Oxford Blood

by Georgiana Derwent

  With that, she’d taken the elaborate pearl necklace from around her own neck. Harriet had always been fascinating by her mother’s beautiful locket, and without a second thought took off the crucifix and handed it to her aunt. As soon as she’d done so, her mother hugged her, picked her up and proceeded to fasten the pearls around her neck, carefully arranging the engraved, ruby encrusted pendant.

  “They’re much too old for her,” her aunt had snapped.

  “I’ll make that decision,” Adelaide had replied. “Besides, you wanted to protect her. Believe me; this will do a much better job.”

  After a moment, Adelaide placed Harriet down. The little girl tried to cling to her, but her mother was firm. “Go to your bedroom sweetheart. I need to talk to your auntie. I’ll come and get you in a little while and we can go to the park. It’s really exciting there at night-time.”

  Reluctantly, Harriet had complied. After what had felt like forever, she’d grown bored and crept back downstairs to see what was going on.

  “How dare you try to stop me from even holding my daughter,” her mother screamed. “You’re the evil one here, not me.”

  “I won’t let you have her,” her aunt had replied furiously. “For all I know you killed my brother.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Adelaide had hissed. “I loved Sam, you know I did. I thought we had a grown up arrangement. I thought you’d give her a normal life, but still let me see her, let me love her. Clearly I was wrong.”

  “If you take her, I’ll report her abducted. I’ll have the police track her down.”

  “She’s my daughter. Half the police are under our control anyway. I’ll get all of Gus’ lawyers on the case. We won’t spare any expense. They’ll give me custody, you’ll see.”

  Harriet had listened in fascination. Did her mother really mean what she was saying? Was she really going to take her home with her, be a real mum? As she crouched outside the door, she could hardly stop herself from bursting in.

  But then Kate had laughed. “Oh I don’t doubt you have the money and you have the lawyers and probably half of the judges are your sort. But do you honestly think for one moment that any court is going to give custody to a woman who’s been registered dead for five years?”

  ***

  The next morning, every word of the dream was still clear in Harriet’s mind. She forced herself to calm down and have fun, but vowed that she’d visit her mother as soon as possible to get answers.

  When she discussed it with her aunt on Boxing Day, Kate was predictably unhappy at the idea. “You can’t just turn up at her house love, you know what she’s like,” she said, in worried tones.

  Harriet assured her that she’d be fine and that she could combine it with seeing some university friends and a bit of sales shopping.

  She travelled down late in the afternoon so that it would be dark by the time she arrived. Even so, the train was packed with people. Navigating the tube and the unfamiliar streets was difficult, but she made it to the right place. Harriet was suitably impressed. She’d often wondered where her mother lived, imagining somewhere grand and imposing. The reality didn’t disappoint. The building was late Georgian, tall and white with pillars around the door supporting the balcony above. It appeared to have around five floors.

  She stood outside the house for several minutes, unsure exactly what she was going to say to her mother and not quite daring to ring the bell. When she finally found her nerve, the door opened almost immediately. Arriving unannounced, she’d half expected to find Adelaide in an old tracksuit with her hair in a ponytail, but no. Despite the fact that she seemed to be alone and spending the night quietly, she was dressed to the nines in a little scarlet dress and matching leather boots. Her beauty and poise were startling and inhuman and Harriet wondered how she could have failed to realise the truth earlier.

  “Harriet! What a lovely surprise. Come inside before you freeze sweetheart.”

  Harriet was pleased by the warm reception. She hadn’t known what to expect.

  They ascended a marble staircase. The stairs carried on for several stories, but after one flight, Adelaide gestured for her to stop and led her into a drawing room. “Take a seat,” she said, pointing to a huge armchair by a carved fireplace with a real log fire burning in it. “I’ll just speak to the kitchen and have them bring us some hot chocolate.”

