Refuge

by Kirsty Ferry

  ‘Go!’ the man shouted. It was clear, now the man’s waist was exposed, that the silver object was a dagger of some sort. ‘This isn’t a woman, it’s a vampire,’ he said. ‘Get away, let me deal with her...’

  Cass howled and she threw herself at Guy. Guy grappled with her, and they both fell to the floor. A small bottle rolled out of Guy’s pocket and bounced towards Lucas.

  ‘Lucas! For God’s sake, get out of here,’ yelled the man again. He rolled over and tried to grab the bottle, but as he did so, the girl flung herself on top of him, pinning him down.

  She laughed, a vile, evil laugh that went on and on. ‘At the end, she did what I told her. She created me, but she couldn’t tame me. It was me who decided what we did. Me. She made me hate her, you know; all the men loved her more. All of them, except you. Thank you, Sir Guy. That was the only good thing about you.’ Then, to Lucas’ horror, he saw a flash of silver as Cass ripped the dagger from Guy’s belt and plunged it into his body. There was a whoosh-ing noise and the girl rolled onto her back, still laughing as the man crumbled into dust.

  Lucas felt sick. He turned and seized the door handle, his heart banging in his chest. He tried to pull the door open – he would jump into the sea rather than stay here another minute. The girl laughed and sprang to her feet. She grabbed Lucas by the arm and pulled him away from the door as if he were thistledown. He landed with a crash at the other side of the room.

  Cass threw the dagger into the opposite corner where it landed with a clatter. ‘You won’t be needing that!’ she hissed. She crouched down, ready to attack him.

  Lucas gasped as Cass leapt forward. The dagger lay in the corner taunting him. He knew that however fast he moved, she would move faster. She seized him by the shoulder as he lay there and pulled him close to her. Her grip was like a vice. He struggled and writhed as she held him effortlessly, digging her fingers into his shoulder blade.

  She brought her other arm around as if she was going to embrace him and suddenly she was in front of him, laughing at the fear in his face. ‘I’d make it quick,’ she hissed, ‘but really, it’s more fun to do it slowly. You should have thought about Laura, shouldn’t you? Before you did that. And thought about me before you kissed her.’ She brought her face close to his shoulder and punctured his skin with her fangs.

  ***

  Lucas screamed out in pain. He had never been so terrified in his entire life. He felt venom pumping into his bloodstream, enough to make his veins burn, but then, like a gunshot, a voice shouted in his ear.

  ‘The Holy Water! Use the Holy Water!’ Lucas opened his eyes wide, catching his breath as the burning subsided. A white mist was forming behind Cass – the shape grew until it filled the corner of the room and Lucas could identify the outline of a man. Cass appeared to be oblivious to the voice and the figure behind her. Instead, she took pleasure in ripping open Lucas’s shirt and came down to sink her teeth into the top of his chest.

  Lucas screamed again as more venom pumped into his system. She was moving closer to his heart, he realised. He wasn’t going to survive many more of these. His legs were going weak and his vision was blacking out. Cass appeared to be delighted. She let go of him and he collapsed onto the floor. He rolled into a ball, his breath coming in jagged gasps. He forced open his eyes and his gaze settled on the small bottle which had fallen out of the man’s pocket.

  ‘Use it!’ said the voice again, more urgently. ‘Quickly. You don’t have much time. It’s Holy Water. I blessed it. Use it, for God’s sake!’ The curl of Lucas’ body hid the bottle from the vampire’s line of vision and he continued to stare at it.

  ‘How?’ croaked Lucas. The bottle was just within his grasp, if he could only stretch his arm out...

  ‘Break it, throw it at her, anything!’ came the voice. ‘For the love of God, just do it.’ Lucas painfully moved his arm and reached out, groping for the bottle. Anything was worth a try. He was dying, he was going mad, or something. But he had to try. Please God this was just a bad dream and he’d wake up at any moment. Lucas edged his fingers out. Just a little more, he thought, just a little more. She was coming back for him one last time; he could hear the boards creaking as she moved towards him. She was in no hurry, it seemed. Lucas assumed she was enjoying herself, spinning it out a little longer, the way a cat toys with a mouse before moving in for the kill.

