by Cas Martin
‘So you are saying that despite this, you still don’t have any answers?’
‘I am doing the best I can,’ Monica said. William was exploiting the situation. The eyes of her fellow Council members around the table were on her. They would take any excuse to whip themselves up into a frenzy.
‘I am sure you are, but how many more of us will have to die before we come up with a cure?’
‘You know I can’t answer that.’
‘We need to know just how dangerous the situation is Monica.’
‘I think we’ve already established it’s pretty freaking dangerous. If you’re asking me to push the boundaries of scientific possibility, then I am doing that. I am pushing for the turnaround of a vaccine faster than anything the World Health Organisation could pull together. As soon as we have something that we can use, you will all be the first to know. Until then, I ask you to do your duty to the family.’
‘And that is?’
‘Do you really need me to tell you? Be sensible and encourage everyone else to do the same. Warn them of the dangers and what they need to do to reduce their risk. Do it calmly and without inciting panic. I need you to put any personal differences aside and act in the collective best interest. Can I trust that you will do that? All of you?’ She looked around the table, making eye contact with them one by one. Some looked away, some refused to meet her eye. She could sense mutiny bubbling under the surface again. She could talk them off the ledge tonight, but she had to come up with some answers fast to keep them there.
‘We will do our bit for the family,’ said William smoothly, ‘as long as we can be certain that you have our best interests at heart? That you too will put the needs of the family first.’
‘Of course I will. I am offended you would even ask me that question. I intend to ask for a period of leave from MaxiData Corp for personal reasons, starting on Monday. Will that satisfy you?’
‘It was not your business life that I was referring to.’
‘Then stop talking in riddles and pissing me off and tell me what you are talking about?’ She winced at the mild swearing. Another thing they disapproved of. If they heard what she said when she was alone, they’d be apoplectic.
‘The fact that you have one of your personal bodyguards currently protecting a human. The Council has the right to know that you are dividing your loyalties once again.’
Now it all made sense. How long had he kept that ace up his sleeve, waiting for the right time to play it? Several council members looked confused. Elverez raised an eyebrow. Clearly he had no idea what was going on, but he would guess it meant Elizabeth was back.
‘Don’t make it sound like I am committing some kind of treason. I am doing no such thing.’
‘I merely stated there was a possibility your loyalties were split. Which, when you have stated you are trying to detect the disease in humans, rather than in us, makes my question a legitimate one.’
‘Fine, if you want me to justify myself then I will. But only to put everyone’s minds at ease. Not because I have done anything wrong.’ Monica took a deep breath. She had to word things carefully. People in the room – with Elverez being the only exception – wanted to hate Elizabeth. She was everything they despised; a human who not only knew about them, but wasn’t afraid of them. They had tolerated her father, but he put in years of effort to ensure that was the case. Elizabeth was too young to have the time under her belt yet. Besides, Professor Hastings had worked with the previous head of the family. A man who had been treated with appropriate respect and authority by the Council of Elders. This evening was a stark reminder she still failed to command that from them.
‘Some of you may know that Elizabeth Hastings has returned to New York. As I have nothing to hide, I will state that she returned with me after my recent trip to London. We, as a family, as a species, often fail to see beyond these four walls. Our self-obsession has almost led to our downfall on several occasions. I did not want this to be another example of that. Elizabeth has proven her loyalty to our family, despite her reputation. I am sure not a single person in this room can blame her for the retribution she took for her father’s death, even if it was against a vampire. I have no desire to be associated with that kind of monster. It no longer has a place in this world. If we want to ensure our own place, then we must evolve too. Survival means being sensible and admitting when we need help. I am not about to risk our very existence because of pride. Mine or yours.’
‘Yes, but—’
‘No buts William. Elizabeth has access to the bigger picture. She can help us. I am going to let her. She can provide information on other families and I am willing to use that to our advantage. Would you rather I let us dwindle one by one, for no other reason than she is human?’
‘We have only your word of her loyalty. Why should she care about protecting us, when we know that humans are also infected? Surely her motivation is to save her own kind?’
‘For god’s sake William, get that ‘them and us’ mentality out of your head for once. People are suffering out there. Would you rather they die while we play politics? Or can we be grown up about it, and use whatever we can? I’m not going to pretend that I don’t have a friendship with Elizabeth. She has helped me before and she’s willing to do the same again. So suck it up.’
She regretted the last sentence the moment it was out of her mouth. It undid the good words that preceded it. Worse, in that moment she showed her age. Most of the council had sixty years on her. It was one of the reasons they failed to respect her from the start.
Monica rubbed her hands over her eyes and felt the tiredness seep into her bones. It had been a long week. She couldn’t sleep properly and she couldn’t feed without fear. Even the frozen bags of blood she kept for emergencies filled her with dread. Yesterday, she had heated it past boiling point in the hope of killing off any virus in it. That had been a disaster. Who knew blood wasn’t meant to get that hot? She’d got a new microwave on order.
