by Helen Harper
I slide out my phone and send a quick text to Rogu3, telling him that my ‘benefactor’ would like to meet him and Maria tomorrow night and asking him to run down the number plate of the car. I suppose it’s just as well that he showed up at my place after all.
I watch as the paramedics continue to protest at the tattooed-tree people’s departure but, to be fair, they have their hands full with the heart attack. The car screeches off in much the same manner that it arrived and I’m left pondering over the thickening plot.
As the ambulance departs, I leave too. I feel like I’m in much better shape than I was last night – in terms of information if not health. No doubt Adrian Leeman will have a wealth of enlightening information on his less-than-perfect ex-girlfriend.
***
Although the curtains are drawn, there is a light on in Isabel’s house. I pause for a moment to listen. Her husband’s heap of a car is parked outside so he must be inside as well. I can’t hear anything so I guess that, for once, all is quiet with their lives. I certainly hope so.
Satisfyingly, this time there is also a light on inside Adrian’s house. I ring the doorbell and wait for him to answer, smoothing my features into my best, polite, unvampiric expression.
When he opens the door, he doesn’t seem surprised to see me. ‘You’re Bo Blackman. I heard you might be coming round to talk to me.’
I waggle my fingers. ‘Great. You’re Adrian then?’
He nods. ‘You’re not coming in though. It’s not that I don’t trust you,’ he adds hastily, ‘but…’
‘But I’m a vampire.’ I try to reassure him. ‘It’s a sensible decision, Mr Leeman. Is this a good time to ask you a few questions about Lisa?’ I don’t really care whether it is a good time or not, I’m going to ask the questions regardless, but it sounds better than launching straight into my interrogation. It’s the kind of thing my grandfather would want me to say.
‘Sure.’ He tugs at his collar as if he’s nervous. ‘We broke up quite a while ago. I’m not sure how much I can help you.’
I smile. ‘You’d be surprised at how much is locked away in your head and how useful it might be.’
He swallows. ‘Uh, okay.’ I take a step back to avoid crowding him. I need him to feel like he has both space and time to consider his answers. As I do, a wave of dizziness abruptly overtakes me. Damn it. I blink rapidly and try to focus. I can’t feel any pain now; unfortunately that’s probably not a very good sign. Pain reminds me that I’m still alive. In a manner of speaking.
Adrian Leeman looks alarmed. ‘Are you alright?’
‘I’m fine.’ I dismiss his concern. ‘Now, can you tell me how long you and Lisa went out together and why you broke up?’
‘We got together in Year 11.’ He scratches his neck. ‘Well, she was in Year 11,’ he amends. ‘I was in Year 13.’
Aw, high-school sweethearts. Bless. She must have been quite something for a student on the edge of graduating to get involved with. I’m well aware that girls mature faster than boys but street cred is important at that age.
‘And you split up when?’ I enquire.
‘Five months ago. Give or take.’
Judging from the pained expression on his face, he could tell me the exact day. Probably even the exact hour. He may have been older than her but Adrian Leeman is definitely still head over heels in love with her. That means she’s the one who instigated the break up.
‘Why did she do it, Adrian? Why did she break up with you?’
His eyes fly to mine. For a moment I think he’s going to try and suggest that he’s the one who broke things off. He seems to realise it’s futile and sighs, pushing back his light-brown hair. ‘She said she wanted more space.’
Oh, that old classic. Sensing there’s more, I remain silent. The best way to get people to open up is to keep your mouth shut and encourage them to fill the void themselves. Adrian Leeman doesn’t disappoint.
‘I didn’t believe her,’ he says finally. ‘I thought maybe there was someone else. When I pressed her, she said that I didn’t have enough ambition.’ He throws an arm behind him. ‘I’ve got my own place though, and my own job.’ His mouth takes on a bitter twist. ‘She said it wasn’t enough. That I didn’t see the world in the same way that she did. The guzzlers…’ his cheeks colour ‘…I mean the vampires, were trying to take things over and run everything themselves. Her words, not mine.’
I raise my eyebrows. ‘Really.’ Certainly Medici has been like that of late but five months ago there was little evidence of his plans. Unnecessary bloodshed and violence maybe, but not power seeking.
‘Those were her words,’ he says hastily, as if he’s afraid I’m going to hurt him for repeating what she said. ‘I don’t think that.’
‘Maybe you should,’ I murmur, then shake my head and re-focus. ‘So she wanted to stop the Families?’
‘Not just the Families. She thought the government was weak. She was always going on marches and protests and trying to get me to join her. Environmental stuff, better wages. She jumped around from cause to cause like she had ADD.’ He bites his lip. ‘It wasn’t that I didn’t agree with her but I have a job. I can’t just drop everything to stamp around the streets for a few hours holding a sign.’
I nod. ‘Of course.’
‘Her parents supported her in everything. Gave her money, a roof over her head, cooked her meals. I don’t have that, I have to support myself. Lisa didn’t understand that. She told me we were responsible for everything that happened in the world but she didn’t even know how to take responsibility for herself.’
I’m betting that poor Adrian said just that to her. I’m also betting she didn’t take it well at all.
‘Do you think someone’s hurt her?’ he asks anxiously. ‘If I’d gone along with all of her plans then maybe…’
It’s not my place to reassure him or make him feel better. All the same, I have more questions and the last thing I need is for him to collapse in a puddle of guilt at what might have been. ‘We can spend our lives wondering what if, Mr Leeman. I doubt there’s anything you could have done.’
He doesn’t appear mollified. The anguish in his expression increases and I get the feeling I’m about to be subjected to a tirade of self-hatred. Neither of us really wants that.
‘Tell me about your sex life,’ I say, pre-empting any further angst.
He blinks, taken aback. ‘We didn’t do anything kinky, if that’s what you mean.’
‘I’m not interested in your positions or proclivities. How often did you have sex?’
‘How is that relevant?’ His square jaw hardens and I see a flicker of what Lisa might have found attractive in him.
‘You don’t know what’s relevant,’ I say coolly. ‘How often?’
He really doesn’t want to tell me. He struggles with the question for another moment before his shoulders droop in resigned acceptance. ‘Three or four times a week.’
Probably once or twice a week then. ‘Contraception?’
He looks stung. ‘Lisa was on the pill. She got really bad periods and it helped regulate them. But I always used a johnny too.’ He coughs. ‘A condom.’
I keep my expression deadpan. ‘I know what a johnny is, Mr Leeman.’ I wonder how old he thinks I am. It does clear up one thing: the strange questions Lisa was asking at Dr Bryant’s sexual health clinic had nothing to do with Adrian Leeman.
‘Did you have sex when she was having her period?’
‘I thought you didn’t want to know about that kind of stuff,’ he mutters, his cheeks staining scarlet.
‘Adrian.’ I sigh, going for the friendlier approach. ‘Please just answer the question.’
He looks away. ‘Sometimes.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Was she seeing someone else? Is that why you’re asking all these questions?’
‘