Mael+Cossette Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-one (Mael)

Leaving her there was the hardest thing I had ever had to do. Calling up every ounce of decency I had, I left her wanting me. My God she had wanted me, her essence screamed it, but I could not do it, not yet. I found myself in my room, staring blankly, disbelieving I had walked out, that I had given up the chance of a life time! I promised her she could trust me and that meant even when she was not in her right mind. So young and so innocent, so uneducated in the ways of the heart as she had said. Yes, she was and she would have given herself to me tonight... why, I wasn't sure. I did nothing differently. I had been a scoundrel and kissed her forcefully, I had accused her of being in my room and I had shamelessly forgotten myself when addressing her attire. The things I should have said, should have done all racked my brain until I felt more tired than I had ever felt. I had done everything wrong and yet... she had look at me in a way she hadn't before. I saw something I dare not dwell on in the depths of those starry eyes, save for raising my hopes to be dashed by a delicate word, I could not hope for much more.
My heart thudded heavily in my chest, reminding me of how hers had done the same. The entire event of the night was etched permanently in my mind and body forever now. The way she felt, tasted... I fell back against my door, desperate to keep from returning to those arms, those demanding lips. Oh how she demanded with them, she would only be happy with total compliance. So fierce and strong even in something she professed to know nothing of... she knew, she knew what she wanted perhaps.
I stepped away from the door and roughly removed my coat, it had gotten so damned hot suddenly! Next the vest, cravat and shirt went, I tossed the mess in a chair just near me. The last thing to be freed was the buttons of my trousers. From her room to mine was a long and painful walk for a man bereft of what his body hadn't craved in thousands of life times but now had a terrible hunger for. I laughed out loud then, if Cossette only knew... I hadn't been with a woman in so long I might myself be considered a virgin! Kissed, oh yes, manhandled, only to those that wished it but never did I crave them like I craved her.
I limped to my bed and eased myself down then rested back with my arms under my head as a pillow.
I hadn't even realized Ailo was there, watching, scrutinizing me for my state no doubt. "I could have told her how I felt, told her how I loved her... do you know what I did instead of that, Ailo?" He moved from the shadows toward me, looking down placid and pale. "No sire." He said. "I ravaged her on a bench..." I admitted. "Will we be leaving then?" he asked, a tone of optimism in his voice. I grinned, glad that his arrival killed the swelling in my pants. He could turn the hottest water cool and any sexual excitement instantly dissolved. "No, she accepted it. I behaved like a damn youth, high on life and young love and she.... she shared with me the same." I said, still disbelieving. "She... reciprocate?" Ailo gaped. "Why else would I have need to unbutton my pants as so? I barely made it down the hallway..." I said giddily. Ailo was not amused as I was. "Sire... did you? I mean, was there... did you... defile her?!" He finally managed. I chuckled and closed my eyes. "No, of course not. I left her and myself wanting terribly." I said and for some odd reason, my heart sped up. Perhaps it was the knowledge that she finally wanted me as much as I wanted her that caused the little stirring. "Oh God, Ailo... I can't stop smiling!" I cried, coving my face with my hands and letting them drag across slowly, as if I could wipe the smile away. "I'll be in bed if you need me." Ailo said shortly and started up to his room. Fine, let him go, I didn't care if he approved or not. They could all go to hell: Ailo, Garconer, Corbeau, Jacobi all of them! Lillith was the only one that was supportive and in fact Lillith should be greatly rewarded for her efforts...
I puzzled for a while on that, Lillith should receive her gift, her blessing from me. Yes, that would be a perfect gift for her.
I let my pants dissolve away and watched them reappear in my wardrobe as the door to it was still open from earlier. Curious, I normally wouldn't have left it open but my mind was preoccupied with Marie and Cossette and so much more that I must have forgotten it.
It was rather nice being preoccupied actually.
I slipped under the cool covers of the bed and looked toward my left which had more space as I was occupying most of the right side at the moment, enough for another person actually. I rested my head on the pillows as I smiled at that empty space. I could see her there, smiling, loving me as I did her, and my heart thumped so hard in my ear at that dream I thought it might not beat again.
