Mirrors & Shadows

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

յօ 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔥𝔰 𝔭𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔯~ 𝔏𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔞𝔡𝔢

After their encounter in the supermarket, Edmond stopped coming to her classes. A week passed since then. She had this weird feeling as if all that had happened previously had been but a strange dream. Vampires didn't exist. Nor did mysterious prophecies or the ability to set trees on fire by one's touch.

Today was the 21st. Mr. Richard's Party would take place at 10pm in his prestigious apartment in the 3rd arrondissement. She heard other professors whispering excitedly about it as she crossed the courtyard that morning. Showing up unannounced might wipe the smirk clean off Dr. Courdec's stupid face. Plus, she wasn't going to miss out on such a buffet. At the end of the evening everybody would be asking themselves where all the desserts had disappeared to. Indeed, once the aperitif, entrées and plats de resistance were all cleared, the buffet table was topped with every possible French dessert that Luna could imagine. Paris-Brests, macarons, religieuses, éclairs, moelleux au chocolat, mille feuilles, tartes Tatin, gâteaux st. Honoré, calissons, meringues...

She was enjoying her third helping in a corner of the room, convinced that no one was paying attention to her anyway when Mr. Richard walked up to her. She let go of her half eaten éclair au chocolat, trying to hide her chocolate stained fingers and hoping with all her heart she didn't have any around her lips.
    "Professor Enwright. I'm glad you could make it. Dr. Courdec told me you wouldn't be coming but then... here you are!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.
    "Here I am..." Luna mumbled.
    "Listen. Do you have a moment? There's something I'd like to discuss with you privately." He continued, seamlessly deaf to her previous comment.
    "Sure." She accepted. They moved to the less busy part of the room. Mr. Richard handed her a glass of champagne. She wouldn't drink it but she took it anyway to be polite. However, she struggled with the plate of sweets still in her other hand. Mr. Richard glanced around to make sure that no one was in earshot then bent down to whisper into her ear.

It was hard to comprehend what happened after that. She felt a splitting pain in her neck. A swirl of sensations submerged her. Everything vanished before her. The room smelt of honey cakes. Her mother was there. Never in Luna's most accurate memories had she appeared so vivid, so real. Luna peered down at her child hands, she held a pen and was learning how to write her name. But the letters wouldn't show up. Nevertheless her mother smiled proudly. The room was dark except for the candle on the table. Little Luna watched in awe as her mother picked up the piece of paper Luna had tried writing on. She held it to the flame, the edges withering and letters appeared. LUNA. It said.
    "How?" Luna asked.
    "It's the magic of lemon juice." Her mother replied, pleased at her daughter's astonishment.

However, her mother's features began to blur out. No! She thought. A new face formed in front of her. Mr. Richard looked stunned. A bead of blood ran down his chin and his canines were abnormally sharp and long, they peaked through his lips. His gray hair stood on end. It was only when he turned to look down at his chest that she realized what he was shocked about. A metal blade was jutting through his thoracic cage. The blade went back into the wound, pulled from the other side. Mr. Richard turned around, leaning on his aggressor.
    "Oh. Hello Dr. De Revel. I didn't see you there." He smiled nervously. Edmond helped him to his feet but before anything else could happen, Dr. Courdec made his appearance. Luna was too bewildered to care that he was glaring at her. Meanwhile, the bursar had covered his blood soaked shirt by buttoning his gray blazer and was presently wiping his lips with a handkerchief just as if he had enjoyed a particularly delicious dessert.
    "Mr. Richard." Courdec began, Professor Enwright told me she was too busy but I'm glad to see she could make it after all."
    "Yes." Luna stammered, realizing the conversation had been steered her way. "Thank you for having me."
Richard and Courdec continued their conversation but she wasn't following. Edmond stood beside her. Behind his back, she watched blood drip slowly from the knife he was holding before mingling to the carpet's rich red designs.
     "He blood-read you." Though Edmond had whispered, she could feel fury seething through his voice.
She acted as if she hadn't heard him.
     "Excuse me. I've just remembered, I have some work to do." she mumbled.
     "Leaving so early?" Courdec smirked. But she didn't care. She marched away, setting her plate and glass on the table.
     "Luna." Edmond called her from behind. The use of her name brought to mind the glistening letters written in lemon juice that her mother held up to the candle's flame.
    "Don't call me that." she reacted brusquely. She turned around and they were nose to nose. "Stay away from me." Her voice shook and she took a step backwards, her heart pounding in her chest. Some of the guests were staring at them.
    "That man" Luna didn't even recognize her voice, it was so high pitched. "He's... he's dangerous. He's a stalker and he's got a knife. I swear he's got a knife!" She was pointing at Edmond. People looked at them oddly. Edmond nodded and slightly raised the glass he was holding, a signal that everyone should resume their activities. A strident screeching sound pierced her ears. The glass in Edmond's hand shattered. Their gazes collided in that moment. And then she turned away from him.