The silence of DuPont manor was rent by the dry moans of anguish. Melissandra DuPont valued her privacy so it mattered not, there were no neighbors for miles. Even if she hadn't purchased all the land for miles it would have mattered naught, a 800 year old converted castle tended to inspire feeling more in line with dread or immanent death than the warm and fuzzy safety generally associated with a nice place to settle down.

At a little over 780 years old Melissandra could still remember the manor when it was new. She had been born there and it was the only home she had ever known, as such it was quintessentially hers in every meaning of the word, but today that had changed. A stranger in black had come to her door quite at random it seemed and intruded upon her laborious studies. No matter, Melissandra was a thing to be feared, a dead apostle. Vampire in layman's terms. And a powerful magus to boot. She would kill him and return to her dusty vellum bound tomes before her tea cooled. Or at least that was how it was supposed to go.

It happened so fast, it was all a blur. One moment she was opening her front door and the next she was pinned to the wall like some parady of a frog on a tray. Impossible! No human is that fast, that strong. She opened her mouth to speak but he spoke first "Excuse me, lpve, but where is your kitchen? I suddenly have a craving for cookies" The impudence. "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? I AM MELISSANDRA DUPONT! I WILL CRAVE THE SKIN FROM YOUR FLESH AND RIP YOUR STILL BEATING HEART FROM YOUR CHEST! RELEASE ME!" "You know, far be it for me to critize but threats tend to fall rather flat when they end with 'Release me'. Also-" he hurled another knife and it pierced her stomach at the navel, pinning her robed mid sectiin to the cold stone fortifications. " I believe I asked you a question. Left? Right? Dont tell me its upstairs, that would simply be obnoxious." Melissandra took a moment to collect herself "To the right, at the end of the hallway." "My thanks milady" the man tipped the hat he wasnt wearing a bit too elegantly to be done facetiously. As he disappeared around the corner Melissandra took inventory. Right leg. No. Left leg. No. Right arm. No. Left arm. She opened and closed her powerful digits. Yes. It appears he had been off the mark with that particular knife, it mearly peirced the bone intead of severing the connective tendons. She could rip her arm free if she chose. Yes, yes that woukd do just fine. Lure him close and rip out his throat. Simple is best.

The man returned a short time later, frowning slightly. "That was rather rude you know, you could have told me you didnt have cookies, saved me some time" it was at this time Mel noticed how absurdly young the man was, mid 20s if even. "My apologies, it must have slipped my mind, what with being impaled in my own dwelling and all." The man smirked slightly. "Well its no loss anyway." He pulled a chair from his study and sat in front of her. Staring. They went on that way for two hours in complete silence. 'What the hell is he looking at... Does he know? No he can't. He want something... What?' Mel opened her mouth to speak but the man cut her off "This is the part where you make a deal" "What?" "It is the process, first you threaten, then you access your situation. After determining your situation is bleek at best your best chance for survival is to cut a deal. Generally money or power." "I am very wealthy take what you want! I can fill your account with millions!" The man nodded "Trust me I was going to take what I wanted anyway,and ive been doing this for a while. At this point im fairly sure I am quite a bit wealthier than you. Not that it means much. Money. So dirty, dont you think?" "Power then!" The man nodded "Before you say anything I want to think, think hard. You only get one chance to pitch your offer so make it a good one." Melissandra grew quiet. The man waited patiently. "Ok." "Ok?" "The chest in the study by my hearth." "What of it?" "Its my best offer, what is inside for my life." "Interesting. Be right back." The man strolled towards the study. Melissandra smiled internally, the chest was quintuple locked, each lock had 66 tumblers, only 5 in each were real. Additionally each lock had to be triple twisted to specified degrees or they would relock automatically. He would give up and ask her for the keys, at which point she would have leverage to negotiate her release. Even if he opened the locks he would die, there were layers of powerful wards set to detonate if the lid were raised without first speaking the word of disarmament, a 1200 word litany melissandra had written in a language she invented. The man returned 90 seconds later carrying three items, the contents of the chest. Melissandra couldnt hide her shock, her mouth hung open and her voice deserted her. The man juggled the three items. "Ok, im curious. What are these?" When mel eventually returned to her senses she answered. "The broach is the eye of Felicity, a amulet gifted to Helen of Troy from Paris" The man examined the jewelry, bit gaudy for his liking. Mybe Ciel would like it, he pocketed it anyway. "And this?" "A brick of nazi gold, enchanted by Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski under the guidance of Hienreich Himmler." The mans eyes sparkled "Well that is neat indeed." There was no practical need for nazi gold, but like hell if he was going to pass it up. The cool factor was simply too much. He slipped it into his back pocket for safe keeping. "And this?" He held aloft a sash, dirty with long encrusty dirt and sweat and blood. She told him "Oh shit, seriously?" "Yes." "Well hot damn." " Now release me." "Hmm...normally id just kill you but you may have just provided me with more entertainment than you know." He stepped forward 'A little loser fool' Soon he was almost nose to nose with melissandra, he looked to her right arm and moved to remove the knife pinning her, it was then she struck. Faster than a bullet she ripped her left arm free and plunged her daggerlike fingers into his delicate neckmeat. At at least itas supposed to go that way. She found her hand stopped well short, he wrist retrained by a steely grip. "I was wondering of you were going to use the gift I gave you. Had you not it woukd have be rather disappointing." He smiled an empty smile. Mel smiled back weakly "No hard feelings?" "None"

Her screams echoed the empty countryside, swallowed by the night