The driver made good on our deal. We managed to make a forty-five minute drive in half the time. I threw a thick wad of bills at him as Leanne, Oliver, Caleb, and I dashed out of the car. Guests were still arriving, but the warm light from the mansion illuminated a room already full with people.
Grabbing the dark blue folds of fabric of my dress, I sprinted to the entrance, my friends quick on my heels. I tried not to think about the danger I was putting them in.
Bishopcourt loomed in front of us. Hundreds of glass bowls had been placed throughout the expansive yard, filled with water and floating candles. Light refracted off of the strangely beautiful decorations. Each tiny beacon of light reminded me that Andre had not seen natural light in nearly a millennia.
Classical music poured out of the front door. The crowds were thickest here. I jostled many guests as I approached the entrance.
Two large security personnel guarded the door. As soon as they saw me, they parted to let me through but stopped my friends.
“They’re with me,” I yelled to the guards.
At that, they stepped aside and let my friends through. “Thanks!” I didn’t pause, but pushed my way through the entrance.
I’d never realized it before, but most of the mansion was flammable, despite being built out of stone. The polished wood floors were covered with Persian rugs. Fabric insulated the walls, partially hidden by woven tapestries and oil paintings. Cloth drapes were pulled back from windows, and most of the furniture had wooden frames. Hundreds of candles perched on every open surface. I shuddered. Forget about the price on my head; this mansion was one wrong jostle away from going up in flames.
We’d decided earlier to split up, but it fell on me to direct my friends where to go. “Oliver and Leanne, take the stairs to the upper stories and start evacuating people from there. Caleb, you take the rooms to the left, and I’ll take those to the right.” Hopefully we’d have enough time to get everyone out before the fire broke out.
“Be safe Gabrielle!” Caleb shouted.
“You too!” I yelled back, but he had already vanished from sight. I hurried to the right, where the reception hall and ballroom were located. I’d yet to see Andre and hoped it would stay that way. Vaguely I could sense him, which probably meant he could sense me too. I’d have to do this quick.
Most of the ballroom was open space to make room for dancing. A string quartet played in the corner, playing classical music. Some couples danced in a rigid formation and others talked. I scanned the room for any type of platform. There was nothing to stand on but a few tables. They would have to do.
I pushed myself onto a table top, getting looks from those guests nearest me. “Excuse me!” I shouted from the table. Clusters of individuals near me turned to look. Others saw me standing and stopped to stare.
“Excuse me!” I shouted again. The room fell silent. Now I had everyone’s attention. The guests however, were gawking at me as though I had grown a third eye. I guess I was breaking etiquette.
“A plot to burn down this building was discovered earlier tonight. You must all evacuate the mansion.” There was murmuring, but no one moved. And then I felt Andre. He was moving swiftly towards this room. Frantic, I yelled, “Did you not hear me? Get the hell out of here unless you want to die!” The murmuring got louder and slowly the crowd began to move. A woman screamed as her companion grabbed her, and suddenly the room was bedlam.
I felt the current of energy spike, and instinctively I looked for Andre. He was making his way through the crowd over to me, and he did not look pleased.
“Gabrielle!” he shouted. I jumped down from the table and ran into the crowd, trying to hide myself.
The scary truth was that, while I knew my life was in danger and while I had killed before, I couldn’t kill Andre. I couldn’t even try, as cowardly as that was. I sent a silent apology to my father. At least no other lives but my own would be lost tonight.
A hand caught my arm. I cursed and looked up, expecting to see Andre. Instead, Theodore was smiling down at me.
“Exit’s the other way,” he said, “or are you not going to evacuate from the fire you’ve been raving about?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I was going to check some of the other rooms to make sure everyone has evacuated.” I didn’t want to tell him I was hiding from his boss.
“Good idea,” he said. “I’ll come with you.”
I eyed him curiously, not sure whether he was being sincere or just toying with me. Either way, I needed to check the rooms on this side of the house, and I was willing to go along with it.
The ballroom we were in had two exits, one that led to the entrance hall, and another that led to a hallway and back rooms. We took this exit. I glanced behind me, but I could no longer see Andre and the current between us was fading. Theodore and I made our way to each of these back rooms.
Five minutes later we were done checking this wing of the house. All the rooms were empty except for the kitchen.
I leaned in the doorway. “Please evacuate the premises.”
“Why?” one of the chefs asked.