Chapter Seven: Too Close
By nightfall, Valiris was pleased with the day's dirty work. He smiled to himself, venomous incisors sparkling in his reflection in the mirror, as he straightened his bowtie and then smoothed out his tux. He hadn't felt so victorious in a long time, and he knew this evening would be another turning point in his latest schemes.
It had been well over fifty years since Valiris had last battled Sapphire and killed her husband. She had somehow escaped him in that battle, scarred for life, and had remained hidden for the past several years. He had hunted her, but like a true wolf, her hiding tactics had been superb and successful.
His move into the hotel business had been her downfall. And now, here at this luxurious convention, he had found her again. It had all been her beloved brother's fault, really. Valiris had chased the twin into his home and had found information on where Sapphire was. He had then developed his clever plan to reenter her life.
At this exact moment in time, he was determined not to enslave her, but to make her so despondent and miserable, she'd almost ask him to claim her, just to end her misery. He had all the resources in place. Had it not been for Sapphire's young friend, the evil vampire's plans wouldn't have come to play.
Valiris was hungry, hungry for blood, and he was determined to get it from Serena. He had already deceived her entirely into thinking he was a great gentleman with complete interest in everything she liked. He had already held several pleasant conversations with her, and tonight, at the dance, he would start playing more on her character and emotions, weakening her so that he could get the blood he needed the following night. She would be easy enough to kill, unless Sapphire got involved, which Val very much hoped she would. If she came to her friend's rescue, he'd either be able to deliver the bite he had wanted to give the werewolf queen for hundreds of years, or he'd be able to mark her and track her down at another more convenient time. One way or another, the cards would play out perfectly in Val's hands.
He finished dressing for the evening and then moved towards his hotel room door, smirking one last time as he passed a mirror, completely assured of triumph.
"This will be the biggest party we've ever gone to," Serena said cheerfully, brushing her hair one last time before she pulled parts of it back in a decorative comb.
"And the fanciest," Sapphire nodded, gazing at herself one last time in the mirror. In the reflection that faced her, she could see her scar, the reminder of that final battle, stretched across her neck and shoulder. She shuddered, remembering what the blade had felt like, and then grabbed a shawl and threw it over her shoulders, hiding the mark.
"What are you doing?" Serena asked, frowning. "You aren't supposed to wear a shawl with that."
"I know, but it makes me a little more comfortable," Sapphire sighed. "You ready? I want to get downstairs to that buffet."
"I wish Whisper were here," Serena said, following her friend out of their room. "He's a great dancer, and I miss him."
"I'm sure he misses you," Sapphire said as they got into the elevator. "Actually, I know he does. I spoke to him the other night while you were in the shower. He really misses you."
"I sort of miss home. I mean, I love the snow and luxury and all, but I miss Florida."
"I do too," Sapphire smiled as the elevator lowered and then the door opened.
She and Serena walked out of the elevator and into the hotel's grand ballroom. There was no room for casualness here, and Sapphire felt extremely self-conscious about her shawl. There was a small orchestra playing, and there were tables of fancy foods. Next to those tables was the immense dance floor, above which hung a beautiful chandelier, and spaced all throughout the room were tables for everyone to sit at. The lighting was dim in the room, giving it a romantic touch, and Serena couldn't help but be excited about it. Sapphire, however, was reminded of other dances given in dimly-lit rooms, and she could only gaze about the room and remember.
The women were shown to a round table covered by a dark red tablecloth, and then the waiter took their orders and went to get their food.
"Ah! My two favorite employees!" Ripper exclaimed, sitting down across from them at the table, absolutely stunning in his tuxedo. "How does this suit your fancy?"
"It's gorgeous!" Serena exclaimed. "Everything's so wonderful!"
"And Sapphire?"
"It's nice," she said quietly, and then turned her head when her sensitive ears heard someone walking up behind her.
"Good evening, my friends," Valiris smiled, coming to stand behind Sapphire and gazing down into Serena's eyes. "How are you two lovely ladies this evening?"
