‘It has to be you, Alec. You know the prophecy as well as I. Only one born to the House of Antonius, born of light and darkness,’ he quoted, ‘who willingly fathers a child to one born of Prythin blood, of the House of Eithne, will end the curse.’
‘And you’re convinced she and I are the Destined Ones?’
You,’ he squeezed my shoulder, ‘are of Pictish blood, direct descendant of the witch Eithne who uttered the curse. Laura is the Child of Light and Darkness—Ingenii and vampire—direct descendant of Marcus Antonius Pulcher. What more can I say?’ He folded his arms and looked at me as if that settled everything.
As far as I was concerned it didn’t. I had no intention of being a pawn in Luc’s chess game with destiny and being manoeuvred around a board like a helpless piece of ivory. And from where I stood, it appeared as if I was being skilfully played. Yet there was no denying the truth of my ancestry. Luc revealed it to me roughly the same time he explained his connection to the Dantonvilles, not long after he transformed me in 1918.
One evening he took me to the library in his house in Les Vesinet, in Paris, and showed me Marcus’s sword. It hung prominently in the centre of the wall, surrounded by various pieces of military equipment—chain mail, leg greaves and helmet from which the horsehair plumes had long ago rotted away.
They were physical reminders of his Roman past and subsequent damnation. The long cavalry sword was still smeared with the witch’s blood, appearing as a dark stain against the rusting metal.
‘I smelled the witch’s blood in you the day you arrived at the military hospital,’ Luc had told me. It had been a stunning revelation and, at the time, I remember wondering whether he had changed me in order to end his family’s curse.
‘No!’ he’d replied. ‘You’re the first human I’ve done that to. I never wanted to condemn anyone to this type of existence. So I decided to keep an eye on you and keep you safe. I had no idea what else to do. Then when you were shot, it appeared fate had stepped in and made it for me.’
Since then, it had been a closed subject between us. Until now. I needed time to think this through, yet time was exactly what I didn’t have. It was only three days till the Bloodgifted Ritual when the changeover was to officially take place.
‘I know you want to have the choice, Alec,’ Luc said. ‘But very few of us ever have that luxury. I didn’t. Please do this for me. Otherwise, my Laura will be with that human who is not of the witch’s blood. She’ll bear his children and the curse will continue into the next generation. I don’t care about myself, I’ve been this way for too long, but I want my descendants free.’
I tried to see it from Luc’s perspective. He was a father and I, too, had been one for a short time—long ago. Had my son lived would I have done anything less? I really didn’t know.
I let out a deep breath. ‘This is the last time, Luc. After this I’m under no further obligation to you, nor to the girl, nor to this entire family!’
He slapped me on the back. ‘Done!’
I shook my head at the absurdity of it. If any other vampire but Luc had changed me, I’d be sterile like the rest of the Brethren. But like his father, Marcus Antonius, Luc carried the same cursed, fertile gene which he then passed down to me through blood exchange.
‘Now, when was the last time you fed? You look hungry.’
Once again, Luc got his own way and the matter was now closed.
‘It’s been a few days,’ I said resignedly. ‘You know Judith’s blood is waning and I normally top up at the hospital, but blood supplies are getting low and I don’t want to use up what there is.’
‘Mmmm, people aren’t donating blood as they used to. Never mind.’ He bent and took a bottle of blood from the mini bar beneath his desk and handed it to me. ‘Drink it. It’s not Ingenii, but it’ll help stave off the worst of the hunger till Laura replaces Judith.’ He sat down at his desk again. ‘I’ve arranged for the two of you to meet at St Andrews Cathedral tonight at nine.’ He glanced at the clock on the wall. ‘Judy should be telling Laura all about it now and driving her directly there afterwards.’
I nodded and drank. It was normal for an Ingenii to learn of their dark heritage on the night of their fiftieth birthday. ‘Then I’ll need to get going soon. There’s a lot more traffic on the road this time of the year.’
