The devil's silent bride

e stormy night. Heavy black curtains swayed slightly, though there was no breeze. The air wa

but she knew she couldn't pull away. The strange warmth of his touch seeped into her

uriosity is a powerful thing." He glanced at her, his crimson mask tilting. "But some doo

ith symbols she didn't recognize. Some had locks as thick as her

thought she heard a sound-a muffled, rhythmic thud, like som

d, his tone sharper. "Unless you wish

o mouth the question, but the words died in

nding s

isper. Faint. Urgent

dy started walking again, his back to her, as though the sound meant not

t her eyes kept darting to

ly, as if something ins

line of smoke that cur

usic-an old piano playing a slow w

, the mansion opened into

s streams of black wax. An altar stood at the far end, carved from the same strange black wood as the doors, and behind it, a tall

uietly, "is where you

through the stained glass. The moon outside wasn't its u

know: whatever was going to