Bloodlines

The sun reached its zenith and Ridley was sleeping. It was blistering cold outside though the clouds weren’t many. Ankh was pacing endlessly before the eldritch huntress’ bed. She paused to lay down defeatedly then huffed at her soundless master. “You freaking suck, Ridley,” Ankh’s voice echoed across the rounded bedroom. The wolf rolled her eyes then pranced onto the bed. She settled on top of Ridley, resting her full weight over the huntress. She licked her lips then flattened her ears to sneak her head under Ridley’s arm. The huntress moaned then rolled over, away from her linked wolf.

“Ankh, get off my bed.”

A soft knock sounded on the bedroom door before Esmeralda came in. Ankh straightened up then glowered at the young huntress. “You’re self-destructive and stubborn,” the wolf stated. “I wish you could understand how frustrating that is!”

“And I wish you didn’t speak,” Ridley countered then sat up, only to see her stepmother with hand warmly on her growing belly. “Not you, her,” Ridley replied to Esmeralda, pointing to the large grey wolf.

“I would be lying if I didn’t think that was incredibly weird,” Esmeralda stated. Ankh huffed then left the room. “Does the horse also talk?” Ridley shook her head with a deep yawn. “Well, I just come from the infirmary and I stopped by to say congratulations, you are going to have a baby brother,” she cheered excitedly but Ridley showed no reaction. “‘Wow, Esmeralda, that’s so exciting. Thank you for telling me’. You’re welcome, Ridley.”

“I’m awful at domesticated life,” Ridley stated. “Look what happened to the last person I played big sister to.” Esmeralda reached over to take her daughter’s hand in hers. “I’m genuinely happy for you and Axel but this isn’t the type of thing you can trial and error. I don’t want to be a big sister, a little sister or any sister. I don’t want to fuck him up.”

“I thought that was supposed to be my concern,” Esmeralda replied with a chuckle but Ridley was still unchanging. “Ridley, listen to me. I know you’re not a woman of faith but I’m asking you to have just a smidge of faith in yourself. I know it’s not easy, given the circumstances and you know I would never profit off of someone’s misfortunes. However, don’t you think what happened between you and Ryan is a guideline to-”

“Please don’t say it,” Ridley cut in. “I don’t want to hurt the family any more than I already have. There’re just certain things that we can’t control.”

“Funny, I was going to say the same thing,” Esmeralda concluded then paused at the doorframe. “I’m sorry you feel the way you do and I hope over time you’re going to accept yourself.” Ridley looked away from her and Esmeralda nodded. “Hey, you’ve made your point very clear but Clarke and I were talking and if you ever want to meet your older brother, you know we have the resources to find him.”

Ridley only nodded in reply before her redblood ampyra stepmother left her room. The huntress slid her hand underneath her pillow and uncovered her gold card. She puffed her cheeks from her exhale. She rolled her eyes then laid back down. Sleep came easily.

The dream that followed, like many recently, were Renee’s memories. The deceased goldblood was in her homeland - France - and enjoying its nightlife. Despite the fun the goldblood was having, she was there on business. She was laughing as she came bouncing out of a club with the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

The young woman with her had her arms wrapped around her waist. Ridley spoke French so understanding the conversation came easily. “So tell me,” Renee began, “where is this fancy eldritch who doesn’t suffer depletion?”

“Earnest? Earnest doesn’t like to be bothered.” Renee clasped her hand around the girl’s neck then dragged her into a deserted street. “You can’t just walk into his...” Renee tightened her hold. “Okay. Fine, I-I’ll...” she let go. “He lives in le Chateaux Dumort."

“Where is it?”

“In Nice. The hill near Promenade des Anglais, where the house...”

“Don’t mock me,” Renee hissed angrily. “That’s Chateaux du Luq, the home of Tomás du Luq. And I know that because he’s my son and that’s where my family was murdered by your kind. Where is Earnest! You’re his right-hand lackey, you know everything. Now tell me or I will bite your throat out!”

