Harriet scurried off to pick up her friends. The hypnosis inflicted on the human guests had worn off, although no one seemed to have any memory of the dead boy. It was clear however that something was wrong, and the four of them walked back to college almost in silence.
“Poor Harry,” Tom said, when at last they were alone and back in his room. “What a party. I think he just scuppered his chances of winning the Union election or the Cavaliers membership.”
***
A month before the crash, Adelaide had visited Spain with Sam and baby Harriet. The holiday had been wonderful. Perfect weather, glorious food, and best of all, proper time together as a family of three. It made a change from the long days followed by the crazy nights that characterised her and Sam’s life at Meridian and Lamb. Despite the fact that he was her ultimate boss, she was disappointed to have heard nothing from Augustine since the night of the party. Much as she loved Sam, there was hardly a day went by that he didn’t cross her mind and she barely took his necklace off. Sometimes she wondered whether she’d imagined everything that had happened.
On the last night in Spain, they had gone to a wonderful restaurant on the coast. She’d spent a while getting ready, showering after a day on the beach (perhaps the last time she’d ever really experienced sun), slathering on a coconut scented aftersun and tropical perfume, delicately adding a touch of bronzer, mascara and lipstick. Harriet had been asleep and Sam had come up behind her in the bathroom before she had chance to dress.
“I have the most beautiful wife in the world,” he’d said, and proceeded to kiss her all over her tanned body.
The trip to the restaurant was therefore a little delayed but eventually they made it. Their table was on a balcony directly overlooking the bright blue sea. It was still gloriously warm even as the sun began to go down. They tucked into Rioja and a plate of freshly caught seafood.
The conversation had begun lightly enough, but after a few drinks, Sam had grown serious. “Haven’t you enjoyed spending so much time together?”
She’d intended some light, charming answer to disarm him.
“Haven’t you enjoyed actually seeing Harriet and actually acting as if you’re her mother? Do you know she cried when I tried to take her home from my sister’s last week?”
Adelaide had tried to answer but for once hadn’t been able to find the words.
“She’s going to end up thinking Kate’s her mother if this carries on.”
This time she managed to speak, “Look at her gorgeous face. Her bright green eyes. She could never mistake your fat, plain, dull sister for her mother. She’d never choose her over me.”
Sam gave her an angry glance – he never liked her to be bitchy about people, especially his family, but she’d never been able to help herself. “I’m as harsh about my own family,” she always said to defend herself. “The only worthwhile one is Steph. She’s one of the sweetest babies I’ve ever seen.”
“I think we should both quit. Seriously. I’m not saying you should be some 1950s housewife. Let’s just both try to get more sensible jobs.”
“Maybe,” she’d said, feeling worn down by the comments about Harriet. She looked at the sleeping baby. She’d always felt disdain for most people and had a feeling of superiority that she knew was unacceptable but just couldn’t avoid. Whenever she looked at her little girl however, she understood what it meant to care more about someone else than about herself. “Let’s give it a few more months after we get back, see how we feel.”
A couple of weeks later, the things Sam had said during the holiday were playing on Adelaide’s mind. As she danced and drank and chatted in the glamorous King’s Road nightclub, she became more and more aware of the fact that once again she’d left Harriet in the care of Kate. It amazed her that her sister in law apparently had no wish to go out on a Friday night, not even to a local pub.
As the night wore on, the idea that she wanted to see Harriet became all-consuming. I’ve been thinking about what you said,” she shouted to Sam over the music. “I want to try and be a proper mother. Just once I want a nice quiet weekend, taking her to feed ducks or something, not hanging around in over priced clubs.”
Sam had been overjoyed at her words and nodded enthusiastically. “Sounds perfect. We’ll head home soon and get up early tomorrow to drive north.”
Adelaide had given him a stern look. That was typical of her husband. Take the easy, conventional route. Take your time; don’t rush. “Darling, I want to head back tonight.”
“It’s after midnight,” he’d replied reasonably, but it hadn’t taken her long to make him agree.
She’d barely drank anything all night so it had seemed perfectly safe to jump in the Porsche and head up the M1. Maybe she’d driven slightly too fast in her haste to see her daughter, maybe she’d just not been paying attention, but just north of Birmingham the car had spun off the road.
She must have passed out. When she’d become conscious again it had taken her a few minutes to understand what was going on. The car was upside down, her head resting near the floor. All she could feel was pain. It was difficult to keep her eyes open, but when she forced herself to look, she could see that there was blood everywhere. Sam was slumped in his seat in an even worse state than she was.
Outside, everything was very dark. Adelaide had always believed in being strong in a crisis, believed that there was nothing that she couldn’t deal with. She tried to force herself to stay conscious, to think of a way to get help. She knew that their carphone was somewhere in the vehicle, but she couldn’t see it and there seemed a good chance that it hadn’t survived the crash.
A wave of nausea overcame her. Suddenly it hit her that unless help came soon, there was a very good chance that they were both going to die. She tried to shout out, but couldn’t form words. She tried to rouse Sam, to no avail. Defeated, she closed her eyes and allowed her body the unconsciousness it so desperately wanted.
