Chapter 33: Hunger

Hunger is a desire born of need: whether it is of the body or the spirit
depends on the want it feeds.

A Fool's Book of Wisdom

From the depths of a Montmartre alley, hungry yellow eyes reflected the weak lamplight that timidly made its way from the well-ordered streets to the gloomy passage. The owner of the eyes, a beast, one of the four-legged varieties, watched a pair of human forms locked in a desperate embrace; an embrace that the animal in its own bestial way understood would find its end in death and thus provide it with an easy and long overdue meal.

Patiently, the beast awaited the outcome. It listened to the prey's desperate pleas and whimpers and then the predator's savage, triumphant howl. The animal, a predatory beast itself, instinctively responded to the cry of the victor. Its body twitched and its muscles tensed in readiness as the animal sensed the end. A last, whistling exhalation of breath gave evidence of the prey's defeat.

The canine lifted its muzzle into the air, sniffed and reveled in the glorious scent of a fresh kill. The unmistakable tang of copper mixed with salt wafted through the air and swept the unpleasant odor of raw sewage in an open gutter next to the beast to the back of its mind. The heady aroma worked its magic on the animal and triggered an involuntary flood of saliva. The excess juices overflowed its snout, drooled out the corners of its muzzle, trailed through its filthy pelt and hung in dirty rivulets from its jowls. Unable to restrain its hunger a moment longer, the predator-turned-scavenger rose to all four feet and lifted a hesitant paw to take a step forward. It paused when a deep growl sounded from the surviving member of the danse macabre. The hair on the nape of the beast's neck bristled and rose as it completed its step toward the newly made corpse. A sibilant hiss caused the canine to freeze. It turned tail and ran as a pair of glowing red eyes began to swoop down upon the animal. Its pitiful yips and yelps echoed off the filthy walls of the alleyway and gradually faded in the distance as the animal continued to run for its life.

Soon, silence reigned again, except for an occasional slurping or smacking of lips. The sharp crack of a skull against a rough cobble provided the only evidence of the meal's end as the discarded corpse tumbled to the ground. The distinctive clink of iron-heeled pattens tapping along the cobblestones broke the brief silence, their familiar sound made strange by the rapid pace of the wearer. A dark shape exited the alley and turned into the rue.

"Ah! An excellent meal, if I do say so myself," a voice intoned to no one in particular and then giggled. "I wonder if my pale-haired fledgling enjoyed her first meal as much as I enjoyed mine tonight. Well, that is of no consequence other than to act as a distraction. Without guidance from me, her maker, she most likely will not survive her first sunrise.

"The thing that truly piques my curiosity is how many I caught in my net tonight. I feel my ploy probably ensnared both the Persian and that misshapen excuse of an apprentice. I doubt that I fooled Sabratha or Cadmus into running willy-nilly into my lair. And if I did, I believe I would find that most disappointing. I should so adore making them suffer more.

"Hmmm ... here is a thought of interest that just occurred to me, perhaps my child fed well and followed my lead. It certainly would be an interesting turn of events to find that my pale blonde offspring turned Madame Helen. Oooh! The thought alone brings a smile to my face, and I shudder with delight at the thought of all the possibilities that could bring."

The musing ceased and an insane cackle filled the chilly autumn night. The sound of a slamming shutter brought a halt to the manic mirth. The hooded figure halted and gave an irritated hiss at the interruption of its glee. It seemed to consider the offending window for a moment before it continued its stroll along the rue.

"Ah well, whatever the result, I am confident that I lessened their numbers by one at the very least, but more importantly, I am certain that the loss of Helen caused a great division amongst them ... just as I had planned. My only regret is that I had to take Helen instead of Sabratha. My joy would have known no bounds if that bitch had been the one to awaken in my chamber. But, no matter. Either cunt would do to serve my purpose and do she did. Now all is ready for me to proceed with the next step. I must make haste to Avenue Rachel and collect my babies, for the night grows old. Yes! Now, I am off to Avenue Rachel and le Cimetière de Montmartre where my babies await me!"

The shadowy figure extended its arms before it, and, with a thunderous clap of its dark hands, disappeared, leaving only a swirl of black mist in its wake.

An inky bubble of tar oozed from between two loosely fit cobbles. The foul sphere pulsed and grew larger, then popped, collapsing to the ground in a small, shadowy pool. More bubbles expanded and popped, each time leaving a larger and larger mass. Without warning, the dark puddle shot from the paving stones, coalescing into a rough ball hovering above the ground, and then, with a massive pop, transformed into the shape of a human being. Xavier stretched its muscles, rolled its head from side to side and sighed with satisfaction.

Without the slightest hesitation, Xavier turned, and, with mincing steps clinking metallically against the stone cobbles, stepped through the entrance of le Cimetière de Montmartre. It paused just long enough to thrust the hood from its head before it continued along the path with a tomb at its end. To the left and right, a trail led along the outermost edge of the cemetery.

Xavier dropped into a crouch then leapt up, landing on the flat expanse of black marble, sliding along its length and jumping again to sit perched atop the grave's headstone. From that vantage point, it surveyed the cemetery, expressionless eyes sweeping across the place of the dead without so much as a flicker of pleasure or admiration.

However, buried deep inside the creature was a faint memory that stirred and awoke. The spirit of a young girl who lived long ago pushed aside the creature she had become and stepped to the front of their mind, drawn by the beauty of this place. She peered out through the eyes of the beast and gazed in wonder at the sight spread before her eyes. Except for the obvious shapes of the tombs, she could almost mistake the place for a statuary garden. Everywhere she turned were statues or monuments of some kind, each more beautiful than the last. However, as she began to study the individual sculptures, she noticed a preponderance of cherubs in the cemetery. And it was this abundance of cherubs that brought about the girl's retreat, allowing Xavier to reclaim control. For as the girl paused to admire the marble head of a chubby-faced child, she found not the sweet innocence she expected, but cruel eyes and a twisted, leering smile. Repulsed and frightened, the girl fled from the less-than-angelic expression adorning the finely chiseled face and disappeared into the fog of memory whence she had come.

The creature blinked, and eyes that had sparkled with pleasure only moments before now became dull and emotionless. Xavier shook its head as if confused, looked around for a moment, and then shrugged.

"Ah well! Home again, home again, jiggety, jig!" the shape sniggered. "Come to me, my children! It is time for me to fulfill my promise and satisfy your hunger. Réveiller¹! The time of feasting is at hand. Réveiller!"