Learning that their father is involved in a case that Highborns are concerned about terrified Cora. "How could a simple courier guy got himself involved with something as big as this?" she thought to herself, creasing her brows as she stares blankly at the table.
"In case we end up empty in Rosewood District, I suggest we contact my brother for help," Kristian said. "He's my eyes and ears inside the Paramount. That way, we could gather more details about this case without putting your father's name in line. Will that be alright with you?" He leans down, attentively looking at her.
She nodded then takes a deep breath. She scratches the back of her head as she forces a chuckle. "I just can't believe we got our family into this mess. I don't even know where to start. I don't know if I should track down Papa first, or Stella, or Kalvick--"
"Whoa! Hold on! Kalvick? Kalvick Rosen?"
"Yes, why? You know him?"
"I'm not sure but I think he's supposed to be dead. Also, if I'm not mistaking, he was a criminal." Furrowing his brows, confused. "You say he's still alive?"
"We grew up with him. He used to be good friends with Papa. What do you mean by him being a criminal? What did he do?" Her eyes now speaks of concern and worry.
"I don't know. I was too young back then. But I remember that name being the talk at the Paramount. I don't know what he did but I heard that he died in a fire."
Cora remembers seeing Kalvick's left arm having a large burn scar back then. She also remembers that he keeps on hiding it under his sleeves. This just confirms that she and Kristian might be talking about the same person. "But why would Papa be involving himself with a criminal?" she thought to herself. "Papa just exposed his own family to a criminal," she muttered, burying her face in her palms. "Oh I really don't want to get mad at Papa. But the reasons just keep on piling up."
"Hey…" The vampire grabs both of her hands, carefully taking them off her face. "Isn't this is the reason why we're having this trip? To find answers?" He smiles. "Stick with the good memories. No matter how complicated it is, keep the good memories with you. Trust me. It's better than filling yourself up with grudges."
Slightly lifting her head up. "Thank you--"
The passengers were startled by the train suddenly stopping. The lights went off, followed by lights turning off. Red emergency lights immediately went on.
"What's going on?" Cora looks around, seemingly disoriented.
Kristian quickly folds the table between them then pulls Cora to sit beside him next to the window, gripping her hand tight. "Stay close," he whispers. His eyes focused on the compartment's sliding door.
Cora closes her eyes, reminding herself of what Kristian has told her before. "Calm down. They can hear your heartbeat," she convinces herself.
Not far from their compartment, a lady starts screaming hysterically. Her voice then dies out in a choking sound. One by one, passengers start screaming and wailing for help. The sound of footsteps trample at the hallway, hands pounding at the doors and windows.
Kristian and Cora kept themselves locked in their compartment, squeezing themselves at the corner.
Using his heightened senses, Kristian listens closely, sorting out the noises of the crowd and the ones causing the ruckus. "One… Two… and three…" He then sniffs off the scent of the aggressors. "Vampires… Of course."
Kristian turns to cover Cora's ears, saving her from hearing the horrors outside. Though most of the sound are muffled by his hands, she could still imagine whatever is going on. The coppery stench of blood in the air says it all.
And just like that, the passengers' helpless cries vanished, along with the three vampires' scents. The power went back on, with the bullet train moving again, following its scheduled route. The two waited in their seat for almost an hour before making a move.
"We have to get out of here," Kristian said, signaling Cora to keep quiet as they get out of their seat. He then slowly slides the compartment's door open, trying to keep it quiet as much as possible. He then leans forward, taking a peak as to why the sliding door won't fully open. He then looks back at Cora, worried as to how she will react once she leaves the compartment. Tight lipped, he looks at her in the eye. "Prepare yourself, okay?" He said as he steps out, guiding her to follow him.
Cora kept her eyes down. Before stepping out of the door, she already noticed the red stain that has seeped through the carpet. The moment she got out of the compartment, she finally witnessed the horrid sight inside the train.
A man's head was blocking the sliding door of their compartment that is why it won't budge. Bodies are all over the place, most of them severed as if forcefully pulled apart. Blood splatter all over the windows and compartment doors. The hallway's carpet, totally soaked in blood.
Eyes wide open, Cora covers her mouth to stop herself from making any sound. Containing the nauseous feeling that is rising inside her.
Despite losing the vampires' scent, Kristian is also aware that he never heard them leave the train. "Whatever happens, stay close. Okay?" he whispers to Cora.
She just nodded at him, slowly taking off her hand on her mouth then tries to focus. She slowly reaches inside her coat's pocket, bracing herself in case someone attacks.
"You have a very distinct scene, my friend…" A vampire with red hair steps out from one of the compartments, almost fully bathed in blood. He slightly tilts his head. "What makes you special?"
"Who are you?" Kristian asked. His eyes fixated on the vampire. The presence of the other vampires became known now too, ready to pounce behind them.
"I don't think it's necessary to introduce ourselves. But you two… There is something special about you two…" Biting his lip. "Too bad we can't risk having witnesses." The vampire then pulls a man from the compartment. His body, soaked in blood. His neck wrapped in chains.
