Despite the innocence of her nom de guerra, Kitty had a reputation as a woman not to be trifled with. It was well-known that she was the most powerful individual in the brothel district. She had a great deal of influence, and an even greater amount of wealth, which was of more immediate interest to Vero.
Dora had gone ahead to arrange the meeting, and Vero was left alone in the servants’ areas behind the common room.
She took the opportunity to check her appearance in a convenient mirror, no doubt intended for use by the in-house girls. Her fire red hair was still long, but she tied it back. Besides that, she had bound her breasts and put on the rest of her armor and leathers. She believed it would be enough to easily pass as a young man unless examined closely.
It was much too warm to hide under a cloak anyway.
Dora popped her head out through a doorway and waved her forwards. “She’ll see you, come on.”
Vero followed her friend up a staircase and through a hallway, into the Madame’s office. Vero found Kitty’s appearance almost breathtaking.
She was dressed in the absolute height of fashion, and looked like one of the noble ladies in the mansions on Castle Hill. Soft dark velvet clung tight to her figure, with elegant vines of crimson inlaid across the fabric. It was exactly the sort of gown Vero dreaded to wear, but she took great pleasure in looking at it on another. The woman inside the clothes had an aura of mature beauty. Her gaze and posture spoke of confident experience, but her body had not felt the sting of age quite yet.
Vero realized she was staring. And that she was probably still under the effects of the wine.
The room was a more comfortable temperature than the hallway outside. It was richly furnished and the rugs on the floor were very soft. Besides its owner, the office also featured several other beautiful figures, pieces of white marble statuary. Each statue, Vero calculated, was worth several times more than she had earned during her entire stay in the Republic.
The anatomy of the subjects was very explicit.
Dora obviously could have enjoyed much more lavish accommodations than those they shared together. She still worked for her mother during the day, so they were not estranged. It seemed she wished the independence of a separate living space away from the theater, even if it meant rougher circumstances. Vero’s positive opinion of the girl was only reinforced.
Kitty appraised her coolly and took a draw from a long pipe she held up to her mouth. There was a sound of cloves crackling, and then she let out a plume of smoke. “My little Dora says that it’s urgent you speak with me.”
Vero tried to curtsey, but the movement was less than graceful. “Yes, Madame.”
Kitty blew another puff of smoke in her direction. “You live in my district. My accounts show you pay the tax on time. So, I don’t see why I shouldn’t hear you out.”
Once she had permission to proceed, Vero went on at once. “Madame, there’s been a murder of a girl working near our room.”
“A pity to be sure, but these things happen from time to time. Girls, and boys, who work on the streets take that risk.”
Vero presumed Kitty was already using a negotiating ploy. The streets of the brothel district were quite safe, at least in comparison to the surrounding slums or the docks.
“This is more serious than a simple murder I’m afraid, Madame. I found marks on the body that suggest she was exsanguinated by a reasoning undead.”
“Are you talking about a vampyre?”
“Yes, Madame. Or a draugr, or a barrow wight, or a striga if you prefer, they all mean the same thing. We need to incinerate the body.”
The Madame started idly playing with the curls of Dora’s hair. “I don’t see why it’s my responsibility to dispose of the body; doesn’t the city handle these things?”
Vero did not care for Kitty’s games, but at the same time, she did not feel she had any choice except to play them.
“The city won’t see to the disposal of the body in time. She died with the evil thing’s corruption inside of her. Tomorrow night she shall wake under the power of her master. And she will come back here, where it seems, her master has already begun to establish a feeding ground. Vampyres are like vermin. If this is the first that we have found, you may be certain there are more that we have not.”
Her master often told her that the showmanship of selling her services was as important a slayer’s art as any other, but Vero still detested it.
Regardless, she pressed on. “Vampyres only kill this way when they seek to grow their numbers, and they do so quietly if they can. Someone vanishes for a day, but returns later with a haunted expression and avoidant of sunlight. Because their master forces them to masquerade as their former selves- those who love them will chose to ignore their own growing dread. Then once the coven has grown to full size, you will begin finding the bodies- many bodies. They suffocate their victims first to kill them if they don’t wish them to rise again, and then they drain the corpse of blood immediately after.”
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“I’m sure they could find some plump merchant with blood to spare. If they are as clever at staying hidden as you say, surely, they won’t start engaging in mass murder on a whim.”
Vero had the impression that the Madame may have been better educated on the subject than she was pretending, but she could only play along.
“But they will kill when they believe they can get away with it. Even when they don’t murder outright, vampyres spread disease like plague rats. Cases of anemia, malaria, yellow fever, and others will spread as well. And I cannot imagine any of those things shall encourage patrons to frequent your establishment. We can get rid of the body, and then I can destroy the vampyre. As well as whatever spawn the thing has created already.”
More smoke. “And what does a whore’s laundress know about hunting vampyres?”
“I have been trained as a slayer, in the methods of the old academies.”
“The last academy closed hundreds of years ago.” Kitty did know more than she was letting on, much more.
“My master, who trained me, was himself trained by an elven warrior, who himself was an accomplished slayer and taught in the last academy until its closure.” Vero was truncating the line of succession, but she felt no guilt for forcing Kitty to play one of her own games. “I know the old techniques, and the ancient slayer magics.”
