“Was that suppose to hurt?”
The rain had just begun to fall as Clara stepped out of the shop. Sighing, she frowned at the sky and adjusted her hat. She couldn’t help being annoyed by the rain; she had no parasol or proper bonnet to protect from the falling water. Lifting her skirt, she began to walk briskly through London, and back to the orphanage.
As she moved through the thick pea soup fog, she knew she had plenty to be grateful for. She could be living on the soaked rain covered street, like many of the other children. She could be working in one of the workhouses or on the streets, like many of the other girls her age. Clara knew she was lucky, at age 16, to be living, and working in the orphanage. Mrs. Baker was kind enough to her, letting her continue to stay and work, rather then pushed out on the street.
Moving through the street, she focused on keeping shoes on the cobbles and not the growing puddles. She had been so focused on watching her step that she was startled by the sound of men’s voices behind her coming down the close.
She peered behind her and saw three men stumbling along behind her. She put her head down and began walking faster. The voices turned to shouting in her direction and Clara could feel her nervousness and fear growing.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm and jerked her back. She stumbled into the wall, dropping her parcel, and a groan of pain escaped from her lips.
“Did you not hear us?” One of the men sneered, and Clara could smell the ale and port on his breath.
“Let go,” her voice came out as a mere whimper, and it caused the men to howl in laughter.
Over the laughter, Clara heard the clicking of a walking stick and heels on the cobbles. None of the men seemed to mind, and Clara summoned enough strength to yell out. The man holding her against the wall gave her a shake. “None of that,” he hissed at her.
“Now, now, what do we have here?” Came a light feminine voice. All heads turned to the sound of the voice. Clara could see a man with the cane and top hat and on his arm a woman dressed in a rich red bustled dress.
“This does not concern you.” Another of the drunken man slurred at the pair.
“Oh, but it does now.” The woman responded as she came closer. She seemed thrilled to be in this position. Clara gave another whimper, and the women looked directly at her. “Let the girl go.” Her voice was clear and sharp.
The man holding Clara looked to the gentleman who stood a bit back from the woman. “Take your lady and leave sir. This is nothing of your concern.”
“Well, my good man, it is not me you will be dealing with. My darling.” He looked at the woman, tipped his hat, then stood back and began lighting a cigarette.
Clara was shocked that this woman escort would just leave her to her own devices, until the woman stepped forward, grabbed one of the drunk by the neck and threw him into the other wall of the close, where he crumbled to the ground, and remained still. The man holding Clara dropped her in shock, causing her to crumble to the ground.
Clara stared up at the woman. She could see her eyes, and they were red, as brilliant red as fresh blood. Clara could only stare at the sight in front of her. The woman threw the second man away from her, and he too crumbled into a heap and wasn’t moving.
The man that had been the leader of the trio, the one who had held her against the wall, was now facing off against the woman. “What are you?”
“A nightmare, my dear boy. A nightmare.” Was her response and Clara watched her lips curl up in a smirk, that revealed pointed teeth.
The man pulled out a knife, and he plugged it into the woman’s chest. Clara’s scream caught in her throat.
The woman paused and looked down at the weapon sticking out of her. Reaching up, she pulled the knife from her chest and smiled. “Was that supposed to hurt?”
She dropped the bloodied knife to the ground, and grabbed the man’s top. Pulling him forward, she snaked her hand up to grab the hair at the back of the man’s head, and pulled back, exposing his neck. It looked as if she was going to kiss his neck, but she opened her mouth and bit him.
“Don’t look my dear,” came a lightly French accented voice. Clara looked up; the woman’s escort had come and squatted down next to her. “Don’t look at her my dear. She will say that it is improper.”
Clara couldn’t move, so she stared at the man, focusing on his pale green eyes. It seemed like forever before she heard a heavy thump, and the woman voice.
“Demitri, my love, handkerchief?”
Demitri looked away from Clara, for a second, to pull out his kerchief. He held it up, and it the woman took it. Clara looked up at the woman, and her mouthed open in another silent scream as she watched the woman wipe bright red blood from her lips and the corners of her mouth.
“Elizabeth, darling. You are terrifying the poor girl.”
“Oh my. It is okay, my pet.” She dropped the hankie to the ground and offered her hand to Clara, to help her up. Clara’s eyes widened at the gesture. “Oh pet, I promise, we will not hurt you. Those men were vile. You are in no danger from us. What is your name?”
“Clara,” she said taking Elizabeth’s hand and standing up.
“Where were you heading?”
“No. But Mrs. Baker will worry.”
“Oh, my poor pet. Demitri, this poor child.” She looked to her escort, her eyes, no longer red, but a pale blue, wide and pleading.
Demitri leaned forward and kissed Elizabeth’s forehead. “You know the rules my dear.”
Elizabeth smiled brightly and turned back to Clara.
“Clara, my pet, I have always wanted a daughter. Would you like to come with us?”
Clara, looked between both of the strange people, and suddenly the ground shifted beneath her feet, and the last she heard before the darkness over took, was Elizabeth’s voice saying, “Catch her.”