IV
RAVEN CHILD
‘IT CREPT ON me like sleep at the end of a quiet day. A chill prickling the back of my neck. Aaron felt it too, looking towards that passel of demoiselles. And among them, a figure stood now where none had before, as if conjured from the shadows themselves. ‘She was silence. She was dead leaves fallen. She was a blood-red stain, spilling slow across the dancefloor and making my heart fall still. The drip of hot wax upon your naked skin. The first flicker of a lover’s tongue into your open, wanting mouth. ‘She wore crimson. A long and sweeping gown of lace and corsetry, like a bride all dipped in blood. Her skin wasn’t just painted pale like the women about her, but white and smooth as finest alabaster. Her hair was the red of burning flame, flowing over her bare shoulders and past her slender waist. And she looked about the dancers on the edge of the ballroom’s flickering light, and her
eyes were black as the pits of hell. ‘“Almighty God …” I breathed. ‘I’d seen highbloods before, oui. But never the like of her. She drifted among the revellers, bewitching those she turned her attentions upon, passing through others like smoke. Nobody had announced her arrival, and I was struck with the notion that perhaps she’d always been there, waiting, watching. It was impossible to look away from her, but dread filled my belly even as I stared.
This thing looked at the folk about her with the dispassion and cruelty that only the understanding of “forever” can bring. ‘When she saw us, she didn’t see people. She saw food. ‘“And I beheld a pale maiden,” came a murmur behind us. “Her eyes were black as midnight and her skin as cold as winter, and in her arms, she bore the nightmares of every sleeping babe, every shivering child, come ripe and fulsome unto the waking world.”
‘“And her name was Death,” Aaron whispered. ‘I glanced to Greyhand in the shadows behind us. His pale green eyes were fixed on the newcomer, flooded red by the pipe of sanctus he’d apparently already smoked. “The Book of Laments hardly does her justice, does it?” ‘“Nor the tales we’d heard on the road.” I glanced back to the vampire, my mouth dry as ash. “Great Redeemer, I’ve never seen the like.” ‘“Ancien.” Greyhand nodded. “No quarry under heaven more dangerous.” ‘Silently, we watched the monster seeping through the crowd, and all the world about her seemed colourless. A pretty fop dropped into a bow before her; a fly inviting a spider to dance. The vampire laughed, allowed the gent to sweep her out onto the floor, utterly oblivious to the peril he was in. Not just his flesh, but his very soul. ‘Aaron and I rose to our feet as Talon joined us. The seraph’s cheeks were flushed as he watched the vampire dance, his eyes also blood-red. “Almighty God, what a monster.” ‘“Forcing confrontation here …” Aaron gazed around the ballroom, looking first to his pretty cousin, then to his fair mama. “We put every person in this room in danger.” ‘“They are already in danger,” I replied, eyes still on our quarry. ‘“De Coste is right,” Talon said, breathing quick. “Now I lay eyes upon her … we can provoke no fray here. To dance with such a devil in a crowded hall invites massacre.” ‘“What plan then, Seraph?” Greyhand asked. ‘“Our Marianne is here to hunt,” Talon replied, blood-red eyes still on the vampire. “We wait. We watch. And when the spider chooses her victim, we follow her back to wherever she spins her web and fall like hammers of God when the sun rises.” ‘I frowned at that. “We just let her … take one of the guests? Is that not a sin?” ‘Greyhand glanced around us, uneasy. “De León raises a point, Seraph.” ‘“A good hunter uses the appetites of his prey against them. Want is a weakness. Look at her, Greyhand. This monster is too dangerous to confront in the dark.” ‘“She’ll be less dangerous if we drive her to bed hungry, surely?” I asked. ‘“Showing our hand here puts everyone at risk, shitblood,” Talon spat. “We must not miss when we strike this blow. Losing one sheep tonight will spare the lives of thousands later. Almighty God will forgive us our trespass.”
‘I glanced to Greyhand and saw the notion sat just as ill with my master as it did with me. But Talon was a Seraph in the Ordo’s hierarchy, and Greyhand
only a Frère. ‘“Master …” ‘“The seraph has spoken. You will do as commanded, Initiate.” ‘I could taste iron in my mouth. Cold dread pooling in my belly. But I’d disobeyed Greyhand on the Hunt once already, in Skyefall. I dared not do it again. “Oui, Master.” ‘“Do you think she’s marked us?” Aaron asked. ‘“Not yet,” Greyhand murmured. “But standing here like flies around a corpse only invites it. De Coste, head outside where the footmen gather. The coldblood arrived in a hand carriage hauled by one of her thralls – an Ossian fellow with a dark beard. Turn on those Ilon charms of yours and see if you can glean the location of their abode. Press soft. If they know we’ve sniffed them out, they’ll not return home.” ‘Aaron nodded, his tongue still slightly slurred. “Gentle as lambs, Master.” ‘“De León, watch near the entrance. The seraph and I shall mark the flanks.” ‘Talon grabbed my arm as I moved away. “Remember, mongrel, this thing is an elder Ironheart. If she even looks your way, mind the lessons I taught you.
