Silent Intrigue

Evidence Suggests

Sophia held Johanna tight as the woman wailed. She looked over the shuddering shoulders of her friend at Silence, trying to contain sorrow and rage. Then her gaze was flicking over his shoulder as Pierre came in and ground to a halt just as Silence had. She bared her teeth as Silence felt Pierre's presense and stiffened, right before Pierre grabbed the young man with a snarl.

Silence tried to wrench away, but Pierre wouldn't let go. "This ends now," he snarled. He easily slapped away Silence's attempts to escape and patted the young man down. Sophia hissed in warning, but the sound died in her throat when Pierre snatched out a knife from Silence's belt. Pierre brandished it triumphantly.

"You see? The very same weapon he used to kill the slayer, isn't it? He's been killing your people, Sophia. This little rat has been behind it all along!"

Silence had watched Pierre's words, and he roared in rage as he shook his head, renewing his struggles against the tight hold Pierre had on his shoulder. Sophia shook her head and opened her mouth to defend the young man but Pierre wasn't listening.

"He's a killer, Sophia. You must see that. He must be dealt with!"

"Stop!"

Everyone froze when Sophia snapped. She snarled at Pierre harshly even as her arms continued to gently hold Johanna.

"Lock him in his room. He'll be dealt with once everyone has had a chance to cool their tempers and deal with their grief. Until then, you will not lay a hand on him, or else I'll kill you myself."

Pierre stiffened, but he finally nodded and hauled Silence away. Sophia closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself before resuming giving orders. "Pull the poor girl out of that chair. Get her cleaned up and for heavens sake, close her eyes. Clean up the blood and burn the linen. We'll bury her tomorrow."

Sophia gently pulled Johanna away and settled her in the office. "Will you be alright dear?"

"He killed her. He's going to kill us all." Johanna's fingers trembled as she fought to pull her handkerchief out to clean her face. Tears were flowing and showed no sign of stopping.

Sophia quietly shushed her friend. "Calm down now dear. It'll be alright. Take a deep breath and calm down before you feint."

"That makes three of us now. When will he tire of killing us? When we're all dead? Why did you ever bring him here Mi'Lady?"

Sophia was interrupted from answering when the door opened and Pierre walked in, spitting out his own discontent as he brandished the knife he had taken from Silence and a bloody shirt. "Why indeed. That boy has been more trouble than he's worth from the moment he set foot in this house. We searched his room and found this to go along with the weapon he shouldn't have had. You have to kill him."

Sophia jumped to her feet, eyes blazing red. "Never!"

"It's either you kill him or I will! He's destroying you, Sophia! He's holding you back from everything you want. Everythingthe two of us could achieve!" Pierre hissed in irritation asSophia shook her head and turned away, crossing the office to put the desk between them like a barrier. "You have to see that he will be your ruin! He's made you docile!"

Sophia stiffened, shaking her head emphatically. "He's made me sane. He's made me want to live again."

Dead silence reigned after that admission. Even Johanna paused in her sniffling to stare in shock. Pierre slowly followed her across the room. "Sophia. You-"

"I wanted to die! I wanted to walk into the sun and burn to ashes! Surrounded by people and I felt so alone. That's why I picked out Silence. That's why he's so important to me." Bloody tears tracked down her cheeks, but she ignored them. "He was just as alone as I was. But he wanted to live. He was willing to give anything to live. I thought... I hoped he could save me. Show me how to feel again."

Pierre ground his teeth. "And has he? Have you found in this human what you couldn't find with me?"

Sophia didn't answer. She didn't have to. Pierre already knew. He had to. He snarled angrily as he stalked the rest of the way across the office, tossing the shirt aside and tightening his grip on the dagger he had taken from Silence. He slammed it down on the desk, claws trembling as his red eyes met Sophia's.

"Now that you have him, do you need the rest of us?! Must we all be slaughtered for this boy's happiness?!"

Sophia glanced over his shoulder when Johanna whimpered. Then she turned her gaze back to Pierre. "He's not a killer. He can't be."

"Why not?! Because you want him not to be?!"

"Because I love him!"

Pierre straightened, falling back a step in shock. Sophia glanced down at the dagger on her desk when light glinted off the blade. It was pretty. And deadly. Just like this whole situation. Sophia swallowed, trying to find the way out of this mess that wouldn't involve her killing Silence. She knew she wouldn't be able to stomach it, let alone survive it.

She had to send him away. Find someplace else for him to live until the suspicion died down. Perhaps the Le'Roy's would help her? It wasn't the best option, but it was looking like her only choice. He couldn't stay here any longer. He would be the next to die, whether he was responsible for the killings or not.

"Bring him here." Johanna nodded and got to her feet, slipping out of the office to send the message along.

Pierre's lips twisted in a smile as the door clicked shut behind the woman. "You've made the right choice, My Lady."

Sophia shook her head. "I won't kill him. I can't." She bared her fangs when Pierre darkened. "I still don't believe he is responsible. The girl was only just killed. Silence would have barely had time to get cleaned up." She reached across the desk and delicately picked up the knife. Holding it up to her face, she slowly inhaled.

She shook her head again and set it back down on the desk. "I don't smell any fresh blood. If this was the weapon used to end that girls life, Silence did an almost inhuman job of getting it clean before coming back to the scene of the crime."

"Then what will you do with him?"

"I believe I'll send him to live with the King and Queen. They have the resources to post a guard on him, and the Queen has the ability to tap into memories. I would do it myself, but my access to the ability is tenuous at best. Even on a good day, I can only get blurry images. The most prevalent feelings. And a splitting headache."

"You should just kill him. He is your weakness. Clear him from your path and rise to your rightful position. You deserve to sit with the Royals in power. We both do."

Sophia sighed, sinking wearily into her chair. "Giving up my last shred of humanity will not gain me any more power than I have now."

Pierre started to argue. He was cut off when the door burst open and a servant rushed in, breathing hard. "My Lady! My Lord! Silence- He-"

Pierre snarled, making the man flinch. "Spit it out man!"

"He has escaped!"

The Vampires looked at each other for a moment, then they were both rushing from the office. Pierre snapped at the man as he led the way back to the servants wing. "How?! I specifically put a guard on him so this wouldn't happen!"

"We don't know! I guess he managed to get out the window?!"

"That little mouse hole!"

Sophia slowed as the men continued to rush. She halted as they failed to notice her lagging and watched them disappear. She pressed her lips together as she forced herself to calm and think. If Silence had escaped, then he assuredly had a plan to avoid recapture. But what was his end game? Where would he go and why?

She glanced back the way they had come, thinking of the knife left on her desk. She doubted he would go back for it. There were many more make shift weapons scattered all over the house. No. If Silence had escaped, it was because he was going after the killer. He would clear his name in the only way available to him. But who did he suspect?

Her fingers clenched into fists as she floundered with this problem. The entire house buzzed around her, creating chaos and the perfect environment for another killing. Everyone was after Silence. But who was Silence after?

If she could answer that one question, she could find him before anyone else did. And as long as she found him first, no one else would have to die.