Chapter Text
It took them around half a day to reach their destination, and Aesop, who was sick through most of the journey, was grateful for the breath of fresh air as soon as he stepped off the train and onto the platform.
“Ah, so this is the city of Vienna. I must admit though it has changed significantly, I still feel a bit familiar with the place.” Joseph said with a nod, looking at the views around him with fascination, “The city is still beautiful.” He noted.
Behind him, Aesop stumbled onto the pavement, trying not to fall over as he muttered, “How are we getting to the destination stated in the file?” He asked.
“Shh shh,” Joseph shushed him, “You are ruining my experience here.”
Aesop frowned and then looked around at the crowds of people walking around and talking and pointing at several sights around them, “So many people.” He murmured, uneasy.
“According to the instructions in the file,” Joseph was saying, “We should be meeting a guide somewhere around here.”
“Mr. Desaulniers? Mr. Carl?” The two men turned just in time to see a man dressed in black priestly robes walk up to them with a grin, “The guests of the Signora, yes? Come, come, I will be your escort to the mansion.”
The two men glanced at each other, but said nothing. Then Joseph stepped forward, smiling as he shook the man’s hand, “Thank you for your services, Mr…?”
“Oh I am no one important, Sirs. Do not worry about the details of someone like me. Our Madame is the one who deserves all the gratitude and recognition.”
Joseph found the statement as suspicious as the man's fake smile, but he still chose to laugh in good humour as he replied, “Of course. As long as our deal is closed without any issues.”
.
“I am a busy man, madame, it would be really quite wonderful if you could spare us all any more wastage of time and just deliver the designated package into our hands.”
The posh woman snorted as she looked at the gentleman in front of her. He seemed to be someone with significance, given his appearance, and the arrogance that reeked off of him, and with his luxurious attire, he at least seemed to be someone who she could spare five minutes to talk to.
“And this— designated package you speak of? A family heirloom that has been passed down by my ancestors for generations.”
A vein throbbed on Joseph's temple as he tried not to let his irritation leak into his voice, speaking through grit teeth, “I implore you, Mrs. Orsonville, to be reasonable. This was no family heirloom, it is stipulated right here in the agreement that your family was merely given the duty to safeguard it until it was time to return it to its rightful owner.”
“The rightful owner you say?” The woman waved her hand, “Sir, you must be joking. This is a priceless artefact from over five centuries ago, whatever rightful owner you speak of,” The woman tapped her long manicured nails on the table, “.....has long lost any claim to it through their descendants.”
“Who–” Joseph breathed in, trying to calm himself, “Your family agreed to return the relic when the day arrived. It is stated very clearly right here in the contract.”
“Is it?” The woman said, not even bothering to look at the parchment paper Joseph pushed towards her, she waved her perfect nails towards her subordinate, who accordingly nodded and reached down to pick up the parchment and show it to her.
Aesop, standing right behind the chaise Joseph was seated on, noticed something. When the woman tapped the table, seemingly in an ordinary gesture of boredom, one of the guards standing at the side gave her a discreet nod and retreated into the outer room.
Joseph mustn't have noticed it, given he was still busy trying to negotiate with this headstrong woman about the ancient relic that they had travelled all this way to retrieve. Aesop considered his options, and realised that it would be futile to merely stand here like a mute puppet while Joseph did all the talking with the other party.
“And what gives you the right to decide that?” Joseph sneered in response to something the woman had said, “Your family had agreed to this arrangement when it was handed over to them for safekeeping. You have no right to deny carrying out the terms of the contract now.”
“The contract you show me, it is archaic. Outdated,” She waved her hand, signalling for the paper to be taken away from her, “Modern contract laws stipulate that agreements past a period of time need not be upheld by the parties. I see no reason why I should be forced to give up something of mine simply because my ancestors made a promise generations ago.”
