‘I was totally insensitive, and thoughtless.’
‘Yes.’
‘I really can’t apologise enough.’
Emily cocked her head sideways, as if contemplating the statement.
‘Look, deadline is 4.30. Please let me take you out – a drink, a meal, something to try to make it up to you.’
Emily shrugged,
‘I don’t know,’ she said slowly.
‘Emily, please.’
She couldn’t play him. He looked tired, genuinely contrite. She sighed,
‘Just a drink. I’ve things I need to do at home, and I’m nearly done here. Just waiting on the journalists as it happens.’ She allowed herself, and him, a slight smile.
Back at her desk, Emily pondered his words. He really did seem to care that he’d upset her. Maybe he would be hurt, if, when, she ended it.
Later, locking the door to her flat behind her, Emily briefly rested her head against it, taking comfort in its solidity and the fact that it was a barrier against the outside world.
She had to admit her drink with Simon had been fine. The Entertainment District was subdued, as was to be expected. They hadn’t stayed long. Simon was exhausted and needed to be back in the office early on Monday morning to get the extras for the printed copy done. He seemed to relax a little once she’d verbally accepted his apology, but hadn’t seemed bothered that she’d only wanted a soft drink or that she’d asked to go home after only three quarters of an hour. He’d walked her back from the tram. Danger brought out chivalry in all, she concluded, but he’d been happy to say goodnight at her door. She’d twisted her face to his kiss, so that his lips only met her cheek.
Emily turned on her computer and scanned the Net. Nothing extra to what she knew already.
Sighing, she checked her messages. It took her a couple of moments staring at the inbox to realise that the only message there of any note was from Lucas. That cut through the fog of her day. Its subject was ‘The sea… and hats’. He’d sent it late, no, early this morning, about three according to the message details.
Emily hesitated before clicking on the message. She probably shouldn’t open it. And if she did, she certainly shouldn’t reply.
She couldn’t help smiling. The message was short. Just thanks and also a lovely compliment about the photo he’d attached. Apparently she would pop up each time a message from her appeared on Lucas’s computer. That made her smile widen and she clicked on the attachment.
He’d caught her just right. The wind had been blowing her hair and she’d only just managed to keep hold of her hat. It lay, discarded with her coat on the arm of the sofa. Simon hadn’t seen fit to comment on it, so she’d kept the prepared lie about having bought it with Sadie in case he enquired in the future.
Now, her smile was a more comfortable one. One that had grown from genuine feeling, rather than being forced. She reached out and touched the gold seashell. It lay by the lamp next to the computer.
How should she reply? She cast her mind around, and then hit upon an idea. It was a bit silly, childish. No. She decided it was too stupid. But then, all the signs around were shouting that life was so obviously too short that she decided to do it anyway. And it wasn’t as if she was going to remind him that they’d said they’d meet again. Because, obviously, they wouldn’t be.
Having settled on what to say, Emily sent each word on a different message. She liked the idea of appearing each time one arrived.
In the end, she was surprised at how long her message actually ended up. The trouble was, once she’d started, she couldn’t really stop until the message made some sort of sense. She hoped he’d see the amusing side. It was too late now – the entire message was sent. Sitting back, she stared at the screen. Yes. Definitely too late now.
Suddenly she realised she was hungry. Starving in fact. She hadn’t eaten all day. Simon had offered her dinner, however she could see that he hadn’t really wanted her to say yes. All he had really wanted was to make peace and go home. It had suited, but now – she needed to eat.
Emily returned to the computer with her food. Wanting, yet almost dreading, a reply from Lucas. He’d think her an idiot, no doubt. She swallowed too fast as a new message appeared in her inbox. Hunger vanished, her insides felt dizzy. She almost couldn’t bear to open it.
He’d found it funny. She could hardly believe how relieved she felt.
‘Not been up to much today. Just enjoyed thinking about our day yesterday – and obviously watching you pop up about thirty times just a minute ago. Glad you like the pic too. Hope you wore your hat today if you went out. It was cold.’