  The shadow moved swiftly to the entrance, and the door of the hut swung open, clashing against the door frame; it was enough to distract Cass. She spun around and Lucas managed to grab the bottle. He raised himself up on one elbow and tried to uncork it. The stopper was stuck fast. He fell back with a groan. It was impossible – he would have to resign himself to dying. Cass turned back to him and moved towards him. She bent down and dragged him to his feet. He swayed, and she smiled at him, affectionately, almost.

  ‘One more kiss, Lucas?’ she purred. ‘You’ve been fun. I’ll miss you. And, truthfully, I did like you.’ She leaned in towards him, grabbing him. Lucas had one chance – he took it. He raised his hand in front of his chest as she pulled him sharply towards her, the glass bottle between them.

  There was an almighty crack as the old bottle shattered against the inflexibility of Cass’s chest, splashing up into her face and soaking her front.

  Her eyes widened and she stared at Lucas. ‘You bastard!’ she hissed. Lucas managed to jump back and crouch down, taking cover as a white flame engulfed Cass’s body: then the flame evaporated, taking the vampire with it.

  ***

  Lucas stood breathing heavily, oblivious to the fact that the Holy Water was, similarly, soaking down his bare torso. He looked down and saw the water run over the half-moon bite mark on his chest. Shards of glass were now embedded in his palm, but he cared nothing for the pain; he rubbed at the water with his injured hand, smearing the blood and water together. He became aware of a warmth beginning at the centre of his chest and pumping into the cuts on his hand as the water seeped into the wounds and ran over his skin. Gradually, he felt the strength returning to him and the burning sensation of the venom calm. He saw the dagger lying in the corner of the room, and stumbled over to it. Bending down, he picked it up and weighed it in his hands.

  ‘You will never have cause to use that,’ came the voice again. ‘Have faith. The Holy Water will protect you now.’ Lucas jumped and turned. The white mist was back, but this time a young man seemed to step out of it and fill the refuge with a sense of peace and spirituality.

  He smiled at Lucas. ‘Well done,’ he said. ‘I am proud of you.’

  ‘I don’t understand...’ began Lucas. ‘Who are you?’

  ‘That dagger was mine,’ said the man. ‘My name is Kester Lawson. I had the dagger made to prevent creatures like that from walking the earth. It worked for a time, but I realise now that I still had much to learn. You, my friend, have divine protection. You will not need my dagger to save you.’ Lucas stared at the man dumbstruck. The man smiled. ‘Do not worry, they won’t harm you again.’

  ‘I...I...’ stammered Lucas.

  The man raised a hand. ‘Please. You are safe. But, just for your own peace of mind, you must do two things. You need to go to the Priory with two containers of Holy Water and bury them by the piscina.’

  ‘But I don’t know what a piscina is...’ began Lucas. ‘And I don’t know where to get Holy Water.’ It felt surreal answering him – it was like he was talking to someone who wasn’t really there. Was he a ghost or something? Lucas shivered. He’d always imagined he’d be scared rigid if he saw a ghost. Christ, this fellow was nothing compared to Cass.

  ‘No “buts”,’ said Kester Lawson. ‘You will find it. We need to replace what the Lord provided for us. And you also need to discard the dagger. Throw it into the sea. It will find its place, I have trust. The Lord will send it on a journey with the tides, and the ocean will take it where it needs to be. I can wait – He has taught me patience. And then I will be able to help the next owner.’

  Lucas stared a
t the hazy figure in front of him. ‘What – just throw it away now? Down the steps into the sea?’ he asked.

  Kester nodded. ‘You do not need it,’ he said. ‘You are not a slayer. That is not your future.’

  ‘A slayer?’ cried Lucas. ‘Like a vampire slayer? I don’t want to be one of those! I don’t want anything to do with those things... I didn’t even think they existed!’

  ‘You see, that is where we are different,’ said Kester. ‘I wanted to hunt them down. I wanted to kill every last one of them. You have to be born that way – destined to it. There is no room for anything else in your life when you are a slayer. It would not, I believe, suit you.’

  ‘Damn right!’ said Lucas. He stared at the dagger. ‘Can I do it now? Can I just get rid of it?’

  ‘You can indeed,’ said Kester. ‘Then I suggest you take a little time to yourself in here. Gather your thoughts and rest while the tide is high. I will stay with you for a little while if you wish.’ He moved over to the corner of the hut and seemed to sit down on the bench. Another wave of peace washed over Lucas, as Kester settled down.

