The Violet Line

by Bilinda Ni Siodacain

  Sam tried to block out the memories of what she had done to him that day; hours upon hours, he had endured her taunts torments and sexual advances. She could not understand why he would not simply give in to her allure; she had tried to persuade him that if he just gave in, they could indulge in each other’s bodies for old times’ sake. She had told him the pain would stop if only he would admit that he still wanted her. He told her he couldn’t do that and at first she had thought it was stubborn pride. That was until he had told her that to him she was ugly.

  Sam would not betray what he and Jade shared. He could never be unfaithful to his soul mate; it would kill him to touch Cassiopeia or any woman in that way ever again. Sam had known what it would do to her and Cassie had flown into a rage. She had very nearly killed him, but Oskaar had intervened and stopped her. Sam had hoped she might kill him at least if that had happened, Jade wouldn’t be in danger anymore. But then he wouldn’t be able to see her one last time, hold her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her. If Cassiopeia had succeeded and killed him in the dungeon that day, Sam would not have the opportunity he had now to warn Jade of the danger that she was in. He wanted to hold her close again, drink deep of her sweet scent and properly say goodbye. He knew what he had to do. He would ensure Jade was safe and he would say goodbye. It was the only way he knew of to keep her safe. His being alive was the only thing that would allow the council to track her; with him out of the picture, they would never be able to detect or find her. It would be as though she suddenly no longer existed and the vampires would never have their prophecy fulfilled. His beautiful, talented, loving and gentle Jade would never have to suffer at their sick perverted hands; she would not have to constantly look over her shoulder in fear of detection. She could have her life and perhaps in the afterlife, if Sam was granted one, they could be together.

  Sam continued the long walk back to his Jade. His injuries were slowing him down but he knew he would make it back to her before sunrise. He could taste rain on the air. The fine weather was finally going to break and the dawn would be delayed, allowing him more time to get back before the sun’s rays found him. The thought of holding her close lifted his heart and spirits and he found himself picking up his pace in anticipation of seeing her face. He dreaded the conversation he would have to have with her but he knew this way was for the best. He didn’t want to hurt her but he wouldn’t see her die and be reborn into the hands of those back at the manor. The one thing that was bothering Sam most was the final vision that Oskaar had allowed him to see before he left. Oskaar had shown him who would be the one to finally turn Jade into the cruel beautiful shell that he had seen standing on the stage. In the vision, Sam had held Jade in his arms and she had smiled up at him, tracing her fingers over his lips and jaw. She had smiled and pulled him in close to her as he had slid his fangs out and nestled his face against her neck, inhaling deeply the smell of her sweet blood. Jade had wrapped her arms around his neck as Sam sank his fangs deep into her neck, drinking from her until only a drop of her blood remained. He had watched, horrified, as Oskaar had shown him laying Jade out across his lap as he slit one of his wrists and smeared his blood across her lips, urging her to drink deeply and watching with a smile as she latched on. Oskaar had finished the vision there but Sam had seen enough of the possible future to know that it was he who would turn his beloved into the monster he had seen in his first vision. This disturbed him beyond anything else he had ever witnessed in his life. Sam would not allow this future to happen. He would see to it that Jade lived a long and full life; happy, and human with no threat from the vampires that haunted his constant waking thoughts. Three days and two nights was all the time he had to make his preparations. Despite the pain that ran in lines down his back and legs, Sam began to run to Jade.

  Chapter Eight

  Sitting in the darkness of the flat, lights from the cars flicked up onto the ceiling, before chasing across it like small children in a playground. Annie had gone home when it had still been bright outside. The landlord had rang her to say he’d fix the locks and she had wanted to go around and make sure he didn’t touch anything else. I’d offered to drive her back but she told me she needed the time to clear her head.

