Chapter 3

Where oh where is my Where?

"This is your room," Roddy said to Trowa as she pointed to a door that was camouflaged with the darkness of the hallway. Trowa looked around the bowels of the chapel and every inch of the walls was covered with pulsating souls. The only thing that wasn't covered was his door, which made it easy to find his way to his room.

"Why would a vampire want these dead souls on the wall, you'd think he'd pick a better place to honor his dead," Trowa said under his breath halfway down the hallway. He was still lagging behind Roddy trying to remember the way he got to the room.

"Putting them on the wall is a way of honor, so that everyone that enters will know that the Calorgian Order is dying and to mourn," Roddy said as Trowa finally caught up with her. He stepped into the room and saw that it was as Spartan as any room could have possibly have been. There was an unused four-poster bed that had a dusty black canopy. Trowa figured that this was the rectory and that the Monsignor would have slept here considering the many old, dusty crucifixes that were hanged.

"What about the bathroom?" Trowa asked walking over to the bed and spreading his hands over the dusty, moth-eaten comforter.

"It's that room. It may not look like much but we vampires don't really sleep up here," she nodded towards the small lattice window that was situated high on the wall. Trowa smiled, surely the morning light would be too much.

"So, how old are you?" Trowa asked, plopping down on the bed. She stared at him strangely; no one had ever asked her anything that personal before. Her eyes were wide as she thought about her age; she hadn't though about that for centuries.

"I think I'm 500 years old, why do you ask?" she said sitting down at the small, wooden chair in front of the large desk.

"And it's just you and Quatre?" he asked.

"Yes, it's been just us for centuries. I can vaguely remember when I met him," she said looking around uncertain.

"When he turned you?" Trowa asked, not really knowing why.

"The French had just started taking my people as slaves, I met Quatre when I was caught and forced to work as a maid in the house of Monseiur Jaques de Torvelle. I remember the way Quatre smelled, like blood and roses; he was in my dreams and in my every thought. He told me that he was lonely and that he needed a companion and he offered me freedom," Roddy spoke nostalgically and Trowa saw how her eyes glinted in admiration for her Master in the pale moonlight. Suddenly, their eyes caught and for a split second Trowa felt a rush of heat to his face. The warmth was tingling and not too unpleasant and he wanted that feeling to last a bit longer. But, as soon as it happened it was over and he was left with the strange and unfamiliar emotion of longing.

"Well, I should be going to bed," he said stagnantly not really wanting to sleep. She nodded and started for the door, stopping only short and turning around.

"I'm glad that you decided to help us, Night Hunter. Not many humans would want to help vampires. Thank you." She smiled and walked out of the door, it closing so softly behind her that it was almost as if she hadn't been there at all.

"You're welcome," he said after she'd left. He looked around the room a bit more, searching for any strange happening, turned down the covers, got into bed and went to sleep.

****

Strange dreams plagued Trowa as he slept, and as he woke the next day he was amazed to find that he'd slept completely through the night and most of the day. If he was hearing the large grandfather clock correctly it was already 5:00 in the evening. He was awake a full thirty minutes before actually opening his eyes. He could tell through the thin membranes of his eyelid that the sun was shining happily through the small lattice window that Roddy had mentioned the night before. He sighed and peaked open one eye but quickly closed it because the glint of the sun was too much to bear for his human orbs. He remembered painfully how he used to be able to stare at a light much brighter than the sun, much brighter than any light that had ever been given to earth. He rolled over onto his back, away from the sun and stretched with his eyes closed. He forced one open, then another and let them adjust, sitting up and examining the room.

He didn't know why his body suddenly jolted back in shock and surprise. All he could surmise in the small time between his recognition of the person perched on the left poster at the foot of his bed and his physical response was scream. When all was regained and the creature hadn't moved, not even from the momentous noise that Trowa had made, the auburn-haired man stood from the bed and walked over to examine the creature.

At first he thought that the seeming human was just a vampire guard, then Trowa realized that the man was indeed a man and that there was nothing strange or supernatural about his appearance. But the supernatural part was in his impeccable balance and extremely beautiful, long hair. At first observation, Trowa thought that the man was a woman, but with further examination, he realized that a topless woman would be simple to recognize. Trowa reached over to the poster, attempting to wake the poor creature from its slumber, not knowing what it would do when it awoke.

"No, do not wake him, he's very dangerous," Roddy said from the room door, careful to avoid the spots of sunlight that were in her way. Trowa hadn't even heard her come in.

"Dangerous, he's just a sleeping man," Trowa said skeptically.

"Oh really," Roddy said, and acrobatically kicked the sleeping man in the stomach. He woke quickly and hissed at both the sunlight and the vampire that had kicked him. He jumped down from the bedpost and landed on the floor on all fours.

"Vampire!" He screeched and ran out of the door.

"Lupin," she said and ran after him, her robe flying past Trowa who quickly followed Roddy's steps. The Where flew down the hall on all fours faster than either of them could catch up, they were lucky that at the end of the hallway Quatre was standing and the Where was cornered. But the only thing more dangerous was a cornered Where. Luckily Quatre had a freezing charm applied to the creature and he couldn't move.

"Let me go," Trowa heard the creature say angrily as he and Roddy finally caught up with him.

"We heard you come in, you sneaky visitor from," Quatre looked at the collar that the Where was wearing and smirked, "Satan? You work for the basement?"

"Yes, I came to talk with the Hunter. Name's Duo, can you put me down please."

"Not until you tell me what your business is with the hunter."

"My boss would like to know the same thing about you," The Where spat out. Quatre dropped him and he went tumbling to the ground.

"Duo eh?" Quatre asked.

