Crimson Angel

  Eighteenth flaw

  The Lust

  I told Zander everything at last. I did not know where my trust in him came from but my mind convinced that this was the right thing to do. I even revealed where the Great Cane of Ancestors was.

  “Lucard told you about where he hid it?”

  “Yes.”

  Zander thought for a second before saying. “We will get the Great Cane now.”

  “What?”

  “Carmine cannot have it.” Zander said. “We will have to escape together with it. Then, he will never know where it is.”

  “He will kill Len if he does not get the cane.” I retorted.

  “He will not. Lucard will not tell him that easily. If Lucard refuses to tell, Carmine will start searching on his own. The place where he starts will then be this house. Even if the library is locked, he will break into it. In the end, he will have what he wants.”

  I bit my lips as I listened.

  “So, what are we supposed to do now?”

  “We are going to the library.” Zander took my hand and headed to the door.

  He looked around at the corridor first, to make sure no one saw us. Then, with the highest speed possible, he brought me to the library.

  I took out the golden key from my pocket and inserted it into the keyhole.

  “Be quick.” Zander said.

  I turned the knob and we went in. Zander shut the door behind us. I just wished I was making the right choice.

  “You are.” Zander replied. “Now, where is it?”

  “I don’t know.” I said. The place was still piled with books and numerous bookshelves.

  “We have to search then.”

  I thought he was joking. If anyone was to rummage around billions of books to find one tiny little brown stick, he must be mad.

  “Well, actually,” I said. Zander was already searching. I saw his figure moving about in flash. “I heard about this secret room.”

  Suddenly, Zander stood in front of me.

  “Secret room?”

  “Yes, Jim said Len hid the cane in a secret room.”

  We flickered our eyes from the bookshelves to the ceilings and then to the ground.

  “Great, as far as my sight can reach, there are no doors or knobs.” Zander sighed.

  We did more searching until I found something odd.

  There was a crystal ball on one bookshelf. A cloud of mist was curling inside it, giving a shape to a word. I leaned closer and that was when I saw “ALICE” inside the crystal ball.

  I touched the thing. It was icy cold. The mist inside changed color every now and then, from white to red, from red to purple and then from purple to blue…… All the same, I could see the word “ALICE” in it. I tried to take the crystal ball out of its place but it did not even budge a little. I could not lift it up. It seemed to be stuck in one place. I pushed it. Nothing happened. It was weird. Eventually, I decided to try turning it and it worked.

  It was the most eccentric thing ever. As the crystal ball was turned, the two huge bookshelves in front of me parted to give a path. Behind them were two more bookshelves. Like layers, the inner bookshelves parted subsequently until a stair came into sight.

  “Zander!” I called out. He emerged next to me right away.

  “Wow…” He exclaimed. “This is the secret room.”

  We walked down the stairs. It was dark. I almost tripped over and missed a step but Zander caught me in time. We reached a tiny room. It was better there as there was a bit light.

  Like a study, there were desks and chairs. Piles of books could be seen on the table and on the wall hang a few paintings. We looked around with curiosity and interest.

  The room was obviously not big enough to hold so many things. A family portrait was hung on one side of the wall. Len was in it with his other family members, including his parents and siblings. I took a look at my uncle’s face for the first time. He was expressionless and solemn. There was no smile on his face at all. Carmine and Carmina were standing behind Len and Viktoria. Zander took the side next to his father. The portrait must have been taken a few years back because all the children looked much younger.

  Beside the family portrait was a painting of Len and his friends. He had his shoulders around Jim, Roy and Bess. The four looked happy. My eyes reached down to the desk. There was a photo in a frame. It was a photo of Len and me. I remembered taking it in the school Carnival with Len, before his disappearance.

  “This is Lucard’s room?” Zander was as much in disbelief as I was. “I can’t believe he keeps the family portrait here.”

  Len cherished his family. He cared for everyone around him but everyone was just turning against him, hurting him over and over again.

  Zander’s face fell as he muttered. “I never think he is an outcast. We used to hang out together. The twins never like him though, because he is so different from us. Not only does he look different, he also acts and does things in another way. Father and mother seem to love him the best, which has always made us, envy him. Carmine has hated him from the very start. Carmina and Viktoria were both influenced by him. Lucard later always left home and played with friends he met outside. This made our parents angry, both at us, who isolated him and at Lucard himself.”

  “Len never wants the throne.” I said, looking under the table to see if there were any wooden sticks. “All Len wants is just a family that accepts and listens to him.”

  We found the Great Cane of Ancestors on top of a bookshelf. It was smaller than I thought, more like relay baton.

  “Now, what do we do?”

  Zander shushed me.

  “Wait.” He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, listening with full concentration.

