Chapter 4
To Set Her Free
She seemed distant tonight, and he couldn't figure out why. She wasn't usually this cold and for the past few days she seemed to be fading in and out of the plain of reality. He knew the symptoms but he chose to ignore them. Over the past decades they'd gotten worse and worse, but he couldn't give her up, not yet. He offered her a silver chalice full of blood and she drank it down gingerly. She'd never taken the act of feeding lightly and he loved the way she drank in the life, the way she looked when she enjoyed the particular flavor and bouquet of the liquid. He had to admit; he'd wanted her for so long, swallowing his lusts and feelings to keep her with him to keep her safe from the world around them.
It wasn't safe for vampires now, especially his Order. He couldn't imagine the horrors that had met with the rest of his legions; their pretty flesh devoured by the horrors of the wondrous earth. His body shuttered unwillingly against the cold chill that filled his heart. He wouldn't let his beautiful creature be taken by the evil and the darkness; she was too much of a light to him.
"Roddy," he spoke her name and she looked up from her supper, a bit of red staining her lips, "What makes you quiet this eve?"
"I'm ponderous my lord," she said taking the soft napkin from the table and wiping her mouth feeling the stickiness of the blood on her lips. He'd taught her well; never be stained with the evidence of a feed, the only evidence a vampire should have is a satiated thirst. He knew that she would never be satisfied as he was not satisfied with his own existence. A vampire was cursed to walk the earth a neutral soldier in the army of the supernatural realms, constantly looking for companionship and never finding it.
"Ponderous? This doesn't suit you at all; you're usually full of spirit. What heavy weight in on your mind that has you so subjugated?" Quatre asked. He knew part of the reason though they'd never discussed it openly or formally. Her mind was working against her, rebelling against the charm that was set inside of her and it could only be opened with his key.
"How are we to move around if I do not have the ability to day walk?" she asked innocently, testing his reaction and weighting it in her mind. He knew that she didn't have the power to read his mind, he could shield anything from her, but he allowed her to enter his mind letting down the shields so that she would feel at ease.
"I've given that a lot of thought and I've decided that I must set you free," he didn't smile. The words left a bitter taste in his mouth. Her yellow eyes were wide and she set down the chalice in her hand, a bit of its contents spilling over the side.
"You can't my lord, I won't let you do this. You'll be all alone," she stood up and bade her sit lifting a calming hand and motioning to her seat. She obeyed.
"I've been alone before. This is more important than just mere companionship. The Order is at stake. I've kept you hidden in these walls for far too long. I must allow you explore this earth and walk it just as I have for millennia."
"But you shouldn't," she disobeyed him and stood, walking quickly over to his chair. He couldn't bear to have her touch him now; they all said the same thing when he said that he was going to set them free. They all pleaded with him to not do it, but he knew that deep within they wanted freedom. She was ready, especially if she couldn't follow the simple command of sitting. Her mind was breaking from his anyway; he might as well make the breaking far sweeter. She reached him, falling to her knees in protest and grabbing his arm. The sweetness of her touch coursed through him and he couldn't believe that he was going to lose her. With all of his companions she was the truest.
"You shouldn't have to be bound to me forever," his aquamarine eyes looked down into hers. He saw that the serious glow of yellow had subdued to a more saddened natural color of honey brown. A vampire rarely cried and when it did it was one single teardrop to signify a change. They all cried when he told him, so the tear sliding down her cheek did her no good.
"But I choose to be with you."
"You only choose me because you are bound. Not by loyalty or companionship or even love are you bound, just by blood oath. I wish it were different, but to wish is to regret and I cannot regret in this long life anything that I've done or will do," he ran his long-nailed hand through the silkiness of her hair and closed his eyes. She'd still retained that beautiful smell that he'd fallen in love with when she was a mortal. The scent of sweet oranges and tangy lemons and a strange spice that only she could carry with her.
