Burning Embers

Chapter 9-The VD Mystery

CHAPTER 9

DELANEY'S POV

I do not like this girl. The way she moves about like she were the mistress of the household or something, the way her eyes burn throw me like an angry fire as she reaches out for my wrist pulling me up from my seat on the bed.

"Come, he will see you now." She tells me, her voice faint and her face like a fog holding all of her emotion behind it, only to be revealed in her irises. I follow her as she leads me from the room down a dark crypted hallway.The lights are dim and the window curtains are cast shut. "Here." She says, opening two very large doors revealing what seems to be a ball room where many people are dancing, talking, snacking and the sort to classical music. They all dress in typical medieval fashion, which is quite strange seeing as the last time I have been seen in a place so romantic has been hundreds of years ago. They even wore masks. The mistress never told me this was a masquerade.

Someone bumps into me, and I shoot them a glare. I hate it when people do that without so much as giving you a second glance. He smells like someone has thrown him in the rose garden, he lingers of the scent of flowers very strongly.

"You look quite observative, my dear." A masculine voice says from behind me. I turn fast to see who I am supposing this V.D. character is. He is tall, and lanky. Dark garments in pristine fashion wrap around him like the night sky, making his pale skin almost transparent, like it were crafted by the moon itself. He has black beady eyes that seem to impale me every time he runs his eyes over me. And around those terrifying eyes is a gold mask with jewels. It takes no fool to see they are real."Ah, how rude of me. Let me introduce myself, my name is Vladimir Dracula." He says, and like whiplash, all the pieces come crashing together.

"You bastard!" I exclaim loud enough, but no one seems to be paying attention.

His eyes shoot up, and he looks more impressed than offended. Completely not my intentions whatsoever. He chuckles deeply, leaning against the wall with complete and utter amusement. If he wasn't much older, and much much more powerful, I would have castrated him...

"Ah, so you do remember me." He smiles, as if it were a relief that I would. I glare at him the best I can, not hiding how I feel about him

"How can I not remember the man who slaid my family, turned me into a monster, then allowed Shadowhunters to kill the only other man I have ever loved." I snap at him. This makes him squint his eyes at me slightly, but he easily shakes off whatever emotion he is about to show me. Anger perhaps?

"All in good reason, I assure you." He says simply, flicking his wrist at a much smaller boy, too young to have been dealt the fate that he has. Forever young can be a heavy price to pay if you are too young.

"Oh, then please do explain. Because I saw no good reason in it whatsoever." I tell him, folding my arms over my chest.

"First you must know I will not let you have your humanity back. That is why you're here, is it not?" He asks me, tapping his fingers along his chin. I just look at him for a second taking in every detail of the monster I vow I shall kill in seconds without a second thought. I hate him, and I will get back what he stole.

"You know me too well, I think Dracula." I say, a bit of venom leaking in my voice. He might have heard me but he shows no signs. His expression can hold back a million secrets. Another reason why I know so strongly he is the most untrustworthy man alive. If the snake of a devil met him, it would have cowered in his presence.

"Please, after centuries of knowing each other, why not call me Vlad. Much more informal." He inquires, trying to be friendly. But I know his motives are entirely not, he won't fool me.