"I love you..." Why couldn't I say it to her but so easily to an empty pillow and space  in my bed? The answer to that was simple; she would die or be taken away. It was my fate it seemed, to know the pleasures of true love only to suffer more greatly the pain it could leave behind. But If I didn't try again, if I allowed myself to sink into the darkness that always dwelled inside...
I couldn't allow that to happen again. Cossette might not know exactly how important she is, not just to me but to the world now. Though there were those that might love to once again have the empire of our kind rebuilt and our greatness realized again, I would not do it in such a way as I had before. Never will I bathe myself in the blood of others again. I needed her. Raya, I had only possessed for a matter of weeks but her influence lasted for millennia's and her death had killed me. Was is fair to condemn Cossette to such a fate? How long could I refrain from the temptation of changing her? No, the need to keep her forever. Not long, I feared. My heart lurched painfully at the mere thought of losing her now, what after a year or twenty years? I could not fathom it nor could I presume that I would have the fortitude to let her remain human. Garconer said this to detour me, sadly it only strengthened my resolve that I might convince her to be swayed to me. After all, once she was converted she would not be able to stay away from me. She would be unable to stray, unable to fight the needs of her new body.

This thought might have eased my worries before but now it only strengthened them. Cossette would hate me for it and I could not live if she hated me, truly despised me. No, for her I would make the greatest sacrifice I could make: Her. To have her I would have to accept that she would die, accept that I would be without her again. My heart thumped in agony, my mind forced good reason into my scattered thoughts why I should not pursue this, but one, one thing told me that the inevitable pain was worth it. She made me happy, for a moment in two-hundred-million years, I was happy. I was more than happy, I was inspired, inspired to be great once again. I would be devastated when the time came but at least I would know that it was not impossible to love again.

With that bitter-sweet decision resting on my conscience like a heavy stone, I went to sleep, not a restful sleep but a sleep wrought with nightmares.

Cossette, a hard look of determination in her eyes, turned from me. Her back ridged and cold to me. She walked away, her steps heavy and with purpose. I called to her, chased her but to no avail. Finally, I could hear Lillith screaming. No matter what I did in the dream, I could not stop the penetrating howl of her cries. I pressed my palms to my ears in the dream, I searched the white place I was standing in but there was no Lillith before me or behind me to make these sounds. A panic began to rip at my body suddenly and I realized the cries were not from the dream. I tore at the veils of sleep and dream to get free, it felt like a heavy blanket laying over me and my voice, no matter how loud, was but a whisper in my ear. I could hear knocking, banging now and the persistent screams of fear from beyond my dream state. I fought harder and finally, painfully, my eyes opened. Without hesitation I manifested trousers and boots, too drugged by sleep to think otherwise and tore from my bed to the door. I flung it open, uncaring of my state and likely tussled appearance. "Lillith?" I had barely gotten the name past my lips when she flung herself onto me, hysterical. "They took her...!  They took Cossette...!  They've taken her...!" She cried. My mind had hardly comprehended what I had heard yet I found myself moving Lillith aside and running down the hall, down the stairs, until I reached the foyer and open front doors. I could hear Lillith right behind me, babbling away, "It was the King's men!  They're taking her to Versailles for her La tournée de Service...!  She'll be there by nightfall...!" But I wasn't listening, I didn't care, all I cared about was that they took her away from me and that they would die for it. I would be able to catch them easily on foot, faster than any horse could. I charged without thought for the threshold, forgetting, unfortunately, that my amulet that made my skin immune to the sun, was drained and not recharged. The instant the morning sun hit my naked chest it began to bubble up and blister and my eyes felt as though thousands of needles pieced them. I jerked back coving my eyes, gritting my teeth to the pain. "What's wrong...!?  Why can't you go out...!?" Lillith cried, steadying me from behind as I stumbled back. "The amulet... It has no more power left!" I growled, unable to control the panic that surged like a bolt through my body. I uncovered my eyes, blinked the blood out of them. I felt it running down my cheeks in tears. My vision was blurry for a moment but I could make out the shape of a body lying on the ground in the drive. I struggled to clear my vision but the hair, the little dress... God no... I wiped furiously at my eyes and stood just far enough back to be out of the sun. Finally, I was able to see clear again and my fears were realized. "Prue...!" I cried to her but she didn't move, not a single muscle. "What did they do to her?!" I asked Lillith, my entire body throbbing with anger. "She tried to stop them when they took Cossette at gunpoint...!  