  Whilst she waited, Harriet glanced around the room. It was certainly impressive – flagstone floors, half covered with soft rugs, half artfully exposed, portraits from centuries ago that appeared to be of Gus’ ancestors but which she realised were probably actually of her step-father himself during different periods of history that he’d lived through.

  After a few moments, her mother came into the room and sat down on the chair opposite her.

  “I know,” Harriet said, before Adelaide could speak and make her lose her nerves. “I know everything.”

  “I hoped that you would by now,” her mother replied calmly. “I’ve wanted you to know for years, but you’d never have believed it coming from me. You’d never have understood.”

  “I’m not sure I really understand now. When did this happen? How? Why?”

  “Oh Harriet, it’s a long story, and it’s your future we should be talking about, not my past.”

  They were interrupted by the arrival of a man bearing hot chocolate and shortbread biscuits. Harriet took plenty of each to calm her nerves.

  “I need you to tell me everything mum. I mean it.”

  “Well if you insist. You’ve come across the Cavaliers. In essence, I was invited to one of their parties. Your stepfather saw me there and thought that I was a reincarnation of his long dead wife. As this meant he stopped the others from harming me, I wasn’t going to argue. A few years later, I was in a car crash. Somehow, Augustine found me. I was close to death so he turned me to save my life and that was it really. Your father had died on impact. I was turned, and because of Augustine’s power and age and my natural aptitude I quickly became a major player in our world.”

  Harriet listened in amazement and made her mother go over everything again in more detail, until she almost understood.

  “The downside of course was that I had to leave you with your aunt,” Adelaide said finally, moving the conversation on.

  “There’s a room on the next floor that I’ve always designated as your room. I’ve had it redecorated every few years as your tastes have changed and I’m always stocking it with things I think you’d like. So now, it’s Mac lipsticks and biographies of great historical women. When you were very young, it was full of those giant toy animals you can buy at Hamleys, and when you were about eight, it was decorated entirely in pink with a bed in the shape of a fairytale castle. Perhaps you could stay there tonight.

  “Every so often, I thought I’d bring you to live with us, or at least have you to stay. But every time, I lost my nerve. I couldn’t have brought you up only seeing darkness. Plus of course, your aunt always hated me from the moment she met me and after the crash, blamed me for your father’s death. It was all I could do to have her allow my little visits.”

  Adelaide hugged her daughter and spoke the most serious tones she’d ever heard her use. “Please don’t ever think that either Gus or I didn’t want you. I love you more than anyone or anything, I always have, and Gus would have liked a child around the house. Perhaps now you’ll realise that I didn’t abandon you, I truly had no choice.”

  The love, longing, and regret were radiating off Adelaide. She finished her little speech and said nothing more, clearly waiting for Harriet’s reaction.

  “I see,” Harriet finally managed, weakly. “I suppose that does explain a lot.”

  Harriet wanted to ask so much more. Whether Adelaide loved Augustine. Whether she missed her father. Whether she ever regretted the choice she’d made. She stayed silent however, unsure whether she’d be able to cope with the answers.

  “So now, let’s talk about you. How are you finding Oxford?” />
  Still reeling from her mother’s tale, Harriet could hardly find the words to discuss it, but grateful for Adelaide’s honesty, she tried her best. “Oh, I love it. It’s everything you promised. The work’s hard but really interesting, the city and the college are beautiful beyond belief, I’ve met some incredibly lovely people and had some fantastic nights out, as well as fun nights in just chatting to people. I was completely exhausted by the end of term, but I honestly don’t think there’s anything I dislike about it.”

  “I’m so glad to hear that,” Adelaide said with a gentle smile. “And what about the Cavaliers?”

  Harriet wondered how much her mother had already heard. Tom had made clear that he had been basically spying for her and it seemed likely that other vampires kept an eye out and reported anything interesting.

  “I went to their Christmas party and it was very exciting,” she said slowly, watching her words. “I was incredibly shocked when I saw Gus and was told the truth about the two of you, but I got over that quickly enough.”

  “I gather that you went to that party with George,” Adelaide said.

