The first shadow was as a blade passing over the sky.
The city of Vampires was not enlightened with day. The red in the windows dimmed. The blue flames in the streets became more acute and shadow did not leave, but rearranged itself.
The carriage of Seraphine was still. It floated quiet along black stone streets, dragged by two large horse like creatures which had
Archie sat across from her.
He was in the crimson coat she had decided upon. It was fitted, precise. No excess cloth. No weakness in the stitching. Subtlety and deliberateness of the silver markings. He was dressed elaborately.
"You know," said Seraphine, not very loudly, "We vampires might not look like it but we are the emotional creatures you will find. We are connected to our emotions on a different level than other races"
Archie gazed out of the window at the towers that were passing. "I'm not interested in such information, it's up to you if you want to be controlled by emotions or you want to control the emotions."
"Yes. It's up to us"
Her gaze lingered on him.
There was a low expression of approval in her face.
The carriage slowed.
Archie got a glimpse of the Earl estate through the window.
It was not expensive as the manor of Seraphine. It was dark. Dark spires of tall stones were erected as spears. The gates were plain and heavy made of iron. The guards were motionless, like statues.
No hunger in their eyes.
Only calculation.
The carriage stopped.
One of the guards came to open door without bowing down.
" Baroness Seraphina Valcrest" replied he. "The Earl has long been waiting for you."
Seraphine resigned first. Archie followed at her side.
He had not taken half a step in rear.
Such a positioning would be sufficient to be mentioned.
A long passageway was filled with lots of symbols and diagrams carved into the walls. No paintings. No banners. Nothing but dull ancient carved symbols in the stone.
Barons ruled land.
Earls regulated Barons.
They came into a waiting room.
Two other nobles stood there. An old man who had a pale hair with narrow eyes. There was one woman with a clean cheekbone and an unemotional face that concealed an interest.
Both glanced at Archie.
Neither spoke
The far end doors flew open without a sound.
"Enter" said an interior voice.
The space of the audience chamber was immense and meager. A smooth piece of polished stone floor was followed by a raised stage.
On it sat the Earl.
He sat on the throne with a goblet of blood in his hand.
His features were refined. Ageless. Controlled. His pupils were even reddener than the city lights. Not bright. Not dramatic. Just deep.
Seraphine made a step and bowed accurately. Not deeply. Not shallowly.
"Earl Marius Dacien" she said distinctly.
Archie inclined his head. Nothing more.
The first to whom the Earl looked was Seraphine.
"Baroness Valcrest" he said.
His voice was smooth and even. No edge. No warmth.
"I hope that your Barony is all in order."
"It does," she answered.
A brief silence.
His gaze shifted.
It settled on Archie.
Not quickly. Not slowly.
Just deliberate.
So, the Earl said, "This is the one who carries the presence of the wolf-blood"
Archie met his eyes.
"Yes."
Seraphine was not responsive to the absence of the title.
The Earl observed that too.
"You have not gone into Baronial land without being invited" he said. "Without announcement. Devoid of professed loyalty.
"I did," Archie said.
"Under whose law do you walk?" the Earl asked.
There was a feeling of narrowing of the chamber.
Archie responded blindly.
"My own."
That could have been considered as a rebellion by a lower noble.
"Self-governed beings" , said he, " hardly stand a chance in being organized in society. They confuse independence and immunity."
"I have a simple goal in mind" Archie answered.
The Earl studied him.
"Why enter a vampire city?" he asked.
"I didn't enter the city, a was covered by a wave of darkness and suddenly found myself in your city" Archie said.
A faint pause.
"I would like to clarify a matter of importance" Archie said and the Earl looked at him with curiosity "Speak" Marius said as he looked straight into Archie's eyes.
"I am not here because fear you o because you ask me to, I am here out of respect for Seraphine" Archie said as a fliker of murderous intent flashed across his eyes.
The other two nobles in the room movements were barely discernible.
Seraphine remained still.
The Earl showed no change of expression.
He did not look out of it, and he asked "Valecrest are you willing to have such a being stay in your territory and you agree to be responsible for every action of his in this city" he said
The trap was laid.
Seraphine did not hesitate.
"I am."
The words were steady.
The chamber absorbed them.
Symbolism was not the primary problem with vampire hierarchy. In case Archie disturbed balance it would be spread to her.
The Earl subsided at last a little.
"Do you know that the mission which the Viscount is on currently, under seal of the Duke, involves the stability of the country, on a regional level."
"I am," she replied.
"And yet you accept a variable into the city"
"I believe in power, I believe my strength" she told herself.
The Earl's gaze flickered.
To Archie.
"You are strong" he said. "That is evident but if you want to survive here, you have to not only grow stronger but you also have to be useful to the city."
Silence.
But power without conformity is vice.
Archie did not look the other way.
"I have nothing to do with usurping land" , said he. "Nor to disrupt your order."
" Your intentions are not the problem here" the Earl answered. "Power is an attractive thing that brings opposition irrespective of whether it wants to or not."
He rose up from his seat.
As he left the platform, he appeared to squeeze the distance between him and Archie.
He halted some distance away of Archie.
Close enough to evaluate.
"I heard that you have no pack scent" Marius said. "No territorial hunger."
"No," Archie answered.
"And yet, there is something suspicious about you. I just can't place my fingers on it yet" continued the Earl.
Archie remained silent.
The Earl circled him once.
Not like a beast.
Like an analyst.
"I wonder if you are being honest" he murmured. "Or calculative."
"Both can coexist," Archie said.
The chamber went very still.
The Earl came back to confront Seraphine.
"For a certain period, until I see a need for him, he will be under your protection" he said.
There was a slight relief that swept the room.
But it was incomplete.
"He will be personal observed by me" the Earl added. "Discreetly."
Seraphine inclined her head.
"If he shows any suspicious sign" he added, "I shall personally see to his death"
"Understood," she said.
This was the last time the Earl looked at Archie.
"The Duke is gathering force", said he to everyone in the room. " Territories are undergoing reconsideration. Positions reconsidered and a war I want to avoid in looming"
The menace of disapproval.
"During the action of consolidation, he continued, "anomalies are likely to be eliminated."
Archie did not flinch.
"I am not fragile," he said.
"Neither is this building but it will break in times of war" the Earl answered.
Silence.
Then, unexpectedly:
"Tell me", said the Earl, "Of there should arise conflict between the wolves and our order, which would you support?
The question was sharp.
Archie answered slowly.
" will select the way that will save my purpose."
"And that purpose is?"
"To grow, you might be gathering strength for a coming war but the war I'm preparing for is one with a scale large enough to make the entire world a battlefield."
The Earl was looking at him oddly
"Interesting"
Finally, the Earl turned away.
Seraphine bowed still another time.
Archie inclined his head.
It was not until the doors were closed behind them that the air became easy.
Awaiting outside, the waiting nobles were watching with bated breath as Seraphine and Archie came out togethe
They all fell silently back to the carriage.
Seraphine sighed when she was inside.
She studied Archie curiously
"He sensed something."
"Yes."
"And what's that thing?"
Archie remained silent
The carriage began to move.
In the exterior the city changed once more, with second shadow coming.
A little later Seraphine said.
"The Duke rallies when he looks like he will meet with opposition" she said. "The Viscount would not come without something bigger in progression."
"Above the Earl," Archie said.
"Yes."
She looked at him carefully.
"You do not seem disturbed."
"I don't care how strong he gets, as long as he doesn't stand in my way" , he said
The carriage was rolling along small streets as lesser vampires looked at it with awe.