The woman grinned broadly. “Renee du Luq,” she chuckled. “‘Your kind’, you say. For five hundred years, you helped us. You won us the war.” Renee exhaled heavily. “You should know better than anyone how resistant hunters are to threats.”

“True. You’re resistant to threats, not teeth.”

Renee pierced her jaws into the woman’s throat and the hunter screamed out her agony. Ridley bolted upright, panting. She scrambled for her phone and searched up ‘Chateaux du Luq’. As the hunter said, it was in Nice and it oversaw Promenade des Anglais. According to Google, it was still owned by House du Luq. Specifically owned by Tomás du Luq. The west wing was converted into the museum, the History of The Hunt Association.

It wasn’t the first memory relieved of Renee looking for the eldritch named Earnest. First was the time hired a private investigator, who she also murdered; the forensic accountant, who also died; the hidden complex of goldbloods, some librarian who had access to historical records within the The Hunt, a homeless man that was actually well connected. They all wound up dead. For whatever reason Renee was looking for Earnest, he best be glad Renee never found him!

When the sun set, Ridley rose. Downstairs, her parents were ready for dinner while their daughter was ready for breakfast. Ankh made her way to the fireplace to keep warm by her dinner; half a flayed little lamb. Esmeralda kissed her stepdaughter’s temple out of nowhere before pulling out her seat.

Clarke settled the last plate on the table before joining his reduced family. Before the principal could open the bottle of wine, Ridley blurted out, “we need to talk.”

Her father returned the wine to the table while exchanging a concerned glanced with his wife. The redblood too was taken aback. “What is it,” Esmeralda asked. “Is everything okay?”

“I can’t stay in Dunon. There’s nothing left here,” Ridley began slowly. She looked between her parents who were silent. “I don’t belong here.”

“That’s what mourning is,” Clarke countered ruefully. “Ryan...” merely saying her name made the temperature in the room drop. The fire behind Clarke went white and Ridley looked away. “She will always be a part of this town. A part of you. Leaving isn’t going to change that. I know it’s not easy but you just have to comb through the knots.”

“Take it one day at a time,” Esmeralda added. “Maybe start by talking to someone about-”

“I can’t stay,” Ridley roared, taking to her feet.

The flames spewed upwards and made Ankh duck for cover in the kitchen. Frost thickened over the ampyra-against-man murals on the walls and the dark mahogany detailing. The eldritch took deep breaths to calm down but the dining room was still frigid. The flames returned to their warm hue. Coolly she sat back down and allowed the silence to continue on.

Once Ridley was sure her flare up had settled, she went on demurely, “this isn’t just because of Ryan. Renee couldn’t control this either,” she lied. “She was looking for a teacher. She found one but...”

“I imagine this isn’t something you learn overnight,” Clarke cut in. “And you have school tomorrow.”

“Then there’ll be a blood bath in the foreseeable future,” the young huntress threatened, silencing both her parents. “I could just leave because I am legally an adult but you’re still my parents. I want your permission.”

Ankh cautiously sniffed her way back into the room before reinvesting in her now frozen lamb. She dragged the little lamb closer to the fire to defrost before laying next to it. She was watching Esmeralda and Clarke think over Ridley’s maturity.

“Clever tactic,” Esmeralda commented. “Showing maturity to convince us to let you leave? My answer is no. You’re in no emotional condition to be by yourself in unfamiliar territory.”

“And my answer is no because I’m your father and your superior.” Ridley nodded mutely then dug into her macaroni and cheese. “After the school year, we can go find this teacher.” Again Ridley nodded mutely.

“What are you plans for the night,” Esmeralda deflected.

“Just patrol and maybe I’ll take Mako for a walk afterwards,” Ridley replied.

“Mind doing the dishes before you leave?”

“Okay.”