  I closed my eyes as well and I did hear something. It was a rough move from upstairs. The person was now on this floor. There were footsteps in the corridor, very soft. Someone was approaching us, walking towards the library.

  “We must go now.” Zander ordered and we ran upstairs.

  The door was still locked but we knew soon someone would break in.

  “Hide it.” Zander said. I hid the cane in my pocket.

  “No, it’s too obvious.” He said.

  I slid it into my boot.

  The smell of a blood soul was getting stronger and closer. Zander raced to the large glass window and with one swat, it fragmented into pieces. The footsteps had quickened their paces. We were heard and our scents were detected.

  Zander tried to take my hand but it was too late.

  Five steps. Four steps. Three…

  “Go back in there.” He whispered.

  At once, I dashed back into the secret room with all my might. The bookshelves closed behind me, making no sounds. I couched on the stairs.

  I could hear the door kicked open violently.

  “What are you doing here, Zander?” It was Carmine’s voice.

  “Chasing the girl.” Zander remained as calm as could be.

  “You mean Alice.” I felt Carmine walking this way. I went deeper into the room.

  “I don’t know her name.”

  “She’s gone.” Carmine sounded furious. “The last time the servants saw her was when you appeared, taking her away. I never asked you to take care of her, did I?”

  “No.” Zander answered and sauntered to the window.

  “Then, what on earth do you think you are doing?” Carmine shouted, shoving Zander hard against a table.

  “I am afraid you made a terrible mistake, Carmine.”

  “Oh?”

  “That girl is not a human.”

  “Do you think I can trust you?”

  “It’s your choice, Carmine. Do not forget I am the one who helped capture our parents. They are in my hands, not yours. I imprisoned them and only I had the keys to free them. I can easily turn down your trade with Hunter.”

  Carmine did not go further. He released Zander.

  “I was passing by and was about to check on that girl whe
n she attacked those two servants and escaped. Your servants did not dare tell you the truth, of course. I have been searching for her myself. I was in the garden when I saw shadow move in here. I broke in through the window.”

  For the next few minutes, I heard nothing. I still did not move a single muscle. Every breath I took made a noise and every move I made gave a scent.

  “Very well then.” Carmine turned to all the servants standing behind him. “Go find the girl.”

  The servants obeyed and left like motors. Carmine and Zander remained in the library.

  “What is your plan?” Zander asked.

  “I must get Lucard to tell me where the Great Cane of Ancestors is by dawn.” Carmine said. “My trade with Hunter cannot wait. No, Hunter cannot wait. Neither can I. So, prepare Father to meet his execution. As for Lucard, as long as he does not know a single thing about that missing girl, he is totally under my control.”

  “Nice.”

  Carmine laughed and left.

  I breathed out a relief. I expected to be found and caught, but did not. It would mean nobody sensed my presence in this secret room. Back then, Carmine did walk close enough to notice the crystal ball but he suspected nothing. The several layers of bookshelves must be so thick that my odor could not reach the other side of them.

  Zander soon came down to meet me.

  “There is one thing Carmine does not know.” He said. “I have freed father and mother two days ago.”

  “What?”

  “I held the keys to the Silver Tower. I imprisoned my parents.” He explained. “But when I made up my mind to betray Carmine, I released them. They are hiding somewhere I believe. They said they would seek help from the Grimmels and other royal families.”

  “You mean Len’s parents are actually safe?”

  Zander nodded.

  “Now it’s only Carmine.” He said. “And Viktoria and her lad. Carmina seems to have gone.”

  “We have to save Len.” I claimed.

  “Give me the cane.”

  I handed him the Great Cane. He hid it under his coat.

  “I will go to the dungeon and see Lucard.”

  “How can you save him with that?”

  “All Carmine wants is this cane.” Zander said. “Once he gets it, he will be satisfied. I will take my time to save Lucard and then tell Carmine I am the one who has it. He will target me later, but by then, the army will arrive to help.”

  “Len and Jim are sending their bats to give signals.” I said. “But now they are locked.”

  “Well, I have my own pet to do that.”

  He whistled and in no time a bat flew to him. He whispered some language to the animal and off it left.

  “I told them to arrive at ten. Now it is nine.” Zander said. “We have an hour to carry out our plan.”

  Zander headed towards the door and I followed.

  “No, you stay.”

  “What? I thought you said it is ‘our plan’.” I argued.

  “Yes, in ‘our plan’, you are to stay.” Zander said. “Can you fight?”

  That was pathetic. I could only shake my head.

  “You see, you stay within that secret room and you get no hurt. Once you step out of this room, Carmine will get you.”

  “So, I will just have to stay and do nothing?”

  “Correct.”

  Before I could stop him, Zander left in a blink of an eye.

  It turned out Zander had one thing absolutely wrong. I was not safe in the library. No sooner had Zander left than I was discovered again. Someone opened the door when I was walking towards the crystal.

