Page 40 of Fragile Wicked Things
"No! I did as you had asked. I left you alone. I fed off animals, some forest ones, but when I became too weary to hunt, I killed farm animals which brought me too close to them. Someone saw me, and they set their dogs after me. I have no place to turn. Please, I beg of you. For months now, I've been living as you wanted, have taken no human life, living a repentant existence. I ask for mercy," she said, her voice strained.
"Mercy?" The request seemed to be a heavy burden on Edward that it brought him down to his knees. He reached out to her, hands clasping her shoulders. "Do you speak the truth? Are you repentant?"
"I am," she said.
He shook his head. "How can I believe you?"
"Look at me, Edward. My eyes reveal my true nature."
Edward wiped away wisps of her hair that had fallen forward, masking her face.
"Your true nature," he said, almost in a whisper, his anger diminishing.
"Much of the darkness has subsided. I am as you once found me—your angel by the water’s edge."
"My angel, yes, I remember now. You were an innocent before you met with the unfortunate circumstance of crossing paths with me." After hesitating, he continued, "This is all my doing. It should be I who asks for forgiveness, Blanche." Edward stood, raising her alongside him until she stood too. "Go to the west side of my property. There, you will find a small creek, cross it, travel two hundred meters, and you will come to a cave. Hide there, and once they are gone, I will come for you."
"We mustn't stay here any longer. Flee this place with me. We can make a new beginning in Prague, hide amongst them. No one will be the wiser."
Barking dogs sounded in the distance.
"Go now," he said, opening one of the windows and pushing her out. She turned to him.
"You give me your word. You will come for me?"
"You have my word," he said.
With the red-haired woman gone, Edward called out for Giovanni, who quickly responded.
"Yes, sir," Giovanni said upon entering the room.
"Ready a trunk for myself and Catherine straight away. Arrange for us to go abroad."
My heart was heavy with the anguish of living in Prague with this murderess.
"To where, sir?"
Edward hesitated, then said, "America."
The dogs were close, sniffing at the front door of the estate. Someone knocked.
"See to the arrangements. I will take care of whoever is at the door," Edward told Giovanni.
I slipped out from my hiding place and tiptoed to the other side of the grandfather clock, where I stood by the railing overlooking the front entrance. Three men entered, visibly upset.
"Lord Rochester," a tall man with a rather long moustache said. "I would like to introduce you to Charles Merrill and Lewis Channing."
"Why this unexpected visit, gentlemen?" Edward said.
The tall man leaned towards Edward. "This matter requires your urgent attention. Several farmers in the surrounding villages have found their animals dead. At first, they believed it a wolf attack, but as of late, there have been many unexplained and gruesome deaths of farmers and others in isolation." Here, he paused for good measure before continuing. "The other day, a young boy witnessed something. He claims to have seen not an animal, but a creature rip apart his father and drain him of his blood."
"A Vampyre," Charles explained in a hushed tone.
Edward stood there in silence, staring at them. A smile appeared on his face as a burst of laughter escaped him. "Is this why you've come? To make me into a fool with your ridiculous story?"
"It's true, Lord Rochester. I've seen her myself," said Lewis. Outside, I could hear the dogs bark and scratch at the front door. "Shut those dogs up!" Lewis yelled to someone outside.
"Her? The creature is a woman?" said Edward.