Emily threw a proud smile towards the hat as she read that part. He wanted to see her again. On Friday night. Her heart was certainly racing now. He wanted to know if she was free. And if she had a posh dress. She had to confirm both before he’d let her know the details. The dress was more of an issue than her availability, she decided. She’d worn her best black dress on her first date with Simon so that was hardly appropriate. That she was going to meet him was in no doubt. So much for her earlier resolve.
How to reply? She confirmed that she could do Friday, then searched through the Net until she found a suitable picture of the most over the top dress she could find. It was to the floor, purple velvet, with a bodice encrusted with jewels. She copied the picture into her message with an innocent enquiry as whether that outfit would be suitable.
His reply came back that however much he would love to see her in said dress, it was perhaps a little too grand for what he had planned. Which turned out to be an evening art exhibition hosted by his friend, Gabriel Black. She agreed to meet Lucas outside her building at seven on Friday. He said that he was pleased and that he’d call in the week.
Emily knew that she could quite happily have messaged back and forth all night. She was having fun. It seemed like such a long time since she’d felt so free. She could feel the weight of the past few weeks rising above her. It was still there, hovering, waiting to crash down at the slightest provocation, with Simon riding on the top of it, but for now she would enjoy it. She told him she’d look forward to his call and signed off. Emily decided that working on a Sunday definitely did not suit her, especially with another full day on Monday to look forward to. Sleep was what she needed now. Silencing the nagging voice of guilt by telling it Simon would be far too busy with the HeadHunter to see her anyway, she headed to bed.
Forty Five
This ‘HeadHunter’ – it’s so amusing. Such violence, but such apparent efficiency too. The Security Forces are baffled. Outwitted again. You have to admire him.
And such a good cover for my work, which, of course, continues in the background. You didn’t think I’d stop my vampire cull did you? You didn’t think I would halt that part of my grand plan, my future vision, in deference to the death of a human? I expected more from you than that.
Have you begun to see the pattern yet? For there is a pattern, a ‘bigger picture’ as people like to say. Both in my work and the HeadHunter’s too, I suppose.
Life is all about intertwining, about links, about order. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Not everyone can see it. It takes a skilled eye, such as my own, but it’s there.
Shall I reveal myself to you now? Would you like that?
No. I will remain in hiding for a little longer yet. There is another journey I wish to take you on. I promised that you would see my methods, that I would allow you into my world, so you can understand the just cause I serve. Understand it, and embrace it.
I will take you alongside me once more before our story is done. In fact, yes, I will take you, I promise, when I leave the ultimate clue to my identity. But not yet, not yet. First, I must leave a few more subtle hints for the powers that be.
You’ll recognise them, I’m confident of that. And you’ll know. You’ll know before they do. I promise. Eventually you will see. You’ll see my scheme unfold. My vision become reality. You won’t have long to wait. No, no,
not long now.
Forty Six
Emily found it surprisingly easy to avoid Simon for the rest of the week. Further investigations and interviews kept him out of the office and any phone calls after hours to a polite minimum. He still had to force himself to keep the delight at the horror of the story out of his voice – Emily could tell that. The deliciousness he felt as he revealed extra details about the victim was obvious in the words he chose for his articles. Emily did have to admit, begrudgingly, and certainly not to his face, that it was some of his best writing.
Simon had hardly been able to wait to inform her that someone else was now covering the continued disappearance of the vampires. She’d been tempted to provoke a row over that piece of attitude. It would have been an easy let out for her, especially coming a day after another enjoyable conversation with Lucas. Not only had she enjoyed hearing about Gabriel and the gallery, it had also been a relief that neither of them felt the need to mention the HeadHunter. But a deliberate fight had seemed too cruel an option. Simon sounded as if it were just adrenaline and coffee that were keeping him working. She couldn’t do it to him now.