Ankh lowered her ears, sensing how unfazed Ridley was. She was still going to leave! There was nothing the grey wolf could do other than finish the last of her lamb. The remnants of the carcass she left on the silver platter it was served on. Stealthily the grey wolf crept out of the dining hall and out of the manor, taking full sprint towards the moon dorm.

She let herself in and sniffed her way to Sayeed’s room. There she scratched on the door until his roommate, Mason, opened the door. Ankh brushed passed him and leaped onto Sayeed’s bed, where he was reading ‘The Fight’ by Norman Mailer. Ankh caught the book in her jaws and tugged on it.

“Key, I’ve got patrol in an hour. Please let me enjoy my book,” Sayeed desisted, tugging back. Ankh snarled angrily, still tugging on the book. Sayeed tugged back. “Key, stand down.” Still Ankh tugged on the book, growling more aggressively.

“One of you just let go,” Mason bellowed. Sayeed sighed then loosened his grip, sending Ankh’s head flying away from him. “I thought his name was Anchor.”

"Her name is Ankh. Key is her nickname; ‘ankh’ is an Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic that means ‘key of life’,” Sayeed explained before sitting straight. “I thought tonight was Ridley’s night with you,” he directed to the grey beast, taking his book back. “Tired of your mother’s fowl temper?”

Ankh sat next to him coolly then stared aimlessly at him. “You and Axel are a thing?”

“We’re just partners,” Sayeed replied but Mason’s eyes went wide. “Hunting partners, man. Hunting partners. God, no! I’m old enough to be her father.”

“You’re, like, forty-three? Forty-four?”

“Forty-five.”

“Do you have a forty-five year old man’s life outside of school? Like, a wife and children and stuff?”

“If I don’t look forty-five, I’m not about to act forty-five,” Sayeed replied then turned to see Ankh still staring at him. “What, Key? Use your big girl words.”

“Fuck it, I’m going to town,” Mason stated then got up to leave.

“Don’t do drugs,” Sayeed greeted.

While Ankh relaid what she knew to Sayeed, Ridley was busy stuffing the dishes into the dishwasher in deep thought. She pursed her lips then left the dishwasher open with the dishes still waiting for something to happen. She hurried upstairs and pulled out her suitcase and a duffle bag. In the privacy of her bedroom, Ridley Axel was executing her runaway.

While stuffing more weapons than clothing into her bags, Ridley was searching for the cheapest option to get to France. She didn’t realise until then that, now, she wasn’t just leaving to escape but she wanted to Earnest. She already leads from Renee’s memories and they all led to Nice. She had to swallow hard, knowing there was a chance she might run into Tomás du Luq. Her brother.

The thought made shivers run down her spine. If the past four months taught her anything, it was this: Renee’s children are a messed up people! Tomás could be anything from silently and deadly to aggressive and tactical. He could be a Renee incarnate or even a Ryan incarnate. If fate would have it, he could even be like Ridley. More accurately, Ridley could be like him.

Though Ridley made her decision thoroughly, it still made tears swell in her eyes. The furthest she’d been from her family was boarding school in Pardón and that was with Ryan at her side. This was - not just leaving the country - was a new frontier. An intimidating one yet Ridley was adamant. With her travel bags in hand, she paused at her door. There was something else she had to do. Tell her parents.

Quickly she scrammed for her desk to write to them and Dane. They would be furious, obviously, but more than anything they would be worried. Hopefully they would have every confidence that Ridley was a capable hunter, despite her eldritch issue. Carefully Ridley laid a letter on her parents’ bed then made her way downstairs, taking in every inch of the manor.

She charged to the dorms and casually modelled through the moon boys’ dormitory. Marcus, Dane’s roommate, hadn’t arrived yet and Dane was still on patrol. By the time he read it, hopefully Ridley wouldn’t be in Dunon Town.

She hurried back home to collect her bags before anyone could suspect what she was doing. At the door, she pulled it open to find Sayeed prepared to knock and Ankh impatiently pacing around the front doors.

