Harriet’s shaking hands began to fumble at the pendant’s intricate clasp. “Do it. Put me under. I need to forget this.”
“And if I bite you whilst you’re out, what then?” George asked with a mocking look in his eyes.
“You wouldn’t dare would you? I understand how Tom managed to scare you off now. It’s him isn’t it? My step-father.”
“Forget the mind-tricks. Just let me taste you and you’ll soon feel fine anyway. He won’t have a problem if you’re willing.”
“You’re not that desperate for my blood. You could have brought any girl and drank as much as you wanted whilst she was neatly hypnotised.” Harriet spoke quietly so as not to draw any further attention to them, but her voice was full of anger. “You just want to impress him, don’t you? Show him how his step-daughter has fallen for your charms. Well I’m not playing your stupid games.”
“Please Harriet. You know it’s not like that. I’d be lying if I said that sort of thing wasn’t spurring me on a little. But I was attracted to you that night at the club when I didn’t know who you were.”
Harriet glared at him. “Yes, to the extent of wanting to use me as a snack and one night stand.”
“That’s unfair. You’ve been letting Tom give this awful impression of me. Besides, I’ve loved tonight. Since that night on the Steele Walk, I’ve thought endlessly about the taste of your blood and the feel of you. You’re great to talk to, you stand up to me and you seem more real than most of these pampered princesses.
“I’m standing here now and I can smell you and feel your pulse and the softness of your neck. Believe me, the last thing I’m thinking about is politics.”
Harriet was trying to ignore his words, but they were having a huge effect on her. He must be able to tell how fast my heart is beating. Can he tell how attracted to him I’m feeling right now? I desperately need to calm down and think rationally.
“Put the necklace back on whilst you decide,” George said firmly. “If we’re doing this I want you, me and everyone else to be absolutely clear that you’re offering yourself to me freely.”
Harriet was shaking so much she could hardly fasten the clasp. George took over and put it smoothly around her neck.
“Well?” he asked once it was back in place. “What’s it going to be?”
At that moment, she spotted Tom, seated on a lower tables, drinking from Katie. Thank God, he was one of the gentle ones, but that almost made it harder to watch. A mixture of jealousy and revulsion shot through her, and she turned her head to George.
“Okay then,” she said, looking him straight in the eye.
George didn’t wait another second. She’d expected him to go slowly, but with the last few moments clearly having stretched his self-control to the limit, he bit straight into the vein. For a split-second, there was a sharp pain. Harriet gasped but managed not to scream. She closed her eyes and the room slipped away.
She was dimly aware of George holding her by the waist and the pressure of his mouth on her neck, but her overwhelming sensation was of closeness to him. She felt as if she were floating and alternated between being acutely aware of every muscle and nerve in her body and being unaware of having a body at all. It was difficult to think clearly, but she wished hazily that they were alone somewhere romantic, rather than in a room full of terrifying people. She wanted to turn and hold him back and then do all sorts of other things.
Harriet had lost all track of time but suddenly, George lifted his head and the real world rudely interrupted.
“See,” he said, “I told you it’d be good and that I’d stop before it went too far.” His face was flushed from the blood, and his expression suggested he’d had a similar experience to her.
Harriet began to feel slightly awkward that she’d let him do that and that she’d responded to it in such a way. Looking around the room however, all of the girls looked as though they’d been almost as enraptured.
As she took deep breaths, trying to regain her composure, something strange happened. The vampires on the furthest table, including the two she’d spoken to on the way into the party, helped their partners to their feet and led them to the dais. One by one, they approached Gus, bowed and then presented their partner. He would nod his head and then bite each girl in turn. He only took a few sips from each before the couples returned to their table.
“What the fuck?” Harriet hissed to George, who had sat back down beside her. This was too much.
“They’re making an offering as a sign of respect and obedience. Not that some of those new recruits have the first idea of what respect means.”
“Wake them up,” she pleaded.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I couldn’t defy Augustine even if I wanted to. Besides, one vampire can’t break another’s mind control. It’s a fundamental rule, up there with not going out in sunlight.”
“In that case, I want to go. I can’t watch my stepfather drink the blood of fifty or so girls. Get me out of here.”
The slightly senior vampires from the next table, including Tom with Katie, were approaching. George leaned across to Augustine, bowing his head.
“I assume you don’t wish me to...”
“What kind of monster do you think I am? My own stepdaughter? Take her for some air before my wife accuses me of traumatising her.”
George nodded respectfully and helped Harriet to her feet. She stumbled, light headed from the blood loss, alcohol and horror. She noticed Tom glance at her from his place in the queue, but couldn’t bear to look at anyone. She made it outside on autopilot.
The cool air in the college garden roused her, but thinking clearly was the last thing she needed. Disgusted by the whole evening, she knelt behind a bush and was immediately sick. Forcing herself to stand up again she returned to George and tried not to cry.
George looked more serious than Harriet had ever seen him look before. “I had no idea that you didn’t know about Augustine,” he said. “I’d have given you some prior warning otherwise.”