Kitty appraised her, much like her namesake might appraise a particularly juicy mouse. “Ancient slayer magics? More like blood magic. Not that you have a license to practice any form of magic in this city.”
She was right that Vero had no license to practice magic in the city. The Vigil was too overburdened to bother tracking a cunning woman acting as an unlicensed apothecary to whores, she was only selling cheap ointments to cure the rash, but it was illegal. Kitty certainly had the influence to stir up trouble for her if she wished.
Vero’s face felt as though it was burning, and she was certain she must be showing a beet red. “Yes, Madame.” She shifted her gaze downwards. “I was only offering my humble services for hire. If you choose not to accept them, then I will depart.”
“Academy slayers accepted no reward for their work.”
“As you so correctly pointed out before Madame, the last academy closed a long time ago. I work for payment.” Vero resumed eye contact. “Ten ducats for the coven elder, and an additional ducat per head for each of its spawn. Additionally, you will agree to meet all necessary expenses for the duration of the hunt.”
There was a long silence, and Vero thought she might have overplayed her hand. Then, at last, Kitty laughed.
“Very well. I will see you provisioned for your hunt, and if you survive- I will provide you with ample reward.”
Kitty sent them back for the body with a cart, and arranged the use of a furnace for the disposal. One of her bouncers drove the vehicle. Vero and Dora rode on the back of the cart beside the body, which was covered by a blanket. Dora sat on Vero’s lap to stay well away from the cadaver, and Vero had to keep an arm around her waist to keep Dora stable. The girl had been quiet since they left the brothel.
“That weapon.” Dora inclined her head towards the longsword which lay on the cart beside them. “It’s not an ordinary sort of sword, is it?”
The scabbard was ordinary enough, it had come from the stores of the Marquis de Fer. The grip was well worn leather, and she did not know how old it was.
Vero drew the weapon and held it out in front of them. The blade was in perfect condition, as though it had never been used. It was forged of adamant and held a vorpal edge. Along both faces of the blade ran runes, carved in a language Vero did not understand, embossed in silver.
After taking the time to let Dora examine the sword, Vero returned it to its scabbard and put it away. “No, it’s not ordinary.”
“If you have a genuinely enchanted weapon, you could sell it for enough to buy a great house on Castle Hill.”
“No, I couldn’t.”
“You could! Any noble or wizard would pay you a fortune for it!”
“It’s not that. The sword could be sold, but I can’t sell it.”
Dora sighed and shook her head. “Why didn’t you tell me about this, Vero?”
“Would you believe it’s because you never asked?” It was a pathetic answer, and Vero knew it, but she did not have anything better to offer.
Dora continued her brooding for another few minutes. “If you know how to fight, couldn’t you make more money working as a guard or a mercenary than a laundress?”
“Slayers hunt monsters, we're not murderers. I won’t kill a man unless he gives me no other choice, and certainly not for money.”
“So, you work as a washer woman?”
Vero sighed. “I suppose that is what it comes down to; I didn’t tell you what I was because I was embarrassed. Slayers were well respected once. I’m surprised your mother knew as much of our history as she did, most people have forgotten. In the days of the old academies, we asked no money and hunted to keep all civilized peoples safe. In return, we could count on being given a soft bed and a hot meal at whatever house we came upon. Now, the cities get bigger, abominations become rarer, and we’ve become an anachronism. My master worked whatever odd job he could to keep us fed, and some of the time we still didn’t eat. Every time he would do some menial task for a pittance, I could see the humiliation in his eyes. He thought he was a disgrace to an honored legacy. My only trade is combat, and I’m forbidden to kill men for gold. So, I do whatever I must to survive, just as he did. I am sorry if I hurt you by not telling you, that was not my intent.”
The ride passed in silence for a few moments. They both watched the road behind them.
“There is a dead body in the cart next to us,” Dora said, with dull resignation. Then a sour look passed across her face. “That’s disgusting.”
“You should ask your mother for a room inside her theater, at least until this business is over. It might be dangerous being near me if these things learn that I’m hunting them.”
“But I’m helping you, aren’t I?”
“To move the body. Afterwards you should stay away. Vampyres are predators, if they learn they’re in danger, their first instinct will be to attack.”
“I’m not a delicate princess, who needs to be locked away in some tower to wait for my knight. Though I do confess that you look rather dashing in that armor. We found the body together. If you’re going to do this, then I want to help you.”
Vero laughed and playfully kissed her friend along the nape of her neck. “As you wish, my lady. I only hope you don’t come to regret it.”
Dora tilted her head to give Vero easier access. “Oh Vero, if I didn’t know you were only teasing me… I think I’d be very cross with you for taking these liberties with my person.”
Vero felt a desire building low in her stomach to take further liberties with Dora’s person, but she did not tell that to the girl.
The cart came to a stop outside a soot covered building, the location of the furnace Kitty arranged for them. It had a sobering effect on their mood.
Vero carried Dora down from the cart. “First thing you’ll help me to do is get this thing inside.”
Burning the body was an unpleasant task, but it was likely to be the easiest part of Vero’s contract. By the time they returned to their apartment, it was just after dawn and they slept through the heat of the day.
She kept Dora cradled protectively in her arms.