"Wonderful…until you showed up," Sapphire whispered.
"Might I sit with you at your table?" Val smiled.
"Most certainly, Mr. Valiris," Ripper said, gesturing to a spot, and Valiris sat down.
Sapphire knew he was up to something the minute he was seated and she got a good look at him. There was a familiar glow to his eyes, not a glow of excitement or pleasure, but of hunger. She squirmed uncomfortably, seeing the look Val was giving Serena, and then nudged Serena with her elbow.
"So, Serena, tell me about the last time you and Whisper went out. Where'd you go?"
Serena looked confused, but then told about her last date, making a very brief story out of it. The waiter was back as soon as she was finished, and the women ate while the men waited for their food.
"Where's Adrian?" Sapphire found herself asking, uncomfortable when she didn't see him anywhere in the room.
"He'll be down soon, I was told," Ripper smiled.
"Since when do you care about Adrian?" Serena chuckled.
"The minute I couldn't see him," Sapphire said, shifting in her seat.
"You're as jittery as a jitterbug," Val grinned, leaning forward on the table. "And speaking of jitterbugs…would you care to dance, Miss Serena?"
"I'm not much of a dancer, and I haven't danced with anyone really, except for Whisper," Serena said uncertainly.
"I'll teach you some steps," Val said warmly.
"Well," Serena said, completely not seeing Sapphire shaking her head, "I guess so."
Sapphire let out a long sigh when Serena left the table, and she turned to face the dance floor, watching as Val moved Serena into the proper position and then began to dance with her.
"Relax, Sapphire. She'll be fine," Ripper chuckled slightly.
"I don't particularly care for dinners like this," Sapphire frowned. "It's too dark and the mood is too romantic."
"Don't you ever think it would be nice to have someone to be close to?" Ripper asked, nodding at the waiter as the man gave him his food.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to find someone."
"You spend so much time at work, yet so little time just being a woman," Ripper smiled gently. "Maybe you should take some time to just enjoy yourself. And walking Downtown Disney for one night doesn't count. You need to find someone to keep you company, someone to care for you, to…"
Ripper could have been telling a whole story for all Sapphire cared, for at that point in his sentence, his words completely faded away from her hearing.
Adrian had entered the room.
Sapphire could no longer hear any music as Adrian stepped into the room, a slight stalk in his step. She couldn't see anything aside from him as he moved, dressed in a pure white button-down shirt, open at the neck, and his spotless black pants. His hair was slick and dark in the lighting, but Sapphire didn't notice that because of his eyes. They were sparkling, looking almost as though they were on fire. It wasn't the same glitter of hunger that had been in Val's eyes, but instead a rare look of sincerity and longing to understand and to be…to be something different, just for a night.
He moved to Ripper's side and then sat down. He smiled at Sapphire, his smile absolutely dazzling, and without knowing it, she stared, never tearing her eyes away from that smile and that suddenly innocent face.
"Hello," Adrian spoke, and Sapphire nearly jumped with surprise.
Where was she? Oh yes, at the banquet, with at least two vampires, one of whom was just speaking to her and she was just staring at…
"Are you wearing any type of eyeliner?" she asked, startled, and Adrian laughed.
"I'm sorry," she stuttered, blushing at her abruptness. "Just…your eyes are glowing."
"Candle light," Ripper shrugged, overlooking his employee's awkwardness.
"Dim lighting does that," Adrian said, sitting back comfortably, still grinning. "For a minute there, I thought you were shocked to see me."
"Shocked? Why would I be?"
"Maybe because I'm devastatingly handsome."
"Right," Sapphire snorted. "And I'm the Queen of Sheba."
"Interesting choice of music tonight," Adrian said coolly. "Sounds almost Hispanic."
"Like a Tango, yet deeper," Ripper mused.
Sapphire turned her attention back to the music, and her eyes widened. She recognized this song, and her eyes flitted rapidly to Serena.
