Paris, 1794 Ch. 3: A threat from the past

[Sofia's POV]

Elizabeth gives Sofia a concerned look, as if saying not again.

"Delphine, this is very important. Did she follow you back here?" Elizabeth says firmly. Delphine sniffles, her head in her hands. Elizabeth pulls her head back by the hair and slaps the crying vampire across the face. "Answer me!" She booms.

"No...I ...I don't think so" Delphine says, her eyes red from sobbing. "I ran as fast as I could, it would be a blur to a human."

"We can't be sure. We need to find a new lair. Although drawing us out might be her plan" Elizabeth says.

Her? It can't be Sofia thinks. "Elizabeth, you don't think that it's..." Sofia begins, but is cut off.

"Rachel? Absolutely. Who else?" Elizabeth says, exasperated.

"Who is Rachel?" Thekla asks, looking back and forth between Elizabeth and Sofia.

"Elizabeth, we killed Rachel and the other hunters over a hundred years ago" Sofia says, trying to convince herself.

"No. We clearly thought we did. We need to go" Elizabeth says, rising to pace around the room.

"Who is Rachel?" Thekla asks, more insistently.

Sofia looks at Elizabeth who is facing away from them, chin in her hand, thinking. "Are you going to tell them?" Sofia asks. Elizabeth does not respond. "Fine, I'll tell them" Rachel says, taking a deep breath and continuing. "Rachel, for lack of a better term, is a vampire hunter. She murders our kind without remorse, like an animal. In a way, we created her..."

"That's enough reminiscing" Elizabeth barks. "There will be time for your stories later" Elizabeth says. Thekla frowns, and Sofia can't resist smiling internally. Thekla's never seen the Ice Queen, Elizabeth, rattled like this.

"What's important now is to have a plan. Rachel's advantage, surprise, has been squandered for nothing" Elizabeth says. Delphine scowls, unable to ignore Elizabeth's slight of Emma. "We have the advantage of numbers, and are are stronger and faster than her."

"And more ruthless" Sofia adds.

"Yes. We will drink this entire city dry until we find her" Elizabeth says, smiling. Sofia find her mood changing from one of dread to excitement. I will rip Rachel's heart out she thinks, remembering her daughter, Katalin. I miss you so much, Katalin.

"Some rules going forward, until Rachel is drained" Elizabeth says calmly. "We hunt together as a brood. We stay off the streets, and feed quickly and discreetly. Unfortunately, that means a moratorium on our dinner parties. We must never find ourselves anywhere that lacks multiple exits. Be it a back alley, a house, a tavern, whatever. We stick together and we stay alert. We'll feed in shifts" Elizabeth explains.

"I don't understand... She's just a cow, right? Why not hunt her down and rip her apart right now" Thekla asks.

Sofia smiles wryly. "She's a human, yes. But she compensates for her relative physical feebleness with brutal cunning. This is a human who has managed to live for hundreds of years. We suspect we know how, but aren't sure. She has slaughtered dozens of vampires using her wits. She is no ordinary blood bag" Sofia explains.

"She is brutal. We are more brutal. This city's blood will flow like a river until she reveals herself. And then, we drink her dry. Slowly." Elizabeth says manically.

Sofia rolls her eyes internally at Elizabeth's histrionics, but shows nothing. This bravura performance seems to be calming Delphine and Thekla, so why not? Sofia thinks.

Elizabeth, her expression softening, sits and embraces Delphine. "Don't worry. Your sisterwill be avenged. I promise."

And my Katalin as well.