"France Skinner," Cora said as she recognizes the man. But this isn't the same France Skinner from the photo back in her father's office. The real France Skinner is a decent human that has his hair pushed back, wearing a business attire. This new France Skinner has fangs protruding out of his gums and eyes glowing in crimson.
France growls at them, drooling as he fixates on the two. As if a hungry animal ready to hunt. He isn't a vampire. He's a beast.
"What did you do to him?!" Cora yelled at the vampire with red hair.
"Oh too much talking!" The vampire unlocks the chains, setting France free to attack.
France tries to go after Cora but he was immediately caught by Kristian, brawling above the pile of bodies. There is something about this beast that makes him so hard to pin down and restrain. Not even Kristian's heighten abilities can fight him off that easily.
In a flash, Cora pulls out a pair of dagger from her coat, turns around and instantly cutting the neck of the vampire who was about to attack her from behind.
"Good memories," she tells herself as she grips the daggers tightly. Since they were kids, Toto already taught her and Stella to use the most basic weapons at home like knives, axes, and even anything available around to defend themselves. They were taught where to attack and where to dodge when assaulted. Back then, she can't understand the significance of these knowledge. Until now.
"You bitch!" The vampire retreats as he clasps his neck, bleeding out from the cut.
The third vampire swiftly leaps towards Cora, pinning her down on the bloody hallway. Upon clashing, she had no choice but to let go of the daggers, now struggling to push the vampire off her. But her strength is a no match for him. The vampire isn't even putting much effort as he forces himself on her, leaning down to take a bite.
"D-Damn it--" She turns to the side, eyeing the dagger. She waits for the moment he felt comfortable at attacking. And as he leans closer, just about to open his mouth, she quickly grabs the dagger, jamming it straight to his neck then drags it across. The vampire's blood sprayed all over her.
She clearly saw the lights leave the vampire's eyes before its body went limp. Horrified by what she has done, she hastily pushes the vampire's corpse off her then turns to Kristian.
"AH!!!" France's long nails made deep cuts on Kristian's face. The beast then bites his shoulder, almost ripping the flesh off.
Kristian chokes France, gripping his neck tight then crushes his windpipe. The beast had no choice but to let go of the bite as he gasps. Kristian then grabs his head, finally twisting to break his neck, saving the beast from suffering.
Finally getting up, Kristian turns to the right, where the vampire with red hair is supposed to be standing. From above, a hatch creaked open as the two vampires leave to escape. There is no point of chasing them now.
Kristian immediately approaches Cora as she picks up the daggers, cleaning the blood off using her coat. She then stares blankly at him.
"Are you hurt? Any cuts? Wounds? Bites?" he worriedly asked, carefully checking on her as he catches his breath.
"I-I'm fine." She is starting to get frustrated at the dried blood on the blade.
"Hey…" He grabs her hand, stopping her. "Where did you get those?" Pertaining to the daggers.
"Kyle gave it to me before we left. For protection, he said."
"Oh thank you, Kyle," he said under his breath. He then looks around, looking for some things that they may use before they leave. "Cora… Look at me…"
She lifts her head up.
"This train will reach its destination in less than an hour. There is a bathroom at the end of the hallway. You should go clean yourself up while I get us some new clothes. After that…" He looks up at the opened hatch. "We gotta get out of this train before someone sees us."
Cora and Kristian quickly cleaned themselves up then put on crews' uniform from the cabin. They carefully walked across the hallway again, avoiding getting themselves stained by the corpses. Before getting up on the hatch, Cora noticed something written on one of the compartments' door.
"Kristian, look." She pointed out the dagger symbol written in blood. It is the same dagger symbol she and her sister found in their father's office.
Upon seeing the symbol, Kristian knew they had to leave and stay as far away from the crime scene as possible. "Hold on tight." Carrying Cora in his arms, he quickly leaps out of the hatch then starts running at the tail of the train.
They held on the back door of the train then makes a jump into the railings just as soon as the passengers were about to approach the train, blending in the crowd.
They took a sharp turn to the right, leading towards the emergency exit. As soon as they reach the door, the sirens of the terminal starts wailing.
Trying not to be too suspicious, they walked carefully but with a haste as they walk through alleyways then out into a new environment.
"Where are we?" Cora asked.
"Venetian District. We need to lie low for a while." He leads her straight into a place that seems to be a bookstore named Bella Donna.
"Kristian Pope and Cora Clyborne." he said to the librarian.
The old lady lifts her head up, taking a good look at the two then types something in her monitor. "Isle D, History Section."
"Thank you."
As instructed, they looked for Isle D, History Section inside the library. Kristian strokes every spine of the books until he grabs the book titled "Curse of Bella Donna". Upon pulling the book, the shelves move to the side, making an opening. In between is a staircase leading underground.
"What is this place?" Cora asked.
"I'll explain everything later."