Victorian Days & Nights by: Elsbeth Magic & Mayhem in Victorian England

Chapter 7

Luna threw up her hands in disgust. She didn’t really trust the twins. If she wasn’t affected by whatever magic surrounded the warehouse how come they weren’t affected? Walking a few steps behind her husband the Vampire couldn’t help but admire the sight. Michael was such a well-built man, years of horse riding among other things had kept him fit unlike many of his peers who were less active. She couldn’t believe that hours from now her handsome husband would turn into that woman. She knew that the two of them were the same person but then again they weren’t. What exactly happened in the crypt? Michael was being usually closemouthed about the whole incident.

“Does the stone seem strange to you, my husband?”

“Don’t let go, Brigit.” Kneeling down, Michael touched the stone with a bare hand. Using some force it began to crumble under his weight.

“That...is disturbing.” As one of the twins jumped up and down, the stone began to crack beneath her feet.

“Let us continue.” Michael frowned, his grip on the Irish Witch tightening.

Looking at the pair, a slight wave of jealousy squeezed Luna’s chest. Why did Michael bring the Irish Witch along? Obviously as a Vampire, she would be more helpful, as whatever magics were in the air as they did not seem to be both her. Stepping a few paces forward, she began to notice something odd about her clothing as well.

“Michael, stop. Please come take a look.”

Turning, Lord Kinsley approached. “What’s the problem, Luna?”

“My clothes.”

“I don’t see anything?” Brigit commented while studying the well-tailored clothes.

“Look.” Luna with very little effort, pulled her blouse and it began to tear the sleeve.

“Like the stone.”

“Michael, I’m going to be disrobed by the time we make it to the bottom of the stairs.” The Vampire said unhappily.

“Why do...you...care...you’re dead?” Macha and Nemain grumbled.

“Come Luna, hold my hand.”

Pouting slightly, but excitedly happy, she reached over for her husband’s other hand. Although the width of the stairs didn’t exactly make room for three people to walk side by side, the group eventually made it to the bottom of the staircase without incident. Several yards from the bottom of the stairs, Michael let go of the two women.

“Wait.” Luna began.

“Its...fine.” The twins shook their heads. “Did she...always complain this much...in life?”

The Irish Witch giggled.

“Brigit.” Luna rolled her eyes then smiled. “Not usually.”

Michael began walking forward, a half smile on his lips. “Come, we need to get this finished before the sunrise.”

The two women quickly followed as the twins and Lord Kinsley headed towards the largest of the buildings. “Is that because Lady Kinsley promised Osgar not to enter the site?” Brigit asked.

“Michael?”

Michael turned towards the Vampire. “It’s a little more complicated than that.”

“I think Osgar is sweet on Lady Kinsley.” Brigit whispered to her friend but loud enough for everyone to hear.

“I’m not sure what I think about that. It’s confusing at most.” Luna put her hands on her hips. “Michael, is this true?”

“Can we...please stop the gossiping?...We have work...to do”

“Are they always little taskmasters?” Brigit asked.

“Usually only at home.” Lord Kinsley laughed.

“No we aren’t.” Macha loudly complained.

“Actually sister, I think we are.” Nemain giggled.

“Oh.” Looking up at Michael, Micha smiled.

Laughing, he reached down and gently took the two girls by the hand. “Come on you two, let’s get some work done.” Without turning around he called back.

“If you two want to tag along, I could use the help.”

Brigit and Luna looked at one another then followed. “So do you know anything about the twins?” Brigit whispered.

“No, I thought you might.”

“Rebecca said they just showed up, well, with Lady Kinsley one morning. She immediately put them to work as chambermaids.”

“You don’t think they could be….never mind.” Luna shook her head. Such a thing although not impossible wasn’t something that her husband would do.

“You mean his children?”

Luna nodded slowly, looking a little upset. It would have meant that he was unfaithful when she was still alive. Brigit noticed how upset her friend was getting and reached over, slipping her arm through her arm. “No, trust me with this. Since your...disappearance...he hadn’t even looked at another woman. Believe me; it’s not for lack of trying on my sister’s part.”

“What, Rebecca and Michael?”

“So for him to be unfaithful to you in life, I don’t see it. No, the girls are….something else.”

Luna nodded, relieved and concerned all at the same time.

Waking over some rubble the three stopped when they spotted a body. “Stay here.” Lord Kinsley said to the others as he approached. Whoever it was, the body had aged at an amazing rate. The person who lay like some mummified corpse could have been a teenager before whatever calamity befell them. Even their clothes or what was left of them had aged.

“Brigit, what do you feel?”

The Irish Witch nodded, and threw out her senses. The breeze soon held the scent of the forest, touching every building, every stone. Since she was a little girl she could always feel the Otherworld. Brigit was the obvious choice to become the new Ambassador. Senses that had now been greatly attuned to the powerful auras of the Fae, reached out, if there was anything familiar she would know immediately. “No, nothing, I’m sorry.”

Michael nodded. “How about you, Luna?”

“What?”

“Does any of this feel familiar?”

Luna bit her lip, true she was Nosferatu. Her powers were not of the light but from those that dwell in the darkness below. The air no longer smelled of the forest, but of the dead. The sweet smell of decay rolled across the ground touching everything. “This was not done by Necromancy but I had a feeling you already knew that.”

Lord Kinsley shrugged. “It was better if you two verified what Lady Kinsley already determined. Girls, what do you think?”

The twins looked at one another, and then closed their eyes. Suddenly a pained expression washed over their faces. “It can’t be.”

Lord Kinsley let out a long breath. “Let us find out if you’re both right, I do hope my…sister was wrong.”

“What Michael?” Luna moved forward, holding her husband’s hand. “What do you expect to find.”

“More death.” Nemain said sadly.

Authors Notes: A special thanks to djkauf for a little elvish editing. If you like the story please leave a Kudos, if you have the time I would love to hear from you. Thanks to all for reading! - Elsbeth