  “Yes, I did. He invited me, I went, but that’s as far as it goes. He’s very beautiful and very charming and from what I can gather considered very eligible in your circles, but he’s not for me.”

  “But your step-father told me that you seemed very happy in his company. Perhaps this is awkward for you to discuss with your mother, but he told me that the two of you tasted each other’s blood. You must have been told that there’s a great deal of significance in a vampire offering his blood to a human.”

  “I was certainly told afterwards,” Harriet said sharply. “A little more disclosure from all of you might have made the last few weeks easier.”

  “So you accept that there is this bond between you, but deny that it has any real meaning. Is that right?” Adelaide’s voice was taking on an odd tone. It made Harriet feel very uncomfortable.

  “So does this mean that the latest reports I’ve heard are true? That you’ve given yourself to a vampire less than a hundred years old, one I specifically asked to watch out for you and guide you.” Adelaide was growing angry. “I refused to listen to those who’ve told me this. I told them that no daughter of mine would be that stupid.”

  Harriet didn’t say anything.

  “Answer me Harriet. Do you now consider yourself to be in a relationship with this Tom Flyte?”

  “Yes. Yes I do.” Harriet tried to sound brave. “I’m not a baby mother. I know that you only want what’s best for me, but I have to be allowed to make my own decisions and if it comes to it, my own mistakes. Tom is gorgeous and lovely and hardly without power.”

  “You don’t understand,” Adelaide said sadly. “Becoming a vampire makes you hugely strong compared to any human. But as a new vampire, you’re very weak compared to the older ones and in deciding your place in the hierarchy, the age and strength of your maker is all the Council really has to go on. You don’t want to do what I say, I appreciate that, but let Tom turn you and you’ll have to do what almost all the other vampires tell you to.

  “I love you Harriet. I’m not just being some sort of Mrs Bennett figure here – I want to see you safe and in control of your own life. Obey me on this point, stick with George, and you’ll more or less be able to do what you want for all time.”

  Harriet listened intently, trying to give her mother the benefit of the doubt. What she said made sense on some level, but there was no way she was going to give up the boy she loved and give herself to someone else just for the sake of power. Looking her mother in the eye, she firmly shook her head.

  “If only I’d been able to bring you up myself, perhaps you’d understand a little more,” Adelaide said wistfully. “Perhaps then I wouldn’t have to resort to these measures.”

  Adelaide stepped towards Harriet and looked at her intently. “Give me the necklace.”

  Harriet tried to keep her arms pressed firmly against her sides, but she couldn’t stop herself from unclasping the pendant and handing it to her mother, who put it in her handbag and locked it shut. As soon as she’d done so, Adelaide touched Harriet lightly on the forehead and she snapped out of her trance.

  “You mesmerised me,” Harriet shrieked. “I can’t believe you’d do that! Besides, how could you when I was wearing the necklace?”

  Adelaide seemed a little embarrassed. “You still have my photograph in there don’t you? It doesn’t work on anyone whose picture is inside. When you were a little girl, I gave you this hoping that it would protect you. Now I see it’s doing more harm than good. Without it you’ll no longer be immune to our mind control and whilst so far the Cavaliers have all been warned off, from now on I’m giving George full permission to mesmerise you until you see sense.”

  Startled and horrified, Harriet put her hand gingerly to her neck. She rarely took the necklace off, and its absence felt odd, but not as strange and alien as her loving mother’s cruel behaviour.

  “I’m leaving,” she shouted. “I can’t believe you’d treat me like this, that you’d encourage others to mess with my mind. Aunt Kate was right about you.” Harriet walked quickly out of the room, half expecting her mother to physically stop her from leaving.

  “You’ll see that I was right in the end darling,” Adelaide called after her. “Just give it time. Mothers are always right.”

  ***

  Adelaide felt close to tears by the time Harriet had stormed out of the house. Her daughter’s defiance, shock at her own extreme reaction and memories of her human life conspired together to leave her feeling broken. At least she’d managed to avoid telling Harriet who she’d killed to complete the transformation. She’d never speak to her again if she knew the truth.

