Page 6 of Visionary

it’s what we suspected. they are definitely the same artist

Des

okay, just keep us informed. If you need backup, we are there

Me

it’s calm now, and we scoped it out. as long as we win the pieces, it should be fine

Vea

you will get the senketsu’s aiden

Vea’s text felt more like a threat than encouragement. I gave her response a thumbs up and put my phone back in my pocket.

Looking around the room, everyone was admiring the art and whispering to each other. There were conversations about the worth and validity of the art. Did Ceril have it appraised and authenticated? Both reasonable questions he better have an answer to, even though I knew the answer to both—it was worth a shit ton, and it was authentic.

“I know many of you may be wondering,” Ceril spoke up again. “How did I acquire these pieces? Where did they come from? So on and so on…” He waved his hand around in a circle and rolled his eyes. “None of that really matters, though, does it? What does matter is that each piece has a letter of authenticity, signed.” He held up a framed letter and set it down next to a canvas. “And the appraisals came back and are listed on each piece. Take some time to mingle and look at these and the other art available this evening. The live auction will start in one hour.”

Ceril stepped off the stage and behind a curtain. The crowd began to chatter, and everyone dispersed to the bars or for hors d'oeuvres.

Walking up onto the stage, I allowed my senses to release a bit, trying to sense what others around me were feeling toward the artwork. My best way to gauge who would be bidding on the pieces would be to sense their emotion toward it and make my best assumption if they were going to want to buy it if they didn’t outright say they were going to or not.

Not many others joined me on the stage at first, mostly just curious beings who wanted a closer look. A yellow pulsing aura radiated as they took in the brush strokes and did their best to understand the meaning behind the imagery.

“What do you think the artist was trying to represent?” A young vampire turned to the being they were with. “The flowers are beautiful, yet they’re dying. It makes no sense yet somehow makes all the sense in the world.”

The other being, a nymph, tall and lean with muscle. Their thick dark hair fell as they leaned over the vampire. A soft pink aura began pulsing from them, and the warm admiration they felt toward the vampire flowed through my chest. “Maybe that’s what they were trying to represent. That sometimes things can make no sense at all but be absolutely right.” The nymph kissed the vampire on the cheek and smiled. Looking down, I turned away, shy but loving that I had just witnessed such a tender moment between these strangers.

Walking over to the next painting, I admired the harsh lines mixed with soft flowers. I remained curious as to how the artist applied the paint so effortlessly, but it always seemed to land exactly where they needed it to.

Outside of the corner of my eye, an orange pulsing got my attention. Behind the curtain on the stage, Ceril stood with his back to me, six wings spread wide. The orange aura was coming from another being who stood in front of Ceril. Over the background music that played for the auction, I couldn’t hear what was being said, but it was clear the other being was incredibly agitated. Their arms were tossed around in frustration.

Ceril dropped a wing and a blue-haired angel slipped around him, stomping off. Her light grey wings tucked tightly behind her. I didn’t focus on her aura as she left. I was too in tune with the other creature I couldn’t see.

Finally, after a few more moments, I had moved closer, and Ceril had pulled his wings into their resting position. The orange aura had changed to a pulsing neon yellow. Agitation had become pure annoyance. The other being shoved Ceril aside, trying to get by, but before he could, Ceril shoved him back against a metal pole. The blonde being hissed in pain, showing off sharp fangs. Ceril gripped him by the back of the neck and began dragging him away.

My eyes went wide when I realized what I had just seen. Who I had just seen.

7

AIDEN

Ibarely had enough time to process what happened before I pulled out my phone and dialed Vea.

“Aiden. Is everything okay?” Vea’s voice was filled with worry.

“I think he’s here.” I heard rustling on the other end of the phone. “Vea, we didn’t prepare for this. What are we doing?”

“Aiden, stop, take a deep breath. What did he look like?”

Walking off the stage, I stepped into a quiet corner, looking across the room for Milo. He stood at the other paintings, chatting with some other attendees as we had planned. I wanted him over here now, but that could wait. “It was only briefly that I saw him. Cool blonde hair, fangs, no wings though. I didn’t get a great look at him, but he doesn’t have a vampire essence, if that makes sense. He is too…” I couldn’t think of the right word. I closed my eyes and pictured the being I just saw. His golden blonde hair and sharp features, jawline was set around what looked to be a soft, sweet-featured face.

“He’s too graceful to be a vampire, too ethereal?” Vea asked. She said the words I was searching for but couldn’t say.

“Yes, exactly. I’ve never seen a vampire with those kinds of features.”

“It’s because he’s not a full vampire. He’s Senketsu.” Looking up, my eyes drifted over to where that being had been, and my jaw dropped open. “Listen to me, Aiden. More important than those paintings now, you need to get him out of there.”