Russian Roulette (Helena Hawthorn Series Book 1)

by May Freighter

  8

  Not So Friendly Bites

  Throughout the day, Helena called out to Michael. He never showed. He hadn’t said a single word. Restless, she drummed her fingers on the kitchen counter.

  Alexander glanced up from his laptop, a look of irritation evident on his face. “Do you have to do that?”

  She shrugged. “Not like I have anything else to do. You took away anything that could keep me entertained.”

  He studied the seat next to him. Her laptop and phone lay stacked on top of one another. He pushed the phone aside, picked up her laptop, and offered it to her. “If I catch you contacting someone, I’ll take it back.”

  Helena slid off her stool. She took her laptop from him, clutching it close to her chest. “You are full of sweet words and smiles, aren’t you?”

  Alexander glowered and returned to his work, or whatever he was doing on his laptop.

  She retreated to her seat and faced her screen away from him. Once her machine booted up, she started her search for anything that involved ‘saints’ or ‘guardian angels’. It didn’t take long to realise the information on the internet was useless. A lot of people were making things up. Some even changed the definition of things without realising it. Next, she logged into her college’s mail server and e-mailed her lecturers, informing them that she had caught the flu. With that out of the way, she couldn’t think of anything else to do.

  “Do you have to make so much noise? I’m working,” Alexander called from the sofa.

  She blinked, noting she had continued tapping her fingers on the counter without thinking. Helena grinned, glad she could disturb him. But, her mirth didn’t last long. She closed her laptop, putting it to sleep, and stood up. “I’m going to bed.”

  He raised a brow. “It’s only nine.”

  “Are you keeping track of my bedtime, too?”

  “No.” He pointed at the entrance with his long index finger. “Be a dear and get the door for my dinner.”

  Helena rolled her eyes. She trudged over to the front door, knowing there would be yet another one or two waxed, pampered, beautiful women standing there. Compared to them, she looked like a dirty housekeeper. Not like there was anyone she needed to impress.

  She swung the door open to find exactly what she expected: two overdressed women in glitter and designer clothes. Both were brunettes this time.

  They pushed past her and called out to Alexander who greeted them accordingly. It was a miracle he remembered their names with their endless comings and goings.

  Helena rubbed her eyes with her thumb and index finger, trying to stay calm. This ridiculous prison-like arrangement was driving her insane. Soon, she would be the one killing people.

  “I’m heading to my room. Keep the trash in the bin,” Helena muttered and stomped up the metal steps.

  She overheard Alexander commenting on their clothes and hair. Helena touched her thinning purple ponytail, noting her split-ends. Those women probably never have them. She shook her head. There was no reason for comparison. They were food, and she was a less appetising lamb, stuck here until Lucious returned.

  She halted. For some reason, Andrew’s door was left ajar. The scene from this morning flooded back and, no matter how hard she tried shrugging it off, Laura’s emotionless face left a permanent scar on her heart. She wished her friend didn’t have to go through vampiric brainwashing.

  Her hand hovered over the door handle. She took in a deep breath and inched into the dark room. Her fingers felt for a switch on the wall. When she found it, she flicked the lights on.

  She allowed her eyes to adjust to the sudden change in brightness and snuck over to Andrew’s bed.

  Her shoulders sagged. He hadn’t moved since she had last seen him. How long is he going to remain dead? She traced the outline of his bluish cheek. The cold from it invaded through her fingers, causing goosebumps to form on her arm. She bit her quivering lip to detain her whimper.

  Andrew, I’ve missed you. I’ve missed your smile, your laugh, even your teasing.

  She reached out to stroke the part of his hair that was unmarred by blood. It was soft, softer than she remembered. She held back the tears. There was no need to cry. He wouldn’t want her to be sad.

  Looking at his hand, she entwined their fingers together. I wish you hadn’t come looking for me. I want you to…

  “…come back to me,” she whispered, massaging his stiff fingers. Why won’t you warm up? Aren’t you cold?