“It is not yours!” It took every ounce of Joseph's self-restraint to not yell at the woman,
“Madame,” Joseph breathed out, as if battling demons within himself, “Be reasonable. We aren't asking you to hand over a relic of your family, or anything precious foraged by your ancestors. This artefact– was merely loaned to them. For safekeeping. And now it is time for you to return it.”
Mrs. Orsonville twisted her lips into a displeased expression as she scrutinised her long nails, “Sir, it should be you who should see reason. It was courtesy of an old acquaintance I chose to entertain your visit here today, but had I known the reason for why I was asked to receive you—” She scoffed, “You are asking me to hand over something that has been a part of my family for centuries, not even decades.”
Joseph pinched the bridge of his nose, “So you are openly refusing to abide by the terms of the contract.”
“It isn't a contract I signed. I see no reason why I should be the one suffering any losses.”
“Losses.” Joseph closed his eyes, “You are merely returning something that does not belong to you. The contract specifies that the terms will be applicable to the descendants,” Joseph pointed out, scowling, “Do you still deny it, Madame?”
“I believe we are done here, Mr. Desaulniers,” She said as she put down her hand, but still smiling in an obnoxious manner as she continued, “But if you are truly that adamant to get a glimpse of the relic, then I suggest you get a pass for the exclusive exhibition my estate will be holding in a few days— you will be able to feast your eyes on not just one beautiful antiquity, but so many others as well —”
Joseph, frustrated, stood up, gritting his teeth as he spoke, “Good day, Madame.”
“Good day to you as well, Sir.”
As the woman watched Joseph storm out of the room with a raging fury in his stride, she signalled for her subordinate to come closer,
“That vampire. Has the blood of the Ancients.” She tapped her chin as she spoke, “Inform Ammon. We can use him to finally seal the ritual.”
*****
When Aesop ran into the vampire again in one of the corridors of the extravagant mansion, the first thing he noted was that Joseph was fuming. The vampire had a terrifying expression on his face, so full of bitterness and vitriol that Aesop doubted even he had ever been subject to that much hatred from the former vampire lord.
“Joseph–” He began, in a hushed tone but the vampire was eager to speak first.
“That insufferable woman!” Joseph hissed, “How daring, how bloody audacious. Even the Devil would make for an easier conversation than her!”
Aesop, surprised that this vampire was also capable of cursing, paused for a moment before speaking again, “She refused to hand it over?”
“Take a wild guess.” Joseph grumbled, still seething with rage.
Aesop looked around and then whispered to the vampire, “I think she was expecting us, or rather, expecting someone to show up asking for relic.”
“I’d be more surprised if she wasn't,” Joseph replied, “Dishonesty and deceit reeks off of her. The contract stated the terms clearly, and even stipulated the time period–”
“I think they are moving the relic.” Aesop cut in, “I noticed her signalling something to one of her men, and so when he left the room, I did too, and followed him discreetly. He instructed something to someone who was standing guard downstairs, I reckon the relic was stored away somewhere in the house, but since we came by, they are in a hurry to move it elsewhere.”
Joseph seemed even more irritated than before, “The audacity of these fools– wait, did you say they are moving it now?”
Aesop blinked, “I….think so? I think there's a vehicle parked at the back, waiting to take it away.”
“Hah!” Joseph grinned, a cunning glint in his eye, “She thinks she's so smart, doesn't she? Well, she's about to find out what happens to those who are foolish enough to make an enemy out of me.”
And then, without waiting for a reply from Aesop, Joseph began walking ahead, a decided confidence in his stride.
“What. What do you mean?” Aesop rushed to keep up with him.
“Why? If words won't do, then force will. I will take it back with me if that's the last thing I do here!” Joseph declared without stopping.
“You are going to steal it?” Aesop asked, taken aback.
“!!” Joseph whirled around, glaring, “It's not stealing if I'm simply taking back what belongs to me!!”
Aesop opened his mouth, as if to argue, but ultimately closed it again when he had no statement to refute. After all, Joseph wasn't exactly wrong, was he?