One of them struck her!  She hasn't moved at all...!" Lillith rambled, near tears. Ailo appeared, finally, at the foot of the stairs, his face placid and mildly confused. His calmness instantly infuriated. I stormed over to him, his eyes went wide with shock as I ripped his amulet from around his neck. "Is it spent as well?!" I demanded. Ailo managed to remain calm though his blood sang of fear. "Not... entirely but, Master, you can't use it, it won't protect you!" He reasoned, though I was far beyond being reasoned with. I place the amulet around my neck and dashed, with all my speed, for the doorway. If I burned then I burned. I could hear Ailo and Lillith in the distance as I shot through the rays of fire stinging and burning my skin. The amulet had just enough power to keep me from bursting into flames, even if it hadn't, I would have tried. I could only open my eyes for a slight few seconds before they began to burn, so I grabbed what I could: Prue and Cossette's locked that I had seen only because I opened my eyes long enough to find the child. I hoped I had gotten it because all I could feel was dirt in my hand. I slung Prue over my shoulder and ran as fast as I could back toward the castle door. My skin was blistering on my back, the pain was so intense that I was nearly numb from it, but then I felt the cool touch of shadows and I felt the hard stone beneath my feet. My eyes opened to the interior of the castle and Lillith rushing toward me. The amulet died just as I had crossed the threshold. "Oh, God...!" Lillith cried, taking the child from me, checking her face, which was bruised and bloody. "Her mouth is cut open...her teeth look fine..." She said, shaking. Between the horrific pain of bubbled flesh and intense anger I felt, I nearly had crushed the contents of my hand. I opened it to find the locked hidden within the soil I had also captured. It only served to make my temper roar. "The King took her by force?" I gritted out more to myself as I looked at the helpless, lifeless child in Lillith's arms. "She wouldn't have gone any other way...!" She choked out, clutching Prue to her breast. She adjusted the child and started down toward the kitchen with her. I followed, watching as Prue began to come to, coughing and choking on blood that had drained down her throat. "We can't let them take her to the King!" I burst out, my mind a warped mess of anger, hurt and confusion. I could feel the fiend's neck in my hands now, I could hear his bone's snap as I twisted his head from his filthy body! "Sire... the sun is fresh, it is impossible..." Ailo reminded gently. His calmness was ripping my control to shreds, I wanted vengeance for the girl, I wanted Cossette back, now! "W-Where's Cossi...!?" Prue then wailed into Lillith's shoulder. "Be calm, sweetie...it'll be alright...!" She said trying to calm the child. She turned to look at me as she rushed through the kitchen door. "Ailo is right...!  It's still only morning!" She reasoned. "I can't just let her be taken, I swore to protect her!" I argued desperately. "There is nothing that can be done, Master..." Ailo said softly, trying to be reassuring though his sincerity was questionable. Lillith laid Prue on a preparing table and shoved a rag in her mouth to absorb the blood, she then retrieved a basin of water and another rag to tend to the wound. "And Cossette swore to protect the rest of us!  We can't alert the rest of the Vampires because the sun is up, and the Volven would only slaughter the soldiers sent to obtain her!  If they don't return with her by evening, the King will only send more men in greater numbers! All of us would be at risk!" Her reasoning was sound, no it was logical and I hated it and I hated that I felt weak and trapped. Blast that damned sun! I slammed my first against the wall, cracking the stone on which it landed. "There was a soldier's hand out side... would she fight the King as hard? could she last until I could get there, after the sunsets?" God, if I didn't get there in time... Cossette would lose everything she had fought so hard for and I would lose what I had only just touched on. "...I don't know...she would try, but...I don't know how long that would last her.  Louis would have to be careful as Albert was so well-known and Cossette equally so...but there are ways...vicious, violating ways..." Lillith's fears were evident, she did not try to hide them from me. Blackmail, drugging... rape. "...I c-c-can't feel m-my h-hands, Lillith...!" Prue stuttered and began to shivered violently. "Ailo, get a blanket, please!" Lillith cried. The child was going into shock, her entire body was shaking and her teeth shattered so loud that it was audible. I forced the anger and fury down and took the child hands. It was so cold, so clammy, not how a little girl's hand should have felt. Little children should have warm hands. "W-W-Why did th-they t-take her, Lillith...?  Why d-do they h-have to be so m-mean...!?  Why c-can't they j-just leave us alone...!?  We…we n-never did anything to them…!"
