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

by Emma V. Leech

Chapter 30

  Corvus frowned, his expression one of concern. “You have no idea when this happens?”

  I shook my head feeling utterly miserable. “No, just that it's at night. I don’t know where either.”

  “Just that Rodney…” He paused, as unwilling as I'd been to put it into words.

  I nodded my head and grabbed another tissue.

  “You couldn’t be mistaken?” he demanded.

  I pushed down the lump in my throat, trying to be calm. We needed to keep Rodney safe and hysterics weren't going to help anyone. “No. I don’t see things … the future, very often but when I do … no I’ve never been wrong.”

  Corvus sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I said he can stay at the Château, Jéhenne, but I’m afraid he refused.”

  I banged my hand down on the sofa in frustration. “Why is he being so bloody stubborn?”

  Rodney had indeed guessed what I’d seen, though he didn’t want to know the details. Not that I had any. All I knew was that the newborn would kill him. No other information that might actually be helpful, like how, when, or where.

  I’d pleaded with Rodney myself to move to the Château but he wouldn’t have it. He said if he was going to die, he’d do when he was good and ready and he wasn’t going to hide away from it. He’d taken the whole thing very calmly, except for the fact he insisted that we weren’t to tell Amelia.

  “I know he's your friend Jéhenne but he’s a grown man, he will make his own decision, I will not command him.”

  Corvus had insisted that I, at least, move back into the Château. His reasoning was that Rodney would be in even more danger if I was with him. We hadn’t spoken about the key yet, though the knowledge hovered between us, unspoken, but Rodney’s fate had overshadowed everything else.

  Corvus looked out of the window into the darkness. I knew how worried he was, though he’d never show it. They had known each other a long time and despite the fact that Rodney worked for him, I knew he counted him as a friend.

  It was a beautiful evening, warm and still, but for the first time in weeks I longed for the morning. Nothing could happen to Rodney during the day and I was going to go back to the house and talk some sense into him. I’d spoken to him on the phone and he’d been his normal cheery self but he wouldn’t listen to my pleas to stay with Corvus.

  “Don’t you worry, lovely, I’m a big boy now, I can look after me own self. But … if anythin' did happen - an’ I’m not saying it will like - but if it did … look after Amelia, OK? She’s not who you think, Jéhenne - give her a chance.”

  I’d obviously agreed, I’d say anything to make him happy, but the chances of me and Amelia being friends? Well, let’s just say I’d give a snowflake in hell better odds.

  Corvus called on all of the available family to be on guard in the immediate area. He had asked Rodney to stay home and to let us know if he was planning on going anywhere. Cyd and Lucas had been posted as sentries.

  As I watched Corvus I saw him frown and realised he was communicating with the others.

  “Guillaume has picked up a scent,” he said suddenly. “About twenty miles south from where Rodney is now, I’m going over there.”

  “I’ll come too.” I leapt off the sofa to follow him.

  He shook his head, frowning. “No, Jéhenne. You will stay here. It may well be a trap. You can help the most by staying safe.”

  I scowled, not wanting to be left behind. “But …”

  “No!” He turned and shouted at me, making me jump. “For once Jéhenne, just do as I damn well ask.”

  I glared at him and opened my mouth to protest but he’d gone.

  “Son of a bitch,” I muttered furiously. Typical, arrogant, overbearing, bloody vampire!

  I picked up the phone and dialled Rodney’s number, to warn him to stay put, but there was no answer and I felt my heart beat faster with every ring. Finally, the answer phone kicked in.

  “Damn it, Rodney where are you? Call me back.”

  I knew he’d been planning to see Amelia later but that wasn’t for hours yet. I started pacing up and down, ringing every few seconds and leaving more and more frantic messages on his answer phone.

  I had to do something, so I ran to Corvus’ library and found where he had shown me the cabinet full of jewellery. Rummaging through fistfuls of priceless jewels, I grabbed a thin gold chain and slid the moon stone ring off my finger.

  “Map … map … there’s got to be a map in here somewhere,” I said, feeling my anxiety rising as I rifled through every book and scrap of paper to no avail.

  “Shit!” I cursed blinking back tears. I didn’t have time to cry now. I had to think … my car! Running from the library I took the stairs two at a time and flew through the front door to my car. Cursing and crying simultaneously I fought with the map, trying desperately to unfold it without ripping it to shreds in the rush.