She was shook back awake by a feeling of movement. At first, she thought she was hallucinating, but no. The car was picked up, turned over and placed back down. Next, the roof was ripped off, and she was lifted smoothly out of her seat. She lifted her head (which she was suddenly able to do without much pain) and looked into Augustine’s eyes.
“I’m using my power to keep you awake and pain free for five minutes so that we can talk,” he said levelly. “But try not to move. Most of the bones in your body are broken.”
Adelaide could feel something akin to an electrical current vibrating around her body. It was much easier to speak and to think than had been the case before. She was determined not to fall back into that hopeless state.
“What happened?” she asked, trying to sound dignified rather than hysterical.
Augustine didn’t answer. “I’ve called 999 of course, but I have a greater experience of death than most people, and in my expert opinion it’s already too late. Do you remember the first thing I ever said to you?”
“Of course,” Adelaide replied. The words were engraved on her memory. “You said I reminded you of your wife, the first person you killed.”
Augustine actually flinched slightly at the second part, but he quickly regained his composure and continued. “I’ve had you watched at Meridian and Lamb. You behave just like her. I’ve had the most psychic vampires I know focus on you. I have no more doubts. You are Antonia. Maybe the gods believe I’ve finally been punished enough. ”
Adelaide saw that he was offering her an escape route. “Save me then,” she’d said firmly.
“Through organisations such as the Cavaliers I’ve overseen the changing of hundreds of people, but in over 2000 years, I’ve never changed someone myself. Even from the beginning, I was too powerful; I didn’t want others to have a share in it, to potentially challenge me.”
He paused and examined her broken, blood-covered body. “But I suppose that when fate gives me another chance, I can make an exception.”
With that, he’d bitten into her broken n
eck and drunk with a wild fervour. Without breaking contact, he’d taken a knife from his pocket and sliced into his neck. “So much more personal than the wrist I feel,” he’d murmured.
She drank hungrily, clinging onto her last hope of survival. As she began to relax she’d experienced a happiness unlike anything she’d ever felt before.
He’d let her drink a lot of his blood, more than was usual to effect a transformation. After a few minutes though, he’d lifted her head so she couldn’t drink anymore, and proceeded to drain her. She’d slipped from her human life with a smile on her face, hands clinging to her saviour.
The next thing Adelaide knew, she was coming back to life in an ambulance, tearing down the motorway. She was in a body bag, but that rather grim fact didn’t faze her. She ripped through the tough fabric and jumped to her feet. Augustine was sitting there, watching her. Sam was hooked up to some kind of life support system.
Augustine had beckoned her over to him. He’d taken hold of her and kissed her hard. She’d made no move to resist.
“There is one last thing you need to do to complete the transformation,” he said.
She’d looked questioningly at him.
“My dear, you’ve attended our summer parties. You know the procedure.”
She remembered Jamie bearing down on her with orders to drink to the death and shuddered. Augustine pointed silently to her comatose husband. She’d hesitated for only a moment, and then the new part of her life had really begun.
Chapter Ten
It was the last day of term and Harriet felt exhausted. In the afternoon her aunt and uncle would be arriving to pick her up and take her home. She didn’t want to leave her new friends and Tom and all the excitement of Oxford for five whole weeks, but it would be fantastic to see her family again and to get some space from all the chaos.
All the rooms had to be entirely emptied to allow the new interviewees to stay, so she hurriedly packed up all her possessions, trying to focus on the task at hand and not think about everything that had happened. They’d be leaving before nightfall, so she wouldn’t have the chance to say a further farewell to Tom.
By lunchtime, she was more or less packed and she walked over to the bar for a farewell lunch with her friends. It was only December 4th, but the college had erected a huge Christmas tree. A few nights ago, there’d been carols sung around it, and the previous weekend there’d been a Christmas bop. It was hard to remember that there were still weeks to go until Christmas itself. Harriet stood looking at the imposing tree for a few minutes, trying to soak up enough of the college’s beauty to sustain her over the next few weeks.
“I want a word with you.”
The angry voice shook Harriet out of her trancelike state and she turned around to see a furious looking Katie. She was wearing high-heeled boots, a black fur coat, and a red scarf, and she looked ready to kill.
“You and Tom. What the hell’s going on there you little bitch?”
Harriet’s heart sank. In between the supernatural fury of George and the inevitable anger of her mother, she’d forgotten about the all too human jealousy and rage that was likely to come from the girl Tom had been seeing.
“I’m sorry Katie, it just happened. Has he spoken to you about it?” Harriet tried hard to sound placating, but was all too aware that nothing she could say was likely to diffuse the situation.
“Well he gave me a ten minute spiel yesterday evening about how he’s been in love with you all term and how he was sorry but we couldn’t be together anymore.”
In love with me all term. Harriet tried to suppress her reassured smile.
“That sounds like absolute crap to me. Everything was fine just two days ago at the Cavaliers’ dinner. I mean, surely the fact that he invited me to it meant something. But then he ran off and went home with you. What did you think you were doing?”