"You will regret setting me free. We will both be miserable," she looked up at him her eyes turning from pained to the wily color of sated yellow. He sighed and allowed his hand to linger on her soft brown cheek, marveling at the pigment difference between their skins. So smooth, he thought as her ran his hand across the sloping plain of her cheek and over the full buds of her lips. He bent down and kissed her lips chastely and pulled away as soon as the sensation of warmth spread through them. Her eyes were closed reveling in the touch of her master; he'd only touched her in such a manner centuries ago and much like this time it was over as quickly as it started.
"Go," he said finding his voice, "take up the Hunter and the Where and go to the Sorceress. She will have advice," he stood and walked passed her. The act may have seemed callous to the naked eye, but for Quatre it was a way of suppressing the tears of losing his beloved. She stayed on her knees for a while before bowing her head into her hands and crying a few more tears. He'd made his decisions and when the lord of the Calorgian family spoke, his will would be done.
****
Duo and Trowa sat on what seemed to be a balcony in the chapel. It was nice because Duo could feel the humidity of the air on his skin and see the full moon that shone brightly. Trowa was just reveling in the sharp conversation that Duo was making with him. It had been a long time since he'd talked with anyone so vividly.
"Wax and wane, just like life," Duo said looking at the fullness of the moon with fondness. He stood against the balcony, his tail wagging excitedly and started to howl. In the distance he could hear a response, his eyes closed and he relished the feeling of being close to kin.
"Your people respond," Trowa said stagnantly.
"No, that was not a Where call, that was a true wolf in form and nature. Less than kin, but true, true as the waxing and waning moon." The sound of the wolf pack in the woods responded again.
"What are they saying?" Trowa asked, noting the tinge of a smile on Duo's lips.
"Your spirit is fairly met," Duo smiled and quickly sat back down.
"I've never been this close to a Where before."
"Without killing us. You hunters, spending your life killing creatures of the night, it must be a rather fulfilling job." Duo joked and leaned back in the chair raising the front legs up off the ground.
"It is," Trowa's eyes left Duo and went to the movement inside of the house. Duo could see that through the glass window Roddy was moving up the stairs with Quatre next to her. The Where smiled.
"You want her." Duo stated.
"I don't know what that means," Trowa retorted, turning his attentions back at his conversation buddy.
"I've noticed. You seem to look at the world with newborn eyes. You kill creatures without remorse or dealing. You are a Seraph, a deadly agent of the Deity are you not?"
"I used to be, but I am flesh and blood."
"Kicked out?"
"No, nothing like that. Not completely."
"Well, your secret is safe with me," Duo patted him on the back making a silent oath.
"We need to go," her voice was forceful yet sweet breaking the general calm of the conversation between Trowa and Duo.
"Where are we headed?" Duo asked.
"The Sorceress, she will give us answers," Roddy said taking the lead.
"Answers are definitely what we all need," Trowa commented under his breath and followed Roddy and Duo out of the door.
****
The house of the Sorceress was nothing like Trowa expected. He expected it to be gothic-like and surrounded by large billowing Willow trees. In truth, the house was in the inner city surrounded by other smaller, lower income houses. Trowa knew exactly which one they were going to, considering that it had a large, red fluorescent light that was shaped like a human Palm. On the inside of the palm was the word "Tarot." Trowa's eyebrows rose and he looked at the sign haughtily.
"You can't be serious," he said under his breath.
"Hey man, don't knock this lady until you try her. I here she's good," Duo retorted slapping a strong hand onto Trowa's back.
"I suppose." Trowa responded rather unsure, but Roddy gave him reassuring eyes as she rang the doorbell. There was some shuffling behind the door and Trowa could see a shadow behind the stained glass entrance.
The door opened to a youthful woman, not the old scraggly witch of fairytales. In fact, this lady was youthful and beautiful. Long chestnut hair flowed down her shoulders, shading olive skin and honey-colored eyes. She had on a flowing green dress underneath a lilac, chenille robe and was barefoot.
"Roddy, I was expecting you, please take off your shoes," Roddy entered and removed her shoes along with the rest of them. The woman piddled towards the kitchen in a swagger that was entirely hers.
