Blood In The Night

A Deal with the Dark

William was in the sitting room of his home holding a scotch glass and reading by candlelight. He was tired of his routine. It was the same day in and day out after two hundred years it had become tedious. He sighed while looking at his journal. He closed the journal and read the engraving for the millionth time, 'My darling don't stop dreaming' Love, Sylvie. He smiled at it, running his hand over it as he got lost in his thoughts. His thoughts of the days when he was unapologetically happy.

"Sir," William's butler said, shaking him from his thoughts, "The doctor is coming by in the morning for those notes."

"Thank you for telling me, Arthur," he said, "anything else?"

"Yes, actually, there is a letter for you from someone named Lady Astoria Evens." "Evens?" He stood up, "Let me see the letter." Arthur handed him the letter and William

glared at the letter, "It's an invitation to her step-daughter's engagement party." A letter fell out of the envelope and he picked it up. The letter was threatening him telling him to leave Scarlet and what will happen if he doesn't. He didn't know Scarlet well but he didn't take kindly to the manner the letter was written in. William thought back to the book he gave Scarlet.

"Sir, would that happen to be Scarlet Evens' engagement party?"

"You know her?"

"Sir the town you went to I was raised there," William nodded he had forgotten that Arthur

was the youngest vampire, "Scarlet Evens that's a name I haven't heard in years."

"You say that as though there's a story with it."

"I assume she's to be married to Lord Thomas jr?" William nodded, "She won't do it. I don't

think Lord Evens is aware of his daughter's reputation?"

"What do you mean?"

Arthur explained that a few years back Lord Evens' daughter was involved in a scandal that

her family hid rather well. It was called The Evens Zöllner Scandal. Scarlet had been in love with a German man of noble standing named Laszlo Zöllner and they were considered to be rather close. He told William that it was said that Scarlet and Laszlo were found in her room together and that her stepmother hushed it up without her father knowing. It was also said that her stepmother threatened the Zöllner family then they went back to Germany. William assumed that it was her being protective until Arthur continued. He proceeded to explain Astoria and how she was only ten years older than her stepdaughter and that she was always looking for a new wealthy man to marry. Astoria had her eyes on Laszlo as her next prey back then but Laszlo's only interest had been Scarlet.

Meanwhile, at the manor, Laszlo was in Scarlet's room reading the Sherlock Holmes book she had left on the desk. He sat there trying to focus on the story but his mind was preoccupied with being worried for his lover. He wouldn't tell her how his love for her had ended many of hisrelationships in Germany. He would be talking to a woman and accidentally call her Scarlet or they would find the last letter he had received from Scarlet. This engagement between Scarlet and Eric was killing him. He was wealthy, he was powerful and willing to marry Scarlet the second he returned to England but he couldn't tell her father that. Laszlo was shaken from his thoughts by Fredrick coming into the room.

"Mr. Zöllner? What are you doing here?" He asked

"I was checking if she left a note for Mrs. Florance about wherever she's gone off to. I apologize for not asking you before coming in here-"

"I understand you're just worried for your friend." Fredrick said and Laszlo nodded hoping it was convincing, "Did you find anything?"

"No sir, just this Sherlock book and a ripped letter from Eric, I'm sorry I meant Lord Thomas Jr."