"Shh... Prue, we will get her back..." I swore to her as Ailo returned with a blanket for Lillith. "Here you are." He said, handing it to her. "Thank you, Ailo." Lillith said and wasted no time in wrapping it around Prue. Lillith's eyes were red, near tears herself as Prue began to cry again, overwhelmed and in pain. Poor Lillith, so strong for everyone. She reminded me of a mother trying to control a brood of hysterical children... because that is exactly what this was. My temper and irrational fury would not but cause her more pain and sadness. There was truly nothing that we could do now and it was pointless to be hysterical while a child lay terrified and a woman sought to be the balance in a storm of chaos. "Ailo, fix Lillith some tea, please..." I said and rested my hand on her shoulder. Ailo hesitated but then conceded. It was time to remember where my place was and a King was to be the strength of and for his people. Lillith needed that and she was the one that needed to be reassured, not I. Lillith glanced up at me, acknowledging my hand then pulled Prue into her arms, sheltering her in a mother's embrace. Her eyes looked to me pleadingly, begging for help and yet there was nothing that I could do. Before me sat a dream; human, vampire and Volven.... a vampire holding a Volven child, crying tears for it. In my heart of hearts it was my dearest wish; to live in peace for a short time and to see those that I had created live in peace as well. To see this dream shattering before my eyes, again, because of greed, was almost too much to bear. Lillith nodded gently in thanks but I felt as though I offered her nothing at all. "Cossette will fight them, she will fight them until I can get there, the moment the sun ducks behind the hills, I'll be at her side." I swore this but I could not be sure, Just as Lillith knew it was unlikely we would get there in time. The King would waste no time, he would do what he had sought to do during her father's reign; capture the Duchy indefinitely. Ailo poured the hot tea water and allowed the leaves to steep, the aroma was pleasant and almost calming in the midst of all the turmoil. I took the cup from him before he gave it to Lillith and sat it on the table before her. What I did next might have seemed rather odd to a human or even a Volven but for a vampire it was not at all unusual. I cut my wrist with my finger nail and allowed three drops of blood into the tea, then licked the wound to close it. The blood dissolved into the steaming liquid, the subtle pink hue quickly vanishing from the cup. "You will need all the strength you can get." I said, offering the cup to Lillith. She sipped weakly at it, then drank deeply until the cup was emptied. We were all silent for a moment, aside from Prue, who wept. I examined the locket in my hand, my mind teasing at the idea of opening it because it almost felt as though Cossette was there, hidden inside it. Her secrets, her thoughts... all I fought to see were all truly contained within the boundaries of the Duchy and inside this locket which she never removed...
"I should think of a plan of attack, we can't let the King know what we are, it would lead to a country side slaughter of suspected vampires and war on the Duchy..." I muttered, rolling the locket between my fingers. Suddenly Prue's cries became more severe. "The library has maps aplenty upstairs...!" Lillith offered with a look and then added "Prue is too upset to hear this from anyone -- please spare her and lay out your strategy where she cannot be allowed to acknowledge it!  For her sake...!" It was but a whisper in my mind but the message was heard, the child had suffered enough. I nodded gently and then pressed a light kiss to Prue's hair. "It will be alright, love." I whispered, praying to God it would be, then motioned for Ailo to follow me out. The little girl's sobs could be heard even in the dining room above. "Ailo, you best retrieve our cloaks from our chambers, the Library will be sunny at this time of day." I commanded gently. My anger had ebbed though I wasn't sure why, I had every right to be angrier, but seeing Lillith struggling to be strong and calm for the child... Child. Marie... What if something were to happen to Cossette, if she fought too hard and were killed? So many things hung in the balance and strangely enough, I was ripped from one extreme to another. Stark loneliness to absolute fullness to utter terror of losing it all again. I suddenly wanted so badly to hold Marie, to feel her tiny body in my arms, to know she was there. But Marie slept and we had a strategy to discuss.

