Chronicles of Darkness: Shadows and Dust (33 page)

         Helena entered the
library and found Monsieur Dutroit, who was standing close to the window, his
back to her.

         Straight forward, he
said, "Bonjour!" Finally he turned to her and went on, without giving
Helena the chance to return the greeting. "At the gate, I met your stable
master. Jean, n'est-ce pas?" Helena wanted to answer, but Michel continued,
"He was acting quite mysterious. His chest puffed out, he said he had to
carry out an important mission for you, Madame." The police chief waited
for a reaction, but the huntress bit her lip, not saying anything.

         Michel prodded on,
"The man behaved strange towards me."

         Eventually, Helena
relented to Michel's persistence. A wry smile on her face, she said,
"Well, it seems that Jean is a bit overzealous. There is no reason for you
to grow suspicious of him." Helena pointed to a comfortable chair, but
Michel shook his head. Friendly, she asked, "Can I get you something to
drink?"

         Again, the man only shook
his head. Instead, he inquired, "You are evasive, Madame. Is there a
reason for not telling me the meaning of my rather strange encounter with
Jean?"

         Helena suddenly felt unwell
and cold. Never had Michel acted so brisk and straight forward in her presence.
"I am not avoiding your questions, Monsieur. Jean is just doing me a
little favor."

         "What kind of
favor?" His voice sounded dangerous, threatening.

         Helena retreated a step,
puzzled by his tone. "My dear Monsieur Dutroit, today I am truly wondering
about your curiosity."

         Instantly his voice was
normal and polite as usual. "Forgive me, Madame, but it seems that
you
are keeping something important from me. Something to do with the murders. You
know, I am also interested in solving these cases."

         When Helena didn't
answer, he added charmingly, "I am concerned about
your safety, my
dearest."

         For a moment, the
huntress doubted Michel's words, but she brushed the thought aside as he
stepped closer and smiled at her. He took one of her hands and whispered,
"You are trembling, my dearest." Compassionately, he caressed her
fingers.

         Helena swallowed hard and
pulled her hand from his grasp to retreat further. Her breathing increased, and
she noticed his surprised glance, which followed her. Unsure and embarrassed,
she said, "You are so unusual frank."

         A self-confident smile
formed on Michel's lips. "I always thought you are unshakeable, my dear
Helena."

         "It just caught me
off guard," the huntress defended herself. "To get back to your
question, Monsieur, Jean is contacting Monsieur Delacroix, the caretaker of
this estate."

         Michel drew his brows
together.

         "Monsieur Delacroix
is the only eye witness. He knows what the intruder looked like." Helena'
regarded Michel, who kept silent. Deliberately, she didn't mention his
companion, Chalice. "I would like to have a picture of the cold blooded
murderer."

         Michel paled with fright,
but Helena drew the wrong conclusions. "Do not worry, Monsieur. You know
that I can take care of myself."

         "Of course, of
course. Shouldn't Monsieur Delacroix be put under protection? I'd like to have
him
under my personal protection."

         Helena contemplated his
words. "I don't think that the murderer is concerning himself with getting
identified."

         "How can you be so
sure of that, my dear Helena?" Again his voice sounded different, lurking.

         Their gazes met and
Helena thought she could read something in his eyes, something strangely
foreign. Her senses kicked in, but she didn't know how to classify this feeling
and so she brushed the objections aside. "Arrogance," she said
abruptly.

         Michel cleared his throat
and replied, "I don't think I understand, dear Helena."

         "Do not
underestimate the culprit's arrogance. He is so sure of himself that it doesn't
matter to him if he gets caught."

         "Are you trying to
suggest he
wants
to be discovered?"

         "Yes. He is tired of
his own game and now he wants to end it."

         "That is
outrageous." Lost in thought, Michel stroked his beard. "And it
changes everything."

         "I fear I do not
understand you."

         "Helena, from this
moment on, I will not leave your side."

         Her eyes widened.
"What? Impossible..."

         "No argument,"
Michel interrupted roughly. "From your words I gather that you are in grave
danger!"

         Helena was speechless.
She had not expected this reaction. Before she was able to object, Michel
added, "This morning I have to take care of a pressing matter, but I will
be back soon, my dear. Please, excuse me." Michel bowed politely and left
the room.

         The huntress was
thunderstruck. "That cannot be true. I think, I heard wrong. Now of all
times, when I am so close to the truth." Brooding, she sat down on a
chair. "What am I to do? If Michel follows me everywhere, my hands are
tied." Eventually she came to a decision and went to search for her son.

*****

         Kyrian threw his head
back, his fingers fumbling for the towel. "Ugh, the water is cold."
He dried his face and pushed the washing bowl aside. Then he looked at the
mirror and grinned broadly, telling his reflection, "I am going to meet
Christine again. I will just put on some fresh clothes, and then I am off to
see you, my beloved." Kyrian blushed a bit at his own bold words. Humming,
he busied himself with his clothes, until a knock at the door interrupted him.

         "Enter," Kyrian
called and his mother stepped into the room.

         "Mama?" he
asked in surprise. "Is there something I can do for you?"

         "Indeed, there
is." Helena closed the door. "But, as I can see, you already have
other plans."

         "Um...no... I just
spilled something and have to put on new clothes," he lied and turned his
gaze ashamed to the window.