  “And where do you think you are going, sweetie?” At the door stood Viktoria. Beside her, was Edmond.

  I looked at the crystal and then at her. I could not get into the secret room fast enough. Even if I did, she would know how to follow me in.

  All the same, I would only have to try something. Without Len and Jim around protecting me and Zander gone, there was no one to save me this time. Len’s plan had not worked out so far. What Carmine did was definitely out of everyone’s expectation. Len and Jim must have not predicted he would lay an eye on me and capture me instead. They must have thought he would show no interest and hand over the antidote as soon as Len agreed to tell him about the secret place.

  “Wait a second,” Viktoria’s brows pulled together. “You look rather strange. I mean, you change.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “But her eyes aren’t red.” Edmond said.

  “Stupid, she can have them red anytime she wants.” Viktoria stared back at me. “Did Lucard change you?”

  “No.” I said fast. I did not want her to get what my mind thought. Only when I spoke fast, I could prevent them from hearing my mind. There was once when Len said he sometimes got mixed up in what I thought. I believed one of these moments was when I had complicated thoughts and talked faster than my brain could function.

  “Of course not, he won’t even see you lose one strand of hair.” Viktoria laughed.

  My eyes flickered to the broken window. While Viktoria was still laughing at her sick joke, I had an idea on my mind.

  If I were now a blood soul, it would just make sense that I owned inhuman speed and strength. Well, it was worth trying though.

  Edmond must have seen my face because he hastened in my direction. I made a swift move, heading fast to the broken window. With much luck, I did gain the incredible speed. Viktoria and Edmond were surprised but tracked me right away.

  With one leap, I flew as easily as a paper would float in the air. I had lost my weight. There was no gravitational force pulling me down. The whole body was in my control. I jumped over the window and fell straight onto ground, landing like a gymnast. There was no one in this side of the garden. Everyone must have gone into the forest or anywhere near the boundary to find me. I smiled and ran into the bushes.

  “Stop!” I could hear Viktoria screech. That was a stupid thing to do. The more she shouted ‘stop’, the faster I ran.

  There was no fear in me at all. I was so thrilled, agog and delighted with my new abilities. I could not stop smiling as I flew over one flowerbed to another and across the tall trees.

  “She’s crazy!” Edmond said.

  And I believed I was. I forgot I was the one being chased and bumped right into Carmine. I did not see him coming and he caught me.

  “You are one naughty kid.” He said, grabbing my hands forcefully. I struggled with all my strength and he did look awed for one second.

  “I thought you were a human.”

  “Well, you are wrong.” I said.

  “Yes, I certainly am.”

  On saying that, he lifted me into the air and hurled me. I flew back for several miles, my head hitting on a wall. Blood dripped off from my forehead. I had not the time to scream as Carmine flung me hard into a bash of roses. I could feel my skin grazed and scratched deeply by the stems. At last, he gripped my hair and pulled me up. Every part of my body ached with unbearable pain. My hands and my legs were bleeding.

  Carmine leaned forwards and stuck out his tongue. I clinched but he was too strong. He licked a drop of blood from my face.

  “You poisoned blood tastes delicious.” Carmine grinned. “Did Lucard drink the same very blood? He is such a good chooser.”

  “He did not drink my blood.” I said, grasping. My limbs hurt less now as the wounds healed.

  “Really, then I shall be the first one to taste it.” Carmine smiled and spanked me. His nails went deep into my flesh, leaving scrapes on my neck. My skin was swollen as the blood rushed out. I felt difficulties to bleed. Carmine pulled me to him and began sucking my blood. I kicked and twisted my body.

  It did hurt like hell, as Len had said before. It felt more than a knife cutting into flesh and bone. The pain was beyond a combination of skin grazing, flesh cutting and bone fracture. Heat was accumulating at the point where Carmine bit me. Blood was transferring from my veins into his mouths at insufferab
le speed. I was losing a large amount of blood. My limbs began to feel lame. Darkness clouded over my eyes. At this point, I thought I would soon lose all consciousness and die but Carmine stopped. My body was left with no more strength. I fell forward and he held me up.

  Indistinctly, I saw his ghostly face. His ruby eyes glazed down at me and his mouth was covered with my blood.

  “You are too young to die, lady.” He smiled, beginning to walk. “I regretted my last murder. She was such a beauty but I lost control when I bit her. She died with excessive loss of blood. This time, I won’t make the same mistake. You will stay with me.”

  “No, I won’t.” Even with the last breath I could draw, I let those words out.

  “You will.” Carmine said. “You are too good for Lucard. You deserve better.”

  Len was the best.

  “If he is the best to you,” Carmine swore. “I shall kill him. When this ‘best’ is gone, you are mine.”