by Emma Mills
‘The ley line’s right there,’ I said, shaking my head. ‘I just don’t get why no-one came to help.’
‘The Council’s trying to keep everything under wraps. They’re so desperate to keep everything secret. They haven’t come out about the angels and Pierre might have mentioned witches but it’s not been proven yet,’ Daniel said.
‘But we saw the Guard on TV when they went after Pierre,’ I said.
‘Not really. The TVs cut out after the first one ran on stage and their wings were hidden. Humans don’t have a clue,’ he said.
‘Sebastian whispered to me as he died.’ I looked at my feet, steeling myself to go on.
Both Isabel and Daniel looked at me expectantly.
‘He said not to trust anyone…’
‘Is that it?’ Isabel laughed. ‘He never trusted anyone anyway, so that doesn’t surprise me. I’m going to see if they’ve all gone yet,’ she added, crawling away over the tiles like the dark shadow of everyone’s worst nightmare.
Daniel stayed quiet.
‘He said to only trust you,’ I whispered. ‘That means not Eva, not Isabel who fought alongside him… why?’
Daniel stared at the stars which were now appearing as the last of the smoke cleared away.
‘I don’t know,’ he said unhappily. ‘Did he say anything else?’
‘There wasn’t really time,’ I said. ‘The stake…’
Daniel nodded.
‘If it misses the heart you can pull it out and if it hits the target… well he got a few precious seconds because he’s so strong… was so strong. Most of us would die instantly.’
‘Like Sadie,’ I said.
He nodded.
‘It was my fault,’ I said. ‘I fired that crossbow. I killed her.’
Daniel reached across and kissed my forehead. I didn’t deserve it.
‘Pierre killed Sadie. He saw your arrow coming and he put her in its path. Her blood is on his hands, not yours.’
‘I think we can go,’ Isabel said, standing up and darting back across the roof to us. There are a few vans left at the front and a police cordon, but nothing else apart from the odd patrol guy at the back. They clearly think we have escaped already.’
We nodded and made our way to the fire escape at the back of the building. Sticking to the shadows, using our natural stealth and speed, we were soon on the ground and over the brick wall, all before the patrol made one loop of the building.
‘Are you coming?’ Daniel asked Isabel, as we hopped down into the alleyway.
She shook her head.
‘I’m hungry and pissed off. I need to hunt and those bastards out there that killed my friends today are going to pay,’ she said, her voice cold as ice.
‘I think they already have,’ Daniel said quietly, looking at me.
‘Admittedly she did a weirdly good imitation of a vengeful vampire,’ Isabel said, looking at me, but I need to taste their blood. I need to make them pay.’
‘Isabel, please. This isn’t going to help. It’s just what Pierre wants you to do,’ Daniel said. ‘It wouldn’t be what Sebastian would want.’
‘Sebastian is dead. He has no say, and neither does Troy. They are both dead!’ She paused for a moment, her eyes glassy. ‘They are gone, and why? Because they did the right thing! Well things have to change…’ Isabel didn’t hang around. She looked at Daniel, her eyes black holes of death and despair, then she fled into the night.
‘Shall I stop her?’ I asked.
Daniel shook his head.
‘We don’t have the authority. She is older than us. We can’t stop her.’
We ran to Daniel’s car, which he’d parked on a neighbouring street and jumped in.
‘What about Eva?’ I asked.
‘She’ll be fine,’ he said.
‘Why do you think Sebastian didn’t trust her?’
He shook his head and then turned away from me briefly, glancing out into the dark.
‘Maybe because Connor chose to stay in London and join Pierre he feels betrayed, and Eva was working closely with Connor in London,’ he said. ‘But I think we can trust Eva; in fact I’m sure of it. Even if Connor was involved in all this from the beginning then Eva didn’t know about it. What Isabel said is also true, that Sebastian didn’t trust many people…’
‘He trusted me and I didn’t even work for him,’ I said.
‘He liked you Jess, probably as much as I do. He cared about you…,’ he said, his eyes giving away the emotion he was trying to hide.