  Sitting down on the gravel with the map open in front of me, I tried to steady my breathing. I held the ends of the chain, with the ring suspended from it, and swung it gently over the map, all the while concentrating on Rodney.

  The ring gave a gentle tug and landed on the map. Leaning down to see in the light from the car I gasped. Rodney was in the woods behind the house. Somehow I knew something wasn’t right, Corvus and the family were in the wrong place. I just hoped Cyd and Lucas were still with him. Hands shaking I fumbled with my phone and tried to call Corvus but I had no reception.

  “Shit, shit, shit!”

  I didn’t think any further but jumped in the car and took off in the direction of Rodney’s house. I kept trying to call Corvus on the way, but fate was against me and I kept getting voice-mail. I left a garbled message that I hoped to God he could understand and then concentrated on driving as fast as I could without getting myself killed.

  The car skidded to a halt in the gravel in front of Rodney’s house in a cloud of dust and flying stones, and I flung myself out the door.

  The front door to the cottage stood open and I ran in yelling for Rodney. The place was eerily quiet.

  I swallowed the anxiety that swirled like a sickness in my guts and headed into the woodland. Thankfully there was a little moonlight, but it was still hard going and I tripped and stumbled as branches and stones impeded my progress.

  I stopped suddenly as I heard movement close by me. Holding my breath I was straining to hear over the noise of my heart thundering in my ears, when a cool hand covered my mouth. I squealed and was just about to burn whoever had grabbed me to a cinder, when a familiar voice whispered in my ear.

  “Sssssh, don’t panic, luv, it’s me.”

  “Rodney!”

  Throwing my arms around him I hugged him fiercely. “Thank God! Oh, Rodney I was so worried.”

  “Well we’re not out of the woods yet.” His mouth twitched as he realised the truth of it.

  “What’s going on?” I whispered.

  “Cyd and Lucas got wind of some vampires, not family, out in the woods. Cyd reckoned there was at least four of the blighters, they went off in hot pursuit and I ain't 'ad sight nor sound of ‘em since.”

  “So what are you doing out here, you should have stayed indoors,” I hissed, furious with him for putting himself in danger.

  “Couldn’t do it, luv.” He looked deadly serious now. “That bastard …” He stopped and swallowed. “Look.”

  He drew me quietly back to the house. There in the garden, was a crumpled shape. Rodney stopped me before I could get too close, but I could tell it was a body. I covered my mouth with my hand to stop myself from crying out.

  “I could hear her screaming.” He gripped my arm tightly. “In my garden, Jéhenne! Do you think I could just let that happen and stay indoors?”

  I shook my head. “No. No, of course not.” I knew Rodney would never look away while someone was suffering. He wasn't a coward.

  “Too bloody late, though,” he said bitterly.

  My eyes scanned the surrounding woodland
. Despite our position, tucked out of sight in the depths of the trees, I felt exposed and vulnerable. I swallowed, afraid to ask. “Who did it Rodney? Was it … was it the newborn?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, and the bastard is still 'ere.” He eyes darted around checking as I had. “Come on I’ll walk you to your car.”

  “What?” I said in alarm. “No! No way, Rodney, I’m not leaving you.”

  “Oh yes you are.” He grabbed my arm and started hauling me towards the front of the house.

  “Rodney, let me go!” I tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but before he could complain, we both froze as a manic laugh echoed from the edge of the woods.

  “Oh, parfait! Two more come to play - what fun! I was beginning to feel a little lonely.”

  A figure emerged from the woodland and as his face appeared in the dim moonlight, I felt my blood cool in my veins. It was Léo, the guy Claudette had been so keen on, the one who'd disappeared. I guess now we knew why.

  He still had the leather jacket and I could hear it creak gently as he strolled into the garden. He stood over the dead woman’s body and peered down at her.

  “Bonjour, chérie, ça va?” He put his head to one side and then looked up at me grinning broadly. “Non ça va pas!” He laughed, apparently well pleased with his sick joke.

  Without hesitation I threw a fire spell at him. It hit the ground where he had been a bare second before, scorching the earth black. I heard a chuckle from the woods.

  “You’ll have to do better than that, mon ange,” he mocked.

  I cursed and took off into the woods after him.

  “Jéhenne, stop!” yelled Rodney behind me. “Let me deal with this.”

  I ignored him and concentrated on not falling on my face as I ran. Léo had no intention of getting away from us and stopped every now and then, to make sure we were following. I knew he was trying to trap us and could only hope we were able to keep him occupied until Cyd and Lucas came back. We couldn’t risk him getting into the village and killing more innocent people. But there was no way was I going to let Rodney deal with him alone.