“I was really hoping she was joking,” Sayeed stated and Ridley reached for her suitcase to roll down the path to the main gates. “You’re really leaving?” He and Ankh followed her route. “Clarke’s going to be real pissed off! If he catches you, you are dead!”

“Bury me next to Ryan,” she stated nonchalantly, tightening her hold on her suitcase handle.

“We need you here,” Ankh’s voice bellowed through Ridley’s mind. “You can’t go!”

“And you’re going to stop me,” she directed to the wolf at her side. “How? Piss on me and make me your territory?”

“She wants to go with you,” Sayeed stated and Ridley halted abruptly.

“She literally just told me I can’t leave.”

“Obviously in vain,” Sayeed countered. “This was her last attempt to stop you from leaving but since that clearly worked out...” he handed her Ankh’s bulletproof vest. Ridley flared an eyebrow at him. “She likes belly rubs but she was too polite to tell you.” Ridley glanced over to Ankh who sat next to the suitcase. “We’ll all feel more at ease if we knew you weren’t alone out there.”

Ridley rolled her eyes then took the vest from Sayeed. “You’re not going to stop me?”

“Have you seen what happens to people who try to stop you,” he countered and she nodded once. “Does Dane know?” The consistent square scowl faltered into her ruefully pout. “That’s one way to break his heart.”

“For once, act your age,” Ridley jeered. “He’s mature enough to take it,” she concluded then continued for the main gate.

“Ridley,” Sayeed called a final time and she exasperatedly turned to face him. “I really hope this isn’t goodbye.”

Ridley took him in. His dark hair and the matching caterpillar eyebrows that furrowed above dark eyes filled with genuine worry. Sayeed’s hands were clutched to match his worry. His gradus - the Nonentity series, his Mana and his Scholastics - were hidden underneath his dark green jacket.

“Me too,” she replied with a nod.

Ankh nestled her nose into his side while he roughed out her gruff. The grey wolf licked his hand before trailing after Ridley. On the other side of the main gate, her taxi was patiently waiting for her. Since students were returning, the gate was open and cars were bustling in and out endlessly.

Ridley opened the back door for Ankh to leap in while she packed her belongings into the boot. Inside, the driver put down his guzzler to start his red Volkswagen. “The train station please,” Ridley stated and soon enough, Dunon Academy was behind her for the last time.

While in the quiet of the taxi, Ridley strapped Ankh into her vest and the wolf nestled into her cheek. Ridley could feel that her linked canine still didn’t approve of the idea but she clearly couldn’t stop Ridley now. The taxi driver cruised to a halt in front of the station, that was dead still.

Dunon Station barely had a hum of activity going on. The bright lights illuminated the place like there was a fear of the dark. There was little to no activity going on. The most active place was the cafe. There was a woman working on her laptop and enjoying an espresso and of course the staff was there. That was it.

The lady behind the desk also must have been refueled by coffee because she was more lively than anything else in the while station. “Good evening, miss. Where would you like to go,” she greeted.

“How much to Nice, France? One way.”

“€3. The next train is actually in a few minutes. Best hurry,” the lady went on while typing. “Any baggage that may or might infringe on international travel laws, policies, rules or regulations?”

“Ankh,” Ridley called and the wolf leaped to her hind legs to meet the woman’s bright face. The lady nodded then continued typing while Ridley rummaged for her passport and her gold card. “Two hunters,” she stated then handed the lady her information and her monetary card.

The lady concluded her typing then handed Ridley her ticket. “Terminal D, miss. Travel time is twenty-five minutes, estimated time of arrive is 20:55. Have a safe journey. Thank you, miss.”

Ridley exhaled heavily then followed the signs to Terminal D. Ankh stepped into the train before she did and sniffed her way through the carts and led Ridley to the bar cart. The hunter caved into a lounge chair at a low table with Ankh in the ottoman seat, against the wall.