“Wh-where are we–”
“Shhh.” Joseph said suddenly and then beckoned him to follow. Aesop did so, and the two of them ducked away from view just in time as two armed guards walked by, chatting away in German.
“Why is the Madame so worked up today?”
“Was she? I couldn't tell.”
“Didn't you see all the fuss happening at the back? They're moving something from the crypt to the car, it's surrounded by guards.”
“Oh that black box?”
Their voices faded away into the corridor.
“The black box?” Aesop mumbled, looking at Joseph who seemed to have already decided on a course of action.
“Come on, we have to head to the back,” Joseph said, “It's getting dark, so make sure to just stay in the shadows.”
Joseph was well aware of Aesop's excellent stealth with respect to sneaking past armed guards unnoticed…..that's how he had broken into the Vampire Lord's castle so many times after all. And as for the vampire himself– he had no worries to stay hidden, for the speed of a vampire was nearly incomprehensible to regular humans as it was.
However, the real issue wasn't getting to the back of the mansion, it was what was to be done after getting there.
“Too many guards…..” Aesop muttered, peering in from behind a wall, Joseph was behind him, also looking at the scene in front of them with a displeased expression.
As expected, there indeed was a long black car parked in the back, but the issue was that there were several armed guards standing around the vehicle, discussing something in whispers. Aesop couldn't hear it, but he had an inkling the vampire probably could.
“What are they saying?” He asked Joseph, who frowned and replied,
“That they are surprised she advanced the delivery by two whole days, given the exhibition is still a week and a half away—” Joseph paused, “They are bringing it out now.”
Aesop looked around the wall again, and just as Joseph spoke, a man dressed in all black walked out, carrying a dark velvet case atop a red satin cloth.
“What are we going to do?” Aesop had barely spoken the words when he felt a gust of wind near him, and when he turned back. Joseph was gone.
Alarmed, he looked back towards the scene, and as expected chaos unfolded in front of his very eyes.
First, it was the realization by the man in black, just as he reached out to place the case inside the car, that the said case had, in fact, gone missing from his hand. And then, before he could even open his mouth to warn the guards, each of them fell one by one. Something shadowy darting across each of them as the man watched in horror and stumbled back, finally finding the voice to yell out right before he was tackled–
“Die Teufel!!! Sie sind hier!! Jemand, kommt schnell!!”
All hell broke loose in one go as a stream of guards came running out of the mansion. Aesop, realising he couldn't stay hidden any longer given he heard footsteps behind him as well—rushed into the scene, hissing, “What are you doing??? What happened to staying in the shadows!!”
“That was meant for you, not me,” Joseph said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “I am no coward to run away from a battle.”
Aesop was speechless, before he could say anything more, however, there was a shout.
“THEY ARE HERE!!! SEIZE THEM!!”
“FREEZE!” Someone yelled and Aesop rushed to look around just in time to see someone pointing a weapon at him. By the look of it, Aesop was sure it was a firearm.
Behind him, Joseph scoffed, “This is why I told you to stay hidden.” The vampire grumbled as he stepped forward.
“I said freeze!!” The man yelled again, a thick accent accompanying his words, “Leave the box and put your hands where we can see them!!!” He ordered.
Joseph narrowed his eyes at the weapons pointed towards them, and then at Aesop. The vampire knew he was fast enough to escape whatever would be thrown at him….but would the human?
Just as expected, the man seemed to have his attention on Aesop first, the human hesitant and thinking quickly on how to escape the current predicament he found himself in. One of the guards was already approaching him, and Aesop braced himself to start throwing punches if he had to, and when another man lifted the weapon towards him, Aesop grit his teeth, making up his mind to move before they did.
Unexpectedly, to the surprise of everyone present, a cracking sound of something metallic breaking tore through the air and Aesop turned around just in time to move out of the way of a car door flying across and hitting a few guards head on.
“Don't just stand there, stupid human!” Joseph yelled at him, “They are going to attack.”