‘William, I apologise. I didn’t mean to sound disrespectful. Despite your doubts, I have been working around the clock to find a solution. I want what is best for the family. I am going to do whatever it takes to keep as many of us alive as possible. Together, we can come through this, I know we can. I need you to keep the faith awhile longer.’
Monica finished her speech and reached out for the glass in front of her. As she took a sip of water, her hands trembled. She was sure everyone noticed. She put it down and stared defiantly out at them. She was their leader damn it, and she would make sure they all remembered that fact. If they instigated a coup, it would further reduce their chances of survival.
She could see that, but could they?
26
Dennis looked down at the sleeping body next to him. He had meant to go to the club in time for Monica’s arrival. Instead, he had fed.
Twice.
At some point, he would need to move on to someone else. She had been his regular feed for a few years now. In those moments before he moved in on her, when she was lucid to everything apart from what he truly was, she had commented on their relationship. It had been fun, casual to begin with. He had made it that way to make sure she stayed around. Yet he had always been clear about commitment. He didn’t want a girlfriend. Certainly not a wife. The more times he fed from her, the stronger her bond towards him became. She loved him. Loved him with a fire that made her too scared to question him in case she pushed him away.
At some point, she would take that risk. Then the connection between them would break. One of them would break her heart. It was now a matter of time before they discovered who it would be.
Dennis slid out from beneath the sheets. She always joked about how deeply she slept after they’d gone to bed together. The mark on her neck was already gone. The one on the inside of her thigh would take an hour or two longer. He always worked hard to leave her body bruised and exhausted. She enjoyed it and it covered a multitude of other sins.
Tomorro
w she would wake and feel more fatigued than she had ever done before. He felt a tremor of guilt run through him. He had been angry with Monica, but he had taken it out on her.
Not that either of them would understand. Monica always did what she needed to do for the family. He could not begrudge her that. He was not her top priority, nor should he be. To even think it was an abuse of the extra power and value she gave to him. Still she did things without consulting him first. How was he supposed to look out for her, protect her, when she insisted on doing things her own way? Or running straight to Elizabeth Hastings at the first sign of any trouble.
He pushed the thought of Harlan away. That was a question that would wait for when all this was over.
Dennis pulled on the rest of his clothes and headed for the door. There was no need to wake her. He would let himself out, like he had so many nights before. How many more mornings would she wake alone before she called him on it? In the hallway, he paused to look at his reflection in the mirror. A scratch on the side of his face had begun to heal. Only an inch of livid pink stood out against its darkness. Another thing she would not remember tomorrow. He wiped a speck of dried blood away and stepped out into the hallway. He took the stairs down to the street and the cool of the early morning hit his skin. He pulled out his phone and checked it again, but he already knew there was nothing. Monica would message him when she was ready, not before.
The club was eight blocks away. Dennis shoved his hands in his pockets and decided to walk. There was a hint of rain in the air, but he didn’t want the late night small talk of a cab ride.
Or the temptation of a feed.
Anger and self-loathing washed over him. Monica had warned him not to feed unless he had no other choice. She had warned him and he had disobeyed her. Not only had he fed, he had done it again, just for the thrill of feeling the blood run over his tongue. Now that high was wearing off. He’d fed from her before, so many times. He’d never smelled another man on her, vampire or human. There was nothing about the way she lived her life or the things she did when they weren’t together that made her a high risk feed.
Until Monica told him more, he knew that it was a cold comfort he was giving himself. They had no idea who was high risk or what they did to make them so. His body could be in the process of taking death and spreading it around his system right now.
Dennis walked faster, the urge to get to the club where he could be with his own kind stronger than before. He needed the distraction. He needed to get back to where he belonged. If Monica was there, she could use him and give his twitching fingers purpose again.
A snuffle in the darkness made him freeze in his tracks. There, in the shadow of a dumpster stood a dog, its hackles raised. A large dog, unusual in a city where small apartments called for small pets. A German Shepherd, he thought. Well fed on the scraps of others. Well fed, but with no master. He could sense the wildness that remained in him.
The dog pulled back his lips and snarled. His teeth, tools for tearing meat, glinted in the streetlight. Hackles raised, he stared Dennis down.
Dennis gave a bitter snort. He smiled, fangs distended. His eyes widened as they bored into the beast. He resisted the urge to pounce. Instead he kept his body still, the rage that he kept wound tight inside free to flow through to the tips of his fingers. A growl hummed low in the back of his throat.
The great dog dropped low with a whimper of subjugation. His prone body shook at the sight that challenged him. Dennis licked the tip of his fangs with slow deliberation.
With a final yelp of fear, the dog turned and ran.
