The Dark Arts of Blood (41 page)

He grinned, his eyes sultry. “My favourite time is when the crowd starts to thin out and we turn the lights low… Niklas and I always know who our very special guests are by then. Stay.”

“Thank you, but I don’t think any of us are in the mood for one of your bizarre orgies,” said Karl.

“Bizarre? Don’t you mean ‘beautifully orchestrated’?” Stefan said in mock indignation.

“And don’t let anything happen until the Reiniger gang have all gone. We don’t want them associating Violette with your nocturnal activities, do we?”

“Very well, I’ll hold off the orgy if you’ll all stay a while longer. Relax. Perhaps have a drink?” Stefan winked, giving Violette his most charming smile. “Just an hour or so. Madame, it’s the perfect chance for you to encourage everyone to come to the new ballet, isn’t it? Charm them, promise free tickets. They’ll love you forever, believe me.”

He kissed her hand, and she relented.

* * *

“Emil.”

The voice made him jump as he entered his dark bedroom. His eyes began to adjust and he saw Fadiya in silhouette against the window.
What the hell…?
Emil groped for the light switch, and there she stood, blinking in the yellow glow. She clutched her coat around herself, looking upset.

“How the hell did you get in?” he exclaimed.

“Hush, keep your voice down! Shut the door. I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to startle you, but I had to see you.”

He was halfway across the room as Fadiya rushed to meet him. She put her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him. Her coat fell open, revealing a plain olive-green dress. Her fragrant form against his hot, damp, aching body felt breathtakingly sensual, but he tried to push her away, not wanting to mark her clothes with sweat stains.

“You’re like a furnace,” she said.

“Yes, I’ve been rehearsing. Our ballet masters worked us half to death tonight. Fadiya, you can’t be here!”

“Don’t say that.” She hung around his neck, tears welling from her eyes and her expression as intense and serious as he’d ever seen.

“We could have met at the hotel. What’s wrong? If you need me to pay the bill…”

“No, I do not need you to
pay
me for anything! How dare you!” She let her arms drop, stepped back and glared. Her mood alarmed him.

“I didn’t mean… Good grief, what is this? What’s happened?”

“How hard would you find it to live without me? Not hard at all, I suppose. You cannot love me.”

“What? That is not fair.”

“I’m leaving. I only wondered if you might miss me, even a little.”

“
Leaving?
”

Her announcement floored him. He hadn’t known her long but he’d grown dependent on her, almost taking her for granted. He could happily work himself to death for Violette, knowing that Fadiya waited for him in all her welcoming sensuality…

“You look shocked,” she said softly. “That must mean something.”

“But you can’t leave. I don’t understand. Fadiya?” He made to kiss her but she held him at arm’s length.

“Where is Madame Lenoir?”

“She went to a party,” Emil said, frowning. “It’s not like her to socialise, but she does what she wants, so…”

“Exactly. She went to a party to which
I
was invited, but she made sure you were otherwise occupied. When I was late – I didn’t intend to go at all, in fact, because I had no desire to meet her – she came to find me.”

“What?”

“Your Madame Lenoir sought me out especially. She said I’m never to see you again. She ordered me to disappear without a word. Threatened me with terrible consequences if I defy her.”

“
Threatened
you?” Rage seized him, so intense he couldn’t speak or see clearly. His head throbbed and his vision went nearly black, except for a tunnel along which he saw Fadiya’s distraught face. He couldn’t find words, couldn’t think.

“Yes, commanded me to vanish and never see you again. But I couldn’t. Emil? You’ve turned crimson. Sit down.”

“No!” He snarled and lashed out – not at Fadiya, but at a vase on a dressing table. China smashed, shards spinning across the floorboards. She didn’t flinch. Her attention on him remained steady. She pressed her hands to his face. They were freezing on his hot skin.

“Violette told you to stop seeing me?” he said, enunciating each word. His mind whirled. He had to control himself, to make sense of what he was hearing.

“Yes. She had a friend with her – as pretty as an angel, but she scared me even more than madame. She tried to attack me. Emil, I’m terrified. I dare not stay in Lucerne.”

“Was her name Charlotte?” He spoke raggedly.

“Yes.”

“I told you – I’m sure they’re not human. Am I going mad, or are they demons of some kind? If they are, that would answer so much… How
dare
she forbid us to see each other?”