Think of toil, of tired feet and a domestic’s drudgery. Build a wall of it and hide
your secrets within.” ‘“By the Blood, Seraph.” ‘I slipped off through the crowd, carrying my empty tray. In truth, I felt sick to my heart. I knew this creature was deadlier than any foe I’d faced; that if we struck at night when she was strongest, she could butcher us all. But the idea that we were baiting our snare with one of these poor painted fools was a stone in my belly. ‘I watched the coldblood circle the room, enchanting all about her. These folk had no knowing of the evil among them, instead, drawn towards it like moths to flame. But standing watch by the entrance, I noted another, surveying the ballroom just as I did. A dark-haired youth, a few years younger than I in appearance, clad in black velvet and pearl thread. The one who posed as
Marianne’s son, I realized. ‘Adrien. ‘He was beautiful. Timeless. And as our eyes met, I felt the press of his mind into mine, gentle as a first kiss. It was the strangest sensation – as if cold fingertips brushed my scalp, pushing through the jelly-soft dome of my skull. I crowded my thoughts as Talon had taught me, throwing up complaints about sore feet and the boorish manners of the nobleborn. But the thing’s eyes
flickered to my doublet, the weapons beneath. It could tell something was amiss – perhaps not what I was, but certainly that I was no mere sheep. ‘He looked to the dancefloor, dark eyes fixed on the one who’d made him.
And though Marianne Luncóit’s demeanour changed not at all, I saw her exchange a swift glance with her spawn. Something passed between them, and her black eyes fell on me, and I felt her see me, as if I were stripped naked and bare before God Himself. ‘Without a word, Adrien was gone, slipping off through the crowd like a knife. I looked to Greyhand, to Seraph Talon, not knowing whether to pursue or stand my ground. Marianne was moving now, a young girl spellbound on her arm, sweeping towards the doors as the guests parted before her like water. ‘My master had told me to do nothing but watch. Talon had given express order to follow our quarry to ground. I wanted to prove myself worthy. I wanted to be a brother of the Silver Order, and I knew after my disobedience in Skyefall, the revelation of my strange bloodgifts, I was already dancing on a precipice.
But I watched this monster approach, and I saw the lass in her embrace had hair
the gold of autumn leaves. ‘Aaron’s cousin. Véronique. ‘I thought of my sister Amélie then. Of my vow to Astrid that if I could spare one more mother the pain of what mine had suffered, I’d do it gladly. I didn’t want to be a hero. Nor a fool. But neither did I want to become as monstrous as these things we hunted. ‘Véronique was barely fifteen. Amélie would have been that age now. Perhaps I could’ve turned away, done what I was fucking told just once if I didn’t know her damned name. But this girl’s whole life lay ahead of her. Or no life at all. ‘“Help me, God,” I whispered. “Help me, please.” ‘I felt a heat then, burning and silvered in my hand and upon my chest. And looking down at my palm, I saw my sevenstar had begun to glow. I clung to that spreading warmth, filling my head with prayers to the Almighty. The leech drew closer, and I knew if I stood in her way, she’d shatter me like ice. But I could feel the breath of God upon my neck, silver burning in my skin. Reaching into my doublet, I drew my silversteel dagger, loosed my collar. And I stepped into the vampire’s path, palm out, burning with cold, blue-white light. ‘“Stop. In the Almighty’s name.” ‘“De León!” Talon roared. “Damn you, boy!” ‘The vampire narrowed her eyes. The music failed, folk about me gasping. In the pale light blazing from my hand, at my throat, Luncóit somehow seemed not so beautiful any more. The monster spoke, and I was unsure if her voice rang only in my mind.
‘“No power hath thy Almighty over me, child.” ‘Where before I’d felt the soft press of the boything in my mind, now I felt a hammerblow, rummaging in my thoughts. I pushed back, trying to force her out as Greyhand and Talon came on through the crowd. The vampire took one step towards me, and the light in my palm flared so bright it made her flinch.
