Chapter Two

---

Creaking a door at the hallway open, the mistress; Angelica peered into the dark room which belonged to Ives. "Ives, on your toes." she said. Though, searching the small room, she frowned lightly to find it was empty. Turning her head, she glanced to his coat rack, unfortunately, his top hat was gone, as well as his jacket to his suit. "Bastard…" she whispered, moving out of the room to see one of her oldest of friends, "Have you see Ives, Harris?" came the females voice.

The old vampire shock his head. "I am afraid not, my Lady." he answered. "I would say that I haven't heard the creaking of his door… but, he can use the shadows to get around."

"I know, I have asked him to stop that in the house." she said slowly, sighing deeply. "Why does he always do this when we are meant to see Derek?"

Harris chuckled at that, "My Lady, I fear that you already know that answer." he said, shaking his head as he pushed open one of the bedroom doors. "I look forwards to your return." he spoke slowly, "But, I bid you a fond farewell, Angelica… May everything go to plan." he said, laughing. "If you can find him."

"I can't leave without him… he is as bad as a child, sometimes, I swear…" she replied, bowing her head. "I know you'll look after the place, Harris, take care." she said, before walking on along the hallway. Her shoes were almost soundless as she swept forwards. "Ives, I will turn on every light in the house if you do not show yourself, then you'll have to appear to Derek's and wait all the longer with only his company." she said, slowing her pace to listen and glance to the shadows.

Nothing… no sound of Ives.

"Curse you, Ives!" she shouted now. Her tone going very cold. "Don't forget, Derek is not the only one, Rain will be there!" she yelled, her voice echoed through the long hallway.

After receiving a few stray looks from two of the maids, Angelica made her way out of the house and towards an awaiting car. A dark skinned male moved, bowing his head in greeting to her and opened the door for her. "Trouble?" he asked her.

"Ives." was the only thing she said, unhappily getting in and sitting on one of the back seats. In the dark was a male wearing a suit. A yellow handled cane moved and tapped on the floor.

"I don't see how woman take so long to pack." came Ives' voice. His dull eyes on Angelica as she glared fully at him. "I've been in this car for a whole forty-five minutes." he added. "And, I'm afraid to say that the cars mini bar is empty."

Angelica leant over and grabbed tightly onto Ives tie, yanking him close to her face, "You dare show me up again, Ives, and you'll be finding yourself a new home." she warned, her eyes were very intimidating now, piecing right into Ives. "One foot out of line and you're gone, I mean it this time, Ives." she told him, taking his hat from out of his lap, she put it on his head. "You show respect…"

"Even to-"

"Even to Rain." she snapped. "To anyone in this house." she told him.

"But, Mistress…" he started, tiling his hat up a little. "Rain is so…" he paused, thinking of the right word, but only a grin filled his pale face. "Is such an arsehole it's beyond words."

"Listen up now, Ives, I am only saying this once. You pull a weapon on the boy again and I will empty every bullet you have up your arse!" she hissed as the driver turned the keys and the engine came alive as he drove away from the house. Angelica looked forwards, then back to Ives. "You you understand?!"

Ives disappeared from her sight and appeared on her other side, leaning close to her ear. "Crystal." he whispered. "My Lady." he added, still holding his grin. "Though, I must say, it hurts my ears to hear a young lady such as yourself lower yourself to use the swear words." he teased know, until he was given a slap on the cheek.

Angelica sat still, her eyes forwards, not even glancing at Ives, she acted as if he wasn't even there. Her arms folded. Ives sat, half leaning on the back of the black car seat, half against the door. He sighed to himself and tipped his hat forwards, the brim hiding his eyes; just as he liked it. "Mistress…" he started, his head bowed though so she couldn't see his face, apart from his mouth.

No answer came from Angelica. Her eyes were fixed ahead.

"I do not serve him." he said lowly.

"You serve me, Ives." she spoke at last after making him wait a few minutes. "I don't know what you hate so much about him, and really, I do not care… Derek is a respectable vampire. You will show him how you've grown." she said, turning only now to look over him, his head was still bowed though. "You have come so far since your last meeting… I know you'll not let me down." she added.

Ives disappeared again, appearing on her other side again, he sat very close. She didn't look around to him though, her eyes were on where he had last been. He breathed down her neck as he smelt her hair. Closing her eyes, she sighed deeply, the cold air tingled down across her skin. Her body even shivered as Ives' fingers stroked over her arm and took a hold of her hand. He pulled on in, making her body turn so she faced him, he raised his head a little so he could glance down into her eyes. "… Dear child." he whispered, his fangs shown as he grinned.

She raised her own head to look into his eyes. She whispered one word, and one word only though. "Monster." she said, making Ives hiss at her softly. She slipped away from him, sitting on the other side. "If my father were alive to see that… you'd lose your head."

"I'm sure it could grow back." Ives muttered. He started to move closer to her.