That thing could have hit me!!! Aesop wanted to shout back, but the battle escalated much further before he could, both him and Joseph ducking out of the way just in time as a barrage of gunfire began. Fortunately, there weren't as many guards as before, given Joseph had already taken care of a significant number of them.
The priest in black robes had managed to get to his feet, and was yelling at the guards in German while they reloaded their firearms,
“CAREFUL!! CAREFUL YOU FOOLS!! WHAT IF YOU DAMAGE THE PRICELESS ARTEFACT??!!”
It seemed that man’s yelling did reduce the aimless gunfire by a little bit….but there had already been a lot of damage done—the outside of the black car was covered in dents and bulletholes, and the inside, now left exposed given the lack of a door, was in an even worse condition. At some point, it seemed the shots had even damaged the tyres and the exhaust pipes, and a thin layer of oil had leaked onto the stone floor.
Joseph, and Aesop were both stuck on the other side of the car, having taken cover just in time, but the action also meant that they were now trapped, with no way out behind them or in front of them.
“Why couldn’t you have taken the item and just left?” Aesop muttered, “Was it necessary to get rid of those guards just for a show off?”
“Show off?” Joseph repeated, offended, while also ducking even lower as they heard more yelling and gunfire, “I was merely getting rid of any obstacles. If you had stayed where you were—”
“??” Aesop looked at him incredulously, “How could I have stayed?! There were more—”
His words were cut off as a bullet ricocheted off the wall behind the car and struck the metal surface right in between them. The two men just stared at the smoking bullet hole for a moment and then looked at each other.
Perhaps, time for banter can be spared later.
Joseph looked at the box in his hand and then at Aesop. He opened it and took out something wrapped in a soft violet fabric. Handing over the item to Aesop, he told him, “Follow my lead.”
“Wh-what?”
Joseph stood up just a little bit and then yelled, “All this commotion over this old thing?! Here, take it back!” And then he really did throw the black velvet box into the air, and all at once the guards panicked and stopped shooting to rush towards the box, stepping over each other to catch it before it hit the floor.
It seemed the man in black robes was smarter than the entire crowd of guards though. He was sweating buckets as he screamed at them, “Bastards! Do you have no brains! Why would he throw the relic?! Ah, look they are running with the artefact!!!”
Indeed, just as he had yelled, Joseph and Aesop had actually taken the chance to flee the scene, rushing behind a corner, and hiding themselves behind a hedge of bushes. Joseph, visibly annoyed as he glanced from behind the hedge, cursed under his breath, “We cannot hide here for long.” He muttered. Aesop, on the other hand, was trying to hold onto the thing in his hand as carefully as he could. It was really heavier and bigger than he had expected. While he was trying to adjust his hold on the item, Joseph made a quick decision and reached out towards the human, hissing as a spark erupted underneath his fingers right before he touched Aesop’s forearms.
Irritated, Joseph snapped, “Will you let me touch you?”
Aesop’s face flushed, “E-excuse me?”
Joseph huffed, “Do you want to leave this place or not?”
“Yes, of course—”
“Then.” The vampire looked back, it seems the guards were closing in on them. He looked around and grit his teeth, “Let me hold your hand. It will be faster that way.” He told him in a hurried tone.
The situation was really spiraling out of control, but Aesop did understand what Joseph was asking— the permission to have physical content, given Aesop was on guard around the vampire at all times, unless he consciously agreed to let Joseph near, the contract wouldn’t allow it.
“O-okay.” Aesop blurted out, heart racing, and thoughts clouded. When Joseph’s hand finally closed over his forearm, the touch so cold against his warm skin, even though there was a layer of cloth in between, Aesop was sure his heart would actually burst out. There was so much noise around him, the yelling, the screaming, the guns still firing, sirens blaring—but he could not pay attention to any of that. Not when he found himself physically pulled along by Joseph, the vampire’s physical strength and speed obviously surpassing his, Aesop nearly stumbled, but tried his best to maintain the hold on the relic in his hand. Joseph wasn’t looking at him, too busy ensuring that they could get away as soon as they could.
