The Night Takes Them

A New Mistress

It seemed strange to Claire that the Master had passed only three short months ago. The long empty halls rang with silence as she paced them, continuing her duties as if nothing had changed. Yet, so much HAD changed. Nothing would ever be the same for her. She missed their evenings together, sitting in front of the fire. She missed reading to him every night. She missed bringing him his meals, and helping him to his armchair by the window and telling him tales of the locals.

For the past seventy years she had served him. Ever since the night he took her in and sheltered her from the monsters in her wake, she had faithfully stayed by his side. She had played nurse to his only son, and taught the lad all he had known about the estate. She had mourned with her Master when the son had left to study abroad. She had laughed with joy the day they received news of the son's twins. They had shared so much together. Even when the former Mistress had passed on and left them alone, they were alone together. The Master continued to treat her like the daughter he'd never had.

She reminisced about all of this as she sat at her window watching for the new Mistress. She soon saw a taxi coming over the hill and down the drive. Letting her drapes fall back into place, she glance at herself in the looking glass. She smoothed her unruly red curls best she could and pinched her cheeks, trying desperately to bring color to them. There was just one small problem.

Claire was a vampire. It had been many years since she had blossomed with the color of life and vitality. She didn't let that steal the sparkle in her eyes, though, and she glared hard into the mirror. Would the new Mistress accept her? Or would she be turned out on the street? Only one way to find out. Claire straightened her blouse and made her way down the stairs to welcome the new owner of Arrow's Point.