"Strike a familiar chord in your memory?" Adrian asked, his voice harsh to her ears.
"I have heard it before, somewhere. Where have I heard it?" Sapphire whispered.
"Think back, back to a grand banquet in the castle in England," Adrian whispered, leaning across the table so he was leering into her face. "One that unwanted visitors weren't supposed to be at, ones that slipped through security disguised in cloaks, for example."
"The castle in the woods," Sapphire frowned, and then stood up abruptly, nearly knocking her chair over in the process. "That dance, the one where all the ones that weren't vampires…"
"Met a rather untimely death," Adrian nodded.
"Vampires?" Ripper asked, confused. "Did I miss something?"
"Excuse me," Sapphire said, and then rushed towards Serena and Val, nearly tripping on her dress in the process.
Serena was completely oblivious to any danger. She was in the middle of a delightful conversation with her dance partner when Sapphire came up and abruptly took her by the shoulder and pulled her away from Val.
"I think we've had enough dancing. Time to eat?" Sapphire asked, pushing her friend towards the table.
"What is the matter?" Serena asked, upset. "Why would you…?"
"And I'll take her place, Val," Sapphire said, her eyes boring holes into him as she took his hands and pulled him away from Serena, leaving the confused girl standing alone.
"You seem troubled," Val smirked, taking one of her hands in his and moving his other hand to her waist.
"Hmm… Let me think," Sapphire mused, her green eyes bearing mercilessly into his multi-colored orbs. "First off, I'm hunted for years only to find that suddenly, at a hotel, my attacker has found me. Then, I see that he's trying to weasel his way into the life of my best friend. And thirdly, not only is he invading her life, but he's trying to kill her!"
"It's just a dance," Val chuckled.
"The Dance of Death, as I recall," Sapphire scowled.
"Really now, Sapphire, I wouldn't kill anyone in public," Val spoke.
"No, but you'd lead her along to the point that she couldn't think, and then you'd kill her," Sapphire growled. "I may have avoided you for years, and I may still be terrorized of you, but I will not let you hurt my friend, never mind kill her."
"Rather bold of you, speaking up to a vampire like that," Val said, twirling her suddenly and pulling her back in towards him.
"I will not cower to you."
"In public."
"Any where," Sapphire spat. "You stay away from Serena. I promise you, Val, if you hurt her, I will kill you."
"My, my, is the mighty Sapphire speaking so maliciously?" Val smirked.
"Take my threat seriously."
"But you can't really kill me," Val said, bringing her close enough so his nose was nearly touching hers, letting his eyes glare into hers. "Because you're the slave here, and I will be the master."
"Adrian's already trying to claim that. Did you set him up?"
"Adrian has barely been able to touch you, never mind claim you," Val chuckled, pushing part of her shawl away gently and letting his fingertips grace across her scar.
"Don't touch me!" she hissed, grabbing his hand and pulling it away from her skin.
He took that opportunity to lace his fingers through hers, squeezing her fingers roughly and making her gasp as he dipped her low.
"I'm a little too civil to bite you here and now, but you've put yourself in a most unprotected position," he sneered, keeping her bent back, forcing her to rely on his hand behind her back.
"Better me than Serena. You stay away from her," Sapphire snapped, grabbing his shoulders as she felt her balance giving way.
He stood back up and glared down into her face, his eyes sparkling with danger.
"You aren't going to survive another twenty-four hours without becoming mine. I give you fair warning."
"Just don't hurt a member of my pack," Sapphire hissed and then almost cried out when he put his icy hand back to her scar and traced it.
"I think you've all had enough," A voice interrupted, and Sapphire felt herself being pulled away from Val by two strong hands.
The music changed, and Sapphire watched, gazing over her shoulder, as Serena went back to Val and apologized.
"You aren't very subtle," Adrian spoke, twirling her in his arms.
"I want that creep away from Serena," Sapphire breathed.
