A Marionette's Dream

July 5, 1903

It’s been two months since Adeline stole Lucas and my now demonized brother from me. I’ve been alone since then, I’ve left Lucas’s home; the happy memories we had there was torturing me. I’ve been pickpocketing money from passing strangers, it’s not much but it’s enough for a cheap hotel. I’ve decided to give up eating children souls, I’ve worked my way up to consuming adult souls. They’re not as sweet as children souls, but they’ll have to do. Now I’m sitting in some crowded pub, I’ve picked up a small drinking habit.

You would think that a demon couldn’t get drunk, but truth be told they can. “Aye! Fill my glass back up love!” I call as I slam my empty scotch glass down on the bar. “I believe you’ve had enough love.” I silk male voice spoke from my left side. I sniff and nearly gag, a bloody vampire is beside me. I glance over at him and glare, “I don’t listen to filthy bloodsuckers.” I reply as I raise my glass to the bartender again.

“Ouch dear, I am wounded.” He said as he took the glass from my hand. I turn to face him and growl, a pair of bright green eyes met my bright blue ones. “What is your problem? Can’t you see that I don’t want to talk to you.” I say sharply as my glare deepens. He smirks at me, ‘How dare he smirk at me!?’ I think as I grip the edge of the bar. His smirk widens, “You really don’t know who I am do you?” He asks. What the hell is this filth talking about!?

He laughs and leans his head back, great now the bastard is laughing at me. “I was your mother’s beau at one point love.” I blink and stare at him. My mouth fell open, “Daniel!?” I yell in exasperation. He grinned widely at me and held his arms open, “In the flesh love! How’s your mother been? Or have you seen her?” He asked. I rub my head and let out a great sigh. “She died...I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m a demon now. I made a deal to save Aidan’s life when he was four.” I explained as I looked down at the floor. I saved him from one fate, but by doing that I gave him an even worse one.

“I’m sorry that your mother has passed dear, may I ask whom you made a deal with?” Asked Daniel as he took my hand in his. I forgot how good he was to my mother, he was the only one who kept Aidan and me safe from her drunken rage. “Lucas Kane...a year after our deal was made he came to get me, he turned me into this...but...he lied about the deal...” I trailed off. I take a breath and continue to speak: “He didn’t tell me that when Aidan died he would become a demon as well...I kinda learned that the hard way two months ago.” The pain from that day resurfaces. Tears burned at the back of my eyes, ‘No...you stop that right now, the war is not over so don’t you cry.’ I scold myself mentally.

“What happened love?” Daniel asked softly. I sigh and look away, “A succubus named Adeline ruined my life...that’s what happened.” I reply quietly. Just saying her name makes me want to puke, “Did you say Adeline?” He asked quickly. I blink and look at him, I nod my head and raise my eyebrow questioningly. Disgust replaced his shocked expression soon after he said he name, “How did you get introduced to her? She’s mental love.” He says as he stands to leave. Daniel holds his hand out to me, I look at it for a moment and then place my hand in his. He pulls me up gently and leads me outside.

“Do you know Adeline?” I ask as he leads me down the sidewalk. “I knew her when she was a small little thing, she hated when other people were near the ones she liked.” His tone still held disgust. She really is a nut, “What would she do to the others?” I asked. “She’d do everything she could to get them to leave if that didn’t work then let’s just say you never saw them again.” He replied. I stopped walking, is that what she was trying to do to me?

Daniel leads me to a big house, I look up at it in awe. “Is this your home?” I ask, he looks down at me and smiles. “It was a gift from a friend, I figured you were tired of sleeping in those ratty hotels.” I blink and stare up at him, how did he know that I was staying in hotels? “Have you been watching me?” I asked. He blushed in embarrassment and rubbed his neck, “Only for a few days love. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” He replied sheepishly. My face grows hot, I touch my cheeks gently. “T-Thanks for worrying about me Daniel,” I say as I look down.

He smiled at me and pushed the door to his home open, he stepped aside and allowed me to step inside. I walk in and look around in amazement, the corridor was huge. The walls were painted black, and the floors were a polished hardwood. Paintings of former kings and queens littered the walls, a Persian rug lied beneath my bare feet. “Close your mouth love, flies will fly in if you don’t.” Mocked Daniel as he walked inside. I shake my head and follow him, more paintings litter the walls. “Now how on earth did you get the Mona Lisa?” I ask as I stare at the expressionless woman. He looked back at me and grinned, “Leonardo owed me for saving his ass from the king.” He explained.

“What did you do make him paint another?” I asked jokingly, he gave me a serious look. Okay, then he did make the famous painter make another. “You seem, hungry love, what is it that demons eat again? Souls right?” I nod and rub my arm. I was hoping he wouldn’t notice how hungry I was, “Have you tried blood before? Souls are becoming harder to find, so most demons are going after blood.” He says as he leads me to his kitchen. I look down at the floor and gape, he has imported tiles in here!? A jar of red liquid is waved in front of my face, I blink and look at it in confusion. “Um...what is this?” I ask as I take it.

He gives me an ‘are you kidding me?’ Look, I shrug my shoulders and continue to look at the jar. “Just drink it, love, you’ll need your strength for our war.” I blink and look up at him. “Our war?” I ask. He gives me a fanged smile as he places his hand on my shoulder, “I figured that you would need all the help you can get when it comes to dealing with Adeline.” I smile at him and gently touch his hand. I twist the lid off the jar and take a swig of the blood inside. I shudder at the taste, it’s so amazing. “Tomorrow we will start our hunt for this wench,” he says as he takes a seat at the kitchen table. I’ve seemed to have made quite the unusual alliance.