‘Only because I reminded him of another witch,’ I said, pushing down the emotions that were sticking in my throat.
‘Maybe.’
We drove the rest of the way in silence and it wasn’t long before Daniel was opening the garage doors and driving us down into the cellars of his house.
‘You took your bloody time!’ Eva exclaimed, as we climbed the stairs leading up into the hallway.
‘Eva!’ I said, smiling.
‘Did you get him?’ Daniel asked.
She shook her head.
‘Jess, I’m so sorry…’ Luke began, suddenly appearing from the lounge with Brittany, Leo and Caiomhe.
‘Hey,’ I said quietly. ‘Why did no one come?’
Brittany scowled, her face thunderous.
‘We were put under house arrest! They literally only just left after Eva arrived back and threatened to disembowel the street,’ she said.
‘What?’ I asked.
‘You look awful,’ Luke said softly. ‘What happened? We only saw what was happening from the outside via the news, but…’
‘I’m okay... but the others…’ I stopped, seeing Troy, Sebastian and the other dying vamps. I closed my eyes and willed the images away. ‘The fire spread pretty quickly so we climbed up to the roof to sit it out…’
‘No, I mean… black magic. It’s hanging around you like a shroud,’ he said, looking nervous.
My eyes widened and I rushed to the mirror, but nothing looked any different. Blood spattered my face. Black soot and grime covered my skin and clothes. There were black rings under my eyes and I looked slightly paler than usual, but there was no black aura.
‘I can’t see anything,’ I said.
‘We can though,’ Caoimhe said quietly. ‘It’s how angels know if a witch is practising illegally or not.’
‘Oh!’ I walked past them and slumped onto the sofa.
‘Leave her alone,’ Daniel said. ‘The last thing she needs is you sanctimonious little rats making her feel bad for surviving. Maybe if The Guard had actually helped out she wouldn’t have been forced to do what she had to do to survive.’
‘There are always other ways,’ Caoimhe began.
‘I mean it, either shut up or get out!’ he stormed, anger suddenly sparking in his eyes.
Luke and Caoimhe stepped back, their hands held up in front of them.
‘Look, we would have come to help if we could…’ Leo began.
‘I tried Jess. I tried so hard,’ Brittany interrupted. ‘I did everything I bloody could to escape. I promise I did and I don’t care if your soul turns black Jess, I’m just glad you’re alive. Those wimpy little shits had a brief argument with the door guards and then proceeded to help hold me back.’
‘It was for your own good,’ Luke said. ‘You wouldn’t have got past them. They would have arrested you and you would have been tried for treason. You’d be no good to Jess dead!’
‘Why were you all here anyway?’ I asked.
Leo looked at the ground and Caoimhe sighed.
‘It’s really not easy being your friend, you know?’ she said. ‘As soon as the news of the attack on Exodus started circulating they rounded us up and brought us all here. Said they didn’t want us harming the investigation and getting in the way. It’s like I have to choose between being your friend and my career…’
‘You don’t mean that Kee,’ Luke said quietly.
‘I do, and you feel it too. Angels befriending witches is one th
ing, but vampires? We’ll never be respected enough…’
‘Fine, I didn’t force you to be friends with us,’ I spat. ‘Just go away. I’ve had a really shitty day and the last thing I need is you telling me about how your career is being held back.’
If I’d had the energy I would have stormed out but I really couldn’t be bothered, so instead I just closed my eyes and hoped they’d take the hint.
‘I think you should leave,’ Daniel said, his voice steel and ice.
‘She didn’t mean it like that,’ Luke said as he ushered Caoimhe out of the room, followed by a thoughtful Leo.
‘Brittany, can you see the black magic they talked about?’ I asked, after they had gone.
Brittany shook her head.
‘I don’t think so. But I do know that if you kill humans with magic, it’s black magic and it leaves a stain on your aura. The stain gets darker with each kill,’ she said. ‘If we meditated and concentrated on our auras then we could probably see it, but it’s something the angels look out for… not us.’
‘They were surrounding me,’ I whispered. ‘I lost myself. They had flamethrowers and crossbows, stakes and shotguns…’ I sobbed, reliving the horror in full.