After Ailo returned with the cloaks, we made our way to the library, Cossette's cello sat soundless there on the bottom level. My eyes lingered there despite the sun's bright reflection in the room. The pain of it was dull and incomparable to the sharp stabbing in my heart. Panic threatened to seize me again but I pushed it down and began searching for the maps Lillith spoke of. It took a while to find the right ones but eventually Ailo and I retrieved the correct one for the mission. We took it to the study where Garconer and I had began our battle and destroyed Cossette's father's desk. A moment of weakness I would not repeat but would forever regret.
We laid the map out on the floor and removed the hoods from our heads as this room was safe from the direct rays of the sun. It felt as though I looked over that maps for hours and yet when I looked up at the time it had not been hours but minutes. How would I survive until sunset? My heart was sick with worry, with sorrow and guilt... I should have been up protecting her. "Master?" Ailo asked, breaking me out of my self-loathing. I did not speak, I couldn't. If I did he would hear the weakness in my voice and I wasn't able to weather another one of his lectures. No, instead I acknowledged him with a glance even though my eyes must have betrayed my misery. I could only imagine how frightened Cossette must have been... "Master! You must concentrate!" Ailo snapped suddenly. "If you must have her so badly then you must be ready to save her! Blaming yourself over it will not get her back, but, planning and being the commander you once were, will." I raised an eyebrow at his insolence... and the fact that he was right... almost wise about it.
"You are right." I admitted, though it killed me to praise him at all. He didn't smile like he normally would but looked down at the map again and traced a route with his finger across the French country side to Versailles. "This way. It will be best for a silent attack... you can't go waltzing through the front doors after all..." He said stiffly. "Oh, but that would have made such an impression..." I remarked sarcastically, we both laughed. The tension and stress breaking for a slight few seconds. "If..." Ailo hesitated before continuing. "If she has been violated, will you still want her?" He asked, perfectly serious, perfectly cold. I should have been angry at his question, as if he had to ask, but I wasn't. It was simply his way of counseling, which was one of his duties. "Her virginity is not what keeps me here. The only difference her losing her virginity would make would be to the kingdom of France, for it would no longer be France, it would be mine and the King's reign would end with not only a beheading but a public castration." I answered truthfully. Did I dream of drinking her sweet virgin blood before taking her? Of course. What vampire could deny that fantasy? But, I loved her too and her body was the last thing on my list of wants. Her love was what I needed most of all. "I intend to get into Versailles and get Cossette out before anyone is the wiser... the King can simply wonder how she managed to escape and when he comes back for her, he will get more than he bargained for." I nearly grinned. "I still might have to find the time to break his arm or rip his fingers off before we leave however..." Ailo rolled his eyes and began to roll the map back up. "Honestly, I thought you might have learned something of these things from the incident with the don's wife-to-be years ago..." I raised an eyebrow at his comment. "Arranged to be married is not married. And the man was a lecher, if anything I did them both a favor; I proved the girl to be unfaithful and I saved her from a terrible marriage... but that really has nothing to do with any of this. Honestly, we will be in far worse trouble after I kidnap Cossette from Louis." I said with a grin. Ailo wasn't amused and sauntered off with the maps to return them to their rightful place.
Though the desk was no more, the chair still remained so I climb from the floor and sat back in the well made solid wood chair which sat rather lonely in the room. The seat and back were cushioned and well stuffed. A lovely chair... a lovely desk that once sat here as well. I still ached at that thought, that I had taken something of her father's away from her when she had so little left...
I fingered the locket that I now wore around my neck, it was cool to the touch because it had been resting against my bare skin. I still hadn't managed to get a  proper shirt yet, I still only wore trousers and a cape. I lifted the locket up and examined it, I had placed it on a long chain that had been attached to the cape I now wore since the material choker that the locket was on was gone. "Forgive me, but I must see what you hold so dear and close to your heart." I whispered and opened the locket. What I saw inside did not surprise me but made me smile. Her mother and father. The one thing I could not give her. I looked over the tiny pictures, noting how Cossette looked so like her mother, and wondered how the Duchess looked as a young girl. Fencing and fighting and being the tomboy her father was so proud. I assumed that, but I was sure he was proud of her.