The bar was filled with French hums both around the actual bar and in the seats throughout the cart. People were watching Ridley and Ankh with intrigue. Young hunters out on their own was a common practice. Six out of ten were usually Rogues. The question around the watchers was ‘which one is she?’

Assuming they weren’t more focused on Ankh. Pets in a carrier may travel at a minimal cost, depending on the country. A small domestic animal in a carrier can travel free of charge. Dogs accompanied disabled passengers travel free of charge, just like hunter canines. Carrier pets were confined to the cargo cart and aiding dogs were always on leashes. Hunter canines were hardly restricted like that. Not even the sniffers!

It took some time before the train hissed to life and was on its way to Nice, through Monaco. Ankh laid on the ottoman, allowing herself to fall asleep with Ridley nearby. The huntress watched as Dunon passed her by before there was nothing but darkness. Ridley pouted weakly at the harsh realisation; she was completely on her own now. Apart from Ankh, all she had was her skills and her wits.

Twenty-five minutes suddenly felt very long! The gossips seated at the bar were clearly from an elite economic group. It wasn’t just what they wore, it was how they spoke. There was an arrogant dominance in their voices, especially the women. People like them made Ridley sick.

They lived like kings while she, her sister and their father barely had enough. Clarke never let himself show it but even as children, Ridley and Ryan could see how strenuous their lives were on him. He did everything he could for them; he did it to the day Ridley killed Ryan and every day after. He was still doing everything he could.

The huntress turned away from them. Smelling their non-ampyra blood made her more disgusted. She glanced over at Ankh, who was in a full snooze. Her breathing was steady and her tail lazily trailed over the edge of the ottoman. Everything was smooth so Ridley plugged in her earphones.

Ridley slumped into her seat as a waiter came over to her with a menu. Instead of addressing her directly, he merely laid the menu on the table. Attached to the menu was a note. ‘Help’ it read ‘we have two Class Es two carts down. Passengers moved to next carts’. She wanted to ignore it since all large-scale public transport modes are obligated to have a hunting marshal onboard.

However, over the waiter who laid the menu before her was stiff and had dread on his face. He paused by her again, this time swallowing hard. “Miss,” he called weakly. “Have you looked over the menu?”

“I did,” she replied, reassured by the evident terror he failed at hiding. “Do you have anything sharp?”

“Right this way,” he replied. Ridley turned to Ankh and left her to catch up on her sleep since she was constantly alternating between Sayeed and Ridley. The huntress followed the waiter to the door at the bar marked ‘staff only’. “In here,” the waiter said then opened all the cabinets around him.

There were guns and knives and swords and bows and a whole grenade launcher. Even if she was a hunter, Ridley couldn’t bring her weapons into carts filled with civilians. Terrorism and all that. Not even her karambit. Strategy was a key here. Nothing loud as to not panic other travellers, nothing without grip because then she would have to use her eldritch, nothing big because of the confined space, nothing damaging to not accidentally destroy the train and certainly nothing that would remind her of Ryan because that would be distracting.

Ridley pulled out her personal favourites; daggers. Ring daggers, to be precise. “Only two,” the waiter questioned. “Those two men; they’re giants. We have much more-”

“I’ll need a rum and Coke afterwards please,” Ridley cut in. “No ice.” The waiter could only nod while she tucked the daggers into her inner jacket. “Have they bitten anyone?”

“Nobody as far as we know. We locked the doors and sealed off the emergency exits but that won’t hold them.”

“Once I’m inside, lock all the doors again. Is there anyway to reach other carts from there?”

“There’s a phone in the staff room. All the cart numbers are next to it,” he replied, gesturing to the identical set up in their room. Ridley nodded then exited the room. “Please be careful.”

She merely left the bar cart to find the people in the next cart gathered against the back. She squirmed through them, drawing the daggers and locking her index fingers into each of them. She could hear how the two Class Es were banging to get out. From behind the safe cart’s door she could see they truly were gargantuan. One had to slouch forward to fit in!

