Tea cakes
Trinity Blood Fan Fiction
Abel Nightroad stood at the side of the road watching the people as they went about their daily routine not sensing the danger that would soon be upon them. The presence of the rogue methuselah was like an itch along his skin just begging to be scratched of course it could also have been that it was swelteringly hot and his long overcoat felt like an oven making him sweaty and itchy. He glanced at the sun as it sunk lower towards the horizon, it would be hunting again soon; as it had hunted in the previous weeks leaving bloodless dead in its wake.
"He fingered the four dinar he had left and wondered if he had enough time to get something to sustain him before it was time to put a stop to the vampire's killing spree. His stomach gurgled pitifully in response, it had been far to long since his rather small lunch. His stomach growled again making his decision. Turning he made his way to the small tea shop that he had visited for lunch.
The bell on the door jingled cheerfully as he pushed it open, the young woman behind the counter looked up and smiled recognizing him from his previous visit.
"Father Nightroad I didn't think I would be seeing you again today." She said as she rubbed a polishing cloth over the counter which already gleamed softly from in the fading light.
"I thought I might get some tea before you closed for the evening." He replied as he seated himself on one of the chairs that lined the front of the counter.
"Oh certainly Father would like that it the same as you had with your lunch?" She asked as she began to fix the tea.
"Yes that would be wonderful thank you. He said sitting forward on the chair.
"Would you like anything else?" she asked pouring the tea into a cup and began to add the sugar.
"No this will be fine." He replied.
"Are you sure? I have some tea cakes that I made just this afternoon." she said as she placed the tea flavored sugar in front of him.
"Not that I wouldn't love to try one of your tea cakes but you see I only have enough dinar for the tea." He said spooning some of the sugar into his mouth savoring a second before letting out a sigh of pure pleasure before placing said dinar on the counter. She picked them up placing them in her pocket before turning and slipped a dainty looking little cake onto a plate and placed it on the counter in front of him saying "I would really appreciate it if you would try this and tell me what you think of it. Its on the house of course." she added hastily when it looked as though he was about to protest.
"I can't take that! You are being to kind." he said in feeble protest as he eyed the little cake with ill disguised hunger.
"No really I would like to know what you think of them." She said pushing the plate of cake closer to him. His stomach gurgled despite the mountain of sugar it was currently ingesting.
"Well if you are sure miss Istell." He said as he looked at the cake and felt around for a fork. She smiled as she slid a fork under his searching fingers.
I'm certain besides its not like feeding a hungry priest some cake if going to send this place into bankruptcy." She said smiling mischievously.
After finishing the cake and assuring her that is was perhaps the most divine thing he had ever eaten he took his leave just as the last rays of sunlight lit the street, the Methuselah would be walking soon and he needed to find it before it found its next victim.
Istell placed the closed sign on the door and set about cleaning the shop so that it would be ready for the morning it had been a rather slow evening for the tea shop after Father Nightroad had left she had only had two other customers.
It didn't take her long to put everything away, She gathered her things and made one last round of the store making sure the lights were out and everything was properly locked before heading to the door at the back of the shop. She made a thorough examination of the ally behind the shop making sure there was no one lurking there before she locked up the back door and stepped out into the warm darkness Sweat sprung up almost immediately as she moved through the hot sticky darkness, she really hated it when the weather was like this it made everything uncomfortable to wear even when you weren't wearing much at all. She gripped her large walking stick firmly, the light in her other hand cast many shadows as she moved but having the items gave her a certain amount of comfort what with the string of deaths in the area at least she wouldn't be completely defenseless.
She was almost to the street where her small apartment was located and she began to move faster as she neared her destination though the to warm air was oppressive and ate at her strength like rats gnawing on garbage.
A noise on her left drew her attention and she turned catching a blur of movement out of the corner of her eye.
To be Continued...