Dress shopping had proved an enjoyable distraction and seemed to have taken up many of her evenings. She wished she could have taken Sadie with her, but Emily didn’t want to lie to her friend, and she wasn’t ready to share about Lucas yet. She wanted to, but some slow, steady part of her preached caution.
The winter vampire hours were definitely working to her advantage, Emily thought as she left the Entertainment Times building at 4.30 on Friday. She’d handed over to Amanda but hadn’t felt comfortable with the truth of Amanda’s comment about how easy the HeadHunter had now made all their jobs. The clubs in the Entertainment District were now calling them, desperate to run ads which proved how safe their clubs were, what security they were offering for patrons, and, of course, what promotions they were running to keep people going through their doors.
Numbers had dropped, according to most owners straight after the body had been found, but as ever, people had returned, in even bigger numbers, claimed one of her clients. His post-HeadHunter campaign had been a none-too-subtle ‘life’s too short’ type of message. It seemed to have resonated, as he’d placed twice as many ads as usual. Emily dismissed the thought. She could forget work for a few hours.
A phone call of lies to Simon had been an unwelcome intrusion in her planned pampering. She’d been just about to get into the bath, filled with the obligatory bubbles and lit only by candles, when her phone had rung.
She’d had to answer. Had to say sorry, no, she wouldn’t be going out with him, no, not even with Sadie. He was, of course, chasing up leads about the victim, and was, in fact, anticipating another murder. Almost any second, if the tone of his voice had been anything to go by. It was difficult to sigh, claim a headache and announce that she would be having an early night, with her mobile switched off. Simon had concluded that he would probably be too busy to call her anyhow. Not a problem, she had replied; the only truthful line she had spoken.
She stood now, looking at the bath, electric light on, throwing its insulting bright glare at candles made pitiful. She blew them out with an angry huff.
Recapturing her mood might be hard, but she was going to try. Emily went back to the living room and selected the music option on the computer. The first song it randomly picked was a great one and she felt her tingle return. She increased the volume. Yes. That was definitely helping. She wouldn’t hear it in the shower, but it would still be there, waiting for her.
Emily delayed looking in her full length mirror until everything was as near perfect as she could get it. She’d treated herself to some new hair products and she was pleased to admit her hair looked fantastic. She had left her hair down, but just caught back a few locks from each side of her face, which she secured with a small diamante clip. Not too sparkly, but just enough to draw out the sheen the wonder products had imparted. It was so soft and silky looking that she had to force herself to stop stroking it. Still maybe that would mean that Lucas would want to as well… She stopped that thought before it could consume her.
The dress she’d finally settled on clung in all the right places but was just demure enough that she didn’t feel self-conscious. She spun a twirl, enjoying the way the lower part of the dress moved with her. She’d broken the black solidity of it with a deep red satin sash that she’d tied around her waist.
It was a pity, she reflected that her coat would cover the dress completely, but it was still bitter out. She’d bought some rather elegant boots that went well with her dress. Her main concession to vanity was not to wear her hat; her hair was definitely too perfect for that. She’d take it with her though. She was ready early. It was still a few minutes until seven.
Emily paced the flat, checked her hair, make-up, perfume, phone, did a little tidying – just in case – anything to fill some of the remaining minutes. At five to, she took a deep breath and left the flat, deciding to await Lucas’s arrival in the lobby.
*
He was early. He’d known he would be. There’d been little problem swapping his weekend work night to Sunday. That was one vampire ambiguity no one had ever bothered to sort out. A useful one. Vampires were usually free to choose whether they worked Friday night into Saturday morning, or Sunday night into Monday.
Lucas supposed he could have called Emily as soon as he’d arrived, rather than waiting outside in the biting night. But he hadn’t. He didn’t want anything rushed tonight. He’d also wanted, needed, to take the time to reassure himself that he was doing the right thing by taking Emily to the gallery this evening. There wouldn’t be anyone there particularly that he knew, or knew him, just Gabriel. And that was the part that was troubling him. Gabriel had promised not to let anything slip even though he didn’t agree with keeping what they were secret. Lucas was sure that he could trust his friend. Almost sure.