"Yeah, got a problem with that Vampire?" Duo said dusting himself off and standing upright to his full height.

"What do you want with me?" Trowa asked, staring up into the purple eyes of the Where.

"My boss would like to speak with you, I'm just the messenger." Duo said flicking his hair.

"From Satan, I think not," Roddy said stepping in front of Trowa as a guard. Duo smiled.

"Hot damn, they're making Vamps hotter than the fires of hell these days," Duo said smacking Roddy on the butt. She snarled back at him.

"Who do you think you are?"

"I'm a Where baby, does that turn you on?" Duo winked.

"Not in the slightest. What does your boss want with the Hunter?" Roddy asked.

"Why don't I tell you over a nice candlelit dinner," Duo said wrapping his arms around Roddy's shoulder.

"You're just a horny dog!" Roddy said and walked off in the direction of her room in a huff.

"Hey babe, I'll have you clawing your nails down my back and begging for more!" Duo shouted after her.

"That's no way to speak to a Vampire Priestess," Trowa said, holding back a chuckle of delight. Duo looked down at the man and clamped down in a friendly gesture on Trowa's shoulder.

"A Vampire Priestess you say? Ah, that's why she's so pent up. She hasn't experienced the stroke of her master yet. Well, once she does, she'll be begging the ole D-man for a piece of his doggie style, if you know what I mean," Duo said elbowing Trowa.

"No, I don't," Trowa responded, taking in the experience of finally seeing a Where up close. He looked almost human, excluding the fangs that almost jutted from his mouth and the happily wagging tail that lagged behind him. He was tall, as Trowa had suspected a Where's would be, but Trowa had never expected him to be as muscular as he was. But the most attractive thing about this creature was the long, thick, chestnut hair that fell from his head and his striking purple eyes.

"What does Luc want with my charge?" Quatre asked, breaking the awkward silence caused by Roddy's embarrassed disappearance.

"He just wants to discuss some things, not sure though. Remember, don't shoot the messenger," Duo laughed again heartily.

"Satan wants a conference with me, how odd," Trowa said to himself.

"Well, he's not as odd as the Deity, I swear, that guy has been having some serious problems up there. Who knows what's going to be happening next. Bossman says that it's the worst discord since he got booted."

"And he sent you, why?" Quatre asked, a bit annoyed with Duo.

"Well, he is Satan and he does like chaos, so here I am, the master of chaos." Duo put his hands out to the side happily. Quatre heard the striking of the clock and realized that the sun would be going down in about three hours. He and Roddy would need to feed. Then Quatre thought it would be smart to send Roddy and Trowa to the Sorceress before they started their hunting.

"And why do you need him?" Duo asked, breaking Quatre's concentration on the clock's chiming.

"My Order is being decimated by some unknown source, I hired the Hunter to help."

"Hiring a Hunter that hunts dark creatures to get rid of something that's hunting a dark creature. Whew! He must have cut you some kind of deal," Duo smiled at Trowa, his fangs glimmering in the dim artificial light of the hallway. Trowa only stared blankly back.

"Shit, he's pretty quiet too."

"Well, tell your boss that if he wants my charge that he's going to have to come in person to visit with him. I'm not just going to let the hunter go to him freely," Quatre smiled, stepping up to the Where and staring up into purple eyes.

"Hey man, like I said, I'm the messenger, but he did tell me one thing. I can't let this guy out of my sight until he gets to see him. So, if you don't let him come with me then you've just got yourself another houseguest," Duo cutely ran his finger's through his long tresses. Quatre thought this over. Traditionally, Where's and Vampires didn't get along. Usually, they were vying for power against one another to see who was the strongest of the night creatures. Considering that Where's worked for Satan and Vampires were neutral in the spiritual realm, Vampires were usually the one's that came out on top. He didn't want a Where staying in his home. Where's were notorious drinkers, boisterous sleepers, and just generally crude and unsophisticated. Considering the way he'd been shamelessly hitting on Roddy after just meeting her, he knew that the Where was going to be trouble. Alas, his hands were tied; he didn't want Trowa to get into the grips of Satan. The last thing that he wanted to do was hand his Hunter over to a potential enemy. And just how did Satan know what was going on anyway? Quatre sighed.

"Well, considering the situation, I suppose it wouldn't be too hard to allow you to stay here for a rest or two. But I expect for your master to come from his underworld and show his face to me. I will not be sending my charge down to greet him; I don't trust your boss enough," Quatre's eyes narrowed as he saw that Roddy was indeed dressed for dinner. She was always a vision when she wore red velvet. Duo and Trowa turned around to see what was distracting the usually proficient vampire.

"I'd like to get my paws on that bitch," Duo said, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Quatre's mind quickly turned back to the problem at hand.

"And another thing, if I so much scan your mind and you're thinking about touching her, I swear, I'll unleash powers greater than the fires of hell have ever seen." Duo could tell by Quatre's voice and face that he was serious. The Where backed up shaking his hands in submission.

"Hey man, no need to go all Oldest Vampire Ever Living on me, I understand you completely, keep my hotdog in my pants. But I can't do anything if she comes knocking down my door begging the ole Where for his big bad wolf," Duo chuckled. Quatre's eyes narrowed in earnest and Duo's antics stopped. Walking away from the two men, Quatre caught Roddy's attention and took her hand in his and led her to his chambers to dine.

"He's very protective of her," Trowa said to Duo.

"Well, one of these days he's going to have to set her free. It's his fate, no vampire can hold onto their creations forever." Duo whispered as they both stared back at the two vampires disappearing down the hallway. Trowa didn't quite understand what Duo was talking about, but something about Quatre's possessiveness was starting to bother him.