His eyes hurt, there was no other way to put it. The pounding behind closed lids racked his brain and made him reel. Victor had absorbed all of that power from Tessa when they had gone in Leon's room. He did not want her to get hurt. Funny how he had a weak spot for black haired girls. These days you couldn't find a decent villain, even if you looked to the ends of the Otherworlds and back.
"Baby, what's wrong?" her voice was as sweet as sweet as Neotame
No, this was wrong. "You're just a figment of my imagination, sweet heart; sorry to say." Victor let out an audible sigh. Something truly evil had to be done - genocide, maybe? No, that was too extreme.
"Victor . . . Victor."
the voice sounded miles away.
As he opened his eyes, everything was displayed in front of him; an arched ceiling, gilt walls, marble floors. Rococo everywhere; how distasteful. "You always did have a flair for the flamboyant, Cal."
"Where did you disappear to, Victor?"
Cal, a tall slightly muscular young man was perched on a chair next to the overlarge bed that Victor was reclining in. He, Cal, was a magician. Someone Victor went to when he needed to escape.
"Somewhere far away, somewhere where I don't have to fight, I don't have to kill, I don't have to be me. It was disgusting."
Cal smiled in answer and Victor smiled back. "What will you do about Leon? It's getting dangerous, and I'd like to pull you up out of there." Cal's tone had turned grave. Turning quickly, Victor was facing the ornate wall. No longer looking at the Magician's face. "You can't do that, Cal, this is too deep. . .much deeper than anyone thought. I'm going to have to go back, do it all over again. How many do you think will die this time, eh, Mister Magic?" his head lolled over, like his neck had turned to jelly; looking straight at Cal. There was no smile on the vampire's face.
"I don't know." was the calm reply.
Sighing, Victor rolled lazily over, his back to the ceiling, then, raising himself by his arms, he sat up. "Be a dear and hand me my clothes will you? It's time to return to the fray." a new set of clothes were tossed at Victor's face. Catching them neatly, he rapidly began dressing. "I have to find out the secret behind that castle, and" he added as an afterthought, "the brothers. Wish me luck." but before Cal could say anything the least big encouraging, Victor had bounced on to his feet and bounded out the door without a further glance. Cal didn't need to see Victor's face to know that the vampire had his old self-absorbed and insolent smile slapped on his arrogant face.
