Twenty-Nine
The effort it took to pretend to succumb to the magic was wearing on Saben. She moved about distractedly, forcing a soft hazy smile to her lips that never quite reached her eyes.
Her ears were ringing with Mezereon's voice, a doomed knowledge that she would never escape him had preoccupied her since. It seemed the very earth groaned in sympathy as leviathan sounds rose from the deep corridors of the meat dens and Abberline…she might never see him again.
Whispers were shared among the chosen that night as they readied themselves for Feast.
Iris was helping her dress, schooling her in gentle whispers. "There will be many People, we have never had such a collection of witch flesh as you have seen."
"Why only witches?" She asked in monotone.
Iris laughed. "You must have known the witches seceded from the Night. They pledged their allegiance to the Day which makes them no better than…vermin." The vampire child looked fiercely convicted which made Saben feel sad.
The small pinprick of emotion amongst the swamp of dread. She was barely listening as Iris continued. "Those ones you saw are the Master's pledge to the Night, sons and daughters of spell casting nation, an offering in his bid for power."
Saben's hands had knotted into fists though her expression remained dull. What if Daniel wasn't kin to the spell casting nation?
So Mezereon thought he could lure and gain the loyalty of some of the most dangerous People with child meat and dark pleasures. She couldn't imagine what a boy immortal would do with power over a world already spiralling into destruction.
Iris pulled a comb through her long brown hair. "You will sing for him and you will be presented to outsiders as his chosen." Iris was beaming, proud of the sight of Saben who was iridescent a silk dress. "Then there will be the auction and then a feast…"
Auction. Saben could see Daniel, his face taking shape in her mind, intense hatred radiating through his brown eyes.
She uncurled her hands and spread her fingers in her lap, looking down at them, feigning nerves.
"Come." Iris tugged on her arm and they converged with the other chosen who were dreamily preparing themselves for the night's spectacle.
Saben could hear the rattle of chains before she could smell the unwashed child slaves dragging their feet across the cool tiles, marching sluggishly toward their fate. She broke away from the gathered and moved toward the sounds and scents until she caught them in her sight.
"Not that one." Iris erupted into the grim procession, startling Saben. She was pointing to the small dark haired child with the large silvery eyes, the girl with the bitter diseased blood that still ran acrid in Saben's veins.
The children collectively turned to look at Iris and then Saben and panic set amongst them, screams and tears and the oppressive stench of piss and blood as they soiled themselves anew. Iris strode into the midst of the children her hand outstretched reaching for the girl child.
Saben watched the girl's expression and it was the same as it had been in the catacombs, the same sense of resignation as if she were ready to die. Daniel stood a little in front of her, his lip thrust out and trembling though he didn't cry. His hatred was clear. He hated Saben Frost.
I will have to bear it.
"What are you doing? Get away from them." The skin walker, Grieg, growled at the vampire child. His thick brows drawn together in a scowl that showed dainty fangs in the folds of his jowls.
"She's infected." Iris said irritably. "Not fit for the Master's auction."
Grieg looked dubiously at the child, the sallow complexion beneath the grime, he delicately sniffed the air as if his senses could detect such things.
Daniel had taken hold of the girl's hand and glared definitely up at them all and Saben took a small step toward him.
Grieg eyed Saben warily. "Iris hold the new one back, she can not control her appetites." At that instant Mezereon appeared a gleaming figure surround by an entourage of hulking skin walkers. He wore a look of mild irritation until he saw Saben and Iris standing together.
Both vampires bowed without hesitation, ready to supplicate themselves before the Master. "Is everything in readiness?" Mezereon addressed Iris who raised her head with a hazy look and smile and nodded.
"Ah, my beautiful darlings." He stroked Iris cheek and then his golden gaze flicked razor sharp toward Saben, the near unperceivable crease about his eye as if to say I don't trust you.
"My Lord." Saben curtsied as she had been taught, an excuse to remove her eyes from his face, to veil her expression with the fall of her hair. He took a fistful of that hair and forced her head up and pressed his lips to hers as if he could force the power of the spell into her mouth using his tongue. Saben glimpsed Daniel's horrified expression from the corner of her eye and she wanted to push Mezereon away. I will have to bear it.
"I must go." He said sighing against her lips and she felt as if she would plummet to the earth when he released her.
He walked away and they all watched him go, helpless to the lure of his presence and the spell dug its claws into their flesh tempting them to follow him. The children were more frightened that before but Daniel's fierce expression had not changed.
