The Dark Side of Eleanor Warwick
BLOOD

Adrian scowls across the room at her.

Jessica paces the floor of the loft. She glances up at him occasionally, but quickly averts her gaze. The eldest Blackwell glares with eyes that hold nothing but contempt and fury. His long, powerful arms cross his chest so tightly, that it’s as if is restraining himself.

Many would suggest Adrian cares more about his family’s name than any of its actual members. To a certain extent, they are right. Though callous as he seems, he is not unfeeling. He stands mere steps away from his mother’s killer, and his inability to avenge that transgression drives him mad.

After a few moments, he has to focus his mind elsewhere. Fortunately, he has another sister.

He turns away from Jessica to replace Madeline staring at him, her hip cocked and her brows raised expectantly. Giving her a quick up-and-down look, Adrian relaxes his posture. “What?”

“Don’t you have something to say to me?” she asks, her dark eyes sharp.

With a sigh, Adrian glances away from her. “I’m sorry.”

“Well, you should be!” she snaps. “How could you even think I’m not upset that mom is gone?”

“I don’t, alright! I was angry, I said something stupid, and I apologized for it! What more do you want?”

“How about the slightest reason to believe you actually mean it? You can start by looking at me!”

Adrian hesitates. He has no problem looking her in the eye, but he doesn’t want her to think he’s only doing it because she said to. His gaze softens when it returns to hers. “I know you miss her. We all do.”

Madeline’s posture relaxes slightly. “Yes, we do,” she says, dabbing at the corner of her eye. “I just don’t understand why you would say such a thing, mad or otherwise. Angry outbursts are not conjured from nowhere. Often they reveal what one truly believes.”

The siblings continue to stare at one another as Matthew joins them. Fresh from the vending machine, he sips from a soda can whilst glancing back and forth between them. “Does it really matter?” Adrian finally asks.

“It does to me.”

The eldest Blackwell turns and takes a few steps away from his sister. Adjusting his sleeve, he stares at Jessica. “I said it because I wonder sometimes. I wonder why you defend her.”

Madeline sighs and shakes her head. “And I wonder why you can’t see our culpability.”

“We don’t have any,” he answers with a growl. “That animal killed Mother. Not us.”

“She wasn’t born an animal, Adrian. You know that. You cared about her once.”

He looks away with a shake of his head.

“Deny it if you wish. They spent years creating a monster, and when they lost control, tragedy followed.”

“They?” he asks.

“Mom and Dad."

“What happened to admitting culpability? Our became they pretty quickly.”

“You think I’m trying to absolve myself? I acknowledge my contributions.”

“Like hell you do. You’ve always thought you were better than the rest of us because you were occasionally nice to her, but you turned a blind eye as much as anyone when it suited you.”

With a scowl, Madeline shakes her head. “I told you, I accept my role in this, but I will not apologize for offering the occasional kindness. She is our sister, after all.”

“No!” Adrian barks, causing Jessica to flinch. Madeline raises an eyebrow at the outburst. “She is not our sister!”

“You can shout all you like, Adrian, but she is your blood.”

With a snort, he turns back to glare at Jessica. “Not anymore. Mother saw to that.”

Madeline’s nostrils flare as she takes deep, calming breaths that utterly fail in their purpose. She whips her head over to her younger brother. “Matthew!” she snaps. “Would you like to give us your thoughts on the subject?”

Matthew stares as both siblings shoot him looks intended to encourage him to side with them. He lowers his eyes and sips at his beverage. The sound of each sibling scoffing does not escape him, but he offers no response.

Suddenly, Alexander Blackwell pushes through the door to the loft. As he does, his children stand a little straighter. Except for one.

Jessica slumps her shoulders. She fidgets with her hands, not quite sure what to do with them. A shiver runs up her spine. A heavy feeling of dread descends upon her.

Ignoring the others for the time being, Alexander approaches his wayward youngest. He circles her like a predator, looking her up and down. She shrinks under his scrutiny.

“What happened to your clothes?” he asks calmly.

“I- I’m not sure.”

He takes up a handful of her hair. He frowns at the red streaks. Before he releases the locks, he spots the tattoo on the back of her neck. He scoffs and lets the hair drop.

“Colored hair. Tattoos.” He takes her by the chin and examines her piercing. “And a nose ring, too. You just replace new ways of being an embarrassment, don’t you, Jessica?”

“I swear I don’t remember getting any of those! I don’t even remember coming here!”

Alexander looks to Madeline and she offers a slight nod. “I see. What do you remember?”

“I don’t know. Just…being home. What’s going on? Why are we here?”

“All in due time. I need to confer with your siblings. Wait here.” He steps away from her and approaches the others. “Well?”

“She was ferocious,” Madeline explains. “Almost rabid. She was highly resistant to our magic. It was horrifying.”

“Are you ready to begin?”

“I’m afraid there’s a complication. She’s bound.”

Alexander grumbles. “That is unfortunate. To whom?”

“Someone named Eleanor Warwick.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No,” Adrian says. “I got the name myself. Do you know her?”

A smile spreads across Alexander’s face. “Henry. Sly bastard.”

“Who’s Henry?”

“No one important. Do we have any information on Ms. Warwick’s whereabouts yet?”

“No. We wanted to know what you wanted to do next.”

“There’s only one thing to do: we replace Eleanor Warwick and remove her from the equation.”

“I know that name, but I can’t place it,” Adrian says.

"House Warwick used to run this city,” Madeline answers. “Dad, if she takes refuge in her House, she could be impossible to get to.”

“Indeed. House Warwick has even more powerful defenses than our own. I doubt we could even approach the door.”

“Great,” spits Adrian. “Then what the hell do we do now?”

Alexander turns to look at Jessica. She picks at her nails. Glancing up, she starts upon noticing their stares.

“We bring a key.”