Ellie stopped outside the Valentine Tower, it seemed to reach the clouds; she glanced up at it and took a deep breath. Busy as ever, the lobby was buzzing with chatter, more people than last time, she almost bumped a few people. Ellie felt her heart beating more and more rapidly, the chatter pierced through her ears like needles. She walked faster, straight to the lift. The security guard nodded at her and brought her up to the top floor.
She breathed out as she marvelled at the view going up. It reached the top with a loud ding. Ellie carefully stepped out and towards Juliette’s office, she softly knocked the door.
“Come in!” Juliette Exclaimed, her nose buried in important papers. Ellie glanced around, no one else was there.
“Hi, I’m here for my first day. What should I do?” Ellie asked cautiously.
“Sit down first, let’s have a chat. Help yourself to a drink.” Juliette told Ellie, not even looking up.
“I’m not really a drinker. But thanks.” Ellie mumbled, she placed herself in the chair across from Juliette.
Juliette finally glanced at Ellie, she stood up, gliding over to the drinks she poured two glasses of brandy. “I insist darling.” Juliette handed one glass to her.
Ellie accepted the glass, staring down at the drink, she’d never had brandy before, or much of any drinks.
“I’m more curious about you, Ellie. Where are you from? What’s your story?” Juliette asked, gliding back to her chair.
“Me? I… I’m from Everwood, it’s a small town outside Dawn. I lived there with my dad, my mom died when I was six. I don’t think I have much of a story yet.” Ellie stuttered, smiling too much. She always smiled when she was nervous, smiled when she was scared, smiled when she was sad. Ellie’s eyes shifted around the room.
“I think there’s more to your story than that right?” Juliette inquired, picking up some different papers from a drawer. “Did you figure out anything at the crypts dear?” She added, her eyes fixed on Ellie.
“The crypts?” Ellie stammered, wondering why she was asking about the crypts, was Skully right, wad she really connected to everything?
“I believe Mr. Fitz sent you on a small mission right?” Juliette remarked, still staring at Ellie. Juliette wore a red fitted suit today, she straightened her white tie.
Ellie gulped. “You know Mr. Fitz? So the V on the manor is for Valentine?” Ellie asked, she took a breath, trying to summon some bravery.
“Exactly. Mr. Fitz works for my father, who is currently deep in a slumber. I gather Mr. Fitz is quite concerned for his well being, seeing as someone is going around annihilating sleeping ones.” Juliette remarked with a bored expression on her face.
“You’re not concerned?” Ellie asked, looking down at her drink, still in her hand.
“Let’s get back to my question, shall we cutie? Did you figure anything out?” Juliette questioned, glancing down again, shifting through paper.
“I… um… There was a demon with rose vines, it attacked us… me, when I was checking out the moon crypt.” Ellie explained, Juliette looked up at her.
“Demon, you say?” Juliette smirked, putting down the papers in her hand.
“I’m sure your skull friend knows a lot about this subject matter.” Juliette jested, she seemed energised by Ellie’s answers.
“I don’t think he does? Why? Do you know something?” Ellie asked Juliette, a hopefulness in her voice.
Juliette abruptly got up for her chair and moved over to the drinks. She poured herself some more brandy and glided over to the large windows.
“Come here.” She called Ellie.
Ellie carefully moved over to Juliette and stood next to her, staring at the most amazing view of Dawn.
“I know some things about your friend my dear. I have never met him myself, but he was someone my father, Julian Valentine, knew very well. I have heard stories. Some good, most bad. I could tell you that you should put him back in the woods where you found him, but he intrigues me.” Juliette smirked, pulling a cigarette out of her pocket.
“The world used to be a different place before the incident five hundred years ago, or so people like my father and Mr. Fitz have told me, I'm not actually that old.” Juliette remarked as she lit her cigarette.
“Dawn has always been a big city, but back then it was huge, it made Cadence look like a village in comparison, Dawn actually stretched all the way to your little town, Everwood. The destruction was horrible, millions died, buildings were levelled, heck even many cities were levelled throughout the whole world. Old Dawn being the only thing unaffected. It took us how long to rebuild our world? Five hundred years and we’re not even nearly there, so much was lost, even knowledge.” Juliette stared out the window, the smoke from her cigarette danced around her. She sighed and continued.
“Your skull friend disappeared five hundred years ago as well. Apparently he had something to do with what happened. My advice to you cutie, thread carefully, he has many enemies. Personally I think it would be interesting if you found his body. He is a vampire after all, with enough blood I’m sure he can become himself again.” Juliette smiled wide as she glanced at Ellie, blowing out a puff of smoke.
Ellie waved the smoke away, trying to figure out if Juliette wanted to help her or not.
“Wow. You really do know a lot. Do you know his name? Do you know where his body is?” Ellie asked her, her hopeful eyes staring at Juliette.
Juliette laughed, smoke coming out between her lips as they moved, she held the cigarette between the tips of her index finger and middle finger.
“Where would the fun be in me giving you all the answers my dear? Besides I doubt anyone really knows where his body is besides a select few council members. It’s probably hidden somewhere, maybe even magically sealed away.” Juliette remarked, laughing again.
“So you won’t tell me anything more?” Ellie asked, her voice sounded firmer this time.
“No. I don’t give anything away for free. If my father taught me anything, it’s that knowledge is the true commodity of the world. And my knowledge is very pricey.” Juliette explained, her fingers gently lifted up Ellie’s chin, she looked straight into Ellie’s eyes. “I am willing to negotiate the price, I will give you his name, if you give me your blood, cutie.” Juliette smirked, her lips moved to reveal her pointy fangs. The cigarette smoke hit Ellie’s eyes.
“I… Can I think about it?” Ellie muttered, her lips trembling as she moved backwards slightly.
“Of course. Think about it, cutie. Remember it would help you a great deal in your search.” Juliette chimed, gliding back to her desk, she put out the cigarette with a small electric jolt from between her fingers.
Ellie couldn’t believe what she just saw.
“What was that?” Ellie stammered, too curious to not ask.
“Oh, this?” Juliette said, producing tiny blue tinged electric jolts in the palm of her hand. “As a pure born vampire I have what you might refer to as powers. Your skull friend should have powers too.” Juliette told Ellie before she went back to her pile of papers.
“Now I have all these papers to look through, come back tomorrow, you can start being my assistant then. I hope you can see yourself out. Marjorie will set you up with a keycard.” She remarked, waving Ellie away.
Ellie made her way out, she slowly walked along the riverside, looking over at old Dawn, wondering how Skully was connected the cataclysm that happened five hundred years ago? Ellie felt like the more she found out the further away she got from finding the truth, mysteries just kept piling on top of each other.
“What would Nova Blackheart do?” She whispered to herself as she stopped and looked up at the sky, not a cloud up there, it was a calm blue. She breathed in and out.
“Nova Blackheart would go deeper into the mystery wouldn’t he?” She felt determined again.
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