Harriet doubted it would have done much good. She’d refused to believe Tom’s claims about vampires. Any attempt to tell her that her stepfather was their leader would surely have fallen on deaf ears.
“Does my mother know?” she asked. George gave her an odd look, and before he could reply, she realised how stupid she’d been. Her beauty and ability to wrap everyone around her little finger. Her unexplained absences. The way, now she thought about it, that she’d never seen her mother during the daytime. Harriet felt dizzy and close to passing out. She leaned against the high stone wall and tried to focus on the beauty of the college garden.
George put his hand on her shoulder. “Come on, calm down.”
Harriet realised that he was defaulting to his hypnotic voice even though he knew full well it wouldn’t work on her. She was almost tempted to take off the necklace again and let him work his magic on her, drag her down into some artificial calmness and probably into his bed. Instead, she stepped closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulders. He put his slim but muscular arms around her and began to stroke her hair. It was odd to be held by someone in this way and to feel neither body warmth nor heartbeat but the fact didn’t bother her. Having just learnt that her own mother was a vampire and her stepfather their leader, it seemed pointless to worry about niceties.
“Thank you, for agreeing to do that,” George said after a moment. “Let me return the favour. You’ll spend all tomorrow feeling faint if I leave you like this, but have some of my blood and you’ll feel even better than before. It’s considered a sign of respect and real feelings for a vampire to let someone drink from him.”
Harriet was dubious, but reasoned that things were already sufficiently far out of control that she might as well just go with the flow. She nodded lightly and George immediately raised his wrist to his mouth, bit down and offered the open vein to her.
Fascination fought with revulsion. Tentatively, she began to lick at his blood, trying to focus on the ‘hono
ur’ and not the horror. To her surprise, it tasted marvellous, with almost no resemblance to the taste of her own blood on the occasions when she’d bit her lip. There was a faint hint of iron but it was combined with a malty, honeyed taste. Overcoming her initial reluctance, she began to suck at the wound as George had. She could feel it warming and soothing her body and quickly the odd feeling of connection she’d felt when he drank from her returned.
Long before she was ready to stop, George gently lifted her head up and pulled his wrist away. “That’s enough for your first time,” he said. “It can be overwhelming and I’m not going to risk getting you into difficulties. There’s a lot more of the party to go, and really, I should just make my presence felt. But would you prefer it if I just took you home?”
“I really should have learnt my lesson about being alone with you,” Harriet said with a slightly bitter laugh. “But I certainly can’t go back in there, and I’m not sure I’m up to walking back alone. “
Suddenly, Tom appeared in front of them. “I’ll take her,” he said, looking with distaste at their embraced position.
“If you put as much effort into developing the rest of your powers as you did into your sneaking up on people you’d be a Senior Officer by now,” replied George, glaring at Tom.
“You’ll be much more missed than I will,” said Tom.
“I’m sure everyone will understand. Especially Augustine when I explain I’m taking his stepdaughter home to recuperate.”
Tom actually laughed at this. “If you’d been in there five minutes ago you’d see that he’s fuming that you didn’t give Harriet fair warning about him. He’s worried that Adelaide is going to hit the roof.”
The two of them paused in their argument for a moment to give each other a wry smile at the thought of the most powerful vampire in the country being scared to face his angry wife. Furious as she was at her mother, Harriet felt a tingle of pride at her ability to control everyone around her.
“So, as Adelaide’s chosen guide, Augustine has asked me to take her home and explain a few things to her. I’d get back inside asap if I were you.”
For a few moments, the three of them stood there in silence, no one moving. Harriet didn’t much care who took her back as long as someone did. She was quickly developing the impression that they were as handsome, charming and untrustworthy as each other, and she wasn’t going to let her guard down in a hurry.
George gave a haughty shrug. “I suppose I’d better do as I’m told. Don’t try anything clever though. Remember, you are just the guide, and if Augustine is scared of Adelaide then you damn well should be.”
George tilted Harriet’s head back so that she was looking into his eyes. “I feel that I’m having to endlessly apologise to you, but once again, I’m sorry. I should have prepared you, but I’d never dreamed that your family hadn’t already explained. Keep in touch over Christmas. It’s been amazing to spend the evening with you.”
For a second, Harriet thought he was going to kiss her properly, and despite the oddness of the situation would have very much welcomed it. Instead, perhaps mindful of Tom’s presence and the likelihood of his every move being reported back to Augustine, he kissed her once on each cheek. Harriet couldn’t help but close her eyes and enjoy the sensation of his cold lips. She found herself reliving the feelings she’d had during the bloodletting and wishing for more. Before she could put any of that into words, George disappeared.
Chapter Eight
“You shouldn’t let him charm you,” Tom said as he walked over to join Harriet. “Surely you should have learnt your lesson last week out on the Steele Walk.”
Well at least he consistently shows me attention, Harriet wanted to shout. At least he’ll hold me when I’ve had a horrific evening instead of ignoring me all night and then lecturing me.
Instead, she said, “That was a one off mistake. He’s been really sweet ever since.”
