Chapter two (Cossette)

    It was said that when the old King of France had Versailles built, he declared it to be a testament to the country’s greatness and grandeur.  It would forever stand a symbol of a nation, unified in art and culture and the heritage that such things brought.  Nothing and no one would defy us once our enemies beheld the beauty that was Versailles…

    …But personally, I have never thought so.  

    Between myself and my thoughts, we have always known that the great golden palace – the current sprawling seat of the French royal family, far from the teeming capitol of Paris – was but a playground for them.  Like anyone looking to ignore their troubles, they naturally chose a setting that would allow them to forget the people they claimed to lead.  They would surround themselves with riches, bring up their children on opulence, and expect the country to run itself without their hands to guide its affairs.  All would be fine, and those that went looking for troubles to occur were waved away like bothersome gnats in the summer wind.  But my father had a saying for such things, one he barrowed from our Hungarian brethren.  “Paint the Devil on the walls,” they advise, “and he appears” – meaning, of course, that if you look hard enough for something, you will find it regardless.  But alas, I am afraid that the troubles of King and Country are already looking back…

    It made my heart sigh as my carriage pulled up to the glowing palace of an early spring night.  For so many reasons, I had grown to hate Versailles – not the least of which shared company with my loathing for how the ruling elite treated those beneath them.  This is where they swarmed, and this is where they dallied.  I was here not for that, but for something far more important – and if I moved swiftly enough, I could be away before the stroke of ten.  Thus it was I stepped from my carriage and allowed a valet to escort me to the doors.  He looked thoroughly bored – as if he had already been doing this for several hours.  No doubt, he longed for the comforts of simple food, a soft bed, and the arms of his woman, whoever she was.  I left my cape with him, and the best of my wishes.  May God see fit to grant but tiny mercies tonight.

    I entered the Hall of Mirrors, the butlers parting the gilded doors for me as I arrived.  With a deep breath, I lifted my chin and strode on through.  As soon as I had, I wasted no time in finding a friend: the good Carlina Benedetti, the black-eyed, dark-haired, red-clad daughter of a visiting Italian noble.  In truth, she found me first.

    “Cossi!” she cheered, grabbing me by my hands and swinging me around so I nearly bumped into another noblewoman’s hip-pockets.  “You made it!”

    “I have,” I sighed with a smile.  “Please, have you found them yet?”

    “Of course,” she said.  “They’re all waiting for you!”  I pulled Carlina to me, affording her a kiss on either cheek.

    “Thank you, love,” I whispered, and I proceeded with my rounds.

    From the first I collected, the Viscount Babineaux and his wife.  They greeted me with brief nods and polite words, and they handed me their dues with nary a breath of resistance nor even inquiry of pay.  They were perfectly happy to do this for free, no matter how many times I offered to compensate them.  Second was the Baroness Cordell, along with the dues of her brothers, her sisters, at least five of her assorted nieces and nephews, three of her own children, two of her third husband’s, and one of her surviving uncles.  A brazen older woman, she was, and not one I would mind speaking with if the time could be spared.  But like many an elderly cougar, she was off on her own devices as usual.

    After her came others, many others: the dull Count Charron, the colorful Lord Pelletier, the idle Sir Michaud, the shrewd Countess Lécuyer, the overstuffed Lord De Sauveterre…and after each one, I returned to Carlina to leave it all with her.  It was our arrangement to do this each time I was away from home to gather what I was owed.  She was the only one I could trust to help me; I wouldn’t dare rely on someone else.  The task was too sensitive…too valuable.  I had only a few more to collect from – just a few more, and I could be far away from here.  At that moment, I wished for nothing more.  I glanced at the clock that hung upon the wall.  8:30.  Excellent.  I could be away before the first dance of the evening was signaled.

    Pressing forward through the crowded hall, I spied the last of my contacts for the night, and I stepped towards them, relieved that they were not so far out of reach.  Just three more.  Just three more, all within my grasp.  Yet right as relief began to ease itself through me, I felt something I hadn’t expected in this of all places…something that I would sooner anticipate at home than out here…

    …The pull of a Vampire: curious, questioning, persistent.

    Imagine for a moment the sensation of your skin as it comes under the gaze of an intent observer – that light, tingling stroke of eyes, the sort that makes the flesh come alive as if it knows it’s being watched.  Take that feeling, and if you can, triple the intensity.  I felt that now, and every part of me suddenly moved in caution as I fought the instinct to see who it was.  I knew that as soon as I did, I would find the one who stalked me, possibly looking for a late supper.  I wanted no such trouble tonight – I just wanted to collect and be on my way.