Though the picture was extremely small, I noted a dark adornment on the Duke's throat and it made my skin tingle suddenly. I remember the portraits on the wall leading into the study so I rose from the chair and walked over to where the portraits of her parents were. It was several seconds before my breath began again upon seeing the Duke's cabochon. My heart rocked hard in my chest and emotions threatened to shattered the small semblance of control I was maintaining. The cabochon she had given me to wear last night was... her father's! My mind raced to understand the ramifications of this act, the words she had said to me when presenting it. She had been different last night, she had been eager to see me, eager and yet shy when we were alone... My heart thudded hard again. Could it be possible that what had happened wasn't simply a moment of confused weakness to my continuous efforts but actual feeling? After all the pain and fighting, did she actually finally feel something toward me?
I felt near tears.
I felt angry again.
I felt as if all the strength had been drained from my body.
She had said so much in that kiss and I was too stupid and distracted by lust to see it! She said my name... spoke my name with her perfect lips. I had finally broken through... finally...
I replaced the hood and wrapped the cloak around my shoulders tightly and walked out onto the balcony that lead to the stairs. The windows let the sun stream in unchecked, it was like walking through fire. Ailo had just finished returning the maps and was coming back toward the office when I hurried by him. "Master...?" He called but I continued to the stairs silently. I descended the stairs and made for the doors. I wasn't quite sure what I was running from but it felt as though I was in fact running from something. Perhaps it was the tears that threatened my eyes, though I was sure they must have been brought on by the sun. My emotions were bombarded with relief, excitement and utter dread. And that always present stubbornness reared its head and decreed that this plan would work and that no matter what state I found her in, I would tell her I loved her and that Louis could send a million troops but none would keeps me from bringing her back and protecting this place.

I walked without thought to Marie, she must have been on my mind without me knowing it. There she was, in Cossette's room. I looked at the clock, it had only been about an hour since Ailo and I had entered the library and it seemed that Lillith hadn't been in to check on her yet, likely she was still tending to Prue. I picked Marie up from the cradle and checked her linens, she was in need of a change and since Lillith was at her wit's end and busy, I took it upon myself to change her. I had actually gotten rather good at it during the days when Cossette was away... I pushed the thought from my mind and concentrated on Marie, who was kicking and fidgeting like mad, trying to sabotage the entire ordeal. "Now, now... we have done this before." I told her and found it nearly impossible not to smile when she fixed me with a look of utter amusement. So innocent and so unaware of the world's problems.
Once I had finished making sure she was clean, I wrapped her up and cradles her in one arm while I disposed of the dirty linens with the other.
"Shall we go down stairs and heat some milk for you? Perhaps you can tell me that everything will turn out quite fine and I don't need to worry as I do now. I'm rather sick with it at the moment, Marie." I told her as we began into the hallway.

The hours passed slowly, painfully. I tried to keep my mind clear, telling myself I would only be putting Cossette in worse danger if I continued to thinking about the situation. Marie had been quite happy to take my mind off of it, though she was becoming fussier as time passed. She missed Cossette as well, expected her to be home to coddle her as she liked. By late afternoon Lillith and Prue had calmed and joined me with Marie, Ailo too lingered near us. The clock's ticking was maddening, slowly counting down the seconds as we all sat and waited.
Finally, however, the sky began to orange and then darkness crept through the old castle halls, signaling the twilight just as the clock struck it's chime. I dressed in black and to make sure I was as light as I could be, I wore only a shirt and trousers, no coat or waistcoat to hinder my movement. I didn't want anyone to see me and a flaring cape and coat would only add to a spectacular entrance I didn't want. I kissed Lillith, Prue and Marie goodbye and shoved the small sketch of the map I had made earlier into the waistband of my trousers. I bid them all farewell and dashed out the doors.
The country side was still alight with the fading twilight, a beautiful scene to behold but I could not quite enjoy it. Cossette's image burned in my mind and the worry and anger I had denied all day was beginning to rear its head again. I doubted the residents of the Duchy heard or even saw my passing, my foot barely denting the soil or disturbing the dust upon the ground as I moved. I would have appeared as no more than a flash or a gust of wind to anyone still on the streets. Once out of the Duchy, I stopped and looked at the map I had drawn to get my bearings. The darkness that began to blanket the world was not hindering my eyesight but it was creating a great irritation to my patience.
