Fangs of a Butterfly

CHAPTER 32

When we got off the train I was extremely tired. The days in the ship tired me out due to "seasickness" and my first day on land was so much walking.

I looked in envy as Lark was carried by Yves, her head peeking out of her bonnet and arms around Yves' neck. Adalyn and Bernadette were panting softly as we walked a deserted area with only trees, bare of leaves, too and then we reached a mansion, almost equal to the beauty of Jardin and a human house we passed by combined. It was made in the shadow of the great trees, surrounded by only nature and a cobblestone path leading to the black tiled roof. Ivies crawled up and the windows were hidden with curtains from what I could see.

I watched as Yves opened the black gates with one hand and gestured for us to go. Uriel carried two suitcases and I carried two, Adalyn and Bernadette each one.

"It's fabulous! It's like a dwelling for vampires!" I said.

"I agree, it seems cold!" Adalyn said as she walked up the path first. I was waiting to the side with Uriel for some reason, then I realized it was to talk to Yves.

When we were all inside the gate and Yves closed it behind him, Uriel spoke.

"This is your house?"

"This is Yves's house?" I screamed.

"Be quiet, lowly vampire!" Yves glared at me. "Yes, it is the Derosier estate. What of it? It's cold, and old, no one ever comes, only my mother lives here and it's the perfect hideout for four vampires at once."

"Your mother is here?" I shouted.

"Be quiet!"

"I'm fine with it," Lark said, hugging Yves. "You will protect us, right?"

"Yes, yes, princess," Yves replied jokingly to her. "My mother knows and we've kept refuge vampires here before."

"She isn't a vampire hunter, then?" Uriel asked. "What about your father?"

"Ah, he often brought over the refuge vampires. Can we go in?" Uriel walked past us and to the front door, where he pressed a button. There was a small ring inside the house.

The door opened, and a lady bowed. A servant?

Uriel said his greetings to her and asked for his mother and I turned to Uriel.

"Did you know this?"

"No. I didn't even know his father died." He seemed depressed. "Weren't we best friends? I thought he would tell me things."

"Sometimes you can't tell those closest to you."

I thought of Sabine, the smile like snow landing in your hand, or blood after being thirsty. It was so sweet. So comforting.

To the point you don't want to taint it.

We entered after Yves in groups, Adalyn and Bernadette first, then Uriel and I, last. The girl I saw was young, maybe a few years older than me, in a drab black dress, head hung down. She had sharp, bright eyes, but seemed wary.

"She's Laurel, my mother's maid and housekeeper," Yves said quickly. He let Lark down and gestured down the hall. "Now let's meet my mother."

We walked down the hall, devoid of paintings or photographs. Everything seemed sad and drab, the wallpaper a dark maroon and everything gave the vibe of a far older house than what we had passed.

Inside, I expected a woman of white hair and ugly glasses on her nose, maybe reading in a rocking chair. Then I realized that sounded like Cecile and felt guilty.