  I kept on throwing spells every time I caught sight of him, but he was so bloody fast. There was a mania about him and I figured he must have been unhinged before he was turned. With a lurch in my stomach I realised it was probably why he'd been chosen.

  By now the woodland was ablaze where fire spells had gone awry. I could hear the dry ground crackle and snap as the fire gobbled up the twigs and dead leaves that littered the floor. Thick smoke began to drift over us and I coughed. My eyes were stinging madly and I hoped I hadn’t done more harm than good.

  We finally emerged in a small clearing to find Léo slouching back against a tree trunk. He had his jacket slung over his shoulder and his white T-shirt was splattered with blood. He seemed to be doing his best Marlon Brando impersonation, idly lighting a cigarette which he let hang from his lips.

  “Very brave little girl,” he drawled, looking bored. “But what are you going to do now?”

  He jumped to the side and bounded off a tree trunk before landing lightly on all fours, crouching in the centre of the clearing. He tilted his head to one side, considering me. “I think it's time to play.” He grinned, the sudden change in his demeanour more than a little unsettling and I watched with growing alarm as he took a draw on the cigarette before dropping it to the ground.

  From beside me Rodney lunged forward with a speed I didn’t know he possessed and managed to grab hold of Léo around the legs, but he kicked out and Rodney’s head snapped back. I heard him roar with pain as he hit the ground and then rolled, grabbing hold of him again. The next few minutes were a blur as Rodney tried to pin him down and I tried desperately to catch him with a spell without harming Rodney. Suddenly he broke away and disappeared back into the trees where he stayed, almost out of sight, pacing up and down like a caged animal. He was angry now that he realised things weren’t going the way he had hoped.

  Rodney and I watched him as we gasped for breath, grateful for a moments break. We were both filthy, covered in twigs, dead leaves and soot. The surrounding woodland looked like a scene from a war film, the trees blackened and scorched and some broken in two where either Rodney or Léo had slammed into them.

  Too late I realised I’d lost focus, Léo had moved. Rodney swore as he tried in vain to grab hold of him, but missed. The vampire darted forwards and lashed out with the back of his hand, catching me full in the face and sending me flying backwards into a tree. My breath left me as I crashed into the unforgiving surface and dropped to the ground. I glanced at my hand with a sinking feeling as I realised I’d left the moonstone ring with the map in my car. Corvus was going to bloody kill me - if I survived. I could feel the burning mark on my cheek and hear Léo laughing at me through the trees. Son of a bitch.

  I got to my feet, fixing my gaze on him, and steadied myself. He’d leapt back into the centre of the clearing, watching me arrogantly. I stayed very still, waiting for him to make the first move. He grinned, turning to give the finger to Rodney who was trying to edge closer. He’d improvised a stake from a broken branch but Léo darted away hurling himself at me again. My spell caught him full in the face and he shrieked as the force snapped his head back and broke his neck. He had been right in front of me though and managed to score a deep scratch across my face, narrowly missing my right eye. I cried out at the pain, but I didn’t dare lose concentration again. His bones had healed already, and now he was a lot closer than before. Rodney threw a stone that hit him in the head and I heard a sickening crack as it smashed the bone. It would have killed an elephant, Rodney was incredibly strong, but it didn’t slow Léo down for long. It did piss him off though which was something.

  He lunged towards Rodney and hit him in the stomach, sending him tumbling to the ground in a flurry of leaves and loose earth.

  Before the vampire could attack again, I cast another spell - forcing him away from Rodney. He snarled and leapt towards me once more. I didn’t have time to throw another and he grabbed hold of my hand. I recoiled, trying to pull away, but he held on and leaned in. “Think you’re good, witch? Let’s see how you handle this.” And he broke two of my fingers.

  I screamed in agony and power that I didn’t know I had blasted out of me and sent him flying across the clearing. He slammed into a tree trunk so hard that it snapped in half and fell with him to the ground.

  Fuck! Fuck! That hurt. Tears welled in my eyes but I brushed them hastily away with my good hand, trying not to cry. I breathed steadily to stop the dizzying sensation that was swirling around in my head. I was going to kill this bastard before he got me or Rodney. I smiled at him through the pain.

  “Is that the best you can do?”