Coolly she slid open the door and sealed it behind her. The one man banging on the door stopped to take in the admirer. The light on the lock was still red but wouldn’t stay that way long. Bracing herself to jump, Ridley ignored the breakneck speed the train was flying at as well as the repetitive thudding from the Class E.

She was laser focused on the red light. The frigid wind howling in her ears died out and the rattling links between the carts went mute. It was green! Ridley grabbed the rim of the roof and smashed the door’s window with her feet, flying feet first into the cart.

The Goliath of a man tumbled backwards while his acquaintance stopped trying to break the other door down to take in the spectacle. Ridley pranced for the first Edging, stabbing him in the throat. Beyond him was the hunting marshal, lifeless with a gun in his hand. Ridley pulled out the dagger and planted it into the Edging’s forehead for good measure all the while not looking away from the other Edging that had to learn forward.

She straightened up then felt her phone ring. Other the other end was Clarke. She rolled her eyes then answered. “In the middle of something,” she hissed then hung up. She set her phone on a seat then threw a dagger at the man’s face. Despite his broad physique he somehow managed to dive into a row of seats.

Ridley ran for him but a hand grabbed her ankle. The marshal’s head looked up at her; he was a Feral - or just Class F. The difference was in their eyes; Edgings had dark rings around their eyes while the veins of Feral eyes were also visibly black. He, the marshal, had to have led them onto the train. Ferals were condemned longer than Edgings.

She stabbed him continuously in the head until he fell limp for good. Behind, the monster man grabbed Ridley by her shoulders and flung her into the other cart door. More than halfway across the cart. The staff room was beside her. She looked down the aisle and saw, somehow, she dropped the daggers.

She scrambled into the staff room while the Class E came charging like a raging bull. She rummaged through the cabinets while he tried to squeeze into the narrow room. There were only guns. She grabbed a handgun and fired a shot, only to find it empty. She scrammed for ammunition. The man reached into the room, trying to grab her. He did. As she grabbed a cartridge of bullets.

Dragging her by her hair, the Edging flung her into the wall across the cart, cracking the window. Dazed, Ridley forced herself to gather her bearings. Unfortunately the man was faster than her senses. He squeezed her tiny neck in his beefy digits. He bit into the side of her shoulder, more of her arm. Moving her arms - as little as she was - sent tides and tides of crashing agony throughout her muscles.

She loaded the cartridge into the gun and loaded a round. The man broke away from her arm. His lips dripping with her black and gold blood. His free hand touched his lips to take in the unique blood. “What are you,” the man hissed.

“Satan’s spawn,” she replied sourly then fired into his abdomen.

He dropped her onto her injured arm and the building scream finally escaped her and made the windows rattle. The Class E stammered backwards, taking in the gold blood pouring out of him. Ridley fought back her tears from the ripping pain in her arm. She rolled onto her back, clutching tighter onto the gun, accidentally firing it at an open cabinet door.

She angled her arm away from the staff room and towards the gargantuan man. She grunted her pain and clenched her teeth to fight it. She fired two more rounds at the man and watch him fall dead. She exhaled heavily then forced herself to her feet, trying as best she could to not use her right arm.

She stumbled back into the staff room to dial the listed code into the telephone. “All clear,” she stated. Then caved in the floor while a woman on the other side repeatedly said ’hello?’. It wasn’t long before the waiter who helped her came rushing into the cabinet with an unassuming passenger with him.

“Miss? Miss, can you hear me,” the passenger asked in French while taking in her arm. Ridley’s ear-splitting shriek from him touching her arm made the windows crack. “It’s a deep wound,” he stated while skimming through the first aid kit the waiter handed him. “Her blood is... peculiar. I’ve never seen this before.”

“I’m fine,” Ridley got out weakly. Slowly she sat up and covered her arm. “Where’s that rum?” The last thing she expected was for the waiter to not only have it ready but also bring it with into the cart. “Accommodating,” she commented as she took the glass. “My wolf?”

