Skulduggery Pleasant| City Of The Dead

Chapter Three: An Old Awakening

The streets were dark, and the fog was visible through the slowly dying streetlights. The night was freezing, but that couldn't be felt by a Vampire, especially not him. He walked through the dim alleyways, his hands in his pockets and his head lowered. He'd been alone for a while now, no pack, no Infected. He'd decided to stick out on his own for a while until the time was right to rally the dwindling numbers of Vampires. So many had been wiped out within hours, he didn't mourn them, but he still felt the cold rage of the grudge he had yet to satisfy. He stopped for a moment, and listened to the city, remaining unseen by both mage and human. He didn't want to attract attention, not yet. It wasn't the right time. Though he knew that time was slowly coming, and that he would need to be ready to meet it sooner rather than later. But for now, he kept his head down, and followed the scent of blood that had clung to him for over a year now.

There was many things that Dusk could track with just the taste of someone's blood. Darquesse was one of them. He smelt her, even through an entirely different dimension, the scent of her blood was playing with his nostrils and moistening his lips. With every passing day, the scent would grow ever stronger, and ever more dangerous. She was coming. He knew that much. She was coming back for more. It was unlikely she would be stopped again. And yet, Dusk didn't make a move to warn any of the sanctuaries, or any of the mages or passing vampires. He kept what he knew to himself since sanctuaries had tightened their security around Vampires, despite them being powerful allies. Most likely because most of them had proved to be too weak to go up against Darquesse. Many of them had died that day, Dusk had not been one of them, he knew when the fight was lost and so he had chosen to retreat and bide his time. His grudge was ever-growing as well, knowing that Darquesse had slaughtered most of his brethren and Infected without a second thought. He wanted revenge, but he knew he wasn't powerful enough to do so alone. 

He needed help, he needed Skulduggery Pleasant. But he himself had been consumed in the search for a way to bring Valkyrie Cain back from the dead. When he had heard of her sudden death, he had been surprised to say the least, though he knew that Valkyrie Cain was also susceptible to being taken by surprise. He hoped Skulduggery Pleasant found her, he still had a debt to pay to her. A secret to whisper. And he had it. And he held his promises just as much as he held his grudges. But later, that would come later. He waited in the alleyway, leaning against the wall patiently. He may have had no pack or Infected, but he had managed to make twin vampires his friend, two who had earned his trust and admiration over the past year, and had earned his undying protection, and his undying wrath should any harm come to them. The fog parted, and the twins entered the alleyway, walking perfectly in sync. One male, one female. Two sides of the same coin.

"You're late." Dusk said quietly.

The woman, Esme, shrugged, and spoke in a London accent. "Thought we'd take in the scenery of Ireland before we came here."

The man, Elias, nodding his agreement, it was usually Esme who did the talking out loud. Though Dusk knew Elias was the one to give quiet schemes to his twin sister.

"And did you enjoy it?" Dusk asked.

"Not especially, so what's this about Dusk?"

Dusk glanced around him, then looked at the twins. "We're going to help Skulduggery Pleasant get Valkyrie Cain back."

Elias raised an eyebrow, and Esme stared. "You what?"

"I have debts to pay and a search to finish before I disappear for good. I don't wish to leave any debt alone."

"But why call us?" Elias spoke up quietly, he was quieter than Dusk. And just as lethal and cunning, Dusk had grown fond of him first. Esme had taken a while to warm to.

"Because you are friends with many more vampires than I am nowadays, I am going to need your help to bring a pack together, but not yet, the time is not right."

"Why would we need a pack though? What've you sensed?" Esme folded her arms.

Dusk looked at them both once more. "Darquesse is returning."

"....You bloody what?" Esme gaped.