“Perhaps
they’re
mad, not you.” Fadiya stroked his face. “I didn’t mean to make you angry.”

“I’m not angry with you.”

“She’s jealous. She doesn’t want you, but she won’t let you love anyone else. Is this how you want to live – like her slave, her eunuch?”

“Of course not,” he growled.

“There isn’t much time.” Fadiya’s soft voice became urgent. “Violette might be back at any moment. If she catches me, I truly believe she’ll kill me. Come with me now.”

“What? Where?”

“Somewhere safe. I have friends who’ll help me.”

“I’m not going to Reiniger’s mansion again.”

“No – I don’t mean there. Somewhere far away, warm and beautiful. Either you come with me now, Emil, or you never see me again. I love you.
She
never will.”

He stared at her, his breathing high and shallow. What to do? He saw Violette’s face in his mind and was flooded with rage – beautiful she might be, but with the arrogance of a snow queen. Was glory on stage worth the price of being crushed as a man? And here was Fadiya in front of him, so lovely, warm and passionate. If love withered when it was ignored, it must flourish where it was nurtured.

“If you don’t want me, say so and I’ll go.” Her eyes brimmed with tears, glistening. “But if you do – throw your clothes in a bag and come with me
now
.”

“This minute? I need to bathe…”

“There isn’t time,” she hissed. “Decide, because I have to go.”

“I love you, Fadiya.” The words rushed out of him like a thrilling wind. “I’m coming with you.”

“Then hurry!” She smiled through her tears, her joyful expression contorted with anxiety. Her panic infected him and he dragged out a canvas bag, threw some trousers and shirts on to the bed, along with his coat and hat, money and personal belongings. Fadiya looked out of the window as if watching for Violette’s return.

Then he stopped.

“Wait, I have to…” He fumbled in a drawer for writing paper, pen and ink.

“What are you doing?”

“I can’t go without leaving her a note.”

“For heaven’s sake!” She sounded frantic. “Can you count the minutes until Violette comes back? We need to be long gone from here.”

He was already writing, as fast as his hand would move, tears mingling with his sweat so he could barely see. Fadiya moaned in exasperation. “I’ll pack your bag while you write your goodbye. Quickly! Is there a secret way out?”

“This place has about twenty staircases. I know the least used. We can escape without anyone seeing us.”

“Come on, then.” She seized his arm, even as he finished signing his name. Then she paused for long enough to press her mouth to his. So succulent, delicious… For a moment he wished Violette in hell, so he could push Fadiya down on to the bed… but she gripped his hand and dragged him towards the door with astounding strength. “You won’t be sorry, darling Emil. She cannot stop us being together, and happy.”

* * *

Dawn brushed the mountain peaks, leaving the valleys in blue-green shadow. As the sky began to pale, Violette stepped from the Crystal Ring into her own living room. Her mood was oddly melancholy but calm. She’d done as Stefan asked: danced a brief solo for the guests’ enjoyment, announced that the Ballet Lenoir would be delighted to receive them all when the ballet opened, and if they left their names and addresses with Stefan they would all receive complimentary tickets. And she had even enjoyed herself, basking in their pleasure.

Deciding to leave on a high note, she had slipped away, found a victim in the darkness, and then passed into Raqia to rest.

For once, no visions of the giant skull-demon disturbed her.

Karl and Charlotte had been with her for a while, the three of them drifting on the ether in a semi-trance. By the time she revived, she was alone. She travelled straight home through the hidden dimension to ensure that no one would see her arrive. Now she had plenty of time to shed her party dress, bathe and put on her practice clothes while her company rose and ate breakfast.

She let Geli sleep in. If Geli wondered why her mistress required so little attention these days, she was too well-mannered to pry.

Violette combed out her long hair and folded it into a pleat at the nape of her neck. Standing before a mirror to check that she looked presentable, she noticed Charlotte behind her left shoulder. Violette was so startled that she almost leapt into the air.

“Gods, Charlotte, that’s the second time – what is it?”

Her friend’s face was serene, the amethyst eyes unblinking. She looked… not quite herself, as if she were sleepwalking. Paler than usual, and that strange empty look in her eyes…

Violette finished pinning up her hair and turned. As she did so, someone started thumping on the outer door to her suite.