“Katie, I honestly am sorry. I’d never normally steal another girl’s boyfriend, but you had only been together for about a week, and Tom and I have had these incredibly strong feelings since we first met. I know you’re going to be angry with me but I’m not sure what else I can say.”
“There’s nothing to say is there? Don’t worry, I’ll find another guy easily enough, but I won’t forget this.” Katie forced her furious expression into a fake sweet smile. “I hope you have a lovely Christmas in whatever shithole you come from.” She stormed off in the direction of her room.
The others were already sitting down when Harriet had composed herself enough to walk the rest of the way to the college bar. Ben and Caroline were snuggled up on the sofa, whilst Olamide talked to an unhappy looking Josh. She sat down on the free chair.
“I grabbed you a bowl of mushroom soup,” said Olamide. “There are queues and I guessed that was what you’d want.”
“Brilliant, thanks,” Harriet replied. She forgot everything else in a wave of affection for her new friends, until she remembered that she hadn’t seen Josh since they’d parted on angry terms the morning after the dinner.
“Hey,” she said quietly to him. “Everything okay?”
“I’m fine. Sorry about the other day, I totally over reacted. It’s just that I don’t trust either of those guys and I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Don’t worry, I know. You’re a great friend Josh. I’ve got to tell you though, I’m with Tom now. It’s official.”
“Caroline told me. I’m not going to make a fuss, just be careful that’s all. And if he puts one foot out of line I’ll kill him.”
Harriet wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that, or fancied Josh’s chances, but smiled at him anyway. The rest of the lunch passed quickly as they reminisced about the term and discussed their plans for Christmas and New Year. It ended with lots of hugging, and then Harriet went back to her room to await her family, shouting goodbyes and Christmas wishes to everyone she passed on the way.
***
“So how’s it been love?” her aunt asked once they’d arrived back home. “From your phone calls it seems to be a different world.”
They were at the kitchen table, eating a simple tea of toad in the hole. Despite all the exotic food on offer at Oxford, Harriet had missed her aunt’s soothing cooking.
“It really is. You wouldn’t believe some of the people, some of the fancy parties.”
“I hope they aren’t turning your head,” her aunt had said. “I know your Dad was never quite the same person when he came back from Oxford, although I think your mother was mainly to blame for that. Do be sensible won’t you?”
For the first few days, it was incredibly strange being back at home. She felt almost like a guest, and her cousins were slightly quiet and cautious around her. Quickly however she slipped back into her old routine. It was great to catch up on sleep, cut down on booze and have her own space. She watched Sam play in a football match and Jane sing in a school talent show.
“So, met any hot guys?” Jane asked when she’d finally got Harriet alone without Aunt Kate around. “I kept seeing references to someone called Tom on your Facebook?”
“You’re so nosy,” Harriet laughed. “Don’t tell Kate or I’ll never hear the end of it, but he goes to my college and we’ve really hit it off. He’s gorgeous and so posh it’s quite funny at times.”
Jane carried on asking questions. Harriet avoided the undead issue, but otherwise told her cousin endless details about him. She couldn’t get Tom out of her mind, so it was good to talk.
Later in the week, she got dressed up and went out for drinks with old school friends, marvelling at the cheap drinks and the way nearly everyone in town was wearing skimpy outfits despite the December chill. Sat in what had once been one of her favourite bars, they shared university stories. Everybody had been having a fantastic time, but even without the vampires (which she obviously didn’t mention), her experiences seemed more surreal than everybody else’s. They laughed at her tales of black tie dinners and the scout who cleaned her room and the fact that some of her new friend
s’ families could be found on Wikipedia.
Like Jane, they were keen to hear all about Tom, and preferably, to meet him. Harriet wondered how to approach that. She’d love to have him to stay and introduce him to her family and friends, but wasn’t sure how she’d explain his complete absence during the day. In the back of her mind, despite her overwhelming love for him. she was also oddly unsure that they’d actually like him.
***
Harriet tried not to think about her mother at all and just concentrate on enjoying the holidays. On Christmas Eve however, she dreamt about her and the time she’d given her the necklace.
Harriet had always been intensely excited about her mother’s visits. On this occasion, she could only have been about six. A few weeks before, Kate had given her a little gold crucifix on a chain. None of the family was particularly religious, but Harriet didn’t have any other jewellery of her own and wore it every day.
When her mother had arrived, Harriet had run to her as usual, expecting to be picked up. At first, the perfectly groomed woman had smiled to see her, the love clear in her eyes. As Harriet had got closer however, to her horror, her mother had recoiled.
“Wait there a second darling,” she’d said, taking a step back, before turning to Aunt Kate in fury.
“Is this your idea of a joke?” she’d shouted to Kate.
“I just want to keep her safe,” her aunt had replied, not entirely able to hide the hint of smugness in her voice.
“By stopping me from being able to get near her? I’m her mother. I would never hurt my baby.”
Harriet had stood frozen, not knowing what was going on and close to tears.
Regaining some composure, Adelaide had spoken gently to her daughter. “Why don’t you take that silly necklace off?” she’d said softly. “I’ve got a much prettier one here for you.”
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