I found myself at Saint Peter's Asylum after a few days had passed. I looked around before I stepped inside. Priest had been right. The conditions were horrible and the stench was overwhelming. I nearly gagged as I held my breath and walked over to the attendant. She saw me and smiled. "Hello," she said politely.
"I'm just here to visit," I told her as I returned her polite smile before she could ask what had brought me here.
"Oh, you must be Sapphira Delauny. Father William told us you might visit," she explained when she noticed my expression,
"Of course, thank you," I said with a polite smile, dismissing myself as I walked towards what looked like a main room.
I noticed Adrian with a few other people. Adrian noticed me as I walked over to him. His silver eyes instantly became suspicious and confused. I smiled politely when I reached them. "Hello," I greeted as I knelt down beside Adrian.
"What do you want?" The brunette human female asked with a small scowl.
"Melinda," the blonde human female said, a slight scolding tone in her voice.
"What?" Melinda countered, still scowling. "It's a very good question. People don't visit just to visit," she added as she got up and dismissed herself with an angry snort. I was silent, staring at her receding form with mild confusion.
"Apologies, we don't normally get visitors of any kind," the blonde female told me with an apologetic smile.
"It's quite alright," I said with a smile. A relieved smile spread across her face and I glanced at Adrian. He was listening to the other male with patience.
"Flowers!" The thirty year old, brown haired male exclaimed with a beaming smile.
"Mary isn't here today Michael," Adrian said slowly with an apologetic smile. Michael's grin faded; but it instantly reappeared as Adrian made a silly looking face. I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the expression on Adrian's face.
Later I learned the name of the blonde when Melinda returned to apologize.
Beatrice, the blonde accepted her apology and Melinda apologized to me as well; reluctantly so, but either way it was an apology. I accepted her reluctant apology and she sat down next to Beatrice. Michael was laughing at Adrian's silly expressions and I saw Melinda's angry face soften slightly. I knew who her weak spot was then; Adrian.
The rest of the day passed and I left, knowing that someday I would return. I had a plan forming in my mind as well. I wasn't sure what that plan was quite yet though.
Right now I had more pressing concerns. Currently that concern was getting home without being Hunted by the Vampire I had made an enemy out of.
I swiftly made my way home, looking over my shoulder as I did. At one point I thought for sure I had seen the Ancient Vampire and froze, giving the crowd a more thorough scan. If he had been there he was nowhere to be found now.
I reached my home with no incidents and entered it. What I saw was worse than the possible glimpse of the Ancient Vampire in the crowd. Andrew Bowden, my faithful butler had been killed. His throat had two long slashes in it and his arms and ribs had been pulverized. I caught the scent of Andrew's lingering fear and the familiar scent of the Ancient Vampire.
Where are my other servants? I thought when I realized they were missing. I followed the scent of their fear and found them in the kitchen, their hands tied behind their backs and their mouths gagged. I rushed over to them and untied their hands and ungagged them.
"They took Andrew," Nelson, my cook told me as he rubbed the circulation back into his wrists.
"Who did?" I asked though I knew who it was already. I knew that they would want to tell me anyway. Humans were odd that way.
"He looked to be eighteen. Black hair, black eyes and pale skin. Paler than yours. He said he wanted to see you. I'll never forget his voice. It was dead and sent chills down my spine," Burton, my footman said, describing the Ancient Vampire perfectly. The leather that had bound their wrists snapped in half as my grip around it tightened.
"My lady," Alyssa said as their heartbeats quickened. I looked behind me and saw the Ancient Vampire leaning against the door. I stood up and turned around to face him, a low growl rumbling in the back of my throat.
"Where's Andrew?" Fredrick, my gardener asked.
"Dead," the Ancient Vampire responded with a chuckle. "I drained him dry," he added. There was silence from my servants as my growl turned into a snarl
"How dare you," I snarled as my fangs elongated and sharpened with my fury. He didn't seem fazed by my anger. It seemed to interest him though.
"Angry?" He asked mockingly as I snarled at him. He chuckled and I was once again struck by the almost musical quality of his voice. Instead it sent chills down my spine.
"Yes," I replied with a hiss. He smiled and nodded.
"Good," he said with a smirk. I growled at him. He was unfazed as he turned around and walked away from me. "This is only the beginning," he told me over his shoulder and then vanished. Or rather he moved too fast for me to see. I growled and attempted to calm myself. He had killed Andrew for no reason other than to get back at me. Now he intended to terrorize me or kill the remainder of my servants. I needed to prepare myself for whatever came next. After removing Andrew's body from the house.
The next day however, I would find out just how unprepared I was for his next move.