“Well that’s hardly surprising,” said Tom angrily. “He finds out who your parents are and suddenly he’s perfect boyfriend material.”
Harriet wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she’d worried about that herself.
“I just don’t want you to get hurt. I think you’re safe physically now, but mentally is a different matter.”
They walked along St Aldate’s in silence for a while, Harriet trying to compose herself and get her thoughts in order. Tom still looked furious.
As they turned onto the High Street, Harriet broke the silence. “I guess I owe you an apology. Crazy as it sounds I suppose you were telling the truth about vampires. I’m ready to listen now.”
Tom took her arm as they progressed down the street. “Alright, where do you want me to start?”
There were a hundred things that she wanted to know. “How old are you?” she managed finally.
“I was turned in 1925, at which time I was twenty. It happened here in Oxford actually. I was lucky enough to be young and rich during one of the best periods in history to be either. Then I fell in with the Cavaliers, and have remained young and rich ever since.”
Tom noticed Harriet’s amazed expression and smiled ruefully. “Goodness, you look as though you think that’s impressive. I’m definitely amongst the younger ones.”
Harriet thought about the 1920s, one of her favourite periods of history. She was struggling to understand that he had lived through them, had that glorious interwar experience. She was struggling even more with the idea that he must have been born before her great-grandmother.
“So if that makes you young, how old is old?” she asked, the awe clear in her voice.
Tom paused. “As far as I’m aware, Augustine is the oldest vampire left by quite some centuries.”
“The oldest? When was he turned?” asked Harriet.
“It happened in about 150 BC whilst he was away in some outpost of the Roman Empire. He’s managed to be a powerful figure every century since, disappearing for a few decades before returning to centre stage with a new identity - patrician, warlord, bishop - whatever seemed appropriate for the time and place. He’s always managed to integrate himself into society, to obtain blood by a combination of cunning, charm and light mind control.
“It’s basically what we all try to do, but he’s a real master at it. He’s built up enough money, skills and experience over the centuries to make anything possible.”
Harriet’s mind was reeling. The concept of Tom being born in the 1900s was something she could just about comprehend. The idea that her stepfather had already been older than anyone living today by the time that Jesus was meant to have been born was too much.
Part of Harriet wanted to ask about everything there was to know on the subject. The rest of her just wanted to collapse onto the nearest bench and have Tom comfort her. Before she could take steps towards either option, a drunken teenager approached them.
“Can I borrow your phone mate?” he asked aggressively.
“Sorry, no,” Tom calmly replied.
“Give me your fucking phone,” the boy shouted, leaning menacingly towards Harriet.
Tom touched him on the shoulder and stared at him hard. “You’re going to leave us along. You’re going to go home without bothering anyone else tonight and then you’re going to learn to be less antisocial in future. Maybe get some qualifications and a job.”
The boy looked confused, whispered, “Sorry,” and ran fast down a side street without looking back.
“Well, there’s one plus point to hanging out with vampires I suppose,” said Harriet, wide-eyed and relieved. “How deep does that mind control thing go?”
“I’m glad I could do one thing right for you at least,” Tom replied. “As for the mind control, it varies from individual to individual. In my case that’d certainly be enough to make him go home and stay out of trouble for a few days. The whole suggestion of turning his life around was probably over ambitious, but some of the Senior Officers are good enough to make the entirety of the press forg
et that they’ve never seen the Chancellor during daylight hours. The only bars are that we can’t break another’s mind control and can’t mesmerise other vampires, apart from ones they’ve made.”
Harriet was desperate to pursue the point about the Chancellor – she was hugely curious about what public figures were vampires – but before she could ask, they reached the college. Hours seemed to have passed since Harriet had been getting ready in her room, but to her surprise, the porter’s lodge was still open, meaning it couldn’t be after midnight yet. She felt a sense of security descend upon her as they stepped inside the college walls.
There were a number of other students milling around, returning from low-key evenings, preparing to head into town for wilder ones or just getting some fresh air mid essay crisis. One of the things Harriet loved about Oxford (even if it slowed every journey down) was the fact that it was impossible to go anywhere without bumping into a few people she knew.
Harriet and Tom walked towards their staircase in silence, not wanting any of their discussion to be overheard, especially as they were getting a few curious looks from mutual friends and acquaintances hoping for romantic gossip.
“Where have you two been all dressed up?” shouted Omar, a chemist from the year above who Harriet was on nodding terms with and who often went to parties at Tom’s.
“Oh just a dinner,” said Tom airily. “Are you heading out?”
“Well, I’ve got labs in the morning, but Harry and that lot are trying to get me out to Filth. Shall I call you if I’m going, or are you going to be busy?” The last comment was accompanied with an amused glance at Harriet.
“I think I’ll give it a miss tonight, already feeling pretty wasted from this dinner.” With that, Tom strode purposefully away, pulling Harriet along with him.
Harriet laughed as they opened the door to their shared staircase. “You might as well have told him you were going to spend the night with me. That’s sure as hell what he’s going to tell everyone.”
Oxford Blood Page 10