27
The moment Monica shut the door to her apartment, she began to shake. The fear and pent up anxiety finally made its way out. She’d remained composed in the corridor, certain the guard was aware of the disease amongst them. If he saw her upset, word would get out.
She crossed through to the master bedroom in the far corner of the penthouse. As soon as she shut the door behind her, the rod of iron will that kept her upright melted away. She slid down the door, choking on the tears as she stifled her sobs.
In one evening, her world had begun to crumble. William had challenged her again, albeit less overtly than Ivan had done. This time, she’d not had Dennis there to help her out. Even Elverez had remained silent.
They’d scheduled the next meeting for one week’s time. If she had nothing positive to report by then, their lack of confidence in her would be justified.
In a week, more of her family would be dead. She could not guess how many, but each of them was her responsibility. The weight of it hung over her and there was nothing she could do to remove it.
She dragged herself up off the floor, glad that no one had been witness to her mini-meltdown. At least Elizabeth had opted to stay at a hotel rather than accepting her return offer of a spare room.
She forced herself to her feet and wiped the tears away. Now was not the time to feel sorry for herself. There was work to be done.
Monica poured herself a slug of wine then looked at the glass. It didn’t look anywhere near enough. She added another slosh, too weak to care about the implications. She contemplated food to go with it but one suspicious look at the freezer was all it took to put her off.
She was afraid. She wasn’t ready to die. She had trained her body to go without blood for longer than anyone else in her family could. But that didn’t mean she was invincible. She would have to give in eventually. If Harlan hadn’t come up with a vaccine by then, she would be as vulnerable as everyone else. Whenever the leader of a family died, it was chaos for a while. The urge to protect them, once unwanted, had grown strong.
It only served to make her feel weak.
She took another swig of the wine without savouring the taste. She could not run away or turn back the clock. Part of her wanted to. She could travel to another part of the world where she could blend into the background. Another voice rose within her, stronger than ever before, a reminder that she had been given this responsibility for a reason. She was the one to lead her family to survival. She had to believe herself again.
Right now, that was easier said than done.
Monica didn’t want to die. That was all she kept thinking. Over and over, with each drink, until oblivion came to claim her.
28
Elizabeth returned to her hotel after a day out exploring New York to find a light blinking on the telephone in her room. She listened to the message from the front reception, which informed her she had a letter waiting to be collected. The voice told her that they would be happy to deal with any other concerns she had, then rung off.
She wanted a shower to ease the jet lag. Instead, she trudged back down to collect her letter.
The script on the envelope was familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. Determined not to open it in public, she turned it over in her hands as she headed back up to her room. Her vampire guard had appeared while she was away. They avoided eye contact. With the door behind her, she tore open the envelope.
Dear Elizabeth,
I see that you decided to return to New York. The city is better for your return, although it is with a heavy heart that I write this letter.
I doubt you have returned for pleasure. I can only conclude that your recent meeting with Monica Carletto has persuaded you to join us.
I had rather hoped that you would be able to enjoy your new life (or should I say your old life?) for awhile longer. Despite my sorrow that you have been compelled to return, it is my duty to help you. I know that is what your father would have wanted. There is still not a day that goes by where I do not think of him. He would have wanted me to provide a guiding hand in his absence, so that is what I shall endeavour to do.
Dark days are almost upon us. This is not an unhappy accident, which you may have come to realise by now. There is a purpose behind it, though I am only beginning to guess what that is. I will pass my information onto you. Al Madar International Pharma is a scientific company that specialises in m
edicinal research. They are little known in America. In fact they have only one small office here. Their head of research and development is a man named Lance Beeston.
Use this information wisely. This company will stop at nothing and has extensive overseas funding. They are capable of advanced biological weaponry. Now that you know about them, I would advise you act as if they know about you.
Sorry to convey news of this importance by letter, but it is for the best. There are many eyes about town, and people are more suspicious than ever. The monsters beneath our beds are coming out to play.
Please take care of yourself. I hope that by the time you are ready to return to England, we will be able to meet again.
Until then, my sincerest regards,
Jack
Elizabeth put the letter down. So Jack knew she was back in the city. She wasn’t surprised.
Jack LeTraub remained a mystery to her. Their one and only meeting had given her a glimpse into his current life and her father’s old one. No matter what connections she made through Monica, his contacts ran deeper and wider. He stayed under the radar, a skill she seemed destined never to master.
It meant she should take his information seriously. She took her laptop from the safe and placed it on the desk. While it booted up she re-read the letter. A thrill ran through her at his words. She was not a sidekick for Monica. That was not her purpose in life. She had a mission of her own. No matter what Jack thought, they were equals.
Things had just changed. For the better.
The company name triggered no hits in her personal database. The internet provided some suitably generic information to build up a profile. The company had opened a research lab down in Philadelphia almost two years earlier.
The location was enough for Elizabeth’s instinct to kick in. Philly was far enough from New York to avoid direct contact with several vampire families.