"We can't always have what we want," Adrian answered. "Let me propose to you my offer again."
Her eyes flitted to his, and behind the mischievousness and pure hunger, she could, to her surprise, see some sincerity in his blue orbs.
"Let me claim you," Adrian whispered, putting his mouth to her ear. "Let me make you mine, and you won't have to fear Valiris. One way or another, you will get bit. Face that. Denial to yourself won't change it. There are too many vampires for you to keep running. Let me bite you, and you'll be safe from Val, for it will be my responsibility to protect you."
"Tell me, Adrian," Sapphire whispered back, trying to pull away from his whispering. "Would you want to be someone's slave? Would you want to have to stop whatever you're doing, when called? And even worse, would you want to have to sit at someone's feet and let them drink off you?"
"Can't say I would mind too terribly. It's all rather romantic."
"To you!" Sapphire hissed. "Because you wouldn't be the captive. You'd be the one drinking your fill. And perhaps you'd even go further."
"We enslave the werewolves to get their blood. Nothing else."
"So you say," Sapphire frowned, drawing back from him. "But I don't trust that."
Adrian watched her leave, shifting her shawl as she did so, to cover her scar. Without looking back, she left the room, and he felt an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach.
She needed to be protected. If that meant him biting her, to keep her safe from Valiris, than so be it. But even if she was his enemy, even if her kind had ruined his past, this werewolf in particular needed to feel secure and needed to be kept safe.
"I'm so sorry, Val," Serena stammered, watching Sapphire leave the room. "She's been so overprotective lately. It's so strange."
"You're her dearest friend. She's allowed be to a little careful about you," Val smiled, his multi-colored eyes studying hers carefully. "You're very pretty. Someone needs to watch out for you."
"I do have Whisper, although he isn't here right now. He must have told her to keep an eye on me," Serena smiled.
"Tell me about this Whisper chap. He sounds interesting," Val said, beginning to lead her in a waltz.
"He means the world to me," Serena smiled, a faraway look appearing in her eyes. "He's just the best, and he treats me like a queen."
"Yet he didn't come with you."
"He had work," Sapphire said easily. "Adrian came, though, and he's Whisper's cousin, so, in a sense, Whisper did come."
A smile tugged at the corner of Val's mouth. So, Whisper was Adrian's cousin, was he? If Val managed to kill Serena, the wicked man mused, then he would, in quite a real sense, be hurting Ghost and his group. That would make his attempt all the sweeter.
"Whisper sounds like an good man," Val said.
"He is the best man in the whole world," Serena smiled. "He has a great sense of humor and so much respect for me, it's amazing."
"I see."
"Why is it that Sapphire doesn't like you? And when did you meet before?" Serena asked, abruptly changing the subject. "She really seems to have something against you."
"It goes way back to family feuds. Our two families were about as vicious as the Montagues and the Capulets," Valiris shrugged, turning with her as they danced. "We had a meeting, years ago, in which our two families came together to form some type of peaceful compromise. It ended up in a fight, and several members of both families were buried in unfortunate graves that day. The dead included Sapphire's husband, Freddie, whom you may have heard about. Ever since then, Sapphire has hated me, but at least we can see each other again without killing each other."
"How could that have happened?" Serena asked, eyes wide. "You actually got in a real fight? Like with guns and stuff?"
"Daggers," Val nodded. "There was a good deal of stabbing involved, and those of us that survived just barely did. So she and I have good reason to detest each other."
"Did you kill Freddie?" Serena asked quietly.
"If I had killed Freddie, do you think Sapphire would have let me live?"
"She isn't one to just go out and kill someone," Serena whispered. "She'd let anyone walk over her without biting. She's never killed anyone."
"That's very true. She hasn't."
"Have you?"
Val laughed and shook his head.
"Such curiosity, darling. I assure you, I'm quite safe. If I wasn't safe, don't you think I'd be behind bars?"
Serena thought for a moment, and then gazed up at him, her piercing blue eyes taking him in quietly.
