Chapter 25: Strangers

"What are standing like that for?" Cecilia hissed as she swept the hem of her skirts into one hand. She looked disapprovingly at the snow and tapped the heel of her leather boots against the side of the carriage.

"Nothing," Beaux murmured in reply. He hurried over to help Meliah, who appeared frightened and disoriented. Grasping her hand firmly in his, he led Meliah toward Cecilia. Beaux had the unnerving feeling that Meliah was constantly looking for ways to escape. She glanced over her shoulder intermittently and took frantic breaths as her wary eyes shifted from right to left.

Cecilia led the way robustly. She had obviously been here several times before. Her steps led her to the Great Hall, which was some sort of a cathedral that had been converted into a meeting hall.

Beaux could only smile at the blatant irony. But his amusement was short-lived. He heard Meliah's steps come to a brief scuffle with the pavement. Beaux extended an arm to support her waist. If she had appeared scared before, her face now spelled devastation.

There was tall sentinel at the entrance to the Hall. He was pale as the snow that came to his ankles. Cecilia approached him without hesitation. "We're here to meet the Council. You may tell them I'm Cecilia Mansart." Her voice was so sure and her tone was so unwavering that the guard did not question her further.

Beaux watched Meliah's eyes follow the sentinel into the great building as though afraid he would return. She remained as still as stone. When the man returned, Meliah's hands clutched unto the sleeve of Beaux's coat.

"Beaux, Beaux," she whispered urgently.

"Come in," the guard invited. Cecilia strode ahead and threw Beaux a look of caution as though daring him to refuse her.

"You heard him," Cecilia emphasized. "Let us."

Beaux gently squeezed Meliah's hand and gave her a smile as encouragement. Without seeming overly extortive, Beaux pushed Meliah through the double doors. He instantly regretted doing so. For as Beaux's eyes instantly adjusted to the darkness, he could see more than two dozen vampire elders sitting on high throne-like chairs that lined the length of the cathedral. Their expressions were as calm and poised as they were lethal.

Meliah gave a scream of panic. She buried her face into Beaux, pushing him violently towards the exit, and sobbed hysterically, "Please! No! Beaux, Beaux please don't do this to me! I don't want to – I don't want to! Please? Oh, Beaux I'm so, so sorry. I'll do anything!"

Beaux's mind was throbbing. What are you talking about?

He made an instinctive move toward the open doors, but the guard was already pulling the doors shut. A loud bang echoed through the Hall and a hushed silence accompanied Meliah's cries.

"What do you not want to do?" Beaux inquired in a low voice.

Meliah looked at him incredulously as though the answer was obvious. "I don't want to die of course!"

Beaux's first reaction was to laugh. It was such a ridiculous response, he thought, and so sincere. However, upon looking up at the cold faces in the Great Hall, Beaux's smile disappeared instantly. The council members were watching Meliah with utter scorn and contempt.

"I know I've been stupid. How could you blame me? I was tired, Beaux! And heartbroken, very heartbroken!" Meliah continued, "But you can't do this-"

"What are you talking about?" Beaux interrupted. "Me?"

"Don't deny it Beaux! You've brought me here!" She rose to a crescendo. "You're going to leave me here! After what you've done to me!" Meliah wiped her tears messily on the sleeve of her blue dress. Beaux took a step forward.

"Meliah-"

"Silence!" Cecilia commanded. "Do you want to get us all killed?" The sedentary vampires shifted agitatedly in their seats.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you Meliah," Beaux promised; he furrowed his brow and spoke gravely. "If you think – even for a moment – I would deliberately harm you, you don't know me."

"I never knew a lot about you," Meliah retorted somewhat viciously.

"Save the lovers' quarrel!" Cecilia snapped at the two. "It seems that you have forgotten-"

"That you are all in the Great Hall?" a deep, powerful voice echoed from the far end of the cathedral.

Cecilia rolled her eyes carelessly, and walked briskly passed the transept to where the altar should have been. A grand throne, more elaborate and intricate than the ones near the entrance stood. A young male was descending, rather elegantly, the stairs to the base of his throne. Cecilia watched him without interest but he only responded with a coy smile.

"Cecilia," the vampire murmured as he took her hand and kissed it reverently. "You look ravishing as always."

She threw back her chestnut tresses haughtily. "Lord Eas, you flatter me," she replied. She did not look flattered...at all.

Meliah and Beaux had fallen silent. They watched the man with something caught between suspicion and curiosity. Indeed, Lord Eas was something out of a novel. He could have been the villain or the tortured hero with his sharp features and dark, scarlet eyes. His hair was nighttime and his skin, like the others, was winter.

Beaux felt Meliah shaking. He knew she feared these people, but Lord Eas had not even acknowledged their presence.

"What brings you here today?" Lord Eas asked innocently.

"I believe you know exactly what would propel me to enter this place," she replied venomously. "Or do you purposely forget what I ask of you?"

"Ah yes," he sighed. He adjusted his ermine trimmed cloak and cleared his throat. "Members of the Assembly! I call this meeting to order! Today, we have a trial!"

A small wave of soft mutters filled the hall as the vampires whispered importantly to one another. Lord Eas took Cecilia's hand and pulled her close. "Please meet me later," he beseeched. She glared at him but nodded reluctantly and quickly pulled away.

"What's this trial about?" Beaux demanded as he approached Lord Eas menacingly. "I don't believe we've agreed to anything just yet!"

"So you're the wretch you caused this mess? Hmm?" Lord Eas wondered aloud. "Have you any idea what kind of trouble you are in young one?"

"No, actually I don't!" Beaux challenged.

"You insolent-!"

"Don't speak to him that way!" Cecilia snapped. Her eyes glowed furiously. "Don't forget our promise Yvan!"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Lord Eas replied. He heaved another hefty sigh, but glanced at Cecilia hopefully. "Does that mean you have-?"

"I haven't said anything just yet!"

"But that means!"

A booming voice behind them interrupted Lord Eas and Cecilia: "Can we commence the trial?"

Lord Eas looked embarrassed, but no color rose to his face. Instead, he wrung his hands impatiently. "Well, yes, of course," he answered sheepishly. "You!" – he pointed at a young man who seemed to have missed his opportunity to leave the hall – "Take this" – he glanced at Meliah uneasily – "thing to the middle of the room!"

The youth came towards the party hesitantly. He was tall, slender and had the look of someone who had not been cared for very well, but thrived anyway. "I have a name Lord Eas," he murmured. Cecilia stiffened considerably and looked as though she had been rooted to the spot. But this reaction went unnoticed by the others.

"Was it something like Frederick?" Lord Eas guessed casually.

"Louis, actually," the youth replied. He cast his eyes down and let his muddy-brown hair cover his face. Yet before bowing his head completely, his eyes made contact with Meliah's dark ones. And she gasped quietly. Beaux, who had been absorbed in Lord Eas and Cecilia's strange conversation, jumped slightly upon hearing Meliah's response to the boy. Beaux noticed Louis for the first time and also bit back an exclamation.

"Anyway, you," Lord Eas continued. "Take her over there."

"Yes sir." Louis walked over toward Meliah and glanced at her apologetically. "Please," he begged, "follow me." Meliah, in her curiosity, nearly forgot about the vampire elders. She followed Louis away from Beaux, Cecilia, and Lord Eas.

"Wait, wait!" Beaux shouted. "Stop! What in heaven's nam-"

"Beaux! Just let her go!"