“Entertaining the children in the next cart,” the waiter stated. “You should let the doctor look at you.”

She shook her head then found the courage to stand, swallowing the shooting pains in her arm. “I’ll be fine by the time we stop.”

She casually made her way back to the bar cart, picking her cellphone off the seat in the process. Ridley untied her black hoodie from around her waist and covered her open wound that sounded like it was healing. It was only when she sat down that she realised she was bleeding from her face too. She picked up the napkin meant for her drink and leaned her head into her palm.

Ankh returned not long before they had reached Nice. By then, all Ridley’s perforations were mere memories. The grey wolf leaped into the seat beside her master. Slowly Ridley lowered the napkin to show Ankh the remnants of her wound. “I look okay?” Ankh licked her eyebrow where she bled from. “Thanks.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Nice,” an attendant began into the intercom. “We apologise for any inconvenience caused during this ride.” She then went on to explain certain things that Ridley did without and she also went on in French.

The terminal was also quiet, like in Dunon, but there was more liveliness in Nice. After collecting her belongings, Ridley - with Ankh in tow - wandered the streets at night. The beach wasn’t far; the waves were audible in the distance. After trudging in minimal pain, Ridley found what she was looking for; the Judicious series on an inn. A hunter’s hostel. Le Royale du Lionne Auberge.

They got there in a nick of time; it started pouring down! Ridley let Ankh in first and the wolf shook off her handful of rain water while her human huntress went straight to the front desk. “Bonsoir, mademoiselle,” the man greeted. “Anglais? Français? Espagnol? Chinois?”

“English,” Ridley replied handing him her identification card and her gold card.

“Welcome to the Le Royale du Lionne Inn. I am Ennui. How long will you be staying with us,” he asked though his southern French accent blurred most of his words. He scanned over her two cards and was satisfied that they were real.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, realising how poorly thought out her planning skills really are.

Ennui nodded as if it were normal then lowered his glasses from his lightly greying hair to type on his tablet. “Any room specifications?”

“Canine-friendly with a bath,” Ridley replied, massaging her healed arm.

While Ennui went on typing, Ridley took in the lifeless first floor. There was just a bar without a bartender. “I knew I recognised you,” he went on. “You’re one of Richard’s grandchildren.” Ridley nodded wordlessly. “I was his student, with his sons. You have Barbara’s eyes.” Ridley gave a weak smile. “Room C15. Third floor,” Ennui concluded, handing her a key to her. “Anything from the kitchen or bar?”

“A shot of your strongest concoction and a pint of someone who's not O negat,” she replied then stepped away to follow his directions.

“Enjoy your stay with us, Miss Axel.”

Upstairs, the carpet hadn’t been washed or vacuumed in a while. The florescent lights were too bright for tired eyes and most of the painted numbers were faded. Room C15, for tired legs, was too far away from the stairs. The metal key was heavy in a weak hand. Unlocking the wooden door was more a mission than it should have been.

The room was just as she requested; canine-friendly with a dog bed, food and water bowls for Ankh and a bath across the shower for Ridley. The single bed was right under the air conditioner that kept the room chilled to a crisp. Ridley tiredly closed the thick curtains to block out the lighting and turned off the air conditioner. She caved into her bed staring at her ceiling.

Her beverages arrived and peeling herself off the bed was more difficult than expected. The young woman before her had teeth marks up and down her neck and arms. In her hands was a tray with a shot of Cognac - French whiskey - and the bottle to prove what it was. Also on the tray was a pint of blood, still warm. That’s pint as in a beer pint. It was illegal for anyone to have blood bags in France.

“Anything else, Miss Axel,” the woman asked.

“No. Thank you,” she replied then took the tray from the woman, who took the bottle off the tray. Ridley closed the door behind her and set everything on the table. She sighed then sat on the edge of the bed while Ankh was laying on the dog mattress. The huntress exhaled while laying back. “Fuck.”