Dreamwalker

32- Black as Ink

"Morie? What are you doing here?" Bell exclaimed.

"I stayed around after I traded you off to Laurier, darling Bell," Morie replied proudly. "However, I didn't plan for Piano to survive your attack. Now I'm afraid I'll have to detain both of you until I get my hands on Soutine. You walked right into my trap together and you'll stay there together."

"By the howling wind, demon, what are you talking about?" Piano yelled. He even stooped down to seize one of the daggers from the floor and brandish it at Morie's snide face.

"Put that away. It wouldn't do much more good than a toothpick," Morie chuckled. "As long as both of you cooperate, I won't need to hurt you. My bloodlust is nothing compared to the men in the highest chamber, as you know full well."

"Stop with the riddles. Why would you need to hurt us? I thought we had a deal, Morie!" Bell said.

Morie shook his head. "Mademoiselle, we had a deal. That deal is over. My plan required you incapacitated, and I thought Laurier might make that a reality. But that sneaky prince let his feelings get in the way. Now I have to deal with you myself. Please step backward into that cage and we'll forget this messy little ordeal ever happened."

Bell nearly gasped when Piano staggered in front of her and threw out an arm to protect her. "I'll go back, but she has nothing to do with this," he snarled. "You lay a finger on her and I'll kill you."

"You've got quite a lot of spark for a man who lost everyone he ever loved," Morie replied smoothly.

Bell could see Piano's muscles tense up even more. Blue veins popped out through pale shining skin and his scowl deepened. "You say that like it's a bad thing, but you forget that I've nothing left to lose now. I made a promise, demon, that I don't intend to break for anything in the world, even for a monster like you. Leave Bell Jeanne alone or I swear on my life you will never leave this dungeon again. If this knife won't kill you I'll use my own two hands."

"Strong words to be sure. I would rather not tousle with a man of your excellent training and caliber. And so, Monsieur Dubost, if you step back, and bring your little girl with you, we can forgo that nasty fight."

"He can read minds," Bell supplied when Piano started at the sound of his name.

"Oh. Of course he can," Piano grumbled. "No, we wouldn't want this to be a fair fight, would we? God's bones... wait!" His eyes lit up suddenly in recognition. "You must be a carness! You could transform from one form to the next and you could see into my head! And yet-- no, I thought all of you were extinct!"

"You thought wrong. I'm the last one, sorry to say. Your precious Soutine massacred us one by one without a pinch of mercy. Do you understand my intentions now?"

Morie waited for his words to settle into the room like stifling dust. At last, Bell burst out, "surely you don't want to kill Soutine!"

"Stupid girl, of course I want to kill Soutine!" Morie barked. "I came to him on my hands and knees praying for mercy! My parents, my brothers and sisters, my friends, every single one of my ancestors was slaughtered by that hellish brute!"

"But couldn't you forgive him? Soutine has changed! He's a good man now!"

Morie shook his head with a grim little chortle. "Mademoiselle, you would never understand what it's like. He took me from my home in Tordu and brought me up here to live in a cage until I nearly forgot where I came from or who I was. All I could see was darkness and distant lights glimmering on the invisible icy walls of the prison. Every day, every night, more experiments, and more blood! I still remember... fingers everywhere, blades inside, twisting and groping, and blood pouring, and screaming, awful screaming...!