  The heating had gone off hours ago and I watched, fascinated as my breaths caused little puffs of white fog to form near my face. Since Annie’s departure, I had thought of nothing except Sam; how his smile it crinkled up near the corners of his eyes. I remembered the feel of his skin under my hands and how when we touched, it felt like little sparks of electricity passed between us. I could remember every part of him but it wasn’t enough. I wanted more; I wanted him here in front of me so I could study every detail, every line of his body, the details of his face. I wanted to hear his laugh, his voice. I needed him here safe with me.

  The rain had begun to fall outside and soft grey mist enveloped everything on the other side of the window. It felt as though the dawn would be coming soon; I had grown accustomed to knowing the feeling it left in the air and now was no exception. It was still dark outside but instead of being the blackness of night, it had developed a slightly navy blue colour, allowing the mist to become clearer.

  The dawn would be later today, I thought, rising stiffly from my place on the couch. It seemed I had been sitting there longer than I had realised. Crossing to the window, rain splashed against the glass growing heavier with each drop and I pulled the heavy curtains against the onslaught. Walking into the bedroom, I grabbed Sam’s jumper up from where I had left it folded on the bed this morning and pulled it on over my head before crawling under the duvet. Closing my eyes, I prayed for sleep to find me – anything to take me out of this waiting and uncertainty.

  A noise stirred me under the duvet and I felt the bed dipping under the weight of somebody else.

  “Sam?” My voice was groggy and hoarse.

  “I’m here.” His voice was like music; it filled me with warmth and happiness and I struggled to escape from underneath the blankets.

  “Oh god, I’m so happy you’re back. I was so worried and I thought you’d never come back to me. Where were you? I was sure something had happened and when you didn’t answer...” He pressed his fingers against my lips, cutting off my landslide of questions and garbled concerns.

  “Jade, I’m ok. I’m here, see?” he said, spreading his hands wide. Looking at him sitting on the side of the bed in a dark shirt and black jeans, I flung myself against his chest, pulling him in tight against me. The tears flowed hot down my cheeks. Whispering against his shirt, my voice was still hoarse.

  “I thought you were gone, that I’d never get to hold or see you again.” Even though my words were muffled against him, I knew he heard me. Untangling my arms from where I clung tightly to him, he pushed me away and looked down into my face.

  “I told you I’d come back and I have, but Jade we need to talk. Something very serious has happened.” His voice held the gravity of the situation, causing me to sit up and look closer at him.

  “What happened to your face? You’re black and blue, and there are scratches all over your hands. Sam, what did this to you? Because I know it couldn’t have been human.” I stared at him as he looked down at his battered hands that were holding me.

  “This is what we have to talk about. The council caught up to me the other night when I was hunting. They sent their best tracker, Raphael, and his partner, Marianne; those two never go anywhere without each other. Marianne has a gift; she can look into your head and tell if you’re lying. Even if you don’t really know it yourself, she will; it’s just what she is. The council likes to use her to question those they suspect of going rogue; or if they just want some sort of particular information, Marianne is the girl to get it for them.”

  “But I don’t understand what this has to do with you. I mean, you certainly haven’t gone rogue and you don’t know anything that they might want.”

  Sam stared at me hard, his face held a look of incredulity. “Jade, think abou
t it! What might the council want that I know about and love?”

  His question triggered a thought in my head. “You mean they want to know about me?” It was my turn to look incredulous.

  “They know all about you; they weren’t interested in asking me about you. They want me to bring you to them.” His words hung in the air between us.

  “So you came back to get me?” My voice held no emotion but the lines of my body betrayed how tense I felt about what his answer might be.

  “No I haven’t, Jade. I’ve come back so I can warn you. I need to think of a way to stop them from getting to you but I haven’t fully figured it out yet. I won’t let them hurt you; I love you too much for that.” He grabbed me hard by my arms and pulled me into his embrace. I slammed against his chest hard enough to make him wince but he continued to hold me tight against him.

  “Sam, what did they do to you,” I asked him, dreading his reply.

  “Jade, I can’t tell you that.”

