Beyond Time

Blackmail

Before we entered, Mozart stopped me.

"Call me Wolf here. Only here," he added, as my eyes brightened.

"Can I call you Wolfie at the mansion then?"

He gave me an annoyed look. "You've been spending too much time with Arthur."

I laughed as we headed in.

I took Mozart's advice and made myself look pretty in the corner of the ballroom. He, on the other hand, was the star of the show, his hands dancing on the pianoforte, music flooding the ballroom with light as people danced. I watched men offer their hands to women, drinks being passed around, people laughing and chatting. When I caught a man watching me with interest, I headed to the balcony, not wanting to make his acquaintance.

Of course, I wasn't the only one on the balcony. Someone else stood there, looking down at the gates with his hair tied back in a ponytail. A wave of familiarity washed over me. Familiarity that quickly turned to recognition as he turned, his mismatched eyes meeting my own.

"You're—"

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my fair lady."

"You're the one I ran into outside Vlad's castle."

A look of distaste flickered across his face, and I could almost hear the whoosh of a mask as it smoothed over to a look of indifference. "I had hoped you would not remember me."

"How could I not?" I asked, indicating my own eyes. "We're both mismatched." I walked over to stand next to him on the balcony, leaning against the railings. "May I have your name?"

"Perhaps you should not word it the way a fairy would," he said, his hair fluttering over his red eye. "But I suppose only a fairy could match you in beauty. I am William Shakespeare, a humble wordsmith."

"I'm Aylin," I said, my face slightly red after what he said. But something told me his heart wasn't in on the compliment, only his head was. Never mind, who would say no to that?

"You came here with the good Mozart, did you not?" I nodded and he continued. "You have taken up residence in the good Comte's mansion."

It wasn't a question. "Are you a vampire?" He tilted his head slightly in affirmation. "Were you not sired by Comte?"

"Aye, I was indeed." He looked away, staring into the ballroom. "And for that reason, I ask you to refrain from mentioning you sighting me at Vlad's castle."

"Why would you want to keep that a secret?" Was there some kind of vampire politics that I didn't know about?

"That is naught your business, my lady."

"I know, but why?"

I caught a flicker of annoyance crossing his face, which quickly smoothed over. Scary. He considered me, his hand raising to my cheek, before he let it fall. His hand was cold. "Good Charles and Faust were enquiring about thou."

I started as my blood ran cold remembering Faust's manic eyes. The eyes of someone who would have done everything he wanted had he had a hold of me. "I never said I would tell them. Don't you think threatening me is taking it too far!?"

He gave me a cold look, and for a second a caught a glimpse of the face under the mask he always wore. "I fare thee well." And with that, he headed in. I stared after him for a second. Did I catch a glimpse of his face? Or was that just another mask underneath the one he always wore?

I walked in as well, deciding I needed a drink, and one appeared in front of me. I looked up to see who the outstretched arm belonged to. "Wolf." I just realized the music now flooding the ballroom wasn't remnant of him at all. Someone else had taken the stage.

"You look pale. Is the night air really that cold?"

"Not rea... yes," I said, deciding to go with that.

We headed back to the mansion, Mozart looking rather tense in the carriage. "You're afraid of carriage rides," I said. I had suspected it when we went to the ball, but now I was certain. It didn't seem like he was claustrophobic.

He threw me a dirty look. "I got into an accident when I was young."

Ah, to be young and traumatized.

"Would it help if we talked?" I asked, knowing distractions were some of the best ways to deal with situations. He didn't say anything, so I took the liberty of asking him questions. "Why does Shakespeare not live in the mansion?"

He looked taken aback, as if he hadn't expected that. "Shakespeare was the first one to be sired by Comte. I heard they had a fight, and he left the mansion. I believe only Comte and Leonardo know the full story."

I nodded, and began pestering him about the songs he had played, until the carriage rolled to a stop. Mozart looked relieved as he hopped down, reaching back to help me. I wasn't sure whether that relief was born from escaping the carriage or escaping my pestering. We headed into the mansion together, parting ways as I went to my room to get out of the nicest dress I owned.

I headed to the drawing room after that, where Arthur and Isaac were playing a game of chess. Isaac surveyed the board intently, but Arthur looked relaxed, like he had when he had played against me. He waved a hand as I walked in, and I smiled in return. Vincent and Theo were on the couch, watching the match, and le Comte and Mozart were talking over a cup of tea.

"Ma cherie," said le Comte. I walked over to then. "Did you meet Will at the ball?"

I had half a mind to lie and avoid the rest of the conversation that I knew would end badly for me, but the look in Comte's eyes told me that he already knew the truth.

"Yes."

"Mozart said you looked rather pale after conversing with him." Mozart looked away as I looked at him. So he had seen us. "Did something happen?"

I shook my head. "Not at all."

"She's lying," said Arthur, placing his queen down. He looked at me from the corner of his eye. "You have a habit of shuffling your feet when you lie."

I threw him a dirty look. I hadn't even noticed.

"Ma cherie." I looked back at Comte. His voice was gentle, and he didn't say anything more. He just waited.

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you."

"Argh!" said Isaac, as Arthur picked up Isaac's king. Arthur walked over to me, and grabbing my chin with his gloved hand, searched my face. "Fear. You've been threatened, haven't you?" He sounded almost amused.

"Spit it out, Hondje. What's he got on you?"

"Nothing!"

Theo stood up. "If you won't tell us, I'm sure I can weasel it out of that schauvit and find out."

"Schei uit, Theo! Stop it!" said Vincent, his eyes wide.

I expected Theo to listen to his lovely brother, but he didn't. No one even made a move to stop him. Heck, le Comte just took a sip of tea like it wasn't even his problem. Theo walked to the door, and I broke free from Arthur's grasp. "Stop, I'll confess, so stop!" I grabbed Theo's arm.

He ruffled my hair. "Good girl."

"Honestly, if you were a detective, you would be going to jail with your client."

"I'll bail him out," said Arthur with a wave of his hand.

"Shut up."

I stood next to Theo, putting thoughts of Charles and Faust out of my head. Taking a shaky breath, I told them how I had seen Shakespeare at Vlad's castle.

Le Comte didn't say anything as I spoke, but then he stood up. "I need to see Will."

"Wait," said Arthur, a hand on Comte's shoulder. "Lin. How did he threaten you?"

"He said he'd tell Faust and Charles I was staying with you. Vlad knows, but I don't think he's told them yet." He did seem the type to keep his word.

Le Comte sat down again. "I can't confront Will if it will put you in danger."

Vincent put an arm around me, a hand reassuringly in my hair. "You'll be okay."

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