  ‘You don’t scare me,’ stated Lucas. ‘I always thought I’d be scared. But I’m not.’

  ‘There’s no reason to fear me,’ said Kester. ‘Now please, discard the dagger and rest. We have a while, I believe, before the tide goes down.’

  ‘I could get the boat – I could go. What if another one comes here?’ said Lucas. He began to panic; a memory washed over him of Cass’s face as she bore down on him. ‘The other one – Jenny.’ He swore. ‘Was she one as well...?’

  ‘There are no more vampires here,’ replied Kester. ‘I swear to you. Now, open the door and throw the dagger away. You are protected.’

  ‘But how do I know I can I trust you?’ said Lucas.

  Kester looked at him calmly. ‘Only you can make that decision,’ he said. ‘Sometimes, we just have to work on instinct.’

  Lucas stared back at Kester. It was the oddest feeling. As he concentrated on the young man’s clear, open face, he felt the fear begin to fade. He became aware of the weight of the dagger again and knew without a doubt that what Kester told him was the truth. He moved over to the door and opened it. A gust of sea air rushed in and made him gasp. He took one last look at the dagger and cast it out, away into the sea. It tumbled into the water and was swallowed up in a great wave which rose up to meet it. Lucas saw a flash of silver as it sank into the waves and realised he had been holding his breath. He exhaled and turned to Kester.

  The young man nodded. ‘Well done,’ he said. ‘Now rest.’ Lucas closed the door behind him and stumbled over to the wooden bench by the wall. He sat down at the opposite end to Kester and exhaustion overcame him. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall. ‘Why don’t you sleep?’ asked Kester.

  Lucas nodded, still with his eyes closed. ‘Good idea,’ he mumbled. He lay down and curled up on the bench. He pulled his coat over his shoulders and barely felt the hard, slatted seat beneath him. He was aware instead of the calming, tranquil sensation that emanated from the figure in the corner. ‘Will you stay with me?’ he asked. His brain was churning with the events of the evening. ‘And will you be here when I wake up?’ He heard a soft laugh.

  ‘I will stay as long as need be,’ said Kester.

  ‘Thanks,’ murmured Lucas and gave himself up to sleep.

  ***

  Lucas didn’t know how long he had been asleep, but grey, early morning light was leaking through the windows of the refuge when he opened his eyes. He had woken up with a start, not realising at first where he was. As his eyes became accustomed to the milky dawn, the events of the previous evening started to crowd into his conscious mind: the man from the B&B, Cass, a dagger... and Kester. Lucas sat up quickly and looked around the room. The spirit, if that’s what it was, had gone. The room felt quiet, though, sort of like how a church felt.

  ‘Hello?’ he tried. He listened for an answer – nothing. ‘Umm, is anyone there?’ Still nothing. He stood up and shrugged his jacket on. He moved towards the door. He pulled it open and stared out. The tide had subsided, and the causeway was just clearing. Three inches of water, maybe four covered the grey ribbon of road which led onto the island. He smelled the salt and the morning air and suddenly felt at peace. His boat was still tied up, half sunk into the sand and he could see a battered old land rover bumping through the water towards the refuge.

  ‘Lucas!’ he heard. ‘Lucas, mate! Is that you?’ Drew was hanging out of the back window, but he couldn’t tell who was driving the vehicle. Lucas raised his arm in acknowledgement and waved at his friend. He felt weird – displaced, sort of. Had last night really happened? It didn’t seem feasible in the daylight. He turned and looked back at the room. He shivered. The memory of those...things...evaporating and crumbling, pushed back into his mind. The man from the B&B. Had he been one then? A good one? Were there such things? Or had he dreamed it all? He rubbed his chest and felt a slight, half-moon shaped bump. A tiny scar showed up faintly against his skin and he stared at it. It had been real. All of it. He ran his fingers over his shoulder and felt the same little raised mark. His heart began to beat faster and he recalled the terror when Cass had come towards him for the third time. Then, just as quickly, he felt the fear subside and remembered Kester’s words - ‘You have divine protection now. Have faith.’ He stood up a little straighter and pulled the tattered edges of his shirt together, zipping his jacket up. Thank God he had brought a jacket - he couldn’t explain the bloodstains away any time soon. The land rover chugged through the final few metres and Drew jumped out, splashing his way to the refuge steps. Lucas had never seen him look quite so scared and as young as he did at that moment.

