She awoke in her own bed but for once not on her own. As she adjusted her eyes to the dull light which was peaking from between the curtains, she was amazed to find that her legs were wrapped around Claude's and that she was currently being held tightly against his body. For a moment she thought she was still dreaming but she heard him groan slightly as he stretched beneath her. She sat up suddenly, her hair spiked up in every direction possible and for a second she thought that she could give the gorgon a run for her money. She realised he was looking straight at her and stopped moving.
"Good morning". He said and she was sure that his voice sounded hoarser, as though he had been sleeping.
"Did you sleep here all night?" She asked, moving her hand to gently rearrange his coal like hair which seemed messier than usual. He took her hand in his own and pressed it against his cold lips.
"I saw Victoria out of the household before I came and joined you". The minute Penelope heard that Victoria was out she allowed her entire body to relax for a few minutes. Claude used this to his advantage and pulled her against him, his hands running over her body making Penelope suddenly realise was in a nightgown. She felt a blush paint her cheeks and squeaked.
"Did you dress me last night?" She asked, hoping her embarrassment wouldn't be too noticeable. Claude in response continued to stroke her body and just as he was about to touch the curve of her breast he stopped and looked her dead in the eye.
"Like a doll". Penelope laughed to cover up the heat that was burning across her face and stuttered a small thank you in reply. After all she was not unhappy he had seen her body, rather embarrassed which she felt was a natural reaction. The fact as well that his hand was in a certain place did not help the heat in her face. She moved away from him for a moment before sitting up.
"What time is it?" She asked. He is response did not move a muscle and used his gloveless fingers to climb up bare arm, causing goose bumps to be in left in its wake.
"It is nearly noon".
"And we are setting off to the manor around five o'clock are we not?"
"That was the decided time I believe". As he spoke, he had pulled her closer to him once again and she let him kiss her down her neck, yet when she felt his teeth graze across her skin she put her hands on his shoulders.
"As much as I enjoy you doing this, I cannot have any more marks on me for the time being, the other ones have only just faded and I wish to wear a particular dress tonight that does not have a collar". She felt Claud's sharp teeth slowly move away from her skin and instead he replaced them with his lips to give her a small kiss. She then felt him pull away and instead of a disappointed look in his eyes, something far different glinted. It was a mixture of mischief and lust. She gave him a pointed look in return, questioning what he was up to and it was not long until she found out.
Before she could even make a sound, she was shoved down and Claude was crawling down her body. He stopped at her legs and was using his hand to stroke up and down, paying close attention to her thighs.
"I will make sure that no one will see then". He said with an almost feral grin and she laughed at his playfulness, yet her laugh was replaced with a moan as she felt him start to kiss her inner thigh, dragging his sharp teeth over her tender flesh. She felt a mixture of sensations and they were all as equally confusing. When she felt a small sting she watched as he looked up at her with now red lips.
"I thought you said you weren't a vampire". She said breathlessly, the sight of him with her blood on his lips making her feel light headed and not from shock. He laughed and moved up her body until they were face to face.
"I wouldn't associate myself with those creatures. I do enjoy the taste of your blood however". And she watched, almost hypnotised, as his tongue shot out and licked away the red that had ever so slightly stained his lips. She bit her lip to try and suppress a small moan that was crawling up her throat and pointed a finger at him.
"You are teasing me". She accused earning herself a chuckle from the larger man. He gave her a quick peck on the lips and the removed himself from her, making his way to the door.
"I do believe you tease me just as badly". And with that he left, leaving a flushed woman in his wake and the remnants of the kiss still tingling against her lips.
As she sat there, she looked down to inspect the damage and almost rolled her eyes at the trail of bruises down her inner thighs. But she would give him credit, no one would see them. She then spent the next few hours getting ready into a dark green dress made of the finest silk and sorting out her hair. After sorting out her appearance she spent her time pacing up and down in her library, constantly watching the outside to see the sky get darker.
She had declined having something for lunch on the basis that she felt ill and although Claude had almost hauled her into the kitchen to get her to eat she stood her ground. When she was nervous she could hardly eat a thing and right now food was the last thing from her mind. She had heard the clock from down the hallway and realised that it was getting closer to five. As she was pacing she almost fell over when Claude appeared in front of her.
"You are going to wear a hole into the carpet if you carry on". He said dryly and she realised he was holding her coat in his gloved hands. Unlike this morning he looked immaculately dressed and she swore she saw something gold glint out of his inside pocket but she hardly thought about it.
"Is it time already?" She asked suddenly alarmed. Unless she had been pacing for a while she was sure that it wasn't five already.
"I believe you have been trapped in your thoughts for a while, you didn't notice my presence when I entered about fifteen minutes ago". Penelope just shook her head and took a deep breath. She took the coat from his hands and allowed him to help her put it on. He ran his hands across the velvet material to get any creases out and she was sure he lingered far more than necessary. The journey to the carriage felt like a blur and it was not long until they were in a comfortable silence and on their way.
"So the plan" She started, breaking the silence. "I will meet with Lord Davis and you will investigate the surrounding area for any sign of Lucy. If you sense her before we go in, still continue your search and I will call for you if I need you". As she spoke her hands fidgeted nervously and she felt his own still hers.
"And if he is not the master of Lucy?" He asked.
"Then we will be at the beginning again".
