Getting Back What Belongs to Us, Pt. 8

solderini-franchessi-villa-venice-frontZeeke made her way through the villa in Venice, carefully searching every room. She came to the realization that the children were no longer in the house. David would be disappointed if she came back empty handed. She saw that several staff members were still lingering in the house, packing up as quickly as they can on orders to retreat to the Parisian compound. One of them had just returned from what seemed like a long trip, she was commanding the others to make haste. Young and beautiful, they called her Astoria.
Another lady of middle age came up to Astoria and asked, “Shall I look in on the children’s bedrooms to see if anything of importance was left behind miss?” Astoria looked to her and said, “Yes, Helen. Please do so and quickly now!” The lady, Helen, rushed up the grand stair case towards the children’s rooms. Zeeke used her levitation powers to lift herself up through the 3 floors to where Helen had gone. For a second there, Astoria stopped. Did she feel something? She shook it off and continued to order the boxes and suitcases to be packed into the caravan of cars outside.

Zeeke watched Helen, as she started to pick up several toys and other momentos for the children she so lovingly cared for. Zeeke flushed herself against the wall up by the third floor, looking down on Astoria below. Waiting. When the men had all gone outside, Astoria was marking the boxes. In a flash she felt the tug of an arm around her waist and a hand cover her mouth… she was flying. Flying up. And in another flash, she was right behind Helen. Zeeke grabbed Helen in just the same way and they all went flying. Helen holding on to a light blue banket and a stuffed animal. Through the window of the children’s room. Up and away. The smell of mortal flesh called to Zeeke. Would she be able to withstand it long enough to reach the Tower of London?

Yes.

David stood in place at the top of the tower, in the open air of the night. Zeeke landed behind him and pushed the two mortals down to their knees. Astoria quickly rose, trying to summon her powers but they were not available to her as easily in this world as they were in Sosaria. Her chants failed her. David chuckled as he walked around her. “I am afraid that magic doesn’t work here, little girl.” Zeeke’s devilish laugh echoed in the still of the night. Helen was stunned silent. “You will burn,” Astoria threatened. “Funny, not the first time someone’s told me that,” he replied and in a flash, his fangs went right for her neck. “Leave some for me, husband.” Zeeke taunted. With that, Helen’s screams fell from her mouth like the waterfalls of roaring dam finally set free.

Astoria fought… in a whisper saying, “Monsters.”

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