At some point, they had ended up near the car again, but they were hidden from view, although it was hard to tell how long that would last.
“I am going to cause a commotion.” Joseph said suddenly, grip still firm on Aesop’s forearm. Aesop, currently battling with several new intense emotions rising in his chest, looked at the vampire like he was crazy. He really was, truth be told.
“What?! Why–”
Joseph did not reply, letting go of Aesop for a mere moment to take off his overcoat and shove it into the humans’ hands, “Here. Wrap it in this.”
“??” Aesop had so many questions, but did as he was told, and almost immediately Joseph caught his forearm again, startling him as he watched the vampire dug his other hand into the dented metal of the ruined vehicle, and with a huff, exerted enough strength to overturn it,, the crash loud enough that some alarmed guards nearby jumped and immediately started firing.
“Perfect.” Joseph smirked, and Aesop wanted to ask him if he was really using his insanity as an excuse to get them both killed as revenge for the five-hundred year old trap—the human had no opportunity to voice out these thoughts though, as in the next moment, a wall of inferno rose up in front of them, shocking Aesop, and delighting Joseph—and sending all the approaching guards into a panic.
“Our work here is done.” Joseph declared, and then, without warning, bent down and slid an arm under Aesop’s knees, with his other hand shifting the hold from Aesop’s forearm to his back–and if the intimate position wasn’t enough to send the exorcist’s heart and mind into a frenzy—the next moment nearly made him pass out.
A pair of dark red and black wings erupted from Joseph’s back, and the vampire, without giving a single warning to the human, flapped his wings and took flight into sky—just in time to dodge the loud, explosive blast that erupted at the spot they were standing less than a second ago. Joseph did not immediately fly all the way into the sky–just enough to be out of the view of their enemies while he perched himself on a tall tower nearby to look at the panicked disturbance happening on the ground. The fire was spreading rapidly, and the priest in the black robes was still yelling and cursing at his subordinates while the armed men tried to subdue the fire and control the explosions.
While Joseph was delighting in the destruction of his enemy’s property. Aesop, still in his arms, was holding onto the relic wrapped in the violet cloth and blue overcoat for his life. So much excitement was truly not meant for someone like him— watching an explosion set off in his face and then being carried away into the night sky by a vampire who was cradling him in his arms—he vaguely wondered if he was dreaming. Surely, this should count as a nightmare if he was.
“How did the fire–” Aesop paused in the midst of his question, answering it for himself, “The oil from the vehicle.”
Joseph laughed, wings fluttering behind as he lifted himself off the ground again, “That will teach you!” He said in a mocking tone, likely referring to the posh woman from before, “--Why you shouldn’t keep things that don’t belong to you!”
Typically, Aesop would have really said something—expressed his displeasure and distress at the huge mess Joseph had left behind at their supposed client’s house, but currently, his mind was still latched onto the fact that. Joseph was carrying him. In his arms.
The vampire seemed to not think much of it, still laughing and muttering disdain towards the woman whose house they had just set on fire. Aesop, however, was frozen into silence for more reasons than one—the fear. Of flying. He had never flown before, it was terrifying. He didn’t dare look down. Secondly, the fact that Joseph was still holding him, he could very well drop him any moment, and Aesop would be unable to do anything–
That said, given Joseph’s precious relic was still in Aesop’s hands, clutched tightly for emotional support in these trying times, Aesop doubted the vampire would actually try such a stunt.
Finally, when they were a considerable distance away from the disastrous site, Joseph landed on the cliff-end of a hill, wings flapping softly as his feet hit the ground. And then, without warning….
….he dropped Aesop.
Onto the cold, hard ground, making the exorcist wince and glare at him. Joseph wasn’t all that concerned with the exorcist’s qualms with respect to his rash drop off methods though, he merely bent down and snatched the cloth and the relic away from Aesop.
