Still
Author's note: See chapter one for disclaimers.
Blood painted the walls of the sitting area, it smelled like Adriana's yet she was nowhere to be found in the room. It resembled that of the night when my family was killed. Don't think of that Selene I tried to tell myself. I slowly approached the next door on the other side of the room. Glass from the hanging chandelier was scattered across the floor and dripped with blood. A struggle had obviously just taken place. I turned the handle on the creaky door, an eeriness spread over me as I began to open the next door.
Inside I saw another room full of blood it smelled like Kraven's from when he had placed his lips over mine Don't think of that Selene another horrid memory that I wish to block out of my mind. I wanted to smirk for Adriana putting a fight up against him but pushed down that emotion, I needed to find her. A piece of Kraven's shirt was on the floor along with a jagged piece of metal, torn off from the chandelier inside it seemed. I picked it up and took it with me as I opened another door, this room was a long hallway with pictures of either extremely pale humans, which was doubtable, or other vampires, more likely it seemed, adorning the walls. The candelabras were well lit as I walked down it slowly and cautiously. Footprints of mingled blood, smeared blood on the walls were obviously there. Handprints in between the pictures that stared down at me with their cold and accusing eyes. I heard footsteps approaching from behind, along with the scent of guns, probably death dealers. I quickly shut the door and twisted the metal I had in my hands to lock the two door knobs against each other, which should buy me a little time at least. I ran to the end of the hall and opened the doors, leading down to a staircase of stone and also lit with a few candles, I took one off the wall and proceeded down.
The mansion seemed to be very complicated in the manner it was built, confusing to both the enemy and the inhabitants it seemed to me. I smelled more of Adriana's and Kraven's blood as I continued down the winding staircase. The stairs were very old, worn and of different heights so I proceeded carefully as not to trip and fall on my face.
I soon stepped on the ground and found another set of doors. These were as large and heavy as those upstairs. I tried to kick at them to make them open, unsuccessfully.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps in the hallway above and I tried harder to kick the door open. I ripped a piece of a candelabra off of the wall and started to jam it into the lock, twisting and turning it to open the door. I soon tripped the lock just as I was hearing the death dealers proceed down the stairwell with much agility and I opened the door quickly and slammed it shut, locking it behind me.
I was now in a large room, almost crypt-like, made of stone. And there I smelled Adriana and Kraven the strongest. Another door was to my left, the trail of blood, more heavily spilt then it had been in the stairwell, led into the next room.
I opened the door and there I saw Adriana.
Her arms were dangling from chains on the wall, a knife impaled below her heart. Kraven was there too, still staring at her and breathing hard. Shards of glass were imbedded in his skin as he was panting, cursing slightly in French under his breath. I picked a knife up off the floor and lunged at him with all my hatred going into that single attack.
"You horrible bastard! I'll kill you for this Kraven!" I cried out as I tried to stab him, he grabbed my hand and twisted it around painfully. I winced. His eyes were cold like ice, blood was dripping out of his mouth
"What...what-did you just call me?" He asked accusingly, still panting for air, still angered.
"You know what I called you! Why did you kill her?" I yelled back, he twisted my wrist again, I cried out in pain.
"None of your concern. She was a threat to the Coven, that is all you will know." He said firmly. I looked at Adriana, she wasn't breathing. She was dead. The only person I now cared for, other then Viktor, was gone.
Suddenly the doors burst open, Kraven suddenly dropped my out of shape wrist, and the death dealers came in, Kahn was ahead of them. A stunned look crossed his face as he saw how Adriana was dead. I wasn't the kind of person to say I told you so but...
"So...this is what you consider nothing to be?" I asked monotone. Kahn's face tensed.
"Kraven. Who gave you permission to carry out the execution of a death dealer lieutenant?" He asked Kraven.
"I did." He responded soundly. At least I know this was of his doing.
"What provoked you into executing Adriana Caprice?" Edward asked, who was standing beside Kahn.
"She disobeyed the laws of this covenant deliberately. The punishment for her crimes was execution." Kraven said, beginning to pick the shards of glass from his arms and face.
"What laws?" Edward asked, he seemed as curious as I was.
"Delving into the past. It is forbidden." Kraven responded.
"Who said that?" I asked, curious to know.
"I have made that come into law." Responded another voice from the doorway. It was Viktor, who was being followed by his council from behind.
"My lord." I said, kneeling as the other death dealer and Kraven were. Viktor walked up to where Adriana's body hung on the wall, the look on her face when she died was that of a tired woman, so peaceful despite her obvious struggle before.
"Are you bothered by her death, Selene?" Viktor addressed me.
"Yes my Lord." I answered, I might as well tell the truth, it might end in Kraven's punishment.
"She deliberately was trying to disobey coven laws of delving into the past. I acknowledge that she was your mentor and one of your trainer's Selene but despite that she broke our laws, knowingly, and served her punishment. End of discussion." Viktor said and turned heel to leave the room, the death dealers proceeded behind him.
I was ready to kill Kraven, but I know he's stronger then I was, he was pure born of a ripe old age, I was a turned fledgling. My odds were slim, his were great. He continued to pick the shards of glass from himself.
"Happy Selene? I did you a great favor just now, trust me on that", he said, smirking.
"No, I'm not happy. You killed my friend." I said. He looked up.
"I don't want to make you unhappy, my lovely. But this will ease your pain in the future to come, trust me." He said.
"I don't trust you as far as I can throw you", I responded.
"Act stubborn, see if I care now. You're angry when you're beautiful. Did you know that?" He said, making an attempt to flirt with me in front of the body of a recently murdered friend. He must have the relationship skills of a vegetable.
"Yes, but it doesn't mean that you are." I said back to him, smirking also.
"Soon you'll start seeing things my way, Selene. In time it will all become clearer just how far I could take you in this coven, and how much you mean to me." He said, smiling.
"I don't care about getting far up into the ranks of the coven, Kraven. I wish to avenge my family, that is all, and nothing, not you, not the other death dealers, not even the death I am surrounded by shall stop me", I said, leaving the room. Leaving Kraven and proceeding up the stairs.
And I meant every word I said.