The Girl who hunted Night

Chapter 25

"What's going on, Beatrice?" asked Brendan, he sounded worried.

"I need to get Caroline out" I told him.

He nodded thoughtfully, "how do you intend to do this?"

"If I steal Felix's key tonight, I will provide a distraction tomorrow, when this happens I need you to take Caroline and run"

"Run where Beatrice?" he asked me, "I can't go to the order, they'll kill me"

I hunted around and found a scrap of paper, and a small pen left idly on the table. I scribbled down an address and gave it too him. "That's the name of a safe house in London, you'll be safe there"

"Beatrice, I am well respected in the vampire court" he reasoned, "I'll be shunned by my own kind for the rest of my life, if not killed!"

"I know I'm asking a lot," I said, my voice pleading, "but please, I can get you money, blood, whatever you want, but help me save my friends life" 

He sighed, running his hand through the red locks. After a moment, he looked up at me, his hazel eyes meeting mine, "I'll do it"

Swept up by so much joy, I ran too him and hugged him tightly, wrapping my arms around his neck and holding on tightly. He stood and pressed me to his chest, I drew back and smiled at him. He looked sad and happy at the same time. A bittersweet contentment hidden behind brown orbs. 

"I'll be eternally in your debt, Brendan McCarthy" I said.

"I'll remind you of that in ten years" he winked. 

I laughed and embraced him again, his strong arms wrapping around me and holding me close. The stillness of his chest bothered me a bit, but I pretended not to care. He left the room before I did, and then I followed swiftly down the corridor. 

Felix didn't question how I got out of my room, nor did he seem to mind. I had discovered him in the library, playing a sweet tune on the piano. His face was so pained, like someone who had suffered alone for too long, and his fingers seemed to glide effortlessly over the keys. He did not notice me come in, or if he did, he didn't care.

I walked across the room, transfixed by his magnetism and pulled towards him by some other force entirely, my actions out of my control. I brushed my hand across the smooth ivory lid, tracing the edge with my fingers. 

His eyes met mine, they were green but not the usual shimmering emerald that they normally were, rather darker and laced by black fringes. He looked like a man living in hell. 

"What are you doing here?" he asked me.

I shrugged, "I like it in here, it's peaceful"

He nodded then got back to playing. "It's beautiful" I told him.

"It's Schubert's Stanchen" he answered. 

"Serenade?" I said. 

"Yes" he said.

"Horst die nachtigallen schlagen" I sang softly, it came out as a sweet soprano sound, piercing the room like a bird's call.

"Hear the Nightingale sing" he whispered, his voice dark.

I turned away from him and walked towards the window, staring out onto the effervescent lake, visible in the clearness of the moonlight. The music stopped, and when I turned, he was right behind me. I jumped and then turned back to the lake. "Do you hate me?" he asked.

I sucked in a deep breath, unprepared for such a question. "What?" I whispered.

"Do you hate me?"