    The pull doubled its strength, the back of my scalp twitching in response.  I set in my jaw, and decided it was worth a risk.

    I turned.  

    There he was.

    Only a marked few creatures in this realm hold sway with the kind of look and lure that that man possessed…and I have known several of them in the whole of my lifetime, all of them sweet and dear to me in their own ways.  But this man just here and now – standing like a tower over nearly all others – seemed neither sweet nor dear in that first moment whatsoever.  I had already felt the tug of his mind, hoping to open the doors and look in – the very affront that would crack and crumble the freehold of my thoughts…the last one truly left to me.  But I am no innocent of this world – I knew what he was.  The instant I felt his eyes, I had no doubt of him…and then and there I resolved to refuse him satisfaction at every turn.  With a scowl, I turned away.

    “Leave off,”  I thought.  “Hunt some other lady too drunk to stand or say no.”  That in mind, I hurried to the last people I had to see tonight.  I wasn’t nearly as courteous to them as I could have been as I approached – I was in too much of a rush to care.  But I thanked them each for their time and contributions, and finally I felt myself come to rest.  I slowed as I moved towards Carlina as she stood at the far end of the hall, busily entertaining some aimless pageboy with Italian rhymes to amuse herself.  I felt horrible to have kept her waiting…she always was so patient…

    “Bonsoir mademoiselle, could I trouble you for a dance?”

    I stopped and turned, looking up at him the moment he addressed me.  Eyes like sapphire stilled me, their glow dulling even the sharpest of lightning.  Hair as dark as sin fell about a white face: thick ebony waves against soft ivory cheeks.  There was great beauty in that face – one that I had not seen before, but was no less familiar with.  His kind were always beautiful, and thus it was no surprise to me.  He was taller than the other men in the hall – he had me by eight inches, at least, and I was no small woman!  His frame was broad at the shoulders and in the breast, only to narrow in his waist and hips, the whole of his figure garbed in lush black and gold finery that fitted every inch and angle of him.  His voice, however, was strange.  Most voices are clear and sometimes even pleasing to listen to.  But his was different – very different.  The gentle, softened undercurrent of a growl was swamped in the depth of his tone, as if he was speaking out of the belly of a snare drum.  It wasn’t unpleasant, just…

    Abruptly, I remembered my place.

    “With respect, sir, non,” I supplied curtly.  “For what good is dancing if there is no music to tempt thy feet?”  With a curtsy that dropped me down to about his knees, I rose and started off, hoping to skirt myself away from him as quickly as possible.

    That’s when the musicians struck up.

    I was to be God’s personal jester tonight, wasn’t I?

    Looking back, I saw him still there, smirking with boyish, petty triumph.  Did he cause this?  Did he will the musicians to begin, just to suit him?  I wouldn’t have put it past him.  Vampires were known for their prowess of the mind – this I had known since I was little.  This, by comparison to what I knew they were capable of, was just a parlor trick – and it made me sneer.  Without another word, I turned on my heel and marched off towards Carlina, avoiding the current of bodies as they swerved and hurried to either clear the floor or rush out onto it, finding partners among themselves to dance with.  I craned my head to look for her, finding her in her usual spot near the doors.  I nearly tackled her once I was close enough to give her a hug.

    “The last for tonight, dear,” I whispered into her ear, slipping three long and slender objects into a hidden pocket of her gown – one of two dozen deep ones that had been sewn into the skirt for just this purpose.  I could hear the muffled tapping of glass on glass within the folds of the deep red taffeta.  Each pocket was full beyond redeeming – a successful night.  Now if only we could just leave…

    “Do we have them all?” Carlina asked me, idly fanning herself as her eyes roved the churning mass of dancers in the middle of the hall.

    “Yes,” I sighed.  “We have them.  All are accounted for – everyone.”

    “Bien!” Carlina cheered happily.  “We can leave as soon as we dance…”

    “Pardon?” I wondered, suddenly alert.

    “That was the deal, was it not?” asked Carlina, still fanning her bosom.  “You ask me to help you, and you let me have one dance!”

    “You can’t truly be serious, can you…?” I began, wilting at the idea of staying here longer than called for.

    “Cossi!” she pouted, peering at me from the topmost edge of her fan, her brow deeply furrowed.  “You promised!”