  His hand twitched.

  She inhaled sharply and scanned for any movement.

  Andrew’s eyelids peeled opened, revealing the forest-green eyes she had missed. Warmth spread through her body as she beamed at him. He was alive, and he was looking at her again.

  “Hey,” he spoke in a hoarse voice.

  Her heart fluttered in her chest. “Hey.”

  Andrew grabbed hold of her wrist. From his strong grip, his small nails dug into her.

  “Andrew that hurts,” she hissed, trying to tug her hand away.

  He wouldn’t let go. The irises that were his a moment ago were engulfed with a green flame, and he wet his lips. “I’m so thirsty.”

  “I’ll get you something to drink.” Helena tried getting up, but he caught her side and forced to down. “Let go!”

  He ignored her struggles and sat up, smelling the air. “You smell good.”

  “Please, I have to leave!” She tugged at her hand again. The excitement in her replaced with dread of what would happen if she didn’t leave the room.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t think I can control this…”

  One moment she was half-sitting on the bed, the next she was slammed hard against the wall. The force of it had knocked the air out of her lungs. She gasped, eager to pump some oxygen back into her frazzled body.

  Andrew pinned her hands above her head with his.

  She was trapped. Her heart pumped faster as if trying to escape. From that angle, she couldn’t even see his face anymore.

  He lowered his head, burying it in her neck, and she flinched. His heavy, cool breaths fanned against her fragile neck, close to her jugular.

  Somewhere inside, he had to be fighting his instincts. She needed to do something or he would regret his actions later.

  “Andrew, you don’t want to do this. Please, let me go…”

  Andrew’s breathing levelled. A sudden stillness fenced them like the moment in a song prior to the chorus. Have I gotten through to him? As the thought finished in her mind, Andrew covered her mouth with his hand and, instead of moving away, bit into her neck.

  Through muffled screams, she felt her blood flowing out of her body. This was different than the time Lucious drank from her. Andrew didn’t seem to care about moving his teeth around, cutting deeper into the sore tissue.

  Her feeble attempts to free herself proved useless versus his vice-like hold.

  The pain didn’t last long. After the tingling in her left side stopped, the numbness set in. Her brain was undecided between confusion and panic. Helena closed her eyes, her heart straining to pump what little resources it had left. And then, his weight disappeared which was when her legs caved.

  Some time ago, her limbs stopped supporting her. She fell to the ground like a puppet whose strings were cut. She forced her eyes open to see why he had stopped. The blurry scene of Alexander struggling with Andrew had her stumped.

  “What were you thinking, idiot? Get out of here!” Alexander shouted. He secured his arm around her friend’s neck.

  The snarling creature glaring back at her was no longer the Andrew she once knew. It was a starved predator who saw her as nothing more than food.

  Helena’s vision doubled while she gathered the last remnants of her strength. She climbed to her feet but fell back down. Her heavy limbs weighed a tonne as if they had cement blocks attached to them. She pressed her back against the wall, using it for support, and staggered out of the room.

  In the hallway, she reached for the railing, o
r so she thought. She missed it and stumbled. Animalistic snarls came from Andrew’s bedroom, and she urged her body to move. Her limbs struggled with such a simple task.

  Her fingers grasped the railing, and she clung to it. She counted the steps as she descended to keep her mind occupied and, once she reached the final step, she staggered, slamming into something solid.

  A familiar musky scent filled her nostrils, relaxing her body further. She looked up when two strong hands grasped her by the shoulders to steady her.

  Lucious didn’t get a chance to visit Marcus. Alexander demanded that he return as soon as possible without giving him any information as to what to expect. Panicked that the elders had sent their hounds after his friend, Lucious fleeted across the city, counting off possible worst-case scenarios, some of which involved the Council capturing Alexander and the saint.

  He arrived at the apartment door and took out the key card he had lifted from Andrew’s pocket. Different logos of sports teams adorned the metal key rings that hung from the chain attached to it. His childe sure loved his sports.