‘Yes, yes, I know so we’d better get to the Ritual. We don’t want a challenger. You must remain Princeps. I’ve consulted with the other Elders and we’ve decided to change the order of events. The Ritual will be first, to secure her bond with you, followed by the usual festivities. I want my daughter safe.’
It made sense. There was always the possibility someone could try to kidnap her before the public affirmation and cause another war. Until last night only a handful of trusted people had known of her existence. Now, with her coming-of-age, her very blood proclaimed her alive and well. Her scent was strong enough to draw blood drinkers within a ten mile radius, and word would spread from there.
‘When are you going to tell her who her real parents are? She should know—now especially,’ I said.
‘After the ceremony. Judy and I thought, perhaps, you could persuade her to stay the night—here—and we would tell her everything. It’s time. But till then, we still have to be careful. She’s Ingenii with vampire blood in her. Who knows how powerful such a combination can be. So far, she’s shown no signs of anything out of the ordinary.’ He shrugged, rose and walked over to the photographs hanging on the wall space between the bookcases. Each one showed a picture of Laura, from her infancy till the present. He doted on her, even though she had no knowledge of him. ‘I don’t want to think what could happen at the Ritual if the Brethren were to find out. We could face several challenges.’
‘You won’t be able to hide it for long. If those photographs are anything to go by, she’s the spitting image of you.’
‘I know,’ he sighed. ‘Bring her here around seven-thirty on Monday, will you? I’ll be waiting.’
‘What about John and Eilene?’ Judith’s brother and sister-in-law had looked after Laura since she’d been a baby and in many ways they were her parents also.
‘They’ll be there. Laura and John have become quite close.’ There was a dark note in his voice.
‘What did you expect? She knows him as her father and he’s been there the whole time when she needed a father. Don’t hold it against him. After all, it was you who begged him to take her when she was a baby.’ Maybe I spoke too sharply. I saw him stiffen. ‘Forgive me, Luc. You and Judith faced a dreadful situation and you had no other choice.’
‘No, you’re right. John and Eilene are her parents as well. They were there for her. I owe them much.’
It was time for me to leave. I emptied the bottle and left it sitting on Luc’s desk, then made my way back down the stairs and to my car. Within thirty minutes I was driving down the ramp that led to the secure parking area of the Pitt Street apartments where I lived. It was easier to leave the car there and walk than try to find a parking spot in the city.
It didn’t take long for me to get to St Andrews. I walked at the supernatural speed of my kind and to passers by I was simply a blur, a light breeze that wafted past them. And there in the cool confines of that imposing sandstone structure, I waited for Laura Dantonville.
Chapter 4
Meeting a Vampire
LAURA
Christmas was only two weeks away and the streets thronged with eager shoppers. My aunt dropped me off in the large open court in front of St Andrews Cathedral, a popular meeting point in the city.
‘Aren’t you coming in with me?’
‘No dear,’ she hesitated. ‘I can’t. This is now between you and Alec. It might be awkward my sitting there and listening.’
‘For you or for him?’
‘For you, dear. There are some personal details the two of you will be discussing. You wouldn’t want me there.’ Aunt Judy patted my hand. ‘Go in, dear. He’s waiting.’
I took a deep bre
ath and opened the car door.
‘Laura dear,’ she said just before I stepped out. ‘You have absolutely nothing to fear. Alec is here to protect you.’
A vampire is going to protect me from other vampires. Great!
I made my way through the crowds to the main entrance of the cathedral. Before leaving I’d asked Matt if he could pick me up after the Cricket. I’d told him Aunt Judy wanted me to meet an old friend, saying she was happy to brave the traffic.
It was the least she could do, I thought.
Matt was fine with that arrangement. Besides, he didn’t want to miss the match. Apparently, he and Dad had a bet going. But really, how could I possibly repeat what I’d just learnt from my aunt? I was still grappling with it all myself.
I pushed open the heavy glass doors and stepped into the cool, dark recess. The scent of old polished wood rose from the rows of pews stretching the length of the nave. To my left, a well-worn, stone-paved path led past them and through the length of the interior, while a shallow ramp on my right disappeared into a semi-concealed alcove ringed with high-backed wooden chairs.
