Chapter 14 The Creature
THE CREATURE
Even in the earliest hours of the morning, that blond-haired sprite was still in the bar of the hotel.
At this point, I knew when the nymph’s supposed night shift started and ended.
It was from nine o’clock at night to two in the morning, typically, leaving time for her to travel home and back, of course.
It was silly to hide something as primal as hunting for food from her Nest, though I supposed I did not fully understand the dynamics at play.
“If you keep showing up, I may start to think you’re looking forward to seeing me.” I slid onto the barstool next to her.
“Sometimes it is easier to talk to a foreigner than a local.” She shrugged.
“Here for another round on me? Or will you actually be hunting this time?” I asked her, the tender already pouring my usual request.
“You ask an awful lot of questions.”
“Well, I am a visitor, after all! It is important to know the places you visit. I wouldn’t want to insult anyone.” I smiled sarcastically.
“You may be wiser than I thought, then,” she replied disdainfully. “You should be more subtle with the interest of my Nest. You are becoming quite suspicious.”
“I am curious.”
“But how do I know that you pursue in good faith?” Her brows knit together.
A smirk crawled across my face. “Perhaps I pursue in better faith than you expect.”
“Possibly.” She shrugged, pausing to sip on my glass. “Though I suspect it is not unrelated to your lover, or whoever you were celebrating before.”
“What if it is?”
“Then, maybe I am inclined to help, if you answer some questions.”
“I’m as open as the Bible,” I smirked. “I swear it.”
What a sweet sense of trust she held in strangers.
It was odd, but I supposed she may not have had any reason to mistrust. Alina was talented in that way, sheltering those closest to her.
I would not hurt dear Edith, but she was perfect for purging information.
The best part was that I did not even have to torture her.
“You are looking for her,” Edith stated.
“Who?”
“Your lover.”
“What makes you say that?”
“You are interested in the Nest. I suppose you were celebrating finding her when I first met you.”
“I suspect many things, though it is possible she is under your roof.”
“What makes you so sure she wants to be found?”
“She doesn’t.”
“Then why chase her?”
“Because I made a mistake. I want to fix it.”
“What makes you so sure she will forgive you?” She raised a fine brow.
“She will. I know she will.”
“Silas, we have another correspondence—” Luka stumbled next to me at the bar on my opposite side. He froze as soon as he saw Edith. “Am I interrupting?”
“No, actually. Edith was about to tell us about her Nest.” I smiled, looking back toward her.
She stared at Luka quite intensely. If I didn’t know better, she appeared quite bashful. She reminded me of how my sister would blush when she was embarrassed. The small, reserved creature did not seem to like the extra company.
“Oh?” Luka walked over and sat on her other side. “Maybe I came at the right time.”
“I am not going to share anything with your friend here.” Edith glared.
“Why not? Is he not to your taste?” I teased. “Is it the scars? He does look a bit less like a sissy with them.”
“Rich coming from a blond man,” Luka laughed. “Recessive at best.”
“Thank you for the commentary.” I rolled my eyes, just for them to land on Edith again. “He is employed by me, and he is only here to help, despite his attitude.”
She shifted in place before glancing between us. “Well, what would you like to know?”
“The Dam of the Nest. The one you were so afraid to mention.” I reclined back in my seat. “I’d love to hear more. I’ve never heard of a woman being the sole head of a Nest.”
“Alina.” She withheld the last name from us, even though I only needed a first.
“Tell me about her,” I urged her.
Luka shot a glance at me before looking at Edith.
“She isn’t like other heads; she is a Host,” she explained. “She takes care of us like her own. She even lets us feed off her if there is no one available to take on the chore.”
“Who does she feed?” The tension was building in my jaw, but it rippled through my body like electricity buzzing at my nerves.
“Myself and another girl, sometimes patrons,” she answered. “Alina and the other girl both founded the Nest.”
“How many are in your Nest?” Luka asked.
Edith left his question unanswered.
“Fine,” he grumbled, slouching against the countertop.
“How did you lose your lover?” she pressed, watching me carefully in anticipation for more clarity on my intentions.
“I tried to leave messages, but they, apparently, were not delivered.”
“How do I know you’re not estranged?”
“I suppose you have no way of really knowing.”
“Does she want to be found?”
I straightened my posture, adjusting the buttons of my jacket. The words bothered me, but I couldn’t find an argument against them.
“Why would anyone allow a Host to be in charge of their livelihood?” I scoffed. “Humans don’t hold any real power. What are you afraid of? Why must you hide your nature and cower at the mention of your Dam’s name?”
“That is where you are wrong.” Edith’s voice became stern in warning. “I have seen her relieve men of their limbs in as many ways as you can think of, always creating new ways to drain them.”
“Drain them?”
“Our blood, venom, even saliva . . . She turns them into miracle cures or a quick death.”
Luka and I exchanged glances.
“Where is your next hunt?” I resurfaced from my thoughts before I could drift too far.
“Tomorrow. A Nest we have never been to before. They call it Spaulding.”
“You seem comfortable telling me about it. Why?”
“Because it took months for us to gain their trust enough to let us attend. I doubt they would permit you. She had been negotiating with the Sire since he was not very keen on following any conduct rules in order to get Hosts in attendance.”
I nodded as if her answers were enough. I stood leisurely, and she mirrored the movement. “I think that brings our little meeting to an end for now.”
“You haven’t told me who it is you’re looking for.”
“Maybe the next time we meet, I will have found her.” I grinned.
The most harrowing part was the way she seemed enamored with Alina’s infamy.