  Lucious unlocked the door and scanned the immediate area for intruders, but he stopped dead in his tracks once he saw an anaemic saint with a glassy look in her eyes. Her purple hair was tied into a messy ponytail which he guessed wasn’t supposed to be on the right side of her head.

  He moved to see her face better. Her hazel eyes were vacant when she stumbled on the last step. His body reacted, catching her mid-fall. His hands slid down her back to her waist, and he pressed her into his body. She was thinner than when he last held her.

  Lucious scanned the living room for any signs of an intrusion. He then proceeded to listen out for Alexander who struggled with something upstairs.

  Her body started slipping, and he grasped her by the shoulders, steadying her fragile form. This time, he was drawn in by the smell of her sweet blood. He noticed multiple bite marks on her neck. For some reason, seeing some other vampire’s mark summoned forth his anger.

  “What happened?” he growled. If Alexander bit her, he would be more than happy to punch his friend. She was his to control, not anyone else’s.

  The saint struggled with whatever she was going to say. He gently wiped her tears away. Whatever happened here had turned his feisty saint into a living doll.

  He studied her face as she fought with an array of emotions and settled on confusion. Her dark brows drew together.

  “You should stay here,” he spoke through gritted teeth.

  Helena clung to his jacket. Her faint pleas were enough to tether him to the spot where they stood. He couldn’t leave her there even if he wanted to. No matter how great his desire was to check if things were alright upstairs, he had to make certain she was fine first.

  “I’ll stay then.” He drew her closer to his chest with one arm. In the meantime, he scanned the apartment. Some of the things were smashed unlike the last time he had been here, and Lucious took note of it to question Alexander later. Without further delay, he bit into his thumb and rubbed his blood on her damaged skin.

  Pain showed on her face when he touched the raw flesh of her neck. The fact she didn’t make a peep when it obviously hurt made him respect her a bit more.

  When his blood coated her whole wound, Lucious removed his hand. He didn’t want to leave her scarred.

  He bit the inside of his lip. Why must I care if she gets scarred? The reason I’m taking care of her is to gain her trust.

  He lifted her up and carried her over to one of the sofas. He was now certain her weight had decreased since their last encounter. With ease, he settled her on his lap, turning her head and making sure she wasn’t bitten anywhere else. Her skin was almost as cold as his to the touch.

  Lucious mumbled a curse and shrugged out of his jacket. He draped it around her shoulders, hoping it would warm her.

  She didn’t struggle as he pressed her into his chest. Instead, she began to sob and, for reasons unknown to him, he wanted to hear her fighting with him again. This was not the saint he needed. This was a human on the brink, and he had to do whatever it took to return her to normal.

  In his one hundred and fifty-six undead years, Lucious never had to console anyone. He dealt with women for pleasure and nothing else. Emotions were out of the question. So, when it came to having this young woman sitting on his lap, weeping her heart out into his shirt, all he could do was remain immobile.

  After thirty or so minutes, her tears stopped, and she sat there in a daze. Her complexion was pallid when he raked his intense gaze over her.

  Lucious bit into his wrist and placed it in front of her.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I don’t have time to put up with a sick saint. Drink,” he ordered.

  When she didn’t react, Lucious grasped the back of her head, keeping it in place, and pressed his bleeding wrist to her mouth.

  She wrapped her shaking hands around the back of his arm in an attempt to pull it away. Since that didn’t work, she bit the offered piece of flesh.

  Lucious clenched his jaw but didn’t stop what he was doing and, once the colour slowly painted her cheeks, he yielded.

  With a hateful look on her face, she slid off his lap and scrambled into a seat next to him. “What’s wrong with you?”

  Lucious’ lips twitched. “Many things, my dear.”

  Helena backed away as far as she could. Her back hit the armrest, and she tucked her knees into her chest. She glanced down, seeing she was still draped in his jacket. Sliding it off her shoulders, she said, “I don’t need it anymore.”