The vampire’s wings had retracted into his back, and now, as he straightened up and unwrapped the artefact in his hands, a delighted look took over his features, followed by a pleased smile as he was finally able to admire what he had missed for so long.
“Oh mon couer, still just as beautiful as the day I lost you,” Joseph whispered, fingers tracing along the cold metal of the sharp sword in his hand, the gem embedded on its hilt glowing faintly as the vampire admired it, “Well, for whatever arrogance that woman had— at least you were taken care of well.” He said with a satisfied nod, turning around and slicing through the air with the sword, and muttering in a contented voice, “And just as sharp and quick as I remember.”
Aesop, still on the ground, breathed out, very much annoyed by the vampire’s display of his affection for the inanimate object in his hand. Given, he knew very well from the start that the object they were tasked with retrieving was, in fact, the vampire’s feared and cherished sword from so long ago—he didn’t think the vampire would truly go to all that extent just for a sword.
Truth be told, Aesop was also a little bit bitter that the vampire was able to retrieve his weapon, which had been safely put away into a well-guarded and well-maintained storage despite its lack of use, likely after the incident involving the sealing of the Vampire Lord and the Exorcist. And yet, there was not a trace of his cherished dagger anywhere. He doubted anyone even bothered looking for it and storing it away,,,it was likely lost and looted during the War.
Aesop, unhappy at the thought, refused to look at Joseph while the vampire brandished his sword and tested how it felt in his hands after so long.
“How funny,” The vampire was saying, “Although I was unconscious in the sealed coffin for so long,” Joseph struck the sword through air again, “--and though it did not affect my memories or my skills,” Another strike, “I can still feel the delight of holding something that belongs to me after what feels like an eternity.” Joseph breathed out, admiring his sword under the moonlight again, “Truly, it feels like you have become more beautiful than before.” He was speaking to the sword again.
Aesop pursed his lips, “Are we to head back now?”
“Why yes, of course,” Joseph said, already walking away without sparing a look back at Aesop, too enthralled by the weapon in his hand, “Hopefully you remember the way to the train station, because I am very much not willing to wait for you.”
Aesop, who was now standing, dusted himself off, glaring at the vampire silently as he did so.
He could have at least been a little gentler. The exorcist thought resentfully, wordlessly rushing to keep up with the vampire's long strides again.
“I do know the way.” Aesop muttered, a scornful expression on his face as he watched the vampire still admiring the sword as if it were his newborn child, “Would you put that thing away for a second?”
“No.” Joseph said simply as he continued to run his fingers along the glinting metal.
“Well we cannot exactly just walk into town with a sword that was supposedly stolen, can we now?” Aesop told him, unable to hide the annoyance in his voice.
Joseph huffed, “I didn't steal it. It is mine. If anything, that horrible woman is the thief.”
Aesop rolled his eyes, “Very well, you can tell that to the guards who will be looking for us when we are back in town.”
“Hmph,” Joseph reached out and snatched the satin cloth away from Aesop, as well as his coat, using the fabrics to wrap the sword again, “It isn't like I didn't just save your pathetic mortal life, is it?” The vampire grumbled sarcastically.
“Yes, after you endangered it.” Aesop pointed out, “None of that would have happened if you hadn't pulled all those fancy stunts in the first place.”
“Oh? Oh? So you just wanted to return empty-handed?? You just wanted to abandon our mission?? Listen here, human—”
And so it went on, the peace and silence of the wilderness disturbed by the bickering of the two men, neither willing to back down in their jabs as they spent the night finding their way back to the train station their journey had commenced from in the first place.
It was well into early morning when they did, in fact, figure out the way to the train station…..courtesy of a few kind souls who were just as unwilling to talk to Aesop as the human was to talk to them. So, in the end the topic of talking and asking for information fell to Joseph once again, who just had to smile and utter a few charming words to have anyone smitten with him in seconds….a woman even offered to drop them off at the station in her vehicle (a truck) (and though it wasn't half as convenient as a car the two had no other choice) .