  Pulling out of his grip I began opening the buttons on his shirt. What I saw there made me gasp in horror; it hurt to look at him like that and he had come back to me in this state. The shirt stuck to him where the blood had begun to dry. The wounds were still open although I could see the edges where some of them had begun to heal a little. Deep furrows ran from his neck and shoulders down across his chest; it was as though somebody had attempted to gouge his heart out. The wounds were deeper over his heart. Pushing the shirt back, I realised it was also stuck to his back. Gingerly, I slipped around behind him and began removing the shirt from his back. The same type of slash marks ran down his back. They began at his shoulders, some of them even ran into his hairline. I followed them over the skin of his back, down to where they disappeared into the top of his jeans. They had destroyed my beautiful Sam. Sure, he would heal but what had he suffered and endured because of me? Tears fell hot and heavy from my eyes, causing my vision to blur. I felt dizzy and my pulse thundered in my ears. Sam moaned and stiffened up as if in pain. My tears ran down his back as I wrapped my arms tight around him and refused to let go. Warmth filled me and my head felt fuzzy but holding Sam tight seemed like the right thing to do; the thought didn’t enter my mind that I might be hurting him.

  The next thing I realised, Sam was dragging me around from his shoulders and onto his lap. My vision was still a little blurred.

  “Oh god, Jade, what have you done? Wake up, love; please wake up.” He cradled me in his arms. My fingers traced up over the skin of his chest, I expected to feel ridges of skin trying to heal; but everywhere my fingers touched felt smooth. Sam grabbed my hand in his and pressed it to his cold lips. He kissed the palm of my hand and the tips of my fingers.

  “Jade, what did you do? The marks; they’re gone? I don’t understand.” He shook his head as if to emphasise the point and continued to stare down at me.

  “I just wanted to make you feel better; I couldn’t bear the thought of what they had done to you because of me. It hurt to see you in pain. I wanted to take it away from you and I did.” I continued to run the backs of my fingers over his smooth chest.

  “You don’t feel cold anymore either,” I noted absentmindedly. Sam continued to look stunned as I lay there staring at him. My head began to clear a little but my body was tired..

  “I thought you were dead. You gripped me so tightly and I felt myself getting hot and then you just slumped over my shoulder. Jade, you weren’t breathing or anything and your body went ice cold. I thought I had lost you. Don’t you ever dare do that to me; you have to live. No matter what happens, you have to live. Do you understand me?” His voice was urgent and his normally calm melodic voice held a slight note of panic.

  “It’s ok, Sam; as long as we’re together everything will be ok. I promise to be careful. We’re stronger together and I won’t let them hurt you.” My eyes began to close as I lay safely snuggled up on Sam’s lap in his arms. As I drifted into sleep, I thought I heard Sam whisper against my hair but I couldn’t make out his words. Blackness and peaceful sleep claimed me then and I slipped into it willingly, clinging tightly to Sam.

  Chapter Nine

  Sam held Jade tightly against his body but she was sleeping so deeply that he knew nothing would wake her. He lifted her gently and placed her on the bed. Covering her up with the duvet, he watched her sleep; she looked so peaceful and fragile. He wanted to be around always to protect her but he knew he couldn’t. He was more dangerous if he stayed with her and he wouldn’t let Oskaar’s visions come true. Slipping silently from the bed, he pulled his bloody shirt back on. Glancing through the curtains, the sky looked a deep gun powder grey; there was no chance of any light seeping through. Just in case, he slipped his heavy leather coat on; this would almost certainly protect him from the sun and if he stayed in the shadows, he would be fine. He hurried out the door; he wanted to be back before Jade woke. He hoped to spend some time with her before he had to carry out his duty, but first he had someone to visit. Following the shadows, Sam slipped through the wet streets virtually undetected; he moved so quickly human eyes would not have been able to track his whereabouts.

  Reaching the warehouses, Sam followed the smell of blood. Graham was not known for his discretion and could always be found among the warehouses by following the coppery smell. Sam slipped through the partially opened door and could make out the shadowy figure of Graham as he paced along the back of the building. Graham was a rogue vampire, slightly mad; it was thought that he had taken too many cocktails of chemicals that had messed with his brain. He had been a chemist in life and now that he was a vampire, he had become a vampire chemist. Vamps went to him if they wanted a quick high or a fast death. Sam knew which one he was looking for.