‘Oh Jess, I should have been there,’ Brittany said, taking me in her arms and holding her warm cheek against my cold one.
‘So should I,’ Daniel said, as my sobs increased and a single red tear rolled down my cheek.
‘And I,’ Eva said quietly, joining us on the sofa. ‘And who cares if you have a black cloud hanging over your soul? You’re a vampire, so you’re not going to heaven anyway,’ she added with a wink.
I smiled and shuffled up.
‘Do you want a …drink?’ Brittany asked. ‘You look pale.’
I shook my head, thinking of the man I’d sunk my teeth into.
‘I fed,’ I said quietly. ‘So what’s the news got to say?’ I asked, changing the subject and looking up at the TV.
‘Nothing good,’ Brittany said. ‘Basically the police have been dragging bodies out all evening, ever since they got the fires out, and because there is no proof of dead vampires… well…’
‘They’re blaming it all on the vampires?’
Brittany nodded.
‘But they started it. They attacked Exodus! Did they report that?’ I asked.
‘They kind of skimmed over that bit. They said that a group of vigilantes entered the building to investigate claims that young teens were being fed from and killed. They went on to say that back-up was called for, but it quickly became a blood bath.’
I sighed.
‘We never feed from under eighteens. They’re the monsters…’
The screen flickered and once again Pierre hijacked the broadcast.
‘I’d say good evening, but unhappily it is a sad day for all supernaturals. As you have surely seen by now there was an attack by humans on Exodus in Manchester. Sebastian, my own child, has been murdered along with many of his loyal employees. Sebastian is the vampire leader that brought peace to not just the UK. His ways have inspired leaders in the US and across Europe. He instilled strict rules and codes of conduct, not only for vampires under his jurisdiction but any passing through his area. Under his rule humans were protected and what do they do? They murder him! They stormed the building with flamethrowers, crossbows laden with stakes and shotguns. The human police do not show you the footage, but I will open your eyes to who the real monsters are.’
Pierre disappeared and the screen showed the CCTV footage from Exodus. I glanced nervously at Daniel and Brittany. Were they about to see me cursing the humans with black magic? I couldn’t bear it yet I couldn’t look away, but Pierre had carefully edited the footage. I was nowhere to be seen and neither was Isabel. Instead he only showed the human soldiers setting the rooms alight, burning two young vampires and killing another with a crossbow. I looked away, feeling sick, as they turned to ash. Finally we saw Troy fall and Isabel leap across the room, cradling his head in her arms as she sobbed, and lastly there was I rooted to the ground, my face frozen in horror, looking at something hidden from the camera’s range. Something that only I knew was Pierre himself. A tear fell down my cheek as the stake flew across the room and Sebastian became a blur, pushing me out of the way and taking the hit. Daniel and Eva gasped and Eva let out a low moan.
‘It was my fault,’ I whispered.
‘No, it wasn’t. He wanted to save you,’ Eva said.
‘He’s made it look like Sebastian was killed by humans,’ I said.
The screen flashed back to Pierre who smiled grimly.
‘One question on all your lips must be what I am asking myself. Where was the Council? Where was the Guard who are supposed to protect us? Vampires have always been second class citizens under the Council’s ruling, and now they have clearly abandoned us. Who is next? Witches? Shifters? I implore you, now is the time. Now we must stand together and fight. This is our world and the Council is clearly siding with the humans. Witches, I ask you this, meet with your covens, discuss my terms and decide whether you are stronger fighting with me or simply hoping the Council will come to your aid when the humans try burning you at the stake, because it has happened before and it will happen again!’
The screen went black and flicked over to the newsroom studio and a very shocked reporter. She was clearly listening to the producer in her earpiece. She nodded and addressed the country.
‘I am sorry for the interference. It seems we are being hacked. Do not trust the images shown on your screens. We can assure you that we are doing everything within our power to…’
‘Turn it off,’ Eva said, shaking her head.
Brittany picked up the remote and switched the TV to standby.
‘What now?’ I whispered.
