~PhotoKisser
***
Prologue
“The wooden wall became red. And the blood formed a sign. A 'D', then a 'E', an 'A', a 'T', every letter crooked and deformed but still readable. He did not get to see the whole sign but he did not have to to know what would be written. As the last letter was forming his sight became dark. He felt cold fingers squeezing his skull, sucking the last bits of life out of him. But he did not die, no. That would not be enough to satisfy the Wall. The Wall was hurt, bleeding, a sacrifice was needed to satisfy its lust. A sacrifice, not simple death. You see, Young Mistress, no matter what you do, do not hurt the Wall” the young man whispered the words into the girl's ear.
“So what happened to him?” she asked eager to hear the rest of the story. Her cheeks were burnt up from the excitement.
“What happened, you ask? I am afraid I cannot answer that question... You see, Young Lady, after that nobody saw that man, nor did they receive any news of sorts about what happened to him. I can only imagine that the Shadebites took him”
“The Shadebites? Who're they?” the dancing flames of the fire reflected in the girls eyes.
“That's irrelevant, Iris. You shouldn't believe his stories anyway... Just go to bed already...” Travis interrupted their storytelling.
“Ah, Master Said, I apologize, I got so captivated I became ignorant of the hour. Please forgive me” the man explained eagerly. “Now, Young Lady, your father is correct, you should head to bed, it's not right for a young lady to be up so late.”
“OK, Vince...” the girl agreed less then willingly.
“Not Vince, my name is Count Vincent Noel Nicholas Ville Julian Crane, from the Raven House, please remember that from now on” the man explained. For some weird reason he felt guilty of his words.
“OK, Count Vincent--” the girl started to recite obediently.
“Please” the Count interrupted. “I was just joking, it is alright for you to call me Vince” he said kindly with his always distant voice, brushing the girl's hair. The smile immediately returned Iris' face.
“Yes, Vince!” the girl hugged the young man and then her dad. “'Night Travis!” she said squeezing his waist.
“'Night Iris” the father leaned and kissed the girl's short golden-red hair.
They both watched as Iris disappeared inside the jeep.
“We need to talk...” Travis said coldly.
“I know...” Vincent agreed sadly. He knew from the very beginning that traveling with them wasn't going to last forever. But he had the blood of the Raven House running through his veins. Giving up was the last thing he would do.
“I understand you have your reasons for traveling alone at such a young age but I can't have you demoralize my daughter like that. I'm kindly asking you to drop this, Vince, but--”
“I do not remember giving Master Said the permission to call me that” Vincent broke in. His eyes burning with anger.
“I can't have you be this way, Vince! I don't want to call you Count Whatever every time I speak to you! Just stop this stupid joke! We're in the twenty first century! Stop pretending to be some nobleman from another world! And that way of speaking! Please just cut it out”
“I beg your pardon, Master Said, but it does not look like my behavior is the only suspicious one. I cannot omit the fact that you yourself are traveling with a 12 year old girl with two other suspicious men when the girl should be living in a proper home with a loving mother and learning the ways of the world...”
“There are good reasons for this! And I take proper care of her education! Unlike you! How can you tell such wicked stories to a small girl!”
“But Master Said! That is standard knowledge! She should know the dangers of the world! Children are most common to be punished by the Shadebites ! And it is the parents fault for not making them aware of what happens if they do the wrong thing!”
“Cut it out! Shadebites don't exist! Bleeding Walls don't exist! I don't mind letting you travel with us but please stop making her believe those stories!
“I strongly advise you on taking those words back” Vincent said, his eyes filled with fear. “You have no knowledge about how close and how weak the boarders can be. And if you still insist on regarding this as falsehood I must have you convinced as to how genuine what I am telling you is. I have to do what I am proficient of doing to safeguard the people I am beholden to.”
“You're planning on proving that these creatures you're talking about exist?” Travis almost laughed at the absurd of that story.
“No, I believe that will not be necessary” Vincent said calmly. "I rather you would consider my words truthful for they are no further from honesty than the fact that it is night at this precise moment. Because those creatures I speak of, they do exist. And I believe that someday your very words and unbelief, may hit you with a recoil."
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