"You could have escaped."
The girl was smarter than Valiris thought she was.
"How?"
"If you could escape being killed, then you could escape the police."
"You are absolutely brilliant," Valiris smiled, bringing her over to the table where Ripper was waiting. "I'm impressed."
He waited until Serena had been seated before he sat down. The girl gazed up at him, watching him as moved, noting his graceful motions and suave ways. There was something unsettling about him, and especially about his story with Sapphire.
She had heard Freddie's name all of one time before, and that was all. Sapphire had spoken it once, saying she was married before, and that was all that had been said. Serena had never really known what happened to him. Now, to hear that he had been killed in a family feud of sorts, and Sapphire had been there, she was surprised. There was so much, it seemed, about her friend that she didn't know.
"You're quite a dancer, Serena," Adrian said, sitting down at Val's other side and ignoring the man's warning look. "Did you ever take lessons?"
"No," Serena smiled gently. "Whisper taught me everything I know."
"He taught you well."
"Do you think Sapphire's all right?" Ripper asked. "Maybe I should go check on her."
"I'd leave her be," Adrian said coolly. "It's been a difficult few days for the girl."
"We should really just enjoy ourselves before the party's over. I hear they're bringing out a chocolate fountain," Val said, biting into a roll. "We wouldn't want to miss that."
Sapphire never heard her hotel room door open as she sat on her couch, gazing out the windows at the immense, snow-covered mountains. She was overwhelmed with fear and confusion.
She had two vampires going after her, and so far, neither of them had been vicious enough to actually bite her. She knew they were just waiting for the appropriate time, and it scared her. She was alone and unprotected without her pack, but she wouldn't bring them into this for anything. Too many had already been lost to the vampires.
And she remembered Freddie every time she looked at Valiris. She could see Freddie again, spinning to protect her, and she heard his howl when the dagger seared into his body. A scream echoed into her mind, her scream, piercing the stormy air as Freddie fell to the floor. She couldn't see the cloaked vampires moving back as she dropped next to her husband. Her hands felt his face, cold, and her tar-covered eyes gazed into his calm hazel ones, trying so hard to reassure her it would be all right.
She hadn't been as deeply in love with him as she wished she could have been. He had done everything he possibly could for her. Yet somehow, she hadn't adored him as she wished she could. He was too good for her, she believed, and she had only been able to kiss him gently as he died.
Tears trickled down Sapphire's cheeks, and she closed her eyes tightly, trying to blot out the memories. Quiet whimpers came from her mouth as someone sat on the couch next to her. She didn't open her eyes, but cried loudly and turned to the form next to her, grabbing hold of a shirt and burying her face in a man's shoulder.
"Shh…" Jet breathed, stroking her hair and holding her closer. "Quiet now, Sapphire."
"They're going to get me. I just know they're going to get me," she sobbed. "They killed Freddie, and they're after me."
"Let me call the pack. Now would be the perfect time to destroy Valiris."
"No. If they come here, he'll call up the vampires, and we'll far outnumbered again. They'll slaughter us, as they did before. We don't stand a chance against them. Everyone needs to stay hidden for as long as they possibly can."
"My poor sister. How long are you going to let yourself suffer?"
"I won't be able to breathe again until the vampires are gone," Sapphire whispered, wiping at her eyes. "Val and Adrian are both after me."
"Let me pick them off for you."
"You can't," she smiled softly, shaking her head. "They'd have you killed in no time. We're no match for them."
"Individually, no, but as a pack, we can overcome anything. The vampires have to be stopped. It's not just us they're after. They've been killing off numerous amounts of humans to satiate their hunger. One way or another, they're going to have be destroyed."
"But that's not for us to do," Sapphire sniffed, standing up. "We can't do that. Someone else has to."
"We'll be all right. Our race has lasted for a good long time. We'll be fine," Jet reassured her, giving her a squeeze.
"I wish I could believe you."