Véronique blinked hard, the spell over her eyes burned away as she shrank in the monster’s iron grip. ‘“Release her,” I spat. “By the Blood of the Redeemer, I command it.” ‘I could see the dark fury in Luncóit deepening as she took another step towards me. This was a creature old as centuries. I was an insect beside her. And yet, with God beside me, I stood a thousand feet tall. Light blazing before her, Talon and Greyhand rushing at her back, the vampire flung Véronique at the wall like a ragdoll. I cried out, diving and snatching the lass from the air as the force slammed us both backwards into the stone. The vampire moved in a blur, smashing onlookers aside and crashing through the ballroom windows. Shattered glass rained to the floor as Greyhand and Talon flew after her into the night. ‘“Murder!” came a cry. “Murder, by God!” ‘I shook my head to clear it, blinking about me. I saw one of the house gens d’armes staggering into the hall, the body of a serving lass in his arms. The girl was dead, drained pale as ash, twin punctures at her throat. The crowd about me gasped in horror. ‘“N-nobody of consequence, eh?” Véronique moaned in my arms. ‘With a moment to check on the bewildered lass, I pursued my master and Talon, flying through the broken window. I could see Aaron by the carriages, struggling with a tall, bearded man. Greyhand charged through the bailey past bewildered soldiers, Talon behind, both swift as hawks with the sacrament they’d smoked. Running to Aaron’s side, I slammed my dagger’s pommel into the thrall’s head, allowing the lordling to lock up the man’s arm and hurl him into the ground. I saw Aaron’s doublet was soaked with blood – clumsy with drink, the lordling had earned himself a stabbing. But he seemed more furious than pained. ‘“Damned bastard,” he spat, putting his boot to the thrall’s head. ‘“Are you well?” I gasped, looking at his bloodied clothes. ‘“Unknot your gizzards, you quivering peon.” He winced, pressing his chest with one bloody hand. “What in God’s name happened in there?” ‘“Luncóit spotted me … That is to say, I …” ‘De Coste met my eyes. “Oh, Mothermaid, de León, you fucking didn’t …” ‘My stomach sank. I’d no regrets, but I knew my disobedience had landed me hip-deep in shite again. I heard a rush of footsteps, felt someone seize my throat.
I was slammed back into the carriage, black stars bursting in my eyes. A fist
I was slammed back into the carriage, black stars bursting in my eyes. A fist struck my stomach, another blow cracked the side of my head so hard it almost popped my jaw loose. Blood in my mouth, I collapsed to the cobbles, crying out as a boot collided with my ribs. ‘“You shitblooded little arsegrubber!” Talon spat. “I should’ve dragged you to Heaven’s Bridge when I had the chance! You just cost us our fucking quarry!” ‘I pulled myself up to my elbows, spitting blood. “I just s-saved a girl’s l- life!” ‘“And ended untold others!” Master Greyhand’s stoic mask was abandoned, his fangs grown long as he loomed above me, drawing his silversteel sword.
“What did I tell you, boy? What did I say would happen if ever you disobeyed me again?” ‘Feastgoers had gathered out front of the manor house. Aaron looked to the steps, saw his cousin among the throng, her silken dress torn, her autumn hair in disarray. The Baron and Baronne themselves looked on as Greyhand raised his blade. But God had stood with me as I stared down that monster. He’d willed me
to save that girl’s life. ‘Surely he’d not abandon me now? ‘Dull moonslight glinted on silversteel, all my life flashing before my eyes.
And as the sword began to fall, Aaron stepped into Greyhand’s path. ‘“Master, stop!” ‘Greyhand held still, glowering as de Coste pointed to the unconscious thrall. ‘“This bastard spilled where they nest! An estate near Falls Bridge, on the Silver Lane. If we move with haste, we can burn them out before they escape.” ‘“Presuming they return there, having now been discovered,” Talon spat.
“And presuming Luncóit does not tear us to pieces before e’er the sun rises.” ‘“All the more reason to spare this idiot.” Aaron glanced to his cousin, back down to me. “At least for now. We’ll need every blade we can muster to best this foe.” ‘Greyhand and Talon exchanged blood-red glances. I saw my master’s grip on his sword tighten. He was so close to letting that blow fall, I could taste it. But in the end, he glanced to the gentry and soldiers about us, then to Aaron, standing now his way. ‘“You’d best pray God that Initiate de Coste is right, de León,” Greyhand growled. “Because if this monster and her brood elude us, every murder they commit thereafter is a stain upon your soul. And whatever happens tonight, when we return to San Michon, there will be a reckoning. Mark my words, boy.
You will never Hunt as my apprentice again.” ‘I hung my head, nodded slow. “Oui, Master.” ‘Greyhand sheathed his sword. Talon turned back to the keep, eyes red as
‘Greyhand sheathed his sword. Talon turned back to the keep, eyes red as blood. ‘“Gather your gear, brothers. We have a leech to kill.”’
