The 3 Marionettes: Chapter 17

The Three Marionettes
Chapter 17
Accepting the Vampirism








Percy pulled away as Gabriel’s lips brushed her neck. If she had any need to breathe she would be gasping. His arm moved around her waist and found the set of catches holding her safe inside her dress. She held him back.
“I will learn to love you, Gabriel. I promise.”


Gabriel woke in a cold sweat. The gate house of Lullaby Heights was cold. The small room held a kitchen, dining and sitting area. Percy had pointed out a small bunk in the corner when they arrived, but he insisted that the sofa in front of the fire would be warmer. Percy sat still in front of the dying embers of the fire. “Nightmare?” she asked.
“Hardly.” He sat up, more than a little disappointed that she didn’t remember their encounter which apparently only occurred in his head. He scolded himself for that feeling.
“You hungry?”
“No, you?” He teased.
“No, I went out about an hour ago.” Her eyes glassed over, and in the dim firelight, he saw faint blood-stains on her lips.
“Oh.”
“Mr. Bliss, I think we should discuss my diet.”
“I don’t see why, I mean, there’s hardly anything abnormal about…um.” He coughed.
Percy sighed and began her explanation.
“I don’t kill people. I understand it may look that way, with the serial killer back in the city. But that wasn’t me. That was Henry and Tony. They don’t really pay much attention when they feed…I mean, didn’t.
“I would never kill anyone. I take only what I need while they sleep, their neck heals up, and the scars look like freckles.”
Gabriel’s eyes locked onto the soft brown marks beneath her eyes and hoped desperately that they didn’t have that origin. “But it’s still wrong. It’s theft!”
Percy shook her head. “If I were human, would you stop me from taking a loaf of bread from- no wait- that’s not the right example. I just, I get a little...irrational if I don’t feed for a while. It’s a choice between taking a few pints here and there or killing hundreds of innocent people.” Silence fell after her ultimatum was announced.
“Hundreds?”
“Yes.”
“There’s something I need to explain too.” Gabriel admitted.
Percy didn’t move.
Didn’t breathe.
“I’m a pale-hunter.”
She turned and smiled sadly. “I know.”
For that he kissed her.
She didn’t move and he pulled away.
“Mr. Bliss,”
She glared straight into the fire.
“I’ll thank you not to do that again.”
“I…I’m sorry, I didn’t…I.”
“There’s someone crying in here.” Percy’s eyes widened.
“I’m sorry, I-”
“Not me.” Percy stood, and stopped breathing as easily as taking the needle off a record.
“I don’t know why I didn’t hear it before.”
“Do you mean there’s someone in here?”
“Shhh! And breathe slowly, I’m trying to listen.”
Gabriel did as she said and waited for her to speak. “I hear a pulse. It’s weak, but it’s there. Smell…saltwater. Saltwater? Why…”
“They’re crying.”
Percy looked at him thoughtfully, before moving too fast across the room to press her face to the wall. Gabriel pulled a pistol from his coat that lay on the sofa and pointed to where Percy seemed focused. “In there?”
Percy nodded in reply. “Well go on!” he hissed, pointing to the wall. Percy stepped back and Gabriel stumbled behind her. She span round too fast, again, and kicked the wall in. Dust flooded the pair and the figure nestled inside the hollow, and it coughed inhumanly. There was a dull thud as Gabriel dropped his gun and his jaw.
“Addison?”