Which way? If in doubt, follow the yellow-brick road, I thought. Turning left I followed the stone-path down the aisle. What on earth am I doing here? I asked myself. Meeting a vampire, came the daft answer.
‘He will find you,’ my aunt had said. Right now, I didn’t know if I wanted to be found. The truth is, I was nervous and even a little afraid searching for an unnatural creature in a gothic building.
How appropriate. All I need is for the cathedral organ to start playing creepy music!
At least I wasn’t totally alone. Here and there a few people milled around, even though most were outside grabbing that last minute Christmas bargain as shopping hours had been extended. It was only about nine p.m. In the balcony at the end of the nave a choir was rehearsing The Messiah. I’m sure they’d hear me scream if this Alec Munro proved less benign than the impression my aunt gave. Why didn’t I bring Matt? I should have simply ignored her warning and dragged him along anyway.
I followed the stone path to the back entrance, around the massive sandstone baptismal font and up the other side. Every now and then the Choir Master stopped the singers mid-note for a correction before continuing their rehearsal. Three Christmas trees, bedecked with massive gold bows, had been positioned on either side of the communion table, while an impressive green wreath hung from the edge of the elevated pulpit.
I realized that the stone path I’d followed led to the small chair-lined alcove I’d originally noticed on entering. It was separated from the aisle by an ornately carved wooden partition, and there, leaning nonchalantly against the narrow opening, arms crossed over his chest stood a tall, broad-shouldered, impossibly good looking man with hair the colour of a raven’s wing.
My feet stopped mid-stride as my eyes drank in this strikingly imposing figure who so dominated the space around him, that I wondered how I could not have seen him earlier? Nor the way his piercing lavender eyes gazed back at me, demanding my attention.
I sucked in a breath, not just for the affect he had on me, but that he was the visual confirmation of my aunt’s words even if he didn’t fit my image of a vampire. But then I really didn’t know what to expect—black cape, nasty protruding fangs, glowing red eyes and as pale as death perhaps? The man before me belied those preconceptions, and no vampire I saw in the movies ever looked that good in cream silk business shirt and slate grey trousers which hung seductively low on his lean hips. His sleeves were rolled up at the elbows and the top button of his shirt left undone allowing his tie to hang loose.
I swallowed. Was this the blood-sucking creature whose bite left those marks on my aunt’s wrist? No wonder she’d said I wouldn’t mind!
He smiled and softly called my name. ‘Laura.’
Hummm, nice voice, I thought, deep and rich. It flowed over me like hot caramel and somehow I knew it would be just as addictive.
But I reminded myself, this man wasn’t human. I took a deep breath and stepped forward, determined not to allow any reticence I felt to show.
He reached out, took my hand in his, raised it to his lips and gently kissed my fingers. His eyes only left my face for a fleeting moment when he glanced towards my aunt’s ring on my finger. His old-world courteous gesture surprised me.
‘Alec Munro, I presume?’
His smile widened, showing immaculate white teeth. No fangs? Where were they? He held my hand and escorted me into the alcove. ‘It’s not ideal, but it will provide us with some privacy.’
He led me to one of the smaller wooden chairs while he sat on one of the large high-backed “thrones” normally reserved for the bishop, directly opposite me.
‘Laura,’ he began, and his smile faded. ‘I understand if, at this moment, you resent me. Instead of celebrating your birthday with loved ones, you sit confronted with the reality of your birthright.’
Oh, how right you are there! I felt like saying aloud. Instead, what came out was, ‘I wish I’d been told sooner.’
I tried to keep my voice calm. A combination of anger, fear and being in the presence of such a potentially dangerous, yet stunningly attractive individual warred within me.
‘Would it have helped?’
‘Of course, it would! To be told such a thing and expect to be believed is… well, I’m still dealing with it.’
‘Fair enough,’ he said, ‘but it’s traditional for the Bloodgifted to be told at their coming-of-age. The Elders of my kind ruled it a long time ago. As you know, children or even young adults are not very good at keeping secrets. And this is a very big secret.’ He smiled at me like an indulgent parent. My fear fled.
