The Key to Erebus (The French Vampire Legend. Book 1)

by Emma V. Leech

  ***

  The days that followed were the happiest I had ever spent. We talked endlessly, listened to music and watched TV. Every now and then he had to disappear for a while, to deal with work, but he always came back as soon as he could. It was hard to remember how terrifying I’d first thought he was. Even the incident at the party with Guillaume seemed so long ago. When he was involved with the other vampires, dealing with some family matter or with one of his many business interests, he was just as stern and commanding with them as he had appeared to be to me when I first arrived. But he was so utterly different when we were alone - relaxed and happy.

  To my surprise he seemed to particularly enjoy a daft film starring Leslie Nielsen. It was a spoof called “Dracula: Dead and Loving It”. He spent most of the time howling with laughter. He especially liked the terrible Romanian accent and tried it out on me by adopting a seductive look and saying “I vant to drink your blood” with great theatricality. It was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever seen and I dissolved into hysterics.

  “You’re not taking this seriously,” he complained. I couldn’t actually speak as tears of laughter were streaming down my face, so he decided to punish me by tickling me until I screamed for mercy. We’d been sitting cosily in the apartment, but the tickling incident had left me lying breathless on the sofa with him leaning over me. His weight was braced on his arms either side of my shoulders and suddenly the mood had changed. He looked down at me, his long blond hair framing his face. Reaching up my hand up I stroked his cheek and he turned his head, into the caress, closing his eyes and kissing the palm gently.

  “Jéhenne,” he whispered. “What have you done to me?”

  I brushed his cheek with my lips.”I don’t know. Tell me.”

  He smiled but his eyes were serious. “I think you’ve put a spell on me, little witch.”

  I laughed at him, shaking my head. “Don’t be silly, I wouldn’t know how.”

  “Then why am I so in love after all these years?”

  My heart was pounding in my chest. I looked at him in astonishment, trying to find some clue that he was teasing me - but looking into his eyes, I could see that he meant it.

  “I love you Jéhenne. I vowed I would never say that again once I became vampire, and I never have. I’ve never wanted to … not until now.”

  I didn’t know what to say. I was ridiculously happy - and scared to death. That he should love me was impossible, it just couldn’t be true. The vision of another woman, another witch flickered in the back of my mind and I tried to shut it away, to pretend it didn't matter. In the end I replied in the only way I could. I kissed him. He kissed me back tenderly, but I pulled down on his neck until he put his arms firmly around me and I coiled around him, a liquid heat blazing through me and I felt him respond, felt the heat in his body too.

  “Show me.” My voice trembled with the words.

  He knew what I meant and opened his mouth slightly so I could see the gleaming fangs. I wanted to show him that I trusted him, how much he meant to me, even if I hadn't said the words. I cautiously touched one of them with a fingertip and gasped as it pierced my skin with just the lightest contact. A drop of blood welled up and Corvus closed his mouth over the tiny wound, sucking it gently. A low sound hummed through him and I swallowed with difficulty, my breath catching in my throat as his eyes darkened with desire, the black swallowing the blue. He released my hand and I tilted my head to the side exposing my neck, inviting him. He looked at me, the hunger in his gaze unmistakable.

  “No,” he said, though his voice sounded strained.

  “Why not?” I asked, puzzled, his desire was obvious enough. “I know you want to.”

  He smiled, a dark look flashing in his eyes. “Not until I know you’re mine.”

  “I’m here aren’t I?” I replied, surprised by his hesitation.

  He trailed a fingertip down my neck and I shivered. “I have waited too long to rush this, Jéhenne, and I know you still aren’t sure of me.”

  I opened my mouth to argue with him but he cut me off.

  “You couldn’t say you loved me.” And though he smiled I could hear the hurt in his voice.

  “I--I wanted to,” I stammered, trying to find the words to explain. “I just…”

  “Don't explain,” he said, interrupting me. “I understand, I’m not going to rush you, I've waited this long and I'm not about to risk to spoiling this.”

  But it wasn't OK. I wanted him to know how happy I was, how I was insanely in love with him - far more than was reasonable in the short time I'd known him. And how very scared I was that it wasn't really me he was seeing but the face of someone he'd loved long ago. My heart hurt as I tried to find the courage to ask him but then his face clouded over and he sat up.

  “Jéhenne,” he said, his voice bleak. “There is something I need to tell you … Something that happened many years ago. I need to explain.”

  He looked uncomfortable and unhappy and I cursed myself for having upset him. I wished so much that I’d told him how I felt. Instead I pulled him back to me.

  “Not now,” I whispered. “If it happened years ago it will wait a while longer. Tell me later.”

  He lay down again and I wanted so much to reassure him. I knew he thought he loved me but I just couldn’t believe his feelings were genuine, not really - but mine were and I was afraid of what that would mean for me in the long run. But for now I didn’t care. For now this was enough.

  He settled his weight carefully on top of me and kissed my neck, working his way along my collarbone as his fingers unbuttoned my blouse. I sighed blissfully as his hand slid under the cotton and moved around to undo my bra. Yes, for now, this was definitely enough. I figured there was another way to show him how I felt, and maybe he'd go for that instead.