"Stay where you are." she ordered, her voice harsh.

"You can not hide your feelings, Angie." he said with a faint laugh as she snapped her head around to glare at him.

"Dare you call me that again, Ives, and I will leave you where I found you." she replied coldly.

"I believe it were I that found you." he smiled.

This only made her temper worst. "Enough." she said through gritted teeth.

A smirk was resting on Ives face. "Have I no power over your heart?"

"You have no power in anything unless it is in the trigger of a gun." she answered. "My heart is not and never will be yours, Ives." she added. "You are my loyal servant… and nothing more."

"How very cold of you, Mistress." Ives whispered. Though he didn't looked hurt, nor surprised. "My heart weeps. You truly are going to Hell, Mistress." he teased.

"Not if that can be helped." she said slowly. Her eyes looked to her chest. "My soul will return to me, Ives… I will get it back before I fall." she added. "I will not fall into fire. "Maybe even you will gain yours back."

"We can only hope." he said, tilting his hat up so it sat normally on his head. "With the good deeds I have, I should have mine right now. Although, I am loving my mistress at the moment… If she doesn't mind my saying so." he teased. She watched as he reviled his two fangs. Shaking her head.

"Trust me, she does mind you saying so." she spoke, not mad, though not happy, her tone was plain, Ives tried to find out what kind of feeling she was hiding, but he found it terribly difficult. Dipping his head, showing a sign that he would leave her be. She smiled faintly at this. "Thank you."

Ives' eyes were trained on his mistress as ever since they left the car. They were greeted at the large, old house by the butler, whom bowed his head to Angelica as she entered. Ives stayed behind her. A glare filling his eyes as he walked through the white hallway. The butler lead them to the study, where a male; Derek sat, dark hair to his shoulders, he wasn't thin, nor very large, but his grey eyes looked at them and he stood, opening his arms in welcome. "Angelica."

She smiled and went to him, her arms wrapped around him in a hug as she laughed. This was when Ives' blood boiled under his skin. Tilting his hat down to hide his eyes. "Bastard." he whispered.

"Ives…" Derek muttered. "I trust we will not have the same problems as last time."

"It all depends-" Ives started, but Angelica's glaring eyes told him not to speak another word, and so, he done as he was told, waiting without a sound as the two spoke together, moving away from him and into another room. Ives hissed at being alone. He started to follow them, but as Derek closed the door on Ives face, the vampire side stepped into the shadows, appearing in the room, coming out behind Angelica, he put his hands on her shoulders as Derek turned.

Jumping a little, Derek shook his head. "Has he not improved in anyway?"

"I believe my aim has picked up wonders!" Ives called, snapping a gun out from the inside of his jacket. "I missed last time, didn't I?!" he mocked and the clicking of the gun was heard. Angelica pushed his arm away.

"Ives!" she bellowed, grabbing him by his tie again. "What did I tell you in the car?!" she asked in a loud whisper, talking once again through her gritted teeth. Yanking him down so they were eye level.

"You said if I pulled a weapon on the boy… This is not the boy. This thing that is unidentified; as, believe it or not, it's head is up its own arse-"

"Enough!" her voice boomed around the room. Leaving Ives to fall quiet. His eyes in hers. She used her gritted-teeth-tone again with him. "Leave us to talk." she said, letting him go. "And, if you dare lurk in the shadows, I will personally fire six holes in your head. Although, after a time you will pull yourself together again, at least you will be out of my hair for a few hours." she hissed. "Get out, now." she ordered.

Without question, Ives obeyed and walked on. Turning when Derek opened the door for him. Instead, Ives walked right into the shadows, disappearing from his mistress' sight.

Derek sighed. "Can you do nothing to tame him? He is yours after all."

"Trust me… he is as trained as anything when he isn't here." Angelica said, trying now to stand up for her vampire.

"Angelica, I saw the report on the news… as did most of the country. We are supposed to remain unknown, and yet Ives is shooting demons in a game of open fire."

"It was a mistake, I know." she muttered. "I apologize for it deeply, it'll never happen again. You have my word."

He sighed again, shaking his head. "My dear… whatever would your father think if he saw that?"

The room went deadly quiet as Angelica's eyes fell to the ground. Her heart became heavy. Disappointed with herself, she nodded. "You are right, Derek… I know you are, but, it wasn't meant to happen. I know that and so does Ives." she told him.

"Come." he said after giving it a few moments. "Let us talk, a demon has been seen. He goes by the name of Jenix. He has been linked to the murders of eight so far, but, I think there are many more… and far more to follow." he said slowly. "I think he is feeding on the souls of his victims. Worst of all, he has now made a hospital his hideout."

"A hospital?"

"Yes. I'm not sure were, but, I've had Rain watch him. He returns there every night. I think it would be a good idea to send Ives after this one… if he can obey long enough to make it out of the house."

"Trust me, he will."