The girl who chased the moon

Chapter 5

I wandered the slums of Paris for what seemed like hours, drifting aimlessly along the now quite streets. The air was placid and lifeless, there was no breeze. Flags hung limply and the place gave off the odour of death and depression.

On the wall of one towering building, there were smears of scarlet, a reminder of this cities bloody past. I didn't know where I was going, just that I needed to rest. The cobbles jutted along the empty roads beneath my feet, my boots were holding strong, the tough leather soles protecting my scarred feet. 

Out of the dim light, shone a candle lit inn, a wooden sign hanging stiffly from rusting hinges. 'Auberges des mortes' - Inn of the dead. Well doesn't that sound comforting? 

I sighed, too weary to continue, and swung open the old oak door. Inside, creatures of the night were seated at the varying tables; vampires, werewolves, warlocks, even some fae. Creatures of every kind filled the tiny inn. A small flame was glowing in the fire place, embers spitting onto the blackened grate. 

People sat at tables and turned as I walked to the bar, whispering and muttering. I sat down, ignoring the murmurings. The bartender turned and faced me. He had a great black beard and narrowed green eyes. "What'll it be?" he said, speaking in fluent English. 

"Your strongest spirit" I said, no longer caring about 'slayer' rules. The bartender gruffed and poured me a large whiskey. "Two francs" he said. 

I slammed down the coins and downed the drink, the liquid burning as it slid down my throat. I could hear footsteps behind me and after downing another drink, steeled myself and said "What do you want?" His fingers trailed down my arm, running along the fine material.

"Just a piece of you"

Immediately, my hand darted out and clenched around his hand. "Move along" I spat, crushing the fingers, and listening as they crunched beneath my grip. He gasped and when I turned to face him, I saw a furious fae. His green face was flushed and his red eyes were burning with anger. "You will regret that you bitch!" 

"I sincerly doubt that" I drawled, standing and withdrawing Katiana. 

"Slayer!" he yelled, and every creature in the inn turned to face me, all of them instantly infuriated. 

"Back away" I told him, "I've had a long day, I'm not feeling merciful"

"Do your worst, you are no better than a human" he sneered, his eyes buldging as I drew back the sword and cleanly removed his head. It bounced along the floor, the blond pony tail trailing behind the bloody smear. "Step forward, children" I mocked, twirling the sword, "plenty executions for all"

They began to advance and I smiled wickedly but a figure emerged from the crowd, pushing past and standing in front of me. "Move along, she isn't worth it"

He had a hood covering his face, and his voice was strong and threatening. Some of them stepped back, others glared murderously. "Don't start something you won't finish" he said.

Surprisingly, the creatures retreated, returning to their corners of the inn and staying there. "Come" he said. 

"Why should I? You might try and kill me" I reasoned.

"If I wanted you dead, I would have let them have you" he sighed. 

He had a point, "they wouldn't, there would just be a pile of bodies to dispose off"
He shook his head and I could imagine him grinning, with a sigh he turned and walked away. Unable to contain my curiosity, I followed, clutching katiana tightly. 

There was a fire roaring in the corner and he removed the cloak to reveal jet black hair and olive skin, but I still could not see his face. "Snow" I said.

He picked up a tong and turned over one of the coals. "Surprised?"

"A little, yes" I admitted. 

He turned, his bright amber eyes glowing in the dim light. "What do you want?" 

"You aren't very polite" he told me, sitting down and putting his feet onto the table. I stood in front of him, my hand closing around the hilt of the sword. "I'm direct" I answered dryly. 

He chuckled, "yes, I can tell"

I felt the parchment scrolled up and tucked into the belt on my leg that held my knife, I felt it was safe there, and Snow would not be able to reach it. "I have much to tell you" he told me, "but first, I need that parchment"
I laughed, "you are sadly mistaken if you think I will be giving you the parchment"

He rose to his feet, humour suddenly gone, "did I say you had a choice?"

I raised katiana in warning, "don't test me, my patience is thin"

"Foolish little villiedr" he said mockingly. 

My eyes narrowed and my lips drew back and I snarled in an almost vampiric way, "how do you know about that?"

"You clearly know nothing" he said, "should have stayed with Thora in London, you might have been safe there"

I twirled the sword, "don't"

"Typical slayer, strike first, think later, do you think that is going to win you this battle?"

"Killing you might be a start" I said. He glowered. 

"I am not a patient man, Miss Everlyn, give me the parchment"

"Over my dead body" I seethed. 

"That can be arranged" he growled, lunging for me. I stepped out the way and was behind him in an instant. "Too slow" I mocked.

"Beatrice, I don't want to fight" he said, his attitude changing suddenly. 

"Unfortunate, as you now have one" I told him, scratching him across the cheek with the edge of the blade. Baring his teeth, he threw a chair out the way through a window and then lunged again. I backed up, leaping over an over turned table and missing him by an inch. 

"Learn to fight better" he gruffed, winding me as he threw me against the wall. With a sharp wheeze I jumped to my feet and ignored my blurring vision, I could not lose the parchment. I pushed the blade across his skin and left a deep gash, he howled in pain as blood trickled down his shirt. "Good enough for you?"

"Damn it!" he ran at me again and this time his fingers clamped around my neck. Katiana fell from my grasp and clattered as it hit the floor. I flailed for a moment then put as much force as I could into punching him squarely in the jaw. He groaned and then without a delay, I kicked him directly in the bollocks. Doubling over, he screamed and I reached down, grabbing Katiana I went to strike again, but in a flash, he was gone, leaping out of the back window and fleeing into the darkness. 

With a sigh, I leaned back against the wall and thought of everyone at the chateau. All I wanted was to crawl into bed and succumb to darkness for a couple of hours, a small reprieve from a world that was filled with pain. 

I got up and looked at myself in the dirty mirror above the fire. The flames left shadows on my face. My eyes were luminate in the darkness, and bruising had formed where Snow's fingers had been on my neck. I noticed for the first time that my face was far sharper than it had been a few months ago. Clearly the stress of recent events had taken it's toll. In fairness, I could not remember my last real meal. 

The darkest part of me wished Felix was at my side, I longed for his cold embrace, for the feeling of life that he seemed to stir in me. A contradiction in itself since he was dead. 

But I learned long ago, I could not have what I wanted, and sacrifices were made. That was life. That was what I was taught being a slayer meant, and so, despite what Carlisle said, I would be a slayer. 

Because being a slayer was all I really had left.