  He smiled at me, eyes glittering with desire as my fingers wrestled with his belt buckle.

  “I want to,” I breathed, against his mouth. “Please.”

  The look in his eyes stole my breath but just as this thought warmed my skin he sat up, listening intently.

  “Corvus?”

  “No,” he whispered, almost to himself.

  “Corvus, what’s wrong?” The look on his face made a chill of foreboding glide down my spine.

  He pulled me to him, holding me tightly as if he was afraid I was going to disappear.

  “Corvus, what is it? You’re frightening me.”

  “Stay here, OK? Please, just - wait for me.” His voice fierce and commanding. I looked at him in shock as I rearranged my clothes.

  Anxiety seemed to be holding my heart in a vice but I tried to contain it for his sake.

  “Alright. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll wait for you.”

  He kissed me fiercely and then got up and left the apartment, closing the door behind him. I was left alone, worrying myself stupid about what was going on. He’d heard something, but what? I didn’t have long to consider the question as there was an explosion of noise and the door to the apartment shattered. I threw myself to the floor as splinters of wood flew around the room. When everything had settled down I realised I could hear raised voices, they were arguing. No, that was too mild a word, they were screaming at each other. I picked my way gingerly to the smashed door and walked to the top of the stairs. It was then I recognised the voice. Oh God, it was Gran.

  “Jéhenne!” I heard her yelling up the stairs to me and I ran down towards her, wondering what the hell was going on. I mean, I knew I’d have to face the music sooner or later when she discovered I was here, but I didn’t expect her to start blowing the place up! What was she thinking?

  I knew Corvus had asked me to stay put, but I could hardly ignore my Gran, even if she had been ignoring me, and hopefully I could calm her down. Corvus met me halfway down the second staircase and caught hold of me.

  “Jéhenne, please, I must speak to you alone.” His voice was harsh, urgent and I frowned at him, wondering what was going on. I’d never before seen look
so afraid. What on earth had Gran done to him? As I tried to pull myself together she appeared at the foot of the stairs.

  “Take your filthy hands off my granddaughter.” Her voice was so full of disgust I gasped in shock.

  “Gran, please!” I said. “Corvus hasn’t done anything wrong!”

  She laughed at that, but it was a spiteful sound.

  “Jéhenne, come with me now!” Corvus urged, it was almost a command and I felt shocked. He held me tighter, his grip hurting my arm, forcing me to look at him.

  I looked from one to the other in dismay, wanting to go to him so much but needing to speak with Gran, to explain why I had disobeyed her and come here, despite all her warnings. “Corvus I can’t yet, I’m sorry. I must explain to her.”

  I squeezed his arm in what I hoped was a reassuring manner, “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to her, calm her down. Everything will be alright.” I smiled at him though I was unnerved by the way he held on to me. “Now let me go ... please.”

  He closed his eyes and shook his head, so slightly that it was barely a movement.

  I frowned and asked again, a little louder. “Please.”

  He opened his eyes and looked at me. “Don’t forget what was said tonight, Jéhenne. Please don’t forget,” he whispered.

  I nodded. “I promise.”

  He let me go and I hurried past him down the stairs to find Gran flanked by Rodney and Cyd. To my shock Gran grabbed hold of my arm and pulled me over to where a torch burned on the wall. She exclaimed at the bruises he'd just made on my arms before she began to examine my neck.

  “Tell me you didn’t let him bite you at least!” she said, her disgust at the idea only to evident.

  “Gran!” I flushed, remembering how I'd tried to get him to do just that.

  “Inés!” Corvus' voice thundered around the room. “I would not do such a thing.”

  Gran snorted in disgust. “Yes, because you are such a gentleman.”

  “Gran, why are you doing this?” I demanded, shocked and upset by her behaviour. “Corvus has been kind to me, looked after me, they all have.” I gestured to Rodney and Cyd, who were looking increasingly uncomfortable.

  “I’ll bet he has, I can smell him all over you,” she said in disgust, her green eyes flashing with fury. “I can’t believe you were so naïve, Jéhenne, after everything I told you. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am.”

  “But Tacitus came for me Gran, you weren’t there!” A fierce heat warmed my fingertips as my temper flared. “What was I supposed to do?”

  “You fought him off once, you could have done it again. I gave instructions to Remé to look after you, but he was too spineless to come and get you.”

  “That’s not true, Inés,” Corvus said from where he stood. He spoke calmly, but the underlying tension in the room was unbearable. “Remé knew that I could protect her better than he could, he told you that. She has been in no danger.You know I would never hurt her.”

  “Yes because you're so good at looking after those you love,” she said with a sneer and I saw Corvus flinch.

  “You know I would never hurt her,” he raged, his fury making my skin prickle and sting and I shrank back. He was terrifying when he was angry. Gran didn't seem phased though.

  She laughed, a hard and bitter sound. “I’ve heard that before though, haven’t I, Corvus?” She smiled, but it definitely wasn’t friendly.