"Have some respect." Iris hissed at Grieg who had the grace to flinch.
Grieg offered a deep conciliatory bow to Saben and then turning to his companion he barked. "Get her out, we'll inspect her. If you find anything…unsavoury, get rid of her."
As he spoke he reached for the girl. "Come here."
Daniel struggled to keep hold of the girl's hand as Grieg to hold of the other and pulled hard. "Let go you stupid little-"
Saben waded into the middle of children and grasped Daniel forcing her apart from the girl. Daniel began to scream and lash out at Saben who took his spit and curses with a stone face. Her teeth slipped out, her eyes turned fierce and hard as coins. Stop struggling. I'm here to help you. Please believe me, Lark.
But the boy wasn't listening, he was half wild with fury and she put him down, her hands heavy with the sensation of it, holding him for the first time after all the years of separation. Something inside her broke and she retreated to stand behind Iris.
The skin walkers got the children back into line and resumed their march through the corridor.
"You handled it well." Iris said touching her hand and Saben jumped at the icy feel of her fingers.
Saben stared down at the child her small sweet mouth in the guise of a smile but she was a demon beneath, an acolyte of the meat dens for over three hundred years. Iris moved on swiftly, there was plenty to do.
Saben took her lapse in concentration to follow the path the skin walker had taken the small girl. Using her scent, the memory of her blood still tainting her insides, the subtle psychic connection that would lead her.
As she pushed on a door, unassuming leading to a private quarter, she heard leather slide across the fabric of trousers and she caught sight of the skin walker with his belt wrapped around his knuckles, his trousers bunched around his thighs.
So engrossed in what he was doing, he didn't seem to notice her as she crept up behind him and with two hands knotted together she brought her arms down with all her strength and hit him on the head. He collapsed on the floor unconscious.
The girl face was free from emotion and her eyes moved from Saben's face to the half open door behind her.
"Please." Saben said. "Please look at me."
The girl shook her head eyes now firmly fixed to the floor. The scent of cotton candy and underneath that something rotten or rotting, it was her scent and on the fringe of that sense she could feel the girl's mind.
"My name is Saben."
"I'm not afraid to die." She replied in a bear whisper. Her words a lie and Saben knew it.
"I'm not going to harm you."
She looked up then, eyes shyly roaming her face and sliding back to the floor. "I'm sorry about back there, I didn't mean to frighten you. What's your name?"
Her lips trembled before he spoke. "Star."
"Star, I'm here to help you."
Star shook her head, no. "There's no one out there to help me."
Saben felt a stab of pity, Star reminded her of herself, in another life. "That boy you were with." Saben's lip trembled for an instant. "The boy who protected you. I'm here to get you both out."
Star shook her head. "He said his daddy's coming to get him."
Saben had not thought of Tobias with her head too filled with Mezereon's madness, she hoped Star was right but she couldn't wait to find out. Saben shook her head vaguely. "That's right. His father sent me, Star."
Star's posture relaxed a little bit and then suddenly tensed, her eyes dark, flashing, accusatory. "How do I know you're not lying, all vampires lie."
"You know what vampires are?"
The girl nodded and reached out fingertips brushing Saben's skin, the blood inside her reacting, nausea rose in a suffocating wave. Saben had tripped forward into the child's mind and could see with perfect clarity what had befallen the child.
Star stood on the street alone, the distant sound of a baby crying, glass shattering in a nearby doorway, a man and woman screaming at one another to serenade Star's barefoot journey through the moonlit night.
The landscape was veiled with deep, dark shadows. It undulated with mysterious life and she was ignorant, blind, filled with a terrible grief that washed through Saben cleansing her of all other thought.
Out of the shadows a figure appeared and with perfect calm and authority he scooped the girl up in his arms and carried her away. She clung to the arms as strong as rock, her eyes were closed and tears silently leaking as if she were resigned to her fate.
"Let me help you both." Saben grunted as she came out of the vision, her canines enlarged and eyes solid spheres of gold.
Star took her time studying Saben's face, her small fingers hovering by the vampire's face but not quite touching and then she nodded.
"Good." Saben reached out a hand and Star took hold of it. "I need you to tell Daniel that it's okay to trust me."
"He's gone." Star mumbled.
"I'll get you to him, baby doll, but will you do me this favour?"
Star nodded reluctantly.