“If you need anything else!” The woman said in a thick German accent as she waved at them, “Come find me, lads.”
“Haha, of course, of course.” Joseph said with a laugh while she drove off, and as soon as she was gone, his smile was replaced by an expression of exhaustion and irritation. His shoulders sagged and he grumbled, “Unbelievable…..” He murmured, groaning as he rolled his shoulders, “Now. Where is the way to the train.”
Aesop was watching him, silent, but an obvious doubtful look on his face. Joseph, annoyed, asked, “What?”
“Do you truly not possess the ability to charm anyone currently?” He asked him, distrust evident in his voice.
Joseph scowled at him, “Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant to me.” He then looked around, and noticed that a train was already waiting in the station. He looked at the display in the middle of the platform–indeed it seemed that that was the ride they were supposed to take.
“Let’s go, I do not wish to miss the train.” Joseph said, already walking ahead, but Aesop did not follow him. The vampire, noticing this, turned around, and frowned, “What are you waiting for?”
Aesop, arms folded on his chest, pointed to a counter nearby, “We need to get tickets first, did you forget?”
“I did not forget!” Joseph said, embarrassed, given he did, in fact, forget that, “Ahem, I….I figured that since I arranged for us to get here. The least you could do is get the tickets.” The vampire said, clearing his throat and looking away, “Go on now. We are already quite late.”
Aesop sighed, deciding he had no more energy left to deal with the vampire. He left to go towards the ticket counter, fortunately he did, in fact, remember that they are supposed to get tickets for travel, and was also already aware of the procedure to get them. Aesop had nearly made it towards the ticket counter when he froze, noticing that there was a disturbance within the small cabin. A group of men were gathered inside, speaking to the man at the counter.
Aesop did not have to hear the whole conversation to know what the discussion was about,, just the first few lines were enough for him to discern the issue at hand.
“Thieves……description……spread the word….arrest them immediately….”
“.....Madame Orsonville’s family relic….”
That was Not her family relic. Aesop thought begrudgingly as he stepped back and out of view as discreetly as possible. He internally cursed his terrible luck as he rushed back to Joseph and spoke even before the vampire could comment,
“We need to leave. Now.”
“Yes? That is why you were supposed to get the tickets–” Joseph began but Aesop grit his teeth and interrupted him,
“No– I mean we need to leave this place. There are guards looking for us.”
A brief look of panic flashed across the vampire's eyes, before he collected himself and spoke, “Where are they?”
“The ticket counter—” Aesop began but then froze as he caught sight of an approaching group in the reflection of the glass behind Joseph, “They are coming this way!” Aesop looked around, “We need to get out of here.”
Joseph looked up, and realised what Aesop was referring to. He began looking around as well, and then hissed, “If you had gotten the tickets—”
“I couldn't!” Aesop argued, “They were at the counter?!”
“Then you should have gone earlier!”
“Do you think now is the time to–”
“Quick. Follow me.”
Aesop had no time to continue his statement, seeing how Joseph was already moving through the crowd and he had to rush to ensure he didn't lose sight of the vampire amidst so many people walking to and fro.
By the time the group of men had passed by where they were standing, the two had managed to slip away from the crowds and hide behind a small newspaper stand in a corner of the station, still wary while they watched the men search around in the crowds.
Joseph clicked his tongue, “These fools are relentless.”
“I doubt they'll leave the station anytime soon.” Aesop murmured, “Look, the priest is here. And he knows we have no other way to leave.”
Joseph frowned, “What if we just get on the train without tickets–”
He had barely said the words when a loud whistle blared throughout the platform and an unseen automated voice announced the departure of the train they were supposed to be in at the very moment. The two men turned just in time to see the colossal structure whizz past them with an almost comical speed, leaving the human and vampire staring at it with blank faces.
“....”
Aesop, still watching the locomotive disappear into the horizon, opened his mouth, his voice small and distraught, “No….I don’t think we can do that….”
++++