Secrets Dyed in Blood

8

Random demons filtered through the library. With the cats watching over the lesser demons, I felt relaxed enough to let my mind wander. Carmilla told me early this morning that she was chained to her office over a shipment of orders that needed to be delivered. Odette and Clara went with them. She said she would be back later, so I guess that left me with some free time. I debated on exploring the pentagram on my own. There were a few older spots that I wondered if they still existed. Like the Marionette's Circus. Whatever became of that? I knew that was definitely before Carmilla's time. Maybe Zestial could inform me. 

"A little birdy has told me that you have been seeing someone since you have been back. I must say that I am quite delighted to hear it!" My attention snapped to the archdemon that stood before me. A small smile crept up on my lips. 

"Stolas! I was wondering when you would be dropping by again." I was more than happy to see an old friend. With all the new ones that I had been seeing, it was nice to get back in touch with people I knew. "How is the divorce going?" 

"You mean you haven't heard Stella's voice from here? Strange, she's usually loud enough," Stolas quipped. 

"Half of the pentagram has heard her shrieks for a while. It is background noise now. Is Octavia handling it well?" 

"As good as she can given the circumstances. I took her to LooLoo Land recently and that was...rather interesting to say the least." Stolas always glowed when he spoke of his daughter. There was a starry gleam in his eye every time. After some reminiscing, he steered the conversation in a different direction. "And how is getting rid of Valentino? I feel I have been giving you an ample amount of time to handle the situation, and yet he is still selling his Porn stars on the streets." 

"Has he tried anything with Blitzo again? Should I hurry along with it?" 

"No," Stolas grimaced. "Not that I am currently aware of, but then again Blitzy wouldn't say anything anyways. I just want it handled quickly, that's all." 

"I can understand. Well, I have been gathering information and I do have an idea of what to do. Do not worry, old friend. I will be handling it rather soon. And maybe afterwards, I may hang around for a while. So many new and wonderous things have been happening down here since I was last among everyone." The glee in my tone seemed to brighten the room. Stolas smiled fondly as he leaned against the desk. 

"As I was saying earlier, I was told that there is love in the air." He leaned in closer and winked. "Tell me, who is the lucky girl?" My hand fell to the gun that remained tucked in a holster. I slowly brought it out for his viewing pleasure. He hummed as he held it up and inspected it. "Angelic steel? That is rather rare to come by." 

"Her name is Carmilla Carmine. She deals in angelic steel weaponry. And Stolas, I have to tell you, she is devastatingly gorgeous. She has my heard tied around her fingers." A goofy grin grew on my face as butterflies flew in my chest. "I cannot believe how lucky I am to have found her when I did. She is such a wonderful woman. She's intelligent, stunning, and deadly. She is a daydream Stolas, a brilliant, real-life fantasy." 

"Carmilla Carmine." Stolas tasted the name on his tongue. "Well, I hope she is there more than Scarlet was." The mention of Scarlet was like a knife to the gut. I gulped back the acrid taste that her name left. 

"She...is nothing like Scarlet," I muttered. 

"Good." Stolas placed the gun down gently. "Carmilla better take better care of you." 

"That will not be a problem, Your Highness." Carmilla's ballet slippers clinked as she walked toward the desk. Stolas stared down at the overlord with keen interest. 

"How long have you been here?" I pondered. 

"I just arrived, flor de luna," she chuckled. "However, I did love the compliments that you gave me." Blush crept up my neck at her knowing grin. 

Stolas cleared his throat as he regarded us one more time. "I shall let you get back to work, Astra." Stolas appraised Carmilla one last time before his eyes flashed red. "If you hurt a hair on her head, you will be begging for death when I am through with you. Are we clear?" 

"Si," Carmilla shrugged nonchalantly. Stolas waved and then he was off. The two of us waited until we were relatively alone.  As alone as you can be with random demons wandering around. "Do you want to tell me what that was all about?" I rested my cheek in my hand as I stared up at her. 

"Which part?" I inquired. 

"Valentino?" 

"Ah, so you did hear most of it," I stated. Carmilla sat opposite of me on the desk. From my lower position, she looked ravishing. Her head tilted toward me curiously. Her ruby red irises sparkled, and it was hard to deny them answers. "Stolas requested me to get rid of him." 

"Get rid of as in?" 

"Wiping him from existence," I elaborated. "He messed with the wrong Goetia." 

"Can't say I am surprised. Those three are rather bold and uninformed." Carmilla's indifferent tone was terrible at masking the joy she felt to be rid of them. 

"I have an idea of how to go about it. But I hate having others in the crossfire," I admitted. "I was thinking of what to do about those Vox and Velvet characters." 

"Well, Vox and Valentino are an item. Even if they do have a toxic relationship. You will not be able to get rid of one without the other." Carmilla's information was useful, that was certain. I numbly agreed while I pondered some ideas. 

"What about Velvet?" 

"She seems connected to the two just by association. It does not seem she has any real feelings for either," Carmilla added helpfully. "If anything, you could probably sway her to step away from them. I would not know how though. She controls most of their social media following, and out of the three, she is the most popular." 

"Seems you keep close tabs on them." 

"I have been waiting for their downfall for quite some time, mi amore." The two of us paused as the words left Carmilla's lips. I knew she was not using my last name. She never used that. We gaze at each other for a long moment. It felt like we were the only two in the room. My heart twitched painfully in my chest as her breathing hitched. Her lips slipped between her teeth as she got up from the desk and stepped away. 

"Carmilla," I jumped to my feet, but she kept walking. "Carmilla, please wait." 

She did not wait. 

She kept walking and slipped out the front door.  She did not take one look back at me. But I could tell by the back of her neck and that she was cherry red.