Echoes in my Mind
Chapter 7: The Count
I held my breath fearfully; unable to speak, unable to move… just waiting to see what Ratigan would do. He brought down his head again, whether to kiss me or bite me I didn't know. But he stopped suddenly and gazed out the window behind me, as if something had caught his eye. A look of surprise passed his face briefly as he focused on something.
"He's early…" Ratigan muttered, frowning slightly.
"Who?" I asked, turning around to look out the window as well. However, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. Although his vampire senses were much stronger, so I suppose he saw something that I couldn't.
"My colleague; the Count I was telling you about earlier," Ratigan explained. "I wasn't expecting him so soon…" He turned to me and smiled apologetically. "If you don't mind, just wait here for a moment. I will return shortly."
At that, Ratigan took his leave to go deal with the newcomer. Now that I was left alone, I saw it as another opportunity to escape. But to my dismay, I found the door locked. Still trapped.
I searched for an alternate exit, but of course found none. Giving up for now, I decided to wait for Ratigan and his "guest" in a chair by the window, and gazed outside. It was now dusk, the first stars twinkling in the night sky. In the waning light, I could dimly make out the grounds below, finding that this window overlooked the castle gates, as the lengthening shadows gave the scenery an ominous appearance.
As I wondered who Ratigan was so eager for me to meet, I noticed one of the shadows down on the ground move. At first I thought it might have been my imagination; but sure enough, it was a large shape making its way towards the gates. It appeared to be an animal of some sort. Larger than a cat… a wolf, maybe? No, this was smaller than a wolf. But it looked like some type of dog… with a… a bushy tail…? A fox? Yes, it must be a fox.
I shivered nervously as the animal stalked about outside the gates, probably in search of prey, and I was thankful to be safe indoors. The fox stopped as it reached the gate, and to my astonishment, something, or rather someone, dismounted from the fox's back as if they had been riding it! Stranger still, the fox lowered its head, and the mouse stroked its muzzle lovingly as if it were a pet! I couldn't believe my eyes; mice were a main food source for foxes, yet this one seemed to have no interest whatsoever in eating the mouse. At length, the gates suddenly seemed to open of their own accord, and I lost sight of the mouse as it strode inside, and so I watched the fox slink back into the trees.
A short time later, the large oak doors opened and I stood as Ratigan reentered the room in the company of none other than the same mouse who had been riding on the back of the fox. He had gray fur and raven black hair, was dressed all in black… Come to think of it, that was the same description Kitty had given me of…
"May I introduce the lovely Miss Amber," said Ratigan, interrupting my thoughts abruptly. "Amber, my colleague and most recent partner in crime… Count Fane cel Raul."
I nearly gasped out loud as the truth dawned on me. It was him... the mouse that had changed Ratigan into a vampire.
"Amber," the Count repeated with a slight foreign accent, causing my heart to flutter as my name rolled eloquently off his tongue. "'A precious jewel.' And a beautiful gem you are indeed."
"Th-thank you, Count," I replied politely and taking his outstretched hand reluctantly.
"Please, call me Fane," he said, flashing a brilliant smile which revealed his long canines. "It is an honor to finally make your acquaintance, Miss Amber. The Professor has told me so much about you." I blushed again as he kissed the back of my hand softly, and shivers went up my spine as his grey eyes stared at me hungrily… or rather, thirstily.
Ratigan must have noticed as well, because he quickly appeared by my side, placing his arm around me. "Well, Count," he said, his eyes dark with… was that jealousy…? "I'm sure you must be tired from your long journey. Perhaps some refreshments are in order."
At a snap of his fingers, another mouse, a young girl who looked to be a few years younger than me, entered the room carrying a tray with a pitcher and cups. Fane took the offered seat by the fire, and Ratigan offered me the other seat opposite the Count, while he preferred to stand and leaned casually against the mantelpiece while he and Fane made small talk about the weather and Fane's journey here. I didn't pay much attention to the conversation because I was busy studying the girl as she placed the tray on a small side table beside of Fane, having the strangest sensation that I had seen her somewhere before. I repressed a shudder as she poured the red liquid into the glass, and as she presented the cup to Fane, I suddenly noticed the blank look on her face; her eyes seemed to be glazed over as if she were staring without actually seeing, though her movements were precise and deliberate. As her long golden brown hair fell to one side, I saw two red marks on the side of her neck…
A chilling dread took hold of me as I suddenly recognized her. I had seen her photograph among the ones of the other victims who had been kidnapped in the recent weeks. She must be one of the "sources" that Ratigan had told me of earlier; a compelled servant, completely in his control. Ratigan gave a slight wave of his hand, dismissing her, and she bowed slightly before leaving the room.