  Graham paced back and forth at the back wall of the building, mostly hidden by the tall boxes that lined the area. Sam could see that as he paced, he muttered to himself; over and over, repeating the same things.

  “Hello, Graham, interested in a customer?” Sam’s voice rang out loud and clear before he reached Graham. His clothes were dirty and dishevelled and his hair hung limply around his angular face. He was still handsome in his vampirish way, but Sam thought he needed a bath.

  Graham spun around. He immediately stopped muttering and observed Sam as he approached.

  “How can I help you, Samuel?”

  “Well, I need a bottle of the fastest acting poison you have, specifically for a vampire, of course.” Sam added the vampire point simply so there could be no mistake. Graham observed him through half opened eyes.

  “It’ll be a shame to lose you.” The comment didn’t faze Sam the way he had expected it.

  “No, you won’t care; nobody will. So are you interested or not, Graham?” Sam spun the lie out for safety’s sake; he didn’t want the council getting any information from Graham about Jade.

  “Sure, why not.” He turned away and lifted a bottle off a shelf along the back wall. “Fast, eh? Well, this should do the trick; fastest one I have. Not too messy either; just burns out all your insides. Takes roughly a minute to tear through you. You know, it has to overcome the vampire healing part; quite painful, mind. Are you sure about this, Samuel?” His voice slithered over Sam’s name.

  “I’m more than sure,” Sam answered, handing him two rolled up fifty euro notes. He slipped the small bottle into his top pocket and started to walk away from Graham.

  “She’s not worth it, you know,” Graham’s voice and statement startled Sam, causing him to falter mid step.

  Without turning around, Sam whispered into the warehouse, “No, she’s worth far more than just my measly life.” And with that, he slipped back outside into the rain and the grey skies.

  Sam let himself back into the apartment. He hung his coat up in the wardrobe and made his way over to the bed. Jade slept on as he paused to look down at her. She didn’t stir as he slid back onto the bed beside her. He picked her up and pulled her into his lap. She stirred slightly as he moved her, moaning softly in her sleep as she
nestled closer to his body. Grabbing the duvet, he dragged it around both of them; he didn’t want her to get cold as she slept.

  She always looked so beautiful when she slumbered peacefully; no worries to cause her to frown. He ran his thumb along her forehead, smoothing gently over her soft skin. Leaning close to her, he breathed in the soft feminine smell that was all her own. He would know her anywhere and love her always. He treasured this time he was able to spend with her; for soon, he thought, I won’t be able to lay eyes on her again. Kissing the top of her head, he cradled her close and drank in her scent.

  Closing his eyes, he pictured Jade happy and safe. He imagined the way she laughed. She has a beautiful laugh, he thought. He remembered the time he had tickled her on the sofa; she had cried from laughing so hard. Her laugh; it reminded him of the bubbling of a stream. It seemed to start slowly deep in her stomach and work its way up her throat, bubbling along before erupting from her mouth in high pitched giggles and deep, mirth filled laughs. He hadn’t realised she was ticklish until that moment; he had accidently brushed against her side as he had gone to hug her and she had shivered and giggled. He had started then and she had begged him to stop, but she just laughed so much. He smiled at the memory.

  Holding her tightly, he remembered nights he had returned from the hunt to find her spread across the bed, book in hand with the bedside lamp still throwing shadows and light around the room. She always fell asleep when she tried to wait up for him. He remembered the first kiss they shared. It had been so nerve wracking, but when their lips met, it had felt so natural; he felt that this is where he had always belonged and didn’t know it until that moment. He had held her face gently in his hands as their mouths had met. He had run his tongue along her lips and she had opened to him. The kiss had deepened and their passion ignited. Even to this day, that passion had not gone out. He wanted to always hold her, touch her, caress her soft skin. He felt his heart and soul were missing when they were not together. What he planned to do today would be the hardest thing he would ever do.