Shimmer |✓|

//Haunted// Part 1

"Jeeves!" I thumped his shoulder, encouraged by the sight of him on his feet, back to his glum, apathetic self, so well-known for his ability to say I hate you with a single passing glance. "Nice to see you back on your feet. You're looking... blunt."

"Miss Noble. You've a visitor in the drawing room."

"Well, you and the sires are still undead and kicking, so obviously they're not a flying Plasmalik--amiright?"

Jeeves' expression soured and he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Hands on my hips, I glanced about... "Oh, I get it. Too soon."

*           *          *

I rounded the corner, into the drawing room, where a certain someone lounged by the fire. Her slim legs were crossed in the high-backed wingchair, strappy stilettos dangling, a red rose blooming along the back of her D&B's, the dark green stem twisted down the heel.

"Trick-or-treat, smell my feet, give me something good to... eat." Those long legs shifted, and up rose a voluptuous brunette, hair parted to the side, stick-straight down her shoulders.

"Claudia?" She huffed in amusement, fingering her pearl strand necklace, overly-pale skin striking against the silken fabric of her little black dress. "You're--"

"Alive?" Her incisors extended with an ugly click. "Not exactly."

"So I see. And how is the night life?"

Her fangs retracted to her one-armed hunched. "Oh, y'know--if I'm not bloody I'm not busy. I'm serving out my hundred years to the Revenant--for my part in creating the Rabid. The interesting thing about being a Vampire--it can numb you if you want, but it doesn't take your feelings, it... magnifies them. I feel everything, all the time--now I'm..." Claudia shrugged, shoulders expanding with breathe she didn't need. "Relieved. I did something bad. I thought running would help, but Hadrian caught up to me. Still, it's not so terrible; now I can finally pay for the things I've done. Sure, I lost my magic, but the Tepeds treats me well enough, and at least I have it better than Ferran."

"Ferran?"

"My former sister of the Red Hand--the one caught trying to re-start the fire. She got a hundred years for every life the Supernaturals lost. And when that's done she'll be burned at sunrise."

"Wow. That's some deathrow."

"Indubitably." Claudia used her super-speed to close the distance, hand extended. "Here."

I took what she offered, intrigued by the two tiny vials in my palm, cork toppers preventing a shining blue liquid from escape. "What's this?"

"A cure for the rabid, or any magical ailment really. There's an extra one, just in case."

"Are you serious?" The curving of her neck said take it or leave it, sweatheart. "But... how--why--"

"I wouldn't get too sentimental if I were you. Hadrian glamoured me into helping; he wanted to thank you. He mentioned what you did for the Supernaturals, how you formed a new alliance, extended the truce to any Witch who leaves the Red Hand. Then you went and saved his brother from an evil Fae-monster. He also told me about the rabid, and your grandmother, how she's the only survivor."

"More like comatose." I folded my arms over my chest, old hate sparking in my chest. "She's a vegetable. That's the only way to keep her alive and everyone else safe."

"Well, he wanted to help.  And that will help too. Oh--and I hear you're looking for Catherine, not that I approve. The only thing I can tell you is our circles were... exclusive. Same location, different entrance every time--your average portals to the Otherworld--step through a tree, dive in a lake, I once saw someone draw a door on a wall with blood. The instructions were different every time. Just be ready when you find her--she's never alone, trust me."