I looked down at my hands clasped tightly together in my lap, feeling dizzy and almost sick at seeing the poor girl. At least Fane hadn't bit her in order to slake his thirst; though it was obvious she had been fed on before. I thought of the many others like her who had been stolen from their families and were now being held captive in this castle, forced to serve these creatures…
When I looked up again, I was startled to see Fane watching me again. As he gazed at me with those dark eyes, I found myself unable to look away. He seemed very nice and polite, yet dark and threatening at the same time. He smiled, and I suddenly felt a rush of warmth to my face as I noticed that… that he was actually quite attractive. I immediately recoiled at the thought, shocked that I was even thinking of anyone other than Basil in that way.
Ratigan cleared his throat, throwing a warning glare at Fane; though I was sure the Count didn't care because his eyes remained locked on me as he took another sip from his cup.
I suddenly wondered why the servant only brought Fane a drink and not the Professor. However, I soon realized that he never intended to use a cup as he motioned for me to stand and held his hand out towards me expectantly. Before I could think, I found myself standing obediently and taking the two steps toward him and placing my right hand in his. He turned my hand so that my palm was facing upward, and soon I felt the stinging pain as he bit into my wrist. I glared at him at first, furious and a little humiliated, but eventually just kept my head bowed as he fed, giving myself completely over to him as resistance only caused more pain.
I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see Fane watching with a mixture of interest and amusement. Maybe it was because our minds seemed to be more linked together while he fed on me, but somehow I realized that Ratigan had done this as a show of power. Fane was to drink out of a cup while Ratigan enjoyed something more… fresh, for lack of a better term. He was demonstrating that Fane was in his domain now, that he was Master. Yet Fane seemed unimpressed, hiding a smile as he continued to drink from his own cup.
Once Ratigan was finished, he graciously led me back to the chair before my legs gave out from under me. "I'm afraid I must leave you alone for a moment, my dear," he said apologetically. "The Count and I have matters that need to be discussed privately. Feel free to explore, but try not to wander too far away. Can't have you getting lost, after all."
I nodded, not missing the underlying threat should I attempt an escape, and the two exited the room. I considered taking him up on his offer and exploring the place, but I felt weak again from his feeding on me, and so decided to explore another day. Thankfully, the small wound wasn't bleeding much since Ratigan's fangs… I shuddered at that word… only pierced my skin without actually tearing the flesh. Still, I definitely felt the effects of having my blood taken.
At least I had something to occupy my time. After a few minutes, I stood up slowly and began to browse the bookshelves. I actually found that I really liked this room with its rows upon rows of books and the warm glow of the fire; I actually wouldn't mind spending some time in here. It was interesting to see what Ratigan had in his collection, though whether or not he had actually read all of these was unknown. The selection included popular works of fiction, textbooks (mostly mathematics of course), old and dusty volumes written in languages unknown to me; and I was amused, and a little disturbed, to find a section dedicated to Dr. Dawson's accounts of Basil's cases. But I suppose it made sense as that would be one more way Ratigan could keep track of his enemy and learn more about him. I gathered up a few of these and brought them back to my chair, settling down to immerse myself in the stories. Being a fan of Basil even before we met, I had already read them, some multiple times; but I never tired of it.
Yet I quickly found that reading them only made me miss Basil more. I struggled to keep the tears at bay as I thought of him. I tried not to dwell on what Ratigan had said earlier and instead focused on the good times we had together. I remembered our introduction, how embarrassed and sweet he was when he first asked me to go to the theater with him, the long walks we'd taken through Regent's Park, the beautiful sounds from the Stradivarius in his skilled fingers, our first kiss… I wondered again where he was at this moment, how worried he must be. And I prayed that he was safe.
After some time, realizing that Ratigan would probably be returning soon, I picked up the stack of books to return them to their place on the shelves. However, as I turned around, I nearly ran into a dark shape that had suddenly appeared. Startled, I gasped in fright, dropping the books. I looked up and was surprised to see Fane standing before me. He must have moved too quickly and quietly for my mortal senses to detect.