"Tea anyone?" she asked, cordially as she brought in a white, porcelain tea set and sat it down on her small coffee table. The inside of the house was interesting. Japanese in ideal, with all the seating being floor level, but there was a strange Indian and Bohemian flare that caught Trowa's attention. She seemed more gypsy-like than a sorceress. Trowa sat down on the small floor chairs and took the tea that she offered.
"I am Jinakel, I already know who you all are. Who would like to go first? I do not give readings to a group," she said, gracefully rising and gathering her cup of tea. No one answered her. She gingerly looked at Roddy and bade her go first. Roddy stood, taking her teacup with her.
They entered the back room and they sat, Roddy a bit nervous, as she always was when she was with Jinakel.
"I see something that worries you, Vampire," Jina said haphazardly.
"My master and I we had a falling out."
"Ah yes, it is time for him to let you go."
"But…" Roddy tried to finish but was cut off by Jina.
"But nothing, do not make this harder for him than it already is. He's thought of this for centuries, letting you go. He needs your strength now not your sniveling. But other than that, what is your cause?" Jina said sipping her tea cordially.
"What do you see for me?" Roddy asked.
"This is a grand adventure that you're beginning. In the end you will have but one choice, you will give your life for your beloved."
"Who is my beloved?"
"Ah, but that is the one choice. I cannot make it for you."
"Anything else?"
"No. Send in the Hunter," Jina said shooing Roddy from the backroom. Within a couple of moments Trowa entered and sat in the very seat that Roddy had sat. Jinakel smiled, a blush tingeing her face.
"You have chosen a very handsome body, Seraph," Jinakel commented.
"Does everyone know what I am?" Trowa asked, annoyed.
"No, not everyone. Not the person that matters most. What are you here for?"
"I need to know where to look for clues in this case. This creature that is killing the order leaves no tracks. It's like it's a ghost."
"That would be easy enough for one to find. What are you here for? There has to be a burning question, in your darkest desires that is bothering you somehow," Jina's eyes were serious though her voice sounded a bit playful.
"How will this end?"
"An excellent question. But I must say, I cannot tell you that. In my mind I see a host of possibilities, different paths, different courses for one to take. Your path is now intertwined with two others, with a host of others. Quatre, Duo, Roddy, Heaven, Hell, your path is intertwined," she whispered.
"My path has always been intertwined with others. It is only now that I may choose."
"No, you chose before. When you were force out of heaven. You chose to come to earth instead of hell. You've been in that body too long and there is nothing that you remember about that place which you were a part of."
"I remember the smell. It smelled of calm. I could just breathe in and I would instantly feel calmed. Such a succulent smell, nothing like it on earth."
"But why not hell? You could have still been an angel."
"A demon. I would never lower myself to hell. I couldn't. Not after feeling all the comforts of heaven."
"So was your path, and now you will do anything to get back there. The question is, what do you love more, heaven? Or love? You will have to make a choice and you will know the choice you have made when the time comes. Right now your mind is made up, but things change in the course of a day, in the course of an hour things change."
"Love? I do not know that feeling."
"You soon will," Jina said standing up and walking him out of the front room where Duo and Roddy sat chatting somewhat.
"I know you," Duo said in a sly voice, "you work for my boss."
"You're a smart one, Where."
"And you're hotter than hell on July day, babe. Maybe we should get together down there with the boss one day and have a bit of dinner."
"Your manner is cheerful, you will be good for this dour group. And maybe, when this is all over, we will have dinner," she smiled cordially at Duo.
"What of the case?" Roddy asked, getting back to business.
"There is only a bit I can tell you, for I don't even know what's going on. But I can say that every case starts with clues and the best clues can always be found in the mailroom. In this case, the Spiritual Mail Room would be the place to look," she smiled and started towards her door.
"Spiritual Mail Room?" Trowa asked himself.
"Think about it, where do all the prayers go?" Jina said as she kissed Trowa on the cheek and let the group out.
"Well," Duo started as they headed towards the car, "she was no help at all."