  Gus walked silently into the room whilst Adelaide was lost in her memories and worries. He could appear and disappear at will, an ability that she was slowly gaining, but they preferred to maintain a semblance of normality in their dealings with each other.

  “You’re thinking about the past again aren’t you?” he whispered, coming up behind her, muscles honed in the Roman legions holding her tightly. “If there’s one thing that 2000 years have taught me it’s that you should never dwell on what’s gone before. Don’t worry about Harriet either. She loves you and she’ll soon get over it. Anyway, I’ve invited some of the interns from the bank over for drinks. Shall I call for them?”

  Adelaide nodded. Gus rang a bell and a few minutes later two twenty-one year old bankers were led into the room by Gus’s PA, a Victorian vampire named Polly who had worked for him for decades.

  “I hope you’re enjoying your work,” Gus said softly to one intern, touching her on the shoulder. She nodded nervously, looking terrified to have been summoned into the presence of the CEO.

  “Do you need any help darling?” he said, turning to Adelaide.

  She laughed. “I’m quite capable of a little light hypnosis as you well know,” she replied. Sometimes she suspected the way that her powers had grown so fast, surpassing vampires centuries older alarmed Gus, but most of the time it pleased and amused him.

  “Come here my dear,” she said, smiling at the remaining intern. He was staring at her, already half entranced by her beauty and the aura she gave off, before she’d so much as tried any mind tricks. He walked over to her nervously.

  “It’s always so lovely to meet my husband’s new recruits,” she said huskily, lightly brushing his forehead with her fingers as she did so. He smiled as his eyes closed firmly. Adelaide nodded at Gus, and then they both bent their heads, biting into their respective intern’s neck with sharp fangs and lapping at the blood that spilt out.

  The blood was delectable. Adelaide felt her body go warm and her worries fade. Everything would be fine with Harriet. She drank more than was usual for her, keen to sooth herself. By the time she lifted her head, Gus had already finished and was watching her with a glint in his eye. Polly led the two dazed interns away. She turned to Gus, a little bloo
d still on her mouth. The blood rushing in her desiccated veins always filled her with lust. She grabbed her maker and kissed him passionately.

  PART TWO - FIRST YEAR, HILARY TERM

  Chapter Eleven

  Harriet travelled straight back from London, on the verge of tears all the way. Her aunt had immediately noticed her subdued look when she’d collected her from the station, but had mercifully not interrogated her. The following morning, noticing that her necklace was missing, Kate had gently asked if she wanted her old crucifix necklace back. Harriet was amazed that her aunt had kept it safe all this time, but had gratefully accepted. The rest of the Christmas holiday was relaxing and uneventful.

  Harriet returned to Oxford on a grey, wintery day in early January. After over a month at home, she was desperate to get back, to see her friends, to stimulate her mind and to regain some independence.

  After a few hours, the train pulled into Oxford station and Harriet hurriedly climbed into a taxi. She smiled as the car drove through the city centre. When the taxi drew up in front of her college, she almost sighed out loud. Maybe she was biased, but she felt sure that it was the most beautiful building of all.

  She paid the driver and stepped into the porter’s lodge to collect her keys. Within seconds, she saw people she knew, all of them asking how her holidays had been and seeming excited to begin the new term.

  “New Quad, Room 12. Here you go Harriet. Did you have a good Christmas?”

  She nodded at the porter. “Great thanks Mike. I’m glad to be back though.”

  “Where’s your necklace?” he said suddenly, staring hard at her neck. “You don’t want to be taking that off.”

  Harriet was bemused. What did the porter know about it all? “It was a gift from my mother, and for some reason she wanted it back,” she replied truthfully, keen to see what he would have to say.

  “I see. You watch yourself then Miss French. We’ll all be keeping an eye out for you, don’t you worry. Nobody gets into the college without us knowing about it, and I do mean nobody.”