied.

A middle aged man with a scar across his left cheek stepped within the castle walls unnoticed by the crowd of guests as he moved across, his dusty boots, black trouser pants and brown coat was everything but glamorous, even his hat was worn out. He grabbed a few mouthfuls at the banquet table and gulped down a drink before advancing towards the Count.

"A worthy celebration Sir." "Marcelo Dodger is my humble name and I would like to humor you with an act." Dodger spoke up attracting the Count's attention who nodded at him to continue. He performed several known and brand new parlor tricks and received cheers for each act. "Tell me, do you believe in the supernatural?" He asked generally as his listeners laughed and whispered in amused tones, even the Count had an amused grin on.

"What about you? Do you personally believe in possession by a supernatural force?" His question had been directed towards the Count who gazed him full in the face trying to find his intent.

"Well we do know certain diseases are caused by them," the Count replied while watching Dodger retrieve a miniature sized mirror which shone from his breast pocket. "What's that?"

"This was a gift from an old acquaintance, said to dispel possession by spirits and look into anyone's soul," saying that, he let the mirror's reflected light bounce off the Count's eyes which glinted golden much to Dodger's dismay and he shot the Count a questioning look which quickly was replaced with a fake grin.

"What do you see?" he asked, "What is your reading of me?" 

"You are clean and free of possession," Dodger replied, giving a quick bow before moving away and out of sight. He had a new found knowledge, he knew what the Count and the rest of his supposed relatives were; they were Supernaturals. He did not have the luxury of taking out the rest of the Count's entourage. He reached into his inner pocket retrieving a long reed pipe and two silvery needles which he set in place. It was time for the toast and he could hear glasses chink. 'Now' he thought, blowing the needles which moved swiftly through the small spaces between guests and their wine glasses before stabbing through the Count's neck.

The commotion in the hall sped up like an infection as many guests hurried out of the available exits; afraid that they were under attack. The Count laid unconscious on the floor, the veins around his neck had turned black as the poison crept slowly towards his heart.

"No! Help him," cried Krea in a desperate plea while kneeling beside her near-dying father, cradling his head in her laps. The Town's doctor had been summoned and he examined the Count's body while checking for a pulse.

In a part of the hall perfectly hidden away, Olin gazed intently at the scene. Trillis and Perceival met up with him. "He is dead. This was an attack," Olin mumbled aloud. "Someone killed him."

Perceival shook his head a bit confused as Olin's gaze met theirs. "We need to go Olin. Since when do you care?"

"Since when it was my call to give out orders which could be forever," he stared at Trillis who had been quiet which was unlike him. "Do you know something we do not?" Trillis gave a noncommittal grunt. "Your arm?" Olin ordered as Trillis held out his left arm letting Olin's extracted fangs sink into the skin.

Olin's mind flared with several images of the night's event in a fast motion. He could see an image of dusty worn out boots, see it's owner address the Count and then few seconds after the toast, kill him. He released his grip on Trillis' arm, letting out a slight gasp as if for breath.

"The killer, that was Marcelo Dodger, the Hunter," Trillis mentioned to Perceival's dismay as he peered around nervously. Olin closed his eyes deep in thought. "He killed the Count using silver needle points."

"Silver hurts Vampires, in it's purest form could fatally wound or burn any of us." Perceival replied almost immediately.

"But the Count was not a Vampire," Olin cut in watching the guards take the Count's body away. "He had a heat signature just like every other human although tainted blue instead of just plain red."

Perceival finally understanding what they both said decided to reply with a question. "If silver only hurts Vampires but does not kill humans and our Count here is neither vampire and easily died of it, then what is he?"

"The question is what are they?" Trillis corrected as the trio looked in the direction of Krea and her family; all of them emitted tainted blue heat signatures instead of plain human red.