It seemed this time she was respected for what she did.
It was important to find out how many were under her influence if we were to take over her Nest—though I was hoping to convince her, violently if needed.
It was clear she had more to lose this time around.
I would only expect an extreme reaction in response to any threat.
“Silas.” Luka gave me a warning look as he followed me. “I know what you’re thinking—”
“No, you don’t.”
“We will be outnumbered.”
“No, Luka. These are sensible people. We only need to put a blade to one’s throat, and Alina will fold; they all will. We could have an army of Hosts with one threat. She would not risk her delicate little flower garden.”
“How do you know they will be daisies and not thistles?”
“Alina is the only thistle.”
“How do you know Edith will not tell her about your questions?”
“Because Edith is not supposed to be here in the first place. You should have seen the way she checked over her shoulder like my dear shadow would be summoned by the simple utterance of her name.” I smirked. “Oh, this is going to be such fun for us.”
I missed our time together, even the stolen moments when she did not know I was there.
Alina did not come to her apothecary until seven o’clock.
The building was a dusty red brick with some windows above the shop, indicating a residence of sorts.
I was curious to see if her setup was more or less the same as the old one.
She was sentimental for those types of details, a creature of habit, so I could expect there to be a torture chamber attached.
The only new thing was that she arrived later than expected. She used to wake at dawn, but now that she lived with my sister, they did not need to wake so early to see each other.
They arrived together that morning. It was quite amusing seeing my sister dressed like a common genteel. Despite the cheaper fabric and more practical working design, she still managed to make it pink.
Alina disappeared deep within the shop while Phoebe set up in the front.
The glow of the shop contrasted against the sooty atmosphere.
My favorite part about winter was how dark it was in the mornings.
It made the surroundings more cozy, making people appreciate any light they had. The magic of the yuletide season.
The room above glowed faintly. I could see the shadow slipping about. Her shadow settled at a working desk in front of the window that was out of my view, but I could tell she was keeping herself busy.
It was no secret she was still studying Vipera, but I wondered how successful she had been in her endeavors. Her inexperienced poisoning attempt had maimed Luka already; it was valid to wonder if she had gotten any better at her craft.
I did not have to stand outside for long. Alina bid Phoebe farewell before leaving the shop after about three hours of work in her makeshift lab. She carried a basket as she left, though she did not take the horse.
I followed as she strode through the streets. Not too far was the general hospital. This must be when she visited the young Edith. I allowed a few minutes to pass before following her inside. The nurse at the front was busying herself with something.
“Hello.” I approached the desk. “My wife forgot something. Could you tell me which way she went? She just came in.”
“Upstairs to the left!” The nurse smiled, though she was perplexed.
“Bless you.” I smirked and began making my way up the stairs.
Down the hall, I could only see openings to rooms, but I could hear her clear as day. Her voice was melodic but stern. It was rich like a perfume oil, intoxicating and easy to lose yourself in.
I leaned against the wall, just enough to hear her.
“You are using the dosage I recommended, correct?” Alina spoke.
“Yes, of course!” Edith said.
“All right.” She took a deep breath. “Apologies, I’m paranoid about the corrupted. I wanted to make sure it was not us causing them.”
What is this?
“I promise, it’s not on my end, at least. It is hard to know where they are coming from.”
“I’m worried about them getting too close to the Nest.” Alina drew another breath before letting out a nervous laugh. “Is it so much to ask for an easy holiday season?”
“There is no such thing,” Edith teased, “but it will be fine. I trust you and Phoebe will make it memorable like you always do.”
“There are so many mouths to feed.”
“We have made quite a bit since then. Selling the garments from our hunts, our collective dues to the Nest, money from the shop—what is there to worry about?”
“I suppose it is just general anxiety.”
“Alina.” Edith paused. “You are doing perfectly fine. They trust you, and they know you work hard for them. That is why we love you.”
Alina did not reply, but she sighed. There was a long pause. I suppose they were hugging.
“I have to drop off my tools,” Alina mentioned.
“I will see you at home then. Wait up for me for dinner?”
“Of course, I will wait for you.”
I nearly forgot that I was not supposed to be there, disappearing down the hall at the cue of her footsteps.
I made it outside the hospital and turned around the corner of the building.
Not long after, my shadow appeared. She was an intimidating figure now that I could see her better in the light.
Her black wool dress and short cape around her shoulders made her look like she was there to collect the coins from the eyes of the deceased.
How fitting that she hung around a hospital.
I would not mind her being the last face I saw before passing on.
The rest of her day seemed to be her own time, as I doubt she went to the mortuary for errands.
I wished I could go in to see what she was up to, but unfortunately, there were no windows to the brick building except at the entrance.
All I could see was her slender figure disappearing into the depths of the establishment.
The last stop before she headed home was the blacksmith, where she dropped a bag off. I wanted to see so badly what tools she had that needed sharpening on such a regular basis that she had a blacksmith in her pocket, but I was sure I would find out soon enough on my own.
As if she wasn’t interesting enough two years ago, she had seemingly formed weirder habits. The mortuary and blacksmith were new. She had a few more friends than I expected. How had she gathered so many in her Nest that she was worried about feeding them all at once?
My stalking for the day came to an end when I followed her home. I stopped on the road where the tree line ended and the field surrounding her home began. It was quaint and a bit dirty. I don’t know how Phoebe was faring in these conditions.
There couldn’t be many in the small place aside from her, Phoebe, and Edith. This would not be as hard as I anticipated if this was all she had.