Charlotte was nowhere to be seen.

“What are you playing at?” she said under her breath. She went to answer the door, calling out, “Yes, one moment!”

Thierry stood there with a piece of paper in his hand. He looked ashen. Grumpy by nature – mainly because he was a perfectionist when it came to the smooth running of the ballet – he deferred to no one but Violette herself. Now he showed no sign of his quick temper, only shock.

“Madame…”

“Come in. What’s wrong?”

“Emil was late rising – he didn’t come down for breakfast, so I went to see if he was ill. He was not in his room. I’m afraid he appears to have left, and in a hurry. His wardrobe and drawers were half-empty, the room in disarray…”

“
Left?
”

Dumb, Thierry gave her the note. His hand shook. Violette began to read, or tried: Emil had scribbled in Italian and it was all she could do to read his handwriting, let alone translate the meaning. She took a couple of minutes to make sense of it.

My dear Madame Violette
,

Forgive me. I did all I could to please you – to please us both. Gave up my longing for you – I admit it was hopeless – and you’ll never know what this cost me, but I did so anyway, for your sake. I worked. Your goal and mine were the same: artistic perfection.

And yet! Still not enough for you! I found someone – she was not you, could never be you, but she had that very quality you lack, warmth, warmth and love for me. I see clearly now. If the one you think you love is unreachable, then to find someone new – I thought it impossible but I was wrong! Someone who knows how to love can heal you. And she, Fadiya, knows.

I did all you wanted. Crushed my love for you, found her instead – and because of her I was no longer in despair, I was content and I could work as we both wanted. Tell me, whom were we harming?

And yet you could not even let me have that! You went to her, threatened her. To ask how you dared – how you could be so cruel – I can find no words! Worse than ruthless, I think there is evil in you. You wanted to save our partnership on stage, and yet you have destroyed it.

So you leave me no choice. Glory on stage, or love? Which do you think? I’m going away with Fadiya. Don’t try to find us. This is your loss. Yours. At least I shall be happy. Will you? Ever?

Regards, Emil.

Violette stared at the scrawled handwriting until the letters blurred. Rage and dismay paralysed her. There was some truth in his words, but he didn’t understand.

“You think you see clearly? I acted to save you, idiot!” she snarled aloud.

Thierry stood paralysed. She stared straight through him, forgetting he was there.

Now Emil would never understand, until Fadiya had drained him to a husk. There would be fever, madness, delirium. Pleasure, too, of course… but then decline – slow or sudden according to Fadiya’s whim – and death.

Should I seek him out
, she thought,
as I sought out Robyn, and stab my fangs into his neck in order to bring him to his senses? Lilith’s bite brings clarity… but Robyn died anyway. Enlightenment is not always enough.

She sank on to a chair, hands pressed to her forehead, the letter crumpled between them.

“Madame, I’m so sorry,” said Thierry. “I should have prevented this!”

“How? You’re his assistant, not his nursemaid. Go. Tell everyone – I don’t know, tell them he’s confined to his room with influenza. Thierry, go!”

Alone, Violette raged inwardly against Emil, and Fadiya, and herself. She allowed herself a few moments of self-indulgent collapse, then she straightened up and put the letter aside, smoothing it flat on a table top.

She had to fetch him back. There was nothing else for it. Even if it meant killing Fadiya and revealing that they were both vampires, even if Emil never forgave her – at least she would have saved his life.

* * *

When Charlotte and Karl rested in the Crystal Ring, time itself seemed to stop. They floated hand in hand, as if gliding in nothingness. Around them, the Ring’s atmosphere shimmered like liquid in which vast mountains sailed, ever-changing. Below, gilded russet cloud-hills frayed into vapour in the blue void. Earth was down there somewhere, invisible, like the depths of the ocean.

Charlotte often thought that Raqia was composed of layers, like the rings of an onion, each layer floating on the next as oil floated on water. Rippling, ever-changing in its beauty.

And the truth was even stranger, if what she believed was true. Raqia was a ghost-image of Earth and sky, created by the massed dreams of mankind. A tiny mote of light streaking upwards might be a person dying, or one being born. Every change created its own wave. Like a photon or a radio-wave, it travelled onwards and outwards forever.