Page 29 of Dark Desire (Dark Souls Spin-off Short Story)
“We have every name of every supernatural slayer in the supernatural archives. Her name wasn’t among them.
We’ve searched every birth record dating back centuries, but there is no sign of her.
However,” Leif licked his lips, deep in thought.
“When I did my own research yesterday, the only Darcelle I found was a Darcelle Raine who was born thirty-six years ago. She apparently died in a house fire with her parents at the age of three.”
“Right,” Luka answered, just as confused as me. “Where are you going with this, Leif. Darcelle might not be her real name. She probably changed it after the slayers ended their torment because they believed our kind were gone.”
“Maybe. But that doesn’t explain the photographs, does it?” He flapped them in his hands. “What if the reason we can't find any trace of her from centuries ago is because she didn’t exist?”
“But we know she did,” I argued, pointing to the image of her next to my cottage. “We know she was there.”
“The oldest picture she has taken is dated 823 AD. That would make her the oldest witch who has ever lived. She’d be thousands of years old. And you’re telling me she doesn’t look a day older than thirty?”
I paused. Oh shit.
“The oldest record of any witch who has ever lived was 843 years old. She’d be nearly triple that age. What if she is Darcelle Raine? What if she was presumed dead after that fire but actually went off the radar because she is in fact a time traveller?”
“A time traveller?” Luka baulked. I stared at Leif as my heart started racing. Something was telling me, as far-fetched as this seemed, it might have some merit. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking. I wanted to believe that there had to be another possibility. “Do they even exist?”
Leif shrugged. “Witches can manipulate time. It’s a very rare gift and a dangerous one. I’ve never heard of someone with the power to jump back centuries, but it makes sense. The camera. The photographs. The fact that she doesn’t seem to have aged.”
“So hang on,” Luka lifted his hands to still us both. “You are saying she could have travelled from present day to the night our family were attacked and saved Zoran by turning him into a raven?”
“It’s possible,” Leif shrugged, glancing towards me.
I felt my throat constricting as my breathing became ragged.
Could it really be possible? She hadn’t been a slayer?
She hadn’t been there as someone who intended my family harm?
“We can speculate all we want, but the only person who has the answers is her. Let me guess,” Leif gave me a little side-smirk.
“You flew out of there before asking her what the hell all of this was?”
I grabbed the back of my neck and stared up at the sky. “She’s…passed out.”
“Because…” Leif eyed me suspiciously. “You gave her the sleeping potion?”
I shook my head. “No. I–er–fucked her and drank from her. It makes non-vampires pass out.”
“Some vampires, too,” Luka added with a smug smile. “I’ve fucked your sister enough times until she passes out to know.”
Leif held his hand up and closed his eyes.
“I know I don’t normally say this, but too much fucking information.
” Leif yawned again, stepping towards me and shoving the pictures into my hands.
“I’m going back to bed. Want my advice, Z-dog?
And I’m saying this from a place of love.
Get your head out of your ass and ask the goddamn witch some goddamn questions.
If you don’t trust what she might say, give her the truth serum and you’ll have no doubt. ”
“You’re right,” I grumbled. “I thought I knew what the fuck happened that night, but I have no idea who this woman is. I need answers.”
“Yeah, no shit,” Leif chuckled, shaking his head. “And I thought wolves were hot-headed. You demons are something else.”
Before he lifted his hand to disappear, I remembered the branding tattoo. “Wait! Luka, do you still have that picture of the fae’s flesh tattoo?”
He stepped forward, pulling out his phone to find the photo before handing it to me. I showed it to Leif. “She has one too. On her shoulder. Do you know what it is?”
Leif took the phone, zooming in on the image. He shook his head. “No, but it does seem oddly familiar. I feel like I have seen this symbol somewhere before, but I can’t remember where. Maybe on the cover of a book?”
“Can you find out for me?”
He placed his hand on my shoulder and shook me a little. “Or…you could ask her yourself. Remember that thing I told you to do? Ask people questions about themselves. It’s rather useful.”
“Alright, cocky twat,” I grumbled, passing the phone back to Luka. “You can go back to bed now. Thanks for coming.”
“Anytime,” he winked. “But preferably between sunrise and sunset. Come on, hot demon no. 2. I’ll take you back to my sister.”
Luka grabbed my shoulders. “Keep us updated, yeah?”
I nodded and they both disappeared, leaving me standing in a field with a fried fucking brain, not knowing what the hell to think. But there was only one way to find out.