  ‘Jesus, Lucas. You been here all night?’ Drew asked. ‘When you didn’t come back, we were all worried. Christ, I haven’t slept all night. That bloke’s gone as well from the B&B. He didn’t come down to breakfast. Hasn’t been seen since last night. There were only a couple of things in his room when they checked it as well. No-one travels that light do they? He’s vanished. And we all thought you had, well, you know. Thought you’d…’ Drew shrugged his shoulders. ‘You know, like the paper said.’ His voice cracked a little. Lucas tactfully ignored it.

  ‘I’m fine,’ said Lucas, stepping back to let Drew into the hut. ‘I was supposed to meet someone here last night and she didn’t turn up...I got stuck.’ He thought quickly. ‘Maybe she went off with the bloke from the B&B instead?’ He felt sick to the stomach lying to Drew; but what else could he do? He knew for a fact he could never tell anyone what had happened here. Best to let them think they’d both buggered off. Drew’s face brightened. Obviously, this seemed to be a simple, non-offensive solution - the sort he liked.

  ‘Yes. That’s it. Nice one. Wahey!’ The old Drew was back. ‘God, wish I could pull one like that. Not a Ginger though. Nah – quite liked the other one. Dunno where she’s gone. Maybe with them? The three of them?’ In Drew’s mind, the question seemed to be happily resolved.

  ‘Yeah. Maybe,’ said Lucas. ‘Can we go now? Can we get a lift back? I need to take the boat back too...’ Although he didn’t have a clue what to do with the boat – it had been Jenny’s, hadn’t it? He shivered again.

  ‘Sure, come on,’ said Drew. ‘Nice place you’ve got here,’ he said and laughed. ‘Not quite the warm comfy bed I had last night though.’

  ‘And I want to go to the Priory later,’ added Lucas. Drew opened his mouth. ‘Alone,’ stated Lucas. Drew closed his mouth again and looked insulted. ‘Stuff I need to study,’ said Lucas. ‘Sorry mate.’ Drew shrugged.

  ‘Ok, whatever.’ The word “study” had clearly put him off. ‘You got everything, then we can go? Got your mobile?’

  ‘No mobile,’ said Lucas. ‘No signal. She said...’ He realised it had just been a ploy. To make sure he couldn’t call for help - or to make it look like suicide. A chill ran down his back. ‘Come on. Let’s go.’

  ‘They yours?’ aske
d Drew, nodding towards two small objects on the bench. Lucas moved closer to them - two small, old-fashioned, glass flagons, full of liquid. They looked like they had some sort of white fabric, a ribbon, or a handkerchief or something, stuffed inside them as well.

  He paused, staring at them. ‘Yes,’ he said finally. ‘Yes. I’ll take them.’

  ‘Good. I’m missing breakfast to come out here,’ moaned Drew. He went out of the hut and Lucas followed him down the stairs. They splashed over to the land rover, the wet sand sucking at their feet. The boat was already loaded onto the roof rack and Lucas clambered inside. The landlord from the B&B was driving and his wife was in the passenger seat.

  ‘Thank goodness!’ said the landlady. She smiled at him. ‘We were worried about you.’

  ‘Thanks for coming for me,’ said Lucas.

  ‘We couldn’t wait any longer,’ she said. ‘We don’t know where Mr Montgomery has gone...’ her voice trailed off. She seemed to be remembering something, then shook her head a little and began to speak again. ‘He seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. He wasn’t with you in there was he? No – that’s daft. He’d have come out with you, wouldn’t he?’ Lucas didn’t answer.

  ‘The girl Lucas was meant to meet didn’t turn up either,’ said Drew, nudging his friend and laughing. ‘Bet they’re together.’

  The landlady laughed. ‘Yes, that’s it. I suppose they left last night. He’ll be married or something,’ she said, ‘The quiet ones are always the worst.’ She looked at her silent husband and laughed again. ‘Definitely.’

  ‘Thanks, Chris,’ muttered her husband, but there was no malice in it.

  The vehicle bumped onto dry land and Lucas finally felt able to relax. He saw the Priory a short distance away and leaned forward.

  ‘Do you mind just dropping me here?’ he asked the landlord. Brian, he thought he was called. ‘I just need to nip over the road for something.’