Winged Dagger

Under Surveillance

A little later in the night, I opened my door to Le Comte's knocking, Sebastian right behind him. Bewildered, I stepped aside to let them both enter.

"I'd like to apologize," he said. I didn't really know what he was referring to, and why there was a need to apologize in the first place.

"Why do you apologize? Nothing happened."

His eyes softened, and Sebastian coughed as if in surprise. "It's quite a large secret, and I wish you had come to find out in a gentler manner."

I scoffed. "And what exactly would you have said? 'The residents are vampires and so am I?'"

"Precisely."

I smiled, and Comte pulled up a chair as I sat on the bed. He spoke of the people in the mansion before he brought them back as vampires, spoke of them having a dying wish, and how he had brought them back so they would fulfill their regrets. "Sir Isaac, for instance, wished for a quiet place to continue his research. Vincent wanted to paint more."

I considered this. In that regard, it wouldn't be hard to understand why everyone else wanted a second chance at life. Wolf—Mozart, I daresay—probably wanted to compose more songs. "Then what about Arthur? Did he want to write more books, or chase more women?"

"The latter," answered Sebastian.

I believe my smile at that moment was nothing short of amused.

"If you don't wish to remain at the mansion, my offer to find you a place in the city still stands," said Le Comte, his gentle voice telling me there were no strings attached.

"You all being vampires doesn't change anything. I would like to remain here."

Sebastian and Comte shared a glance. "Just to be fair, I'm human."

I gave him a skeptical glance.

'He speaks the truth,' said a voice in my head, and I felt the finality of those words.

"Is there any way I could repay you for your hospitality?" I asked, pushing the voice out of my head. A vague feeling of annoyance rose up from it, but I pushed it back down.

"Well..." started Sebastian.

"There's no need for that," interrupted Comte.

Sebastian's face was a mask hiding obvious disappointment, and I had a feeling I knew why. "Perhaps I could help around the mansion with Sebastian and Kiyomi?"

Sebastian's face brightened for a fraction of a second and I knew I had hit a jackpot.

"You would do better as Arthur's assistant, I believe," said a slightly amused Comte.

"I can't hold a candle to him." I shook my head, knowing a perfect memory and extreme observation skills were very different things.

"Why don't you play a game with me and find out?" came a voice from the door. The three of us turned around to see Arthur saunter in.

"Interesting. I thought you had gone out," I said, a slight accusation hidden in my words.

"Why go out when we have a pretty skirt as a guest here?" he said, catching on to what I was implying.

"Arthur," said Comte. That was the first hint of exasperation I had seen from the mansion's owner. I wondered if only Arthur could elicit that reaction out of him.

"Right. So, what do you say we play a game of chess?" he asked. I would've agreed, but something under his smile reminded me of light glinting off a razor.