Chapter Thirty One- Research
A single tapered candle was all that illuminated the library and it was all Evangeline needed to read by. Dozens of large and very old looking volumes were placed atop the large desk where a few days previously a corpse had lied, broken and bloodied just like the rest of the room. The library was now moderately tidier than when Drake claimed to have a plan and left Evangeline alone to her devices. A single inhalation still filled her nostrils with the stench of blood, though, a sign the massacre was defiantly lingering in the air. She wasn't bothered by it despite the aching in her fangs. The sensation of two fangs poking into her bottom lip was something she was used to by now, however. In fact, it steeled her mind and brought about a sense of focus she hadn't felt in a long while.
Having a pair of fangs reminded her that she was an animal now, an animal that was hunted. However, this animal wasn't some mindless beast, and she was determined to comb through the entire library to get some answers on her own. Before Drake left her again without coming back to explain, she accepted that if she wanted to know what he was going on about she would have to read. Surprisingly, it wasn't the chore she thought it would be. The love she held for reading deep in her heart, the loss of which she mourned so intensely that when she regained her sight she feared picking up another book. Her fears were proven silly when she did finally pick up a book that night and read.
Drake had said something about The Fair Folk before he left. The words reverberated in her head so loudly that they couldn't be ignored. She had to know why they sounded so familiar. When she opened that first book she remembered why.
Faeries. Drake's big plan to save Delia was Faeries. She had never met one personally, but she had seen them before at Delia's party that night that everything went wrong. Evangeline tried to forget Alex and Dean and Genevieve; how their blood stained the floor in pools. She focused on the strange creatures that roamed the manor that night. Everything about it was forever seared into her memory. She had never been so scared in her life. That night, she had waded through a crowd of sharks.
She was ripped from the memory at the sound of someone entering the library. Looking up from pages she had been staring blankly at, she saw Delia's figure coming towards her. Evangeline didn't get up from her chair to greet her. Delia's stature appeared resolute and her expression grim. A hint of curiosity crossed her face when she saw Evangeline hunched over a pile of books all pertaining to the same subject. She stopped in front of the desk raised a brow.
"I take it my brother told you his plan?" she inquired.
Evangeline half shrugged. "Sort of. I think I got the gist of it. Are you sure this is a good idea?"
Delia tilted her head at Evangeline, confused by her question. "What do you mean?" She leaned against the desk; peering at the book she had open.
The page was opened and from what she skimmed upside down, was about the dangers of dealing with Faerie Folk. The legends surrounding the race of mythical creatures often leading to the demise of many humans were various. Evangeline searched the other woman's face for an ounce of reassurance. She ultimately didn't find any.
"I've never asked a favor of them before, but I have been well acquainted with a number of them for a few hundred years. Hopefully my...friendship," a look of uncertainty flashed across her face at this before she schooled her features, "will hold some weight in the matter."
Evangeline nodded her head, though it was obvious she wasn't convinced. "What exactly are you going to ask them for?"
Delia looked up from the pages to Evangeline's assessing stare. "I'm going to ask them for help."
Evangeline blinked at her disbelievingly. "That's it? How are they supposed to do that? From what I've read don't you have to be crazy specific with these people when you ask them for something? Otherwise one small request leaves you with the biggest consequences because you didn't pay attention to the fine detail."
Delia narrowed her eyes at her. Readjusting her posture leaning away from the desk, she appeared a sliver more defensive. "I've been dealing with these creatures far longer than you. I know what they're capable of. They are far better receiving of our kind than of humans."
Evangeline didn't even flinch when Delia referred to them as 'our kind' like how she expected she would. Is that a good thing? She asked herself. Or a bad thing? No matter the answer, she refused to accept Delia's naivety.
"That doesn't mean they're going to help us. I used to read this kind of mythology when I was a kid, and from what I've read, these creatures are selfish. Just because you've been 'friends' with them for I don't know how long, doesn't mean they care about what happens to you. If your request doesn't benefit them in any way, they'll let you burn."
"You think I don't know that?" Delia snapped at her suddenly, a glimpse of fang flashing in the candlelight.
"I think you have no idea what you're doing." She stated bluntly.
"Against all odds, I'm trying to survive!"
"Seraphina and Eloise lost against those odds! What makes you think you can do any better?"
At this point Evangeline was standing, her fangs out and bared. "You've survived this long because of dumb luck and sheer chance. You step one foot out of this house and you're going to die."
A long moment of silence passed between the two women. While the tense atmosphere had passed they became aware of a new wave of anxiety and trepidation filling the air and its source came from Evangeline. She blinked twice, her brows drawing together in a deep frown, and she dropped her gaze to the book open in front of her though didn't see the words.
"You're afraid," a new voice chimed in, startling Evangeline from her thoughts.
She looked up to see Drake approaching behind his sister. Evangeline hadn't even heard him enter the room. She eyed him warily when he stopped at the desk. The look of concern on his face made her uneasy. To display weakness in front of him of all people was the last thing she wanted.
"The Hunter's name is Fitch. Genevieve was his sister," she told him, her voice low and somber.
Understanding dawned on Drake's face and she could practically see the gears turning in his head. "And we got her killed."
He shared a look of barely concealed horror with his sister, and then something occured to him. The pieces finally put together, he looked to Evangeline. A questioning look written on his face. She begged him with her eyes not ask, even though she already knew he would. Panic instantly twisted in her gut.
"How do you know this?"
Her gaze flitted around the library in a moment of terror. She could feel their gaze burning into her. Tossing her crimson hair over her shoulder, she calmed the storm brewing in her conscience and pursed her lips. It was abundantly clear to the two of them that she had no intention of telling them.
And then the words came tumbling out of her mouth regardless.
"I was there when he killed Eloise," she admitted. She could sense the onslaught of questions forming on Drakes tongue. "He didn't see me, but I saw everything. I heard him talking to another Hunter, and by the sound of it, Fitch is off the rails," she rushed to explain.
"That could mean he's gone rogue and most likely on his own," Delia mused. "A single Hunter was able to kill Seraphina on his own?"
Evangeline could tell that Delia was finally understanding the gravity of the situation. The dark haired woman stared into the distance, lost in thought. Her brother watched her warily, waves of concern radiating off of him. Abruptly, Delia snapped her gaze to the two of them and swiftly turned on her heel, muttering over her shoulder, "I have to think."
Then it was just Evangeline and Drake, who was still radiating concern, this time aimed at her. She braced herself, panic still fluttering in her gut.
"Why didn't you tell Delia what happened to Eloise?"
She lifted her shoulder in a shrug. "She didn't ask. I didn't really care."
"You just let her die."
Even though it sounded like an observation, it felt a lot like an accusation.
She scowled. "If I had tried to save her, I would have been killed too."
"That's not the point, Evangeline." He sounded exasperated.
"Really? Because that's a very important point to me."
Drake sighed, looking tired. He visibly wilted. "I don't want to argue. You should get some rest. We all should."
With that he turned and made to leave.
"Listen to us." Her voice stopped him midstride. He paused but didn't bother to face her. He was tired but curious.
"'I don't want to argue'," she mimicked him, smirking. He raised a brow at her poor impersonation, though he didn't say anything. "We sound like an old married couple."
"Is that what we are?" she asked incredulously.
Drake didn't answer.
Authors Note: Oh snap! Evangeline is so buuusssteeeed. ya know bc of Eloise. Oh well.
On Another Note: When I started out writing this story I fully intended this to be a vampire versus hunter story and well that clearly didn't turn out very well (HA. MADE A PUN.) Well now imma throw some faery mythos at you. Enjoy.