  Corvus seemed to take a moment to get his temper under control. “Please, Inés, don’t do this, I would never hurt Jéhenne,” he repeated. He was beginning to look agitated again. “I … I care about her, you must believe me.”

  “Oh, but I do believe you, Corvus. In fact, I couldn’t have arranged things better myself. From what I hear you’re quite a pair of love-birds.” Her mocking tone was so full of venom I could hardly believe she was my grandmother. “It seems I’ve finally found a way to hurt you as much as you hurt me.”

  “But it won’t just be me you hurt, Inés.” His voice was quiet now, his blue eyes pleading but Gran just snorted.

  “Jéhenne has certainly been foolish.” She looked at me critically her expression far from pleased. “But she is young, she will recover. She might not have been so lucky if you turned on her like you did on Adrian.”

  I looked at Corvus in confusion. Adrian had been my grandfather, and he’d died long before I was born. He'd been murdered when my mother was just a child. It had torn the family apart and my mum said Inés had never got over it. He'd been the love of her life. I remembered the nightmares I'd had when I'd discovered the story. Though they would never tell me how he'd died it didn't seem to stop my imagination running riot. But what did that have to do with Corvus?

  Corvus closed his eyes, he looked… defeated.

  “Corvus?” I asked with a dreadful sick feeling building in my stomach. Please no, not that. “What does she mean?”

  “I was going to tell you. I tried earlier.” He paused. “I couldn’t help it, I swear. I had no choice…”

  “Liar!” Gran snarled. “That… That… bastard, the one you let put his filthy hands all over you, is a murderer! He killed your grandfather!”

  At first I didn’t react. I couldn’t. Something inside me had stopped, and for a moment it seemed as though I wasn’t breathing. My legs felt odd, and I shook my head weakly, denying it. I couldn’t take it in, it was impossible, she was lying… she had to be lying.

  But then I looked at Corvus.

  “Corvus?” My voice was barely a whisper. He didn’t respond. “Corvus,” I said again, louder this time. “Just… tell me it isn’t true.”

  He spoke finally, in a hoarse whisper. “Jéhenne, please … let me explain what happened. Just give me a few moments with you. I swear I’ll tell you everything.”

  He stepped towards me with his hands outstretched, begging me. “Please give me a chance.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.” My voice shook and I was trembling violently as I remembered my mother crying as she'd told me her daddy had been taken from her when she was a child. “Did you kill my grandfather?” Seconds went by and he still didn’t say anything. He didn’t even move. “Answer me!”

  He jolted like I’d slapped him, but he looked at me steadily. “Yes, Jéhenne, I killed him.”

  My breath left me completely and I stumbled backwards, away from him. Gran was by my side in an instant, putting her arm around my shoulders. Rodney stepped forward and grabbed hold of my hand.

  “Don’t do it, Jéhenne, don’t go like this,” he pleaded. “You’re making a mistake, luv, let him explain.”

  I looked numbly from him to Cyd who was looking at me with disgust.

  “Rodney, stay out of this!” Gran threatened. “Chérie, we need to get home.” She urged me. “You're not safe here.”

  I moved obediently, not understanding how my legs were working. As we walked towards the door I felt Corvus grab my wrist and pull me back.

  “Jéhenne, listen to me, please,” he implored.

  I shook my head in desperation, Gran stayed on my other side, grasping my hand and I was relieved as my thoughts seemed slow, sluggish, my head full of confusion. I thought I could smell magic and it wrapped around me. I just needed to go home, the thought was reassuring - safe ... I pulled away from him.

  “Leave me alone,” I mumbled, increasingly afraid of him and confused as magic seemed to fog my mind. I shook my head to try and clear it a little.

  “You don’t mean that.” There was such fear in his voice but I couldn't focus on it.

  He's dangerous, get away from him, murderer. The words seemed to pulse in my head. “I do,” I said. “I do!” I was screaming now, my words shrill and unlike myself, I felt close to hysteria. “I want you to leave me alone,” I said, feeling myself shake with emotion.

  “I didn’t want to do it, Jéhenne. If you’d only let me explain,” he begged and a part of me couldn't stand to see him in such pain, but something stronger and more insistent told me I ha
d to leave, to get away from him ... Now!

  “How could you explain something like that?” I asked him with tears streaming down my face. I clutched at my head, it was pounding now, the cloying smell of magic too strong. What was happening? Looking at him I felt as if something inside me had died

  Gran had left the house to start the car outside. Corvus continued to plead with me, but I shook my head, not wanting to listen to him. His voice seemed to burn a hole in my head and my heart. In the end I couldn’t take anymore and turned on him,

  “How do you think I could ever let you explain something like this?” I shouted, tears flowing down my cheeks in hot streaks. “I knew you'd killed people and I tried to tell myself it was alright but it isn't, it can't be! And he was my family, don't you see, you destroyed my family. I don’t want to see you again, do you hear me? Never! I hate you!”

  I was half-blinded by tears as I staggered to the door and slammed it behind me.

  The ride back to the cottage was a blur, and before I knew it I was at home, drained and unable to cry anymore. I felt empty and I wondered how I was going to survive the next day that was fast approaching with the rising sun.