  The horripilation on her skin made him chuckle. This was the real her—his feisty saint. Nonetheless, he took the jacket from her and shrugged it on as he climbed to his full height. “I’m going to check on Alexander. Stay here.”

  Lucious turned on his heel and marched up the stairs, taking two at a time with renewed concern for his friend’s wellbeing. There was no need for the extended search. The only sounds resonated from the opened room where they had left his childe.

  He strode inside, finding Andrew on the bed, folded in a ball with his back to them. The young vampire clutched his head with his hands and mumbled endless apologies.

  “Alexander,” Lucious began.

  Alexander’s eyes flashed stormy-grey. “Where the hell have you been? If you got here earlier, you could have ordered him to remain docile so I wouldn’t have to put up with this shit.”

  Lucious took in the trashed bedroom. Debris of smashed furniture was scattered around the place. A trail of blood marred the white wall—blood he recognised. A growl rumbled through his chest. That was where the saint had been hurt. His control slipped, and his shields opened, setting his energy and rage free.

  “I’m going to kill him.” Lucious’ nostrils flared, and he advanced towards the bed.

  Alexander pushed at his chest. “A bit late for that, my friend. He has broken through his bloodlust and realised what he’s done, hence the crying newborn on the bed.”

  Lucious rolled his shoulders, willing his body to relax. “Bloodlust or no that does not excuse him from harming her.”

  Alexander rubbed his eyes. “I warned her not to come in here, and she did it anyway. It’s her fault she got bitten.”

  Being by her side had affected his judgement. If that was another one of her powers, Lucious had to know. “Do you feel protective of her, too?”

  Alexander lowered his hands but didn’t stop blocking his way. “Look, I’m here because I owe you a personal debt.”

  Lucious accepted his answer. He closed the door behind him and forced his mental shields shut once more. “I’m sorry, Alexander. I had a run in with a hound.”

  “Is he dead?”

  “He was here to deliver a message. The Council will arrive soon, and they wish to see me.”

  Alexander cursed. He raked his fingers through his dishevelled hair. “Did he say when?”

  “No.”

  “We need to move the girl and your chi
lde to different locations. I’ll get my people to take care of his family while we take her elsewhere.”

  “Are you certain it is alright to leave him here alone?” Lucious asked.

  Alexander raised a brow. “You’re his sire, Lucious. Use your energy and bond to tell him to stay put. Since he already fed, he won’t need to eat for two or three days.”

  Lucious nodded. He had never sired anyone. These nuances were old news to Alexander, but to him, it was like learning to walk. He brushed past Alexander and touched the mumbling newborn vampire on the shoulder.

  His childe flinched.

  “Andrew, listen to me,” Lucious said, undoing his shields.

  Andrew’s body shook when his sire’s energy touched him. He stopped mumbling and observed Lucious with blood smeared on his face.

  Lucious breathed in a steadying breath. He willed his energy to wrap around his impudent childe. “You will remain here until someone comes to get you. If it’s not Alexander’s subordinate or a human, kill them.”

  Through their bond, he sensed the newborn's energy fighting against his until Andrew nodded and rolled away.

  “We should get going,” Lucious told Alexander and straightened up.

  Alexander’s lips stretched into a full-blown grin.

  “What?”

  “I may have found a reason for the Council to meet us on neutral terms,” Alexander said, pleased with himself.

  Lucious raised a brow. “And that would be?”

  “One of the few laws we have: Preservation of Sires. Because you sired your first childe, the Council can’t treat you as a normal vampire anymore. They are bound by their laws to provide you with enough time to prepare for your trial.” Alexander planted his hand on Lucious’ shoulder. “Congratulations, old friend, we may have found a way to give you more time in this world.”

  Every time any noise reached her ears, Helena glanced at the staircase. She wanted to go up there and see what was happening but knew it was not a good idea.

  She sighed, rubbing her hands on her knees. There was nothing she could do for Andrew. He was a beast controlled by instinct. She eyed the front door. This was her chance. She could run and get away from them.