The Cure

Chapter 14

Pips woke up late the next afternoon. He lay in bed, listening, but the house was completely silent. He stretched and staggered over the window, opening the drapes. He forgot the windows let in no light. Through the tinted glass, he could see out into the back yard, as beautifully kept as every other section of the mansion’s grounds.

     The slayer dressed and left his room cautiously. He looked down the hall, both ways, finding it empty. Pips closed his door carefully behind him and started to explore the halls floor by floor.

     The third floor was made up entirely of guest rooms. All of the doors were unlocked, every room was empty. Some were bigger than the others, with private bathrooms and sitting areas, most were the identical to his. It seemed he and Sora were the only guests. Pips found a staircase and went up to the fourth floor. He had seen Shathra go upstairs, so that must be where the vampires slept.

      Pips had no intention on wasting time waiting for Raphael to call for him, and he could not stand speaking to Shathra again. The slayer stopped at the last step, checking to see if the hall was empty, and it was. He shivered; there was a presence in this house that grew stronger as he crept down the hall. Many of the doors were open, leading to unoccupied sitting rooms.

     A few doors down, the soft glow of a lamp pooled out onto the black marble floor. Pips froze, standing close to the wall, listening. There was a soft murmur of voices, but he could not make them out clearly. He carefully made his way towards the sound, finding the door slightly ajar.

     There were two boys sitting on a couch, about eight years old with pale blond hair. They sat beside each other with a book across their laps, the light of the lamp gleaming off of their wire framed glasses. They were in dressed in matching navy shorts and dress shirts with black loafers. Their heads moved in unison as they read across the page in complete silence.

     As one, they sensed Pips’ gaze and looked up. Their eyes were dark for boys with such ghostly completions. Moving as one they closed the book and observed the slayer, muttering very softly together in Russian.

     Pips felt as if he was being scanned by some sort of super computer and the way that they moved as one unit gave him chills. He could not admit it to himself but he felt more threatened by these children than by any vampire he had met. He pulled himself away from their quizzing glances and foreign chatter.

     “Do you need assistance, sir?”

     Pips spun around, gripping his stake. It was only a servant, a tiny unthreatening man. “No.” He replied quickly, not dropping his guard. A vampire was still strong, no matter their size; Sora had proven that to him.

     “Shall I escort you back to your room?” The servant asked.

     “No, I’ll be going back now.” Pips grumbled. He had hoped to explore a little longer, but if the housekeepers were awake, it would be hard for him to sneak around. He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the boys’ room. “Who are they?” He whispered to the servant, who had paused in his duties to wait for him.

     “Who?” The servant responded. “Oh, those little piranhas.” He said with a chuckle, but his voice was serious. “Don’t worry about them, they won’t hurt you. Just don’t hang around or annoy them. They might rip out your tongue.”

- - - - -

     “Are you crazy?” Demetrius said, touching Raphael’s hand with concern. “I warned you that this slayer could be the end of you.” He laughed nervously. “And so you invite him to your home as your personal guest?”

     Raphael nodded. “Well, if your Sight is correct, which it always is, I have no other option but to try to change his mind.” He said. “This slayer, he doesn’t act alone. Asmodeus has molded his mind through his mortal weaknesses. If I show my good will towards him, maybe he will rethink it.”