He looked at his watch, five to seven, and then towards the entrance of Emily’s building. He was just about to reach for his phone to let her know he was there, when he saw her waving at him from the lobby. Even without seeing her outfit, he knew she looked gorgeous. Something about her seemed to glow. Her eyes, her smile, the shimmer of her hair. Perfect.
‘Will you know everyone here?’ Emily asked as they paused in the darkness outside the gallery door.
‘No. A few maybe.’ He tried to shrug off the edge of fear. He would tell her what he was soon. It was all going so well. Soon would be soon enough.
‘Do I look okay? I’ve never been to a private exhibition before.’ Emily was standing on her tip-toes to try to see her reflection in the small pane of smoky glass at the top of the door.
‘You look amazing.’ In that, at least, he was truthful.
Before either of them could say anything more, the door was flung open and a hubbub of light, warmth and conversation bubbled out at them.
‘Lucas! Where are your manners? You’ve kept this gorgeous young lady waiting out in the cold for ages.’
‘Hi Gabriel – we’ve only just got here actually.’
‘I’ve been watching you on the cameras. Come in. Come in.’ Gabriel extended his arm and they stepped into the gallery proper.
‘Cameras?’ Lucas queried, as a waitress took their coats.
‘Above the door. Decided it might be useful, now there’s a murderer on the loose.’
Lucas glanced at Emily. She was smiling as she gazed around her. What would she make of Gabriel?
‘So, you’re Emily?’ Gabriel turned the full effect of his charm onto her. ‘Lucas has told me so much about you. Hasn’t stopped talking about you in fact.’
Emily had turned to look at him, eyebrows raised.
‘Gabriel!’ But Lucas was caught; he could protest no further. He’d said very little to Gabriel, but admitting as much didn’t really show him in a very good light.
‘Let me grab us some champagne.’ Lucas watched as Gabriel managed to pull off a manoeuvre that somehow
ended up with a glass of champagne for himself and Emily, and was completed by his putting his spare arm around Emily’s shoulders as he took her for a personal tour of the gallery.
Lucas shook his head and smiled at Emily’s backward glance towards him. Gabriel was definitely the master. It wasn’t even worth trying to compete. Lucas looked around for a glass of champagne for himself and went to look at the paintings. He certainly wasn’t going to tag around after them. Gabriel would bring Emily back when he was done.
After half an hour, Lucas was beginning to get a little annoyed with his friend. He’d seen flashes of Emily as he’d gone on his own perusal of the artwork on show, but every time it looked as if he might be able to reclaim his date, or even butt into a conversation that Emily was part of, Gabriel seemed to sense him coming and steered Emily towards yet another group of people or whisked her off into a different part of the gallery.
Lucas was sure that Gabriel wasn’t doing it on purpose. He was simply enjoying showing off. But, enough. He’d come here to spend time with Emily, not wander around on his own. Perhaps it had been a mistake. Looking around him, Lucas couldn’t see either of them. He felt cold spread through him. Perhaps Gabriel had told her about their being vampires. Maybe she had gone. He had to find her.
He seemed to have hunted through all the rooms in the gallery and she was nowhere. He’d tried asking after Gabriel, but no one knew where he was either. Then, suddenly, there she was. Walking towards him, smiling. Smiling just at him.
Lucas forced himself to be calm, to pull off nonchalance.
‘I thought I’d lost you,’ he said.
Emily laughed and replied,
‘Don’t worry. I’ve just been introduced to every artist exhibiting here. I’ve told so many lies about how wonderful their artwork is.’ Emily laughed again and stepped closer to him. ‘Give me a picture of the seaside any day.’
Lucas closed his eyes as she pressed herself against him. He kissed the top of her head and then her lips as she offered them up to him.
Symbiosis: A Vampire Psycho-Thriller Page 24