         There was a long pause
and Helena stood in the room, feeling helpless. "I know, we had some
differences, but I do not want to fight anymore." Tense, she waited for
Kyrian's reaction.

         Slowly her son turned
around. "I do not wish to fight with you either."

         Before the young man
could mention the topic of Christine, Helena announced, "If you are
interested, I have a mission for you."

         "What kind of
mission?" There was a mixture of suspicion and excitement in his voice.

         "Monsieur Dutroit
has made the decision to not leave my side."

         Kyrian rolled his eyes
and groaned.

         His mother responded
harshly, "Save the annoyed glance, my son. He thinks he has to protect me
from the
Heart Taker
." Helena sighed. "No matter what I say,
he will not leave."

She placed her hands on Kyrian's
shoulders and locked their gazes. "That is why I want you to go to the
Quartier
Latin
in my place. Look for old, abandoned houses. I am suspecting that the
vampire spawns are hiding somewhere in this quarter."

         The young man was
astonished, faced with his mother's openness. He was ashamed about his own lie
and didn't dare tell her that he had spent the whole night in the
Quartier
Latin
.

         Helena grabbed his
shoulders harder, admonishing him. "I want you to write down the addresses
of any suspicious looking buildings. And no heroic acts, understood? I will
trust you to do as I said, alright?"

         Kyrian shook off her
hands, grinding his teeth. "Yes, Mama."

         "Good. That is what
I wanted to hear. Then go right away." Helena was already on the door when
she turned around. "Thank you."

         Kyrian ran a hand through
his long, dark hair and nodded wearily.

*****

         Some time later, Helena
sat in the library, sorting her documents.

         Monique entered and
announced the arrival of Monsieur Dutroit.

         The huntress groaned in
annoyance, but she hid her feelings well as the police chief stepped into the
room.

         "Excuse me, Madame,
but I bring bad news."

         Helena got up and a
feeling of anxiety rose inside her.

         "I came to tell you
that Bernard Delacroix is dead."

         She was thunderstruck.
Disbelieving, Helena looked at Michel. "Bernard is dead? How..."

         Michel continued
sympathetically, "An unsolved crime."

         "Deliberate
murder?" the huntress guessed.

         "My men can't
confirm that. This late morning, he was found dead in his private chambers...
strangled with a belt."

         Helena's mind worked
feverishly. "But where is Jean?"

         Calmly, Michel strode to
the armchairs and sat down. "He is at my office, in Paris. He is being
questioned at the moment." He noticed Helena's shocked expression and
placated, "As an eye witness, of course." Michel watched her reaction
like a hawk.

         Helena began to pace the
room. "I have to talk with the boy, Philippe. I will ride there
myself."

         "Impossible!"
Michel countered, his voice unusual harsh. "His parents will not allow
their child to be disturbed. Not after what transpired in that certain night,
at this castle."

         Helena pricked up her
ears.
'How can Michel know about that? Bernard said that nobody knew,
especially not the police...'

         Michel noticed his
mistake and added, "You know, the murders of the daughters."

         "Yes, still..."
Helena began hesitatingly, but Michel interrupted her again, lying coldly,
"My men found some of Monsieur Delacroix's notes that he kept like a
diary."

         Alarmed, Helena pressed
on, trying to sound as indifferent as possible. "Indeed? What kind of
notes did you find?"

         A small smile formed on
Michel's lips. "Nothing important to help us catch the
Heart Taker
."

         Helena was relieved to
hear that Bernard hadn't written down anything about a vampire. To Michel she
said, "Too bad," and returned to the table, where she had worked
before.

         Time went by in absolute
silence.

         Once in a while, Helena
glanced at Michel, who seemed to be engrossed in a book.

'This cannot go on.'
Helena stood up and
said friendly, "Evening is approaching and you look exhausted. Would you
like to have a cup of vitalizing mint tea with me?"

         "I'd like that very
much, dear Helena," he answered and stretched his tired body.

         "I will go and ask
Monique to brew some tea. Please, stay here. I will be back shortly. Do not
leave, yes?" Helena forced a winning smile on her face and left the library.

         Outside, she released a
deep breath. On her way to the kitchen she told herself, "I have to do
something. Michel is becoming a burden."

         She turned and went to
her chambers, fetching a small glass tube, which contained a white powder. With
that in hand, she went to the empty kitchen. Helena set up a kettle with water
and searched for the mint leaves. "I hope that we do have mint." She
found some bundles of dried leaves hanging from the ceiling in the storage
room. The huntress grabbed one and returned to the kitchen. At the window, she
plucked the dark green leaves from the stems. Looking up, her gaze fell on the
herb garden. Helena frowned. "I think I saw something move out
there." Her suspicion raised, she went outside and listened intently.
Suddenly the huntress heard little cracking noises and her eyes turned to the
edge of the woods, which lay right behind the herb garden. "Somebody seems
to be hiding there. Are they observing me?" Her sharp gaze picked up
another movement, behind one of the tress. Immediately Helena sprinted towards
it. "
You
?" she exclaimed, horrified. Behind the old chestnut
tree, she discovered the girl known as Christine.

         No less stunned, the
young woman looked at the huntress with wide eyes.

         "Have you lost your
voice?"

         Defiantly, Chalice just
stared at her and kept silent.

         "What are you doing
here? Did you expect somebody else?"

         "And what if I
were?" Chalice snapped, her eyes flashing.