The carriage ride continued in silence and Penelope could see small bright lights in the distance, indicating that they were steadily getting closer. She did not know why but she had a bad feeling about the events yet to come. She gave Claude a smile when she noticed he was giving her a concerned look, hoping to show that she was alright. The ride did not take that long and sooner than she would have liked, Penelope watched as the carriage came up the large pathway for the manor.
Just like the Lord himself the manor was extravagant. With more rooms than she could count and lights glowing from all directions, Penelope was in awe at the sight in front of her. The manor was completely white as though it was made of marble and two large columns stood proud next to the golden coloured doorway. The gardens which looked as though they were never ending were an array of bright colours that even in the dark appeared to be quite visible. The pathway to the manor was littered with candles and she felt herself relax ever so slightly. After all it could have looked extremely creepy and dark.
As they carriage drew up, she saw the figure of Lord Davis' butler standing rigidly at the doorway and she waited as Claude started to get out. Yet her hand shot out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.
"Can you sense her?" She asked, her voice laced with worry.
"Not right at this moment, however once we are inside I will definitely be able to tell you". With that he opened the door and came to her side, allowing her to get out. She observed with fascination as Claude suddenly stood up straighter and his hand clenched tightly. She discreetly nudged him and inclined her head as to ask if he sensed Lucy. He seemed to have understood her odd sign language and he nodded ever so slightly in response. Knowing that right now was not the right time to have a panic attack, Penelope held her head high and walked towards the entrance, saying a polite thank you when Dean, the butler, let her through.
When they entered, she was immediately greeted by a cold gust of air and she was surprised considering how well lit the place looked that there were no fires or any form of heat. It wasn't as though it was a cold night anyway. Much like the outside, the inside was just as elaborate and the entrance hall was beautifully designed with chairs made of the deepest red velvet scattered around. She was aware of how rich the Lord was but this was something else entirely. Even at the Viscounts house it had not been as grand, and that was saying something. A cough broke her from her thoughts
"The Lord is in his study, just through there" The butler gestured down a well-lit corridor, which had one big door left slightly ajar at the very end. "My lord thought it would be wise that your butler comes with me to help prepare tea". Penelope glanced at Claude and slowly nodded her head to allow him to go. So far nothing was amiss apart from the fact that Claude had sensed Lucy. So without waiting, Penelope gave Claude one last look and made her way down the corridor. She heard the echo of shoes behind her and soon realised that she was now alone.
As she walked, her skirts drifted softly against the tiled flooring and when she had reached the door, she knocked lightly. There was no sound or even an acknowledgement of her presence and Penelope felt a tiny bit affronted. Knocking louder she furrowed her eyebrows when yet again there was no reply.
With her hand, she pushed the heavy door wider open and walked in. The room was far bigger than her own study and the desk was practically the size of a dinner table. She would have laughed at the absurd size of such a table but stopped herself in case she caused any offence. The desk chair was turned slightly and she saw the hand of Lord Davis grasping the arm of the chair. The room was dimly lit which was odd in comparison to the rest of the house and Penelope started to feel anxious. Something was wrong and she couldn't tell exactly what. Making her way into the room, occasionally glancing around behind her in case she was to be jumped, she started to talk.
"My Lord, I do hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of coming in. I did knock". Yet as she got closer and still no reply her nose wrinkled at an odd smell. It was only until she was in front of the Lord did she let out a startled sob. Her hand flew to her mouth and she almost gagged at the sight in front of her. Hot tears streamed down her face and she felt her legs give way, colliding harshly with the floor.
There sat with empty eyes was the corpse of Lord Davis, his throat completely slit and in his hand a dried up quill. Congealed blood looked as though it had been oozing from his mouth for some time and she could only stare in horror. His clothes were exactly the same as he had worn when they had gone to the park and she could see that he had undone his waistcoat to reveal a male corset. She realised that it answered her questions to why he was so touchy about her trying to see his waistcoat. It turned out that the handsome Lord was just a proud man. She may not have cared for him, or adored him but she had not wanted him dead. His usually so lively eyes were dull and she couldn't contain the sobs that erupted from her. All this time she had suspected him of being the mastermind and yet he was just as innocent as herself. He was nothing but another victim in this mess and the sorrow she felt for his cruel murder was beyond words.
She started to regret the times she found him annoying and wished that she had cared more. It was unsettling to see him in such a way, his skin was a horrible grey colour and his usually curly hair looked dull and greasy. His mouth was almost black and his entire outfit was marred by his own blood. She wondered if Claude would have sensed it when he came in. Yet as she stared the horror was only becoming more and more real. This was not a game of cat and mouse with Lucy. This was a living nightmare that had taken another life.
Crawling backwards until her back hit the windowsill, she tried to control her breathing. She needed to get out but her legs felt as though they weren't working. She managed to push herself up and very shakily she approached the body of Lord Davis. Holding her breath to not gag, she managed to close his eyes using her hands. Stepping back, she looked at the Lord.
"I am so sorry this happened". She whispered, tears streaming down her face. Out of all the things she expected when she got here, this was not one of them. This had created more questions than answers. She had no doubt in her mind that this was a trap set for her and the idea that Lord Davis had been dead for days unsettled her greatly. She guessed that he had been responsible for the letter judging by the quill and that he had been killed not too long afterwards.
Obviously his butler would have been aware of the situation and her eyes widened at the thought of Claude. She gave a last sorry glance at Lord Davis and had he not been in a state of decay she would have squeezed his hand, and shakily moved away. Yet just as Claude's name was on the tip of her tongue a voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Ah m…my d..darling cousin".