    She had me there – I did promise.  Carlina enjoyed the sights and the sounds of French society.  She often equated it to the Italian norm of things, noting similar tastes in food, drink, and, well…partners.  The only thing that made my skin crawl was the prospect of Carlina not finding someone to take her aside, thereby leaving us here all night.  I held my eyes back from rolling – I knew that to complain wasn’t being fair.  So, I would force myself to be content with this.  That’s when she lightly swatted me in the arm.

    “Who’s that?” she asked, and she pointed her fan somewhere off to the side.  Following its direction, my gaze cut through the floor’s huddled sidelines, immediately locating the dark-haired stranger.  He was already looking our way, studying with intent.  I whipped back around.

    “No one!” I snapped.

    “Oh, he doesn’t appear to be no one…” Carlina observed, stretching the angle of her neck to get a better view of him.  Suddenly she had that grin of hers.  “He’s looking at you, Cossi…”

    “I’ll be hearing none of that, Carlina,” I grumbled.

    “He might ask you to dance.”

    “I’ll say no.”

    “He looks persistent.”

    “I’m stubborn.”

    “He’ll charm you.”

    “I’ll ruin him.”

    “You might like him.”

    “And the Devil himself damn me if I do.”

    Carlina laughed at me, then.  I pursed my lips and said not a word more, but faced myself instead to watch the dancers – and all the while, the Vampire’s pull lingered.  I refused to look his way again, or show even the slightest acknowledgement to him.  I wouldn’t give him the pleasure of it.  Blessedly enough, though, it wasn’t long before the dance concluded, the guests all applauding themselves and one another for a grand effort.  As they dispersed and mingled once more, I reached for Carlina’s shoulder, just as the second dance was announced.

    “Carlina, may we please go?” I pleaded.  Her dark eyes shifted to me, disappointed.

    “Well, I…”

    “Forgive me, mademoiselles…” interjected the voice from before, causing the both of us to look over at the stranger as he bowed low at our sides.  “But I could not help but notice how…alone the pair of you appeared.  Would it please you if I were to join either of you for this dance?”

    “Oh, but of course, monsieur!” exclaimed Carlina, all but shoving me in his direction.  “Cossi would be more than happy to accept – wouldn’t you, Cossi?”

    “But, I…!” I tried, seizing as the stranger took me gently by the hand

    “Most excellent, madam,” the stranger smiled, his lips curling back to reveal an oddly perfect set of teeth.  “I am perfectly happy to join you and merit making your acquaintance this evening…”

    As he led me away to the floor, I tossed Carlina a desperate face.  Et tu, Carlina, it was meant to say.  But she merely stood there, waggling her fingers at me with a devious grin.  Oh, I would get her for this one day…I swore on my father’s grave I would.  But for the moment, I was faced with being alone with the dark-haired Vampire in the middle of an open sea of people.  It was the loneliest feeling in the world.  I couldn’t just cry out what he was and hope to get away.  There were rules to be observed – both on his side and mine.  I could only hope that he was the sort that followed them.  

    Once we found an open lot to ourselves on the floor, he let go of my hand and we turned to face one another.  I avoided his gaze anyway I could: lowering my eyes to the floor as I curtsied in salute, looking past his head as he drew me to him…it wasn’t very long before I ran out of evasive tactics.  The entire time he attempted to make tedious conversation with me.  He inquired my name, complimented my gown, remarked on my dancing…he prattled on like child – and again, yet, and still his pull remained.  Would he ever give up?  By now, it was as if I was dealing with a mosquito that refused to leave me be…and in more ways than one.  If he felt he must try to pick up on anything, then pray: pick up on my disinterest, you fool…

    Although…I was somewhat surprised to note how accomplished a dancer he was.  He glided almost effortlessly with me, his right hand squarely between the back of my shoulders while his left held mine aloft.  I made sure he kept the maximum distance from me – anything closer would be poorly viewed by all.  I wasn’t prepared for that, but I was prepared to grant him that small amount of leeway.  He was a very good dancer, even if he did insist on pointlessly filling my ears with his rambling in the meantime, and I…

    Without warning his hand slipped down to the small of my waist so that his arm could curl me into him, bringing me closer.  I jerked back with a shriek, a sharp crack of sound erupting the instant my palm flattened itself to his face, snapping his head sideways.

    “Libertino!” I bellowed, and not waiting a moment more I spun with a grab of my skirts and bustled myself from the hall, Carlina quickly falling in line behind me.

    I was done here – and I was certainly done with him.