"My sincere apologies, Miss Amber," Fane said with a small smile. "I didn't mean to frighten you."
"That's ok," I replied sheepishly, stooping down to pick up the books. Fane knelt down in front of me as well to help pick them up. As I restacked the books on top of one another, I bent my wrist too far and inhaled sharply in pain, clasping my other hand over the wound. I had squeezed my eyes shut, but opened them as I felt Fane take my hand in his. My heart began to race as he stared at it intently, and I thought that he might help himself to my blood since Ratigan was not present. But he only held it gently, removing an embroidered handkerchief from an inside pocket and gently wiping the blood away.
"Ratigan should take better care of his sources," he said, shaking his head disapprovingly. "If he doesn't, they will all bleed out, and he will eventually run out of stock. Although it is plain to see that you are much more to him than a mere blood source."
"Yes," I replied, wincing as he gently cleaned the wound. "He actually plans to make me his queen soon."
"So I've heard," he replied with a smile. "And yet, you are sad about this, yes?" I simply nodded, glancing down at the floor, unable to meet his gaze. "Ah… you are in love with another," he stated sympathetically, seeming to read my mind. I nodded sadly, then smiled in thanks as he finished cleaning the wound. However, he held me fast, placing his other hand over my wrist. A strange tingling sensation spread on my arm around the wound, and suddenly, the pain simply vanished. Fane removed his hand, I stared my own in shock. The bite mark was completely gone. Not even a scar was left. It was as if the wound had never even existed.
"It seems I still have much to teach the Professor," Fane remarked thoughtfully. "He is still a fledgling after all, and doesn't realize what power he is capable of."
"Thank you," I said gratefully.
"You're very welcome, my dear."
I blushed again, feeling butterflies in my stomach as we were in such close proximity. As he leaned forward slightly, I had the crazy thought that he might kiss me. But it must have been my imagination because he quickly withdrew himself.
"Well," Fane said, standing and helping me to my feet, "It has been a pleasure, Miss Amber, but I must be off. Though I'm certain we will be spending much time together within the coming days."
I felt myself blushing again. "T-The pleasure is all mine… Fane."
After giving a slight bow, he left the room, almost seeming to glide along the floor rather than walking.
Minutes later, Ratigan reappeared to escort me back to my room, and since it was already late, I retired to bed. But my mind refused to stop racing. I considered Fane's parting words, wondering just when I would see him again and what his business was with Ratigan. They were probably plotting some evil scheme together since they were the ones responsible for the murders and kidnappings. But Fane had seemed like a decent enough mouse; actually, he was much like Ratigan in that he seemed to be a courteous, respectable gentleman. But if I had learned anything from my time with the Professor, it was to not be deceived by outward appearances. And if this Count was capable of turning the world's greatest criminal mind into an even more terrifying monster, he must be a force to be reckoned with indeed.
….
I sat in my red armchair by the fire, staring at the dancing flames as the night wore on. Dawson and I had spent the entire day at Janssen's home learning all we could about the creatures of the night from our host; their habits, their abilities… their gruesome diet. The idea that such a dark world existed alongside ours was still a difficult thing to wrap our heads around. What was even more difficult was to think of was that now Amber was immersed in that world. However, I clung to the hope that we now had a plan. After questioning some of his other vampiric friends, Damien had finally learned the location of the ball. Tomorrow, at the crack of dawn, we would begin our hike into the forest in search of Ratigan's lair. I only hoped that we weren't too late…
Author's Notes: At last... Amber finally meets the Count! Oh how I've been looking forward to writing more about Fane... He'll be a very big presence in the rest of the fic from now on.
So... we also get to see his curious mode of transportation (who will also make another appearance or two). This fox is actually an OC of NightMagican's (a friend from dA) named Gerrit, and is used with his permission.
And we can already see that the Count and Ratigan have an... interesting relationship. You can't have two great criminal minds like that in one space and expect them to share the spotlight.
Also thought I'd throw in a tiny bit from Basil, letting you know what they've been doing during this time. I'll dwell on them more in the next chapter or so when it gets closer to the ball.
Anyway, hope you like it! And a special thank you to those of you who always leave comments and faves and follow this story so faithfully. I really appreciate your continued support and encouragement!