Chapter 9: Plausible Denial – Part 6.
Wendy’s enchanted lime green eyes widened with revelation of the conversation.-My, my. You are supposed to be dead, young lady.- Wendy moved closer to get a better look at the Korean woman and froze when she noticed the pair of ice blue eyes start scanning the area she was standing in. -Blue? Why aren’t yours red like all the other night beasts? Nah, you can’t see me.- Convinced that she was safe, Wendy moved in and spied the pair of eyes that the Korean vampire had. -Now see, that is normal. Red as expected and I can smell your horrible stench from here dead girl.- Wendy wrinkled her nose and walked within arms reach of Vivienne. -I can’t smell you either, strange.-
Feeling no fear of being discovered as well as being egged on from a deep down curiosity Wendy couldn’t pinpoint, she walked to Vivienne’s left side and blew a full breath across her nose and lips. Wendy’s heart skipped a beat when Vivienne’s blue eyes bore straight into her. -What the fuck just happened?- Wendy asked herself, as the answer came from Vivienne’s lips. -How the hell did they both smell coffee?- Tossing her hand in front of her face, Wendy exhaled and slowly backed away from Vivienne. -Coffee.- A worried chill ran the length of her darkened body’s spine as she turned and resumed her mission.
Scaling the sandstone stairs, the infiltrator stayed in the deeper shadows of the second floor and started peeking in the different rooms when she sensed someone behind her. Turning slowly, Wendy kept her glowing green eyes on the ward as she peered and inspected all of the rooms. -You haven’t had practice like this in ages.- Wendy took a breath and followed Casey into a huge bedroom that held two antique wardrobes, one of which was still open and haphazardly placed in the room. Another wave of disgust washed over Wendy when she witnessed Casey get a puzzled look on her face and start sniffing close to where she was standing. -Go away, fuck’n chew toy. You can’t find me.- Casey turned quickly and swung her fist blindly behind her.
Dropping to her hands and knees, Wendy barely managed to avoid the chaotic swing from the thrall. -Careful, careful. You get caught and you become the chew toy for about twenty seconds. Dust in the wind.- Wendy lay flat on the floor and scooted her dark form until she was close to one of the end tables that were beside the huge bed. -Come on, leave.- Wendy pleaded internally. Shortly thereafter, Wendy peeked around the foot-board of the bed and watched Casey come out of the bathroom then out of the main room, closing the door behind her.
Relief swept over Wendy as she pushed herself from the floor and sat up with her knees pulled into her black chest. -How the hell do I get out of this mess?- Wendy laid her head on her knees and thought about the situation and recalled the events from downstairs. -What else did they say? Is there anything that I can use?- Hitting her knees with her fist, Wendy started silently screaming in frustration. Minutes passed and finally Wendy looked up after wiping the tears from her glowing green eyes. Standing up, Wendy happened to glance at the table beside the bed and saw a folded letter. On a whim, the infiltrator picked it up and started scanning the contents. -What’s this?- Wendy kept reading. -Night of Tragic Woe? Hello there Franco. Eternal life? Why are you concerned about that?- Wendy finished reading the letter and pressed her palm to the page and quickly replaced the map imprint with the letter’s contents before placing it back on the small end table. -Raven? I wonder.- Wendy opened the armoire closest to her and started flipping through the obviously expensive outfits. -You obviously have good taste, rustbucket.- Spotting a tattered body suit made of feathers Wendy recalled the last frame of the camera footage she’d gotten days ago. -A match.- A slight movement on the doorknob drew Wendy’s attention and she quickly closed the closet door and crouched on the floor once more.
Crawling on her hands and knees, the silent infiltrator made her way to the other side of the room and waited. Watching as Casey bolted over to the armoire, Wendy held completely still and made the conscious decision to hold her breath. When Casey started swinging wildly once more, Wendy carefully watched the ward’s movements so she could anticipate where she would go. Wendy dropped to all fours once again, just under the reach of the flailing fists. -Do it, teach her not to fuck with an infiltrator.- Something in the back of Wendy’s mind recklessly suggested. Listening to the little challenging voice, Wendy timed her move perfect. Dropping to her side, Wendy stuck her foot in between Casey’s moving feet. Instantly pleased when Casey hit the floor, Wendy took the opportunity to jump up and sprint out of the bedroom, down the spiral staircase and to the foyer near the front door.
-Fuck.- Wendy thought to herself as she looked at the front door in relation to the three in the living room. Looking over the odd pictures and the mismatched trinkets on the table, Wendy shook her head in disbelief. -Why do people fall for this illusion? It will be so grand when the path is revealed to everyone.- Annoyed with how she lost focus and started delving into the decorative tastes of a vampire, Wendy paced back and forth for what seemed like an eternity. She walked into the kitchen and saw that the flooring was ripped up in the corner, explaining the stone she’d seen in the fire. Excited, Wendy crept over and noticed that there wasn’t an escape there because the subfloor was still intact. -God Damnit. There has to be a way out of this dungeon.- Thinking about what she’d just called out in her mind, Wendy plodded back into the foyer and sat down in a dark corner. -That’s the key, You aren’t supposed to get out.-
Wendy had her head on her knees still pondering her escape, losing time in the process. It was a loud noise and a subsequent ringing of the doorbell that jolted her into action. Leaping to her feet, Wendy moved to the center of the foyer and watched as Casey opened the door. When the ward opened the door wide and stepped to the side, Wendy couldn’t believe her luck. -Gaia. Your daughter owes you, yet again.- Wendy passed by the delivery person and slipped out of the house and through the open gate.
Once she was clear of any immediate threat, Wendy activated her anchor. Making her way back to the noiseless ocean, she spotted a pulsing green light in the distance. -Best operation ever.- She mused to herself and trotted across the black beach towards her beacon. Arriving as the little dating circle ended, Wendy deftly dodged the few people that remained and jumped into her van and knelt down in front of her body.
Reversing the process, Wendy lifted her dark runed hand. Slowly, her normal body raised its hand and lifted its head to show its hollow black eyes. Palm to palm, Wendy brought her magic to an end. She felt herself whisked away from her simulacrum and immediately took a deep breath of fresh and unlabored air. It took a few seconds for her eyes to focus, and she watched the dark empty shell disappear from view.
Wendy forced herself the yawn a couple times, clearing and opening her ears just in time to hear the church bell chime once and stop. “Hell’s Bell.” She barely croaked out from her insanely dry throat. Wendy stood up, her bones creaking and made her way to the front of the van where she grabbed a bottle of water, draining the contents in a few seconds. Wiping the excess from her lips, Wendy heard her stomach grumble and considered eating the cheeseburger that was neatly wrapped in a paper bag on the seat where the water had been. “Just not in the mood for that right now.” She muttered to herself and saw a light from her left. Wendy turned and saw an iPhone lying quietly on the seat with a black heart beating on the screen. Closing her eyes slowly, the red-head sighed and whispered ominously, “Oh, shit.”