  He roared with laughter and sped forwards so fast that he was standing in front of me and had slapped me across the face before I even had a chance to react. It was a hard blow but it didn’t knock me over. It was more a sign of contempt than a move to kill - I was lucky that his previous mood of cheerful insanity had returned. I felt blood in my mouth and spat, so his face was peppered with tiny crimson dots. His pupils dilated turning those evil, dark eyes a pitiless black but before he could act, I sent him flying across the clearing once again. In an instant, Rodney was on him but slammed the stake down just a second too late. He must have missed his heart by less than an inch and Léo screamed with fury and disappeared back to the edge of the woodland. He ripped out the bloody stake and threw it back into the clearing.

  “Playtime's over,” he snarled, pacing up and down the tree line once more.

  “Jéhenne, the spell you killed Reina with.” Rodney said to me. “Remé said it would kill a vampire … can you do it again?” I turned as Rodney appeared beside me.

  “I’ve been trying, Rodney.” I replied in frustration. “But I need time to get it right. It needs to hit him full on and he’s just too quick.”

  “Let me handle that.” He took my arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “The next
chance you get OK? Give it everything you’ve got Jéhenne.”

  I nodded mutely as he turned away.

  “Rodney… please be careful,” I called after him.

  I heard a soft chuckle as he headed away. “Don’t you worry, luv, tough as old boots I am.”

  Movement to my left made me turn my head. Léo was still pacing but now he was back in the clearing.

  “Come out, come out wherever you are…” he called in his sing-song voice.

  Out of nowhere, Rodney did just that and barrelled into him knocking the vampire flat to the ground. Léo struggled to his feet but Rodney was managing to keep his arms pinned back behind him, struggling with all his might to keep him still.

  “Now, Jéhenne!” Rodney yelled, fighting to maintain his hold.

  “Rodney, I can’t!” I screamed in horror. “You’re too close.”

  “I’m not a bleeding vampire,” he yelled at me.”I’m a ghoul! It won’t kill me.” He was fighting to keep Léo still as I hesitated and he screamed at me again, “Get on with it!”

  I put my hands out but still couldn't do it as I remembered what it had done to Reina.

  “Now, Jéhenne!”

  Rodney sounded desperate and I knew we had no other option. I threw my hands up, towards where the two were struggling, ignoring the shooting pains that ran from the tips of my fingers and up along my wrists. As the spell hit, the vampire let out an ear-splitting scream as he began to burn from the inside out. His entire body flamed, and he writhed on the spot, twisting and turning, trying to get away from Rodney who was holding grimly on.

  “Rodney let go,” I screamed as the flames burned brighter and hotter and panic gripped me.

  But it was too late.

  The flames consumed both figures until white heat, so fierce I had to turn away, lit up the night sky, and then there was silence.

  I couldn’t think. I just stood there, staring at the spot where they’d both been. A rushing noise was building up in my ears and making my head hurt. Rodney couldn’t be gone … he must have … I took a step forwards and then stopped, falling to my knees. The all too familiar smell of burning reached my nostrils and I gagged and retched. Stumbling to my feet I fled back to the house weeping and falling over again and again in the rush to get away from the stench of burning flesh.

  Just as I broke from the trees Corvus appeared and grabbed hold of me, pulling me into a fierce embrace.

  “Thank the gods, Jéhenne, are you alright?”

  I shook my head, babbling incoherently. “Rodney …” I sobbed. “Rodney …” but I could say nothing more.

  Later we sat huddled together, side by side on Rodney’s sofa, in his house with all of his belongings around us. His favourite Muppet mug sat where he had left it on the coffee table and I noticed absently that he’d forgotten to use a coaster again. The table top was covered with ring marks and I’d scolded him about it just a couple of days before.

  Corvus held on to me, like he was afraid I might disappear too. I knew Rodney had been with him for well over a hundred years, he was going to miss him just as much as I would.

  He had tended to the deep scratch on my face which had now disappeared, and had splinted my fingers. He’d offered me his blood as apparently it would heal the bones in seconds, but apart from the very idea being disgusting to me, I didn’t like the idea of the power it would give him over me. I knew he was probably upset by my refusal but we were both too numb and miserable to fight with each other.

  “I should have been there,” he said. I held his hand and squeezed, he had said it a hundred times already and I knew I’d never convince him otherwise.

  “You can’t be everywhere at once, Corvus. This wasn’t your fault.”