Istell turned her heavy walking stick caught her would be assailant in the jaw unfortunately it did not hit hard enough to do much damage the Vampire didn't even seem have noticed as he advanced on her. She backed away resisting the urge to flee out right knowing that she wouldn't stand a chance if she ran from the creature it was to fast and to powerful for her to out run. Of course it didn't make much sense to try and fight it either for those very same reasons but she figured that if she did die at least she would go down fighting. At least that had been her plan, but now she really just wanted to make a run for it, her heartbeat to fast betraying her fear as she stared wide eyed at the vampire. He smiled with a flash of pale gleaming fangs. His advance was slow and steady, she back away each step taking her further from her home and the promise of safety. The fear was overwhelming her causing her hands to shake uncontrollably sending the lantern she held dancing on its short chain.
The vampire leapt forward without warning, sharp needle like claws bit into her shoulders drawing blood. Instinct drove her to swing the lantern a shrill scream erupted past the fear that choked her throat.
Not to far off:
Abel turned his eyes searching the darkness, the scream had come form close by, he might have time to rescue whoever had been attacked. He moved off in the direction the scream had come from picking up speed as he went the sound of his boots hitting the cobblestones echoed eerily in the darkness.
The lantern's glass shattered as it stuck the vampires face. His grip on her shoulders loosened and she wrenched herself away from him, the shoulders of her shirt were now nothing but bloody ribbons but the wounds left behind by his claws were superficial at best. The adrenaline that rushed through her blocked her senses from the pain though it didn't block the feel of the blood as it ran down her back and down over her chest. The darkness left by the loss of the lanterns light was a little disconcerting though the moon shone brightly above them casting blue black shadows over everything.
Blood ran down the vampire's face in thin rivulets even as the wounds themselves began to close. Istell had the distinct impression that she had only managed to anger the vampire with her attack not actually hurt it in any way. Istell clutched the walking stick with both hands seeing her death in the glitter of cold anger that flared in the vampires eyes as he wiped away the blood from his now smooth cheek.
"That was a mistake little one you death will be infinitely more painful because of your foolish actions." Istell couldn't formulate any kind of reply past the terror that robbed her of her ability to formulate coherent speech.
The vampire licked at his bloodied fingers "Your blood tastes as sweet as I knew it would." he said softly. Istell continued to back away until she felt the coolness of brick at her back there was no escape for her now, but oddly enough she found the feel of the brick wall comforting.
"Mmm you do taste sweet but I might consider letting you go if you beg for your life." He was only offered to torment her she knew but she couldn't stop the words that fought their way past the tightness in her throat.
"Please..I don't want to die." Her voice was barely a whisper of sound.
"I didn't quite catch that what did you say my dear?" He said stepping closer to her a triumphant smirk on his beautiful face.
"Please if you kill me there will be no one to take care of my little sister." her voice grew stronger as she spoke even though she knew it would not do her any good..
Abel paused to listen, the sound of voices reach his ears but he was still to far away hear exactly what they were saying but he now recognized the female voice and he broke into a run hoping that he would be in time to save the young woman who had showed him kindness.
"Oh I wouldn't worry about your sister I'll take good care of her." He said still smirking. His words were like being doused with cold water, Istell looked at the vampire through narrowed eyes now as her shaking stilled and the fear subsided beneath the protectiveness she felt for her sister.
"Is that so!" Her voice had taken on a sharp edge making the vampire pause in his gloating.
"Yes, but first I'll take care of you!" His voice was a come out in a sharp hiss as once again he leapt at her.
Istell was ready for him this time waiting til the last instant she raised the staff holding it like a spear bracing the back end against the wall, however she was a second to slow.
The vampire hit the staff at full speed unaware of it until it was to late. The top of the staff went through his mid-section showering Istell and the wall with blood. She new as the vampire hit it that it wouldn't be a killing blow, and she didn't have the strength didn't have the strength to pull the staff out and try again. The vampire hit her crushing her against the wall, the breath left her lungs on impact and she stood there helplessly gasping as the vampire's fangs found her neck and sank deep.
"Oh I don't think so Methuselah!" A voice said quietly from behind them, it sounded familiar but Istell's pain and panic stricken mind couldn't place it. The vampire released her slowly,
"I'll be back for you." The vampire said softly before he lifted her by the shoulders and threw her at the traveling priest.
Abel had not been prepared to have the girl thrown at him, She hit him full in the chest the momentum caused him to stumble back and fall to the ground though he held the girl protectively so she wouldn't be more injured than she already had been. The methuselah had disappeared into the darkness.