Chapter Nineteen
According to Connor, who turned up at Daniel’s door a few days after the attack on Exodus; he had been infiltrating Pierre’s London territory on Sebastian’s behalf. As Sebastian’s Number Two, and much to Eva and Isabel’s annoyance, he now declared himself the Northern Territory leader and he wanted the territories to become allies.
‘I don’t trust him,’ I told Daniel, after he had left our house late that night.
‘Neither do I,’ Daniel admitted.
‘He wasn’t on Pierre’s side before this all kicked off,’ Eva said. ‘And just because he is now doesn’t mean he was then. I would have known it. There are more vampires joining the cause by the day… and I don’t blame them,’ Eva said, slumping back into a chair.
‘Eva! You can’t be thinking that Connor is right. Sebastian would never want us to join Pierre. It would be his worst nightmare,’ I said.
‘We don’t have much choice. He is the master vamp now, not Sebastian,’ she said quietly.
‘Well I’m not doing anything Pierre asks… or Connor. It was Pierre that killed Sebastian. Is everyone conveniently forgetting that?’
‘Jess it was only you who saw that… I’m sure it must have looked that way…’ Eva trailed off, looking at the floor.
‘Seriously, you cannot believe their lies. Daniel, do you think I’m lying too?’ I stormed.
A flicker of doubt flashed across his eyes but he shook his head.
‘No, of course not Jess. Eva, there were no humans left alive in the room when we got there and why would Pierre run if he wasn’t to blame?’
‘Because Jess was about to kill him with a lethal spell!’ Eva retorted. ‘He said he saw the dying human shoot the crossbow. He grabbed the crossbow but was too late. It makes sense that he would want Jess on his team… he was there to help us, which was more than the Council did!’
‘I told you he was trying to kill me because I wouldn’t join him. He wanted…’
‘Yes Jess, you’ve told us before; he wanted you to be his partner, his number two,’ Eva said slyly. ‘Even though that would make no sense whatsoever, when there are at least five vampires more powerful than you…’
‘Eva!’ Daniel w
arned.
But I had heard enough. I shook my head and retreated to my room. Five minutes later Brittany’s head of dark curls popped around the door.
‘Can I come in? I think I have some news you will be pleased to hear,’ she said.
I nodded and watched as she pushed the door closed and joined me on the bed.
‘Whilst Connor was here lording it about I was on the phone to Susannah.’
‘Oh?’ I sat up. We hadn’t heard much from my cousins ever since they had returned home. Apart from a brief check-in five days earlier, after the news of Sebastian’s demise had crossed the Atlantic, they had been very quiet.
Brittany smiled.
‘We have been summoned,’ she declared. ‘There’s a coven meeting. Suze is calling together all members of the coven. Things are getting a bit scary over there in witch-hunting country.’
‘I jumped off the bed.
‘When does she want us?’ I asked.
‘As soon as we can get away. The meeting is on Friday night.’
‘Well I don’t think there is anything holding me here right now,’ I said. ‘It’s all going to hell.’
Brittany nodded.
‘He believes you, you know,’ she said.
‘I know, and he’ll stick up for me against anyone… but when it’s Eva he really struggles and it pisses me off,’ I admitted.
‘He might be out of her thrall but she’s still his maker,’ Brittany said with a shrug.
‘I know. Regardless, I’m fed up of this country and will happily trade stake-wielding humans for witch-hunting ones for a few weeks! Saffy said she was going to get onto tracking Brooke but we’ve not heard anything. It will be good to focus on something else.’
‘Seriously Jess, no-one can track Brooke. She’s probably in Fiji or Hawaii or somewhere equally hot and far away,’ Brittany said with a wry smile. ‘That’s where I’d be headed if I didn’t want to be found and I knew there were vampires on my tail!’
‘Not me! I’d go rent a cute log cabin in a beautiful snowy forest in Scandinavia,’ I said.
‘Yes, but you would turn to cinders under a Fijian sun, whereas we could work on our tans. I’m telling you Jess, she will have gone somewhere sunny, and far, far away from the British winter.’