‘Don’t patronise me! And I’m certainly not a young adult.’
‘In my world you are. Fifty is no more than an infant, and as Ingenii—I assume Judith explained the term?’ I nodded— ‘you’ve just come-of-age, meaning you’re no older than a twenty-one-year old, with the same maturity level!’
Of all the condescending… ‘Well, since I’m so “immature” it’s a wonder you want me as your personal blood bank! Perhaps we should call it quits, right now!’ I rose and turned toward the entrance.
In less time than it took to blink, Alec Munro stood before me and blocked the way. His eyes crinkled at the corners. Was he laughing at me?
‘My, my what a temper! You remind me of someone I know.’
‘How fortunate! Please, move out of my way.’
‘No!’
I turned on my heel intending to leave through the other exit I’d noticed. I’d barely done so and he was there, arms crossed across his chest. ‘We could do this all night and I really don’t have the time, Laura.’
‘How did you do that?’
‘It’s normal for my kind to move quickly. Now may I suggest we start again, as we have a lot to discuss?’
I thought about it for a while as my curiosity wrestled with the desire to walk out of here and leave the so-called vampire to find another blood donor. ‘And if I don’t want to do this?’
‘Laura, please understand, you don’t have a choice in this—as I don’t. You’re far safer with me than any others of my kind. They wouldn’t bother even discussing it.’
His eyes held mine and I couldn’t pull away. Was that a vampire thing?
‘I know this is overwhelming. Please believe me when I say I would prefer you to accept me willingly and in return I promise to protect you.’
Aunt Judy had said something similar. No, I didn’t have a choice, and since it looked like Alec Munro wasn’t going to let me leave anyway, I thought it best to stay and learn everything I needed to know about this otherworld I’d been dragged into.
Perhaps he sensed my change of mind, for he stretched out his hand and indicated the chair I’d recently vacated.
I reluctantly sat back down. He did the same.
‘All right, so are you really what my aunt says you are?’
He leaned forward in his seat, ‘Su
rely Judith…?’
‘Yes,’ I interrupted, nodding my head ‘… but I want to hear it from you.’
He cocked his head to one side and regarded me, a slight frown marring the perfect smoothness of his brow. ‘Are you afraid of the word, vampire?’
‘No.’ Actually yes, but there was no way I was telling him that.
‘Really? Then you’re very brave.’ The smile came back. ‘That’s exactly what I am—a real-life vampire—and I need to feed on human blood to survive, although we prefer to call ourselves, Brethren. Vampire is the human term.’
I blinked. Well, at least he called a spade a spade. Then his words reminded me of something Matt had said. Bodies emptied of blood. Is this the killer Matt’s hunting? The question hung in my mind. ‘How much blood do you need?’ I asked and shifted further back into my seat.
His eyes narrowed. ‘Are you afraid of me?’
‘No, I’m not!’ I said rather too quickly.
‘Then why are you creating a distance between us? You’re nervous, I can smell it!’
‘Sure it’s just not my deodorant? I’ve had a busy day.’ It was out of my mouth before I could stop myself, but the way he could read my emotions rankled me. I bit down on my lip to prevent any further outbursts.
Alec lifted one eyebrow and a broad smile lit his face. My breath nearly left me, it was that dazzling. ‘Maybe I was wrong,’ he said and sat back in his chair. ‘Several swallows are all I need to keep me alive.’ His gaze slowly—and deliberately, it seemed to me—slid to my throat.
Well, if he thought he was going to get any blood out of me tonight he had another thing coming! ‘So… you would never need to—um, drain a person of all their blood?’
‘Not necessary. Only a juvenile vampire a few days old, and who was still learning to control his or her appetite, would feed till they made themselves sick. The blood lust is very powerful when a human is newly transformed. It takes time and training to bring it under control.’
‘I see. Like a kid gorging themselves until they throw up and never do it again.’
‘Exactly. But for a mature one to do such a thing and leave the body to be found by the police would be totally irresponsible. We’re trying to live among humans inconspicuously, not draw attention to ourselves.’
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