I shoved the paper back into my waistband and started off through the woods again. I ran faster, faster, the country side was a blur of dark greens and blues until the lights of the city came into view. Cossette could not have been there long... Lillith had said by sundown they would be there and the sun had only just set. I hoped beyond hope, I even prayed I would make in time. The city of Versailles was a maze of streets but I knew that the Avenue de Paris went straight to the Château de Versailles.
The light had died completely as I reached the Chateau. By day the public was allowed to enter the parade apartment to witness the King as he made his way to the chapel but it was not day and I was not about to walk through the front door. I considered simply crashing through the windows facing the Gardens in La Grande Galerie but that would defeat the purpose of not simply murdering all the guards and walking right in... I pondered for a moment longer then decided that time was precious and I would simply have to choose a window and slip in like a common thief. After waiting for a patrol to pass I slipped inside a window on the lower level, the lower lever of the palace held the King's interior apartments and one of the guests there was kind enough to lend me a hand and open the window. Though they might have a headache and loss of memory for their troubles...
Once inside I was utterly lost to where to go. Where the hell would the King have taken Cossette? I began searching the rooms, with a slight bit of mental persuasion I was able to walk the halls and chambers without much interference. I searched the Mars salon, the Mercury salon... I noted that the royalty here had a certain obsession with Roman Gods. I had heard that Louis XIV identified with Apollo, though it was utterly beyond my reasoning why that was so, Apollo was a God of art and peace, were not the furnishings once here melted down for the war that still went on? Human beings and their hypocrisy...
I continued my search until I found myself at the Kings bedchamber, the guards were easily manipulated to walk the other way as I slipped inside. What I found inside however was not what I had expected. Perhaps my own hidden perverse nature allowed my mind to wonder too much on whether or not the King would force Cossette to bed and that is in fact why I had found my way here. But, instead of find my precious Duchess, I found courtesans... ten of them, half dressed and blushing like mad that I had simply walked in on them. "Salute, Monsieur..." One of them said, her youthful face glowing with mischief. I raised a brow, finding myself too surprised to manage a proper mental command. "Salute... might I inquire of you some desperately needed information?" I asked, stepping farther into the room. The ladies did not back away and though I fully intended to charm a few details from them, I wasn't entirely sure I would be able to control all of them at once. "Qui." One said, she was mostly naked, a robe hanging from her shoulders but leaving the center wide open to show her full breast and dark curls and the meeting of her thighs. I cleared my throat as they began to circle me. "I...uh..." I started as I felt hands gently stroking my shoulders and more fingers sliding along the waistline of my trousers. "...I am looking for the King, might you... happen to know where he is or if he has a... woman with him...?" I managed as I felt my shirt being pulled up. God at any other time this would have been a tale to tell but even the thought of being manhandled by ten, skilled, woman was nothing in comparison to simply seeing the Duchess again. "Non, Monsieur." One after the other giggled. I stepped backward, though I was now surrounded by naked and half naked women. My legs hit something, a chair, a table, I had no idea but I was toppling and I feared what might happen if I was taken off my feet! It was a chair I realized as I fell into it. "I really have pressing business...!" I tried but they were crawling all over me, pressing their bodies into me with abandon... what a time to find my scruples...! I thought miserably. "Please, Madams... I really must be going!" The mob simply giggled at this and began tearing at my clothes like hungry wolves on fresh meat. A dark haired one, now on my lap, caught my face and pressed a passionate kiss to my lips while the others fought for a cheek or an ear or a free space of flesh to kiss. One of them bit me on the neck, rather bring me back to reality and the task at hand. It was a struggle, it was an impossible feat but I managed to ignore the writhing, giggly, panting mass of soft, warm females and rose from the chair. I barely had a shirt left as I peeled the last one of them off me and made for the door. Once out I closed it behind me and took in a long, deep breath. Cossette was so immune to me that I had been letting my guard down, forgetting that, as a vampire, I released a natural musk that was an extremely powerful aphrodisiac to humans. If left unchecked well...
I wondered, if Cossette ever fully let her guard down, would it work as such with her...?
My body stirred at the thought but I had to get her back in order to see if that could be so! I backed away from the door, making sure that none of the madams followed, then turned quickly to try another room.
I didn't need to go far.
As I turned, I ran right into Cossette and nearly knocked us both to the floor. "Duchess!" I gasped in a whisper. Relief, joy and shock flooding my senses all at once.