  With an aching heart I knew exactly who was responsible. Kissing the top of my head he pulled me close and I was unable to miss the torn and bloody shirt he wore. Tacitus had indeed set a trap for them and apparently there had been a terrible fight. Thankfully no-one in the family had been lost and though some of the younger vampires were badly injured they’d heal in time. It had been a message. Tacitus wanted the key and he wanted it soon.

  “It wasn’t your fault either, Jéhenne,” Corvus said, his voice implacable. “Tacitus did this and I will kill him for it.” His words were soft, but I could hear the steel behind them and it sent chills over me.

  “No.” I shook my head. “You can’t be the one to kill him, the senate would execute you and I can’t lose you both, Corvus, I won’t!” Fury was making my voice quiver. “Tacitus will die, make no mistake, but we need to be smart, we need to find another way. Rodney sacrificed himself to kill Léo so he’d be mad as hell if you went and got yourself killed.”

  I wept again, though I had no tears left to cry. Corvus’ shirt was still damp with them, but in the midst of my misery I realised there was worse to come. We had forgotten someone.

  “Oh my God,” I whispered. “Amelia. We haven’t told Amelia.”

  He squeezed my shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell her.”

  I shook my head, remembering that Rodney had asked me to look out for her. “No. I was with him when he died, I’ll tell her … it’s what Rodney would want.”

  Though in all honesty the thought of telling her exactly what had happened scared me. We weren’t exactly friendly before, but when she found out how he’d died, how I’d killed him … I swallowed hard. Rodney would expect it of me though, that much I was sure of. Though I never believed Amelia deserved his love, he had told me she wasn’t like she made out, that she loved him, but she should have been proud of him and she wasn’t. He had deserved better and that thought made me angry and the anger gave me the strength to do what I needed to.

  “Will you take me to her, please?” I glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost one am. Rodney had told me he was seeing her at one thirty.

  We went back outside to the cars and the family was huddled in groups, all looking as war torn as Corvus. It seemed that Rodney’s death had affected everyone and I was glad. He’d never realised just how well thought of he was, he had truly been a part of the family. Cyd came over to Corvus and gave him a hug.

  “I’m so sorry, Corvus,” she whispered. “We’re all going to miss him.”

  Corvus nodded wordlessly and we headed for the car. Corvus let Cyd drive and got in the back with me and the line of cars filed out of Rodney’s driveway and headed back to the Château, stopping first at Amelia’s house, which was in the neighbouring village.

  “Will you come back to the Château please?”

  I thought it was a sign of how upset he was, that Corvus hadn’t ordered me to come, but asked me.

  I smiled. “Yes.”

  The journey was over far too quickly and suddenly I was standing outside the door to Amelia’s house. I took a deep breath and knocked quickly before I could change my mind.

  “It’s open,” a cheerful voice yelled from upstairs. I turned the knob, let myself in and stood nervously in the hallway. It was a tiny little terraced house, but it had been prettily decorated and had a cosy feel.

  “Is that you baby? You’re early!” she called as she ran down the stairs. “Couldn’t keep away, huh? I’m glad … I’ve got a surprise for you …”

  She stopped mid-sentence, as she realised it wasn’t Rodney waiting. “Oh, what do you want?” She sounded surprised and not in a good way.

  “I … “ I swallowed. I’d been trying to find the right words ever since we’d left the house, but there was simply no easy way of doing this.

  “Amelia, Rodney’s not coming.”

  She frowned at me, folding her arms. “Why not?” she demanded. “I suppose Corvus has sent him off on some errand has he?”

  I shook my head miserably. “No, Amelia, it’s not that. Rodney … he … he found the new born.” I watched her face in horror as she began to understand. “I’m so sorry, Amelia … I tried I swear, you must believe me … I tried to help him …” My voice broke and I felt
the tears start again.

  “No!” She shook her head, refusing to accept it, looking at me with terrified, wild eyes. “Not Rodney … no. No! You’re lying! You’re doing this to get back at me for being mean to you,” she yelled. “Aren’t you? Aren’t you?” She wasn’t yelling now, but pleading. “Please, Jéhenne, tell me it’s a mistake. Please?”

  “I’m so sorry, Amelia.”

  She seemed to crumple in front of me and fell to the floor. She was shaking her head and sobbing no, no, no, over and over. I realised that Rodney had been right, no matter how she had behaved, she really did love him. There was nothing I could do to make it better but I got on the floor, put my arms around her and waited, while she broke her heart.