Reborn as Vampire of the Blue Moon [OC x Vanitas]

11. Snowy Gévaudan

~Athanasia POV~

,,Vanitas, look! There's a village! Is that Saugues? It's so beautiful. It somehow reminds me of Averoigne.'' Noé said with a smile as we rode in a wagon to the next village. I had to admit I didn't think it would be much colder here than in Paris. The cold made me wide awake. Unfortunately, the cold was not exactly a blessing for Vanitas, who sat next to me and shivered. ,,Hey, Noé. Why have you been so chipper since we boarded this wagon?'' asked Vanitas. ,,Me? Why have you looked like you're an death's door?'' ,,I'm freezing!'' Vanitas complained and seemed to sink even more into his coat. 

,,Hmph, that's just sad.'' teased Dante, who was also sitting in the car with Johann. ,,Shut it. Unlike you people, I'm a highly sensitive person. And what are you information peddlers doing here anyway?'' ,,Who cares? It's no skin off your nose. We just want to collect information we can sell.'' Dante explained. ,,Precisely.'' added Johann. ,,And then there was that thing with the Chasseuers. I wasn't satisfied till I clobbered those enhanced humans or whatever they were that worked me over.'' Dante said with a dark aura that made Noé nervous. Really...why can't things be normal for once? ,,Oh, Dante, you're so sweet. You wanted to murder that heinous villian who broke my arm?'' asked Johann, smiling darkly. 

,,No doubt they're here to gather information, but they likely have ulterior motives as well. We'll stow our things at the inn, then head to where the bodies were found. I want to look for signs of the Beast before dark.'' Vanitas said after a while. Murr meanwhile sat on my lap and kept me a little warm. ,,Of course.'' replied Noé. 

As we entered the forest, it seemed to get noticeably darker. Hopefully we will not get lost. ,,Here in Gévaudan in the 18th century,  the Beast brutally ripped over 100 women and children to shreds. It's large maw was twisted, and it's ears pointed. It had claws and a body covered in red fur. It is said to have resembled an enormous wolf.'' Vanitas explained and my hands tightened on the hem of my coat. Whether the beast was real or not it was necessary to stop it. ,,Is there really such a beast here in the Silver Forest?'' asked Noé. ,,It's not just the Beast.'' ,,What?'' ,,A witch of tremendous power is also said to dwell here.'' ,,A witch? Vanitas, you believe the Beast of Gévaudan may very well be a curse-bearing vampire, don't you?'' Ah, another witch as well. Great. ,,So the legends say.'' replied Vanitas.

,,Athanasia, what is your opinion about this?" asked Vanitas suddenly. Is he serious? He's making me reveal that I'm a witch in front of Dante and Johann. I sighed. It didn't matter now anyway. ,,Well... Witches can turn themselves or others into monsters or the like if they are experienced and know the right spells. But in this situation, I'm more with what Noé said. It will probably be a curse-bearer," I answered. ,,How do you know so much about witches?" Dante asked me surprised. ,,Actually, I wanted to tell you in a quiet minute, since Vanitas and Noé already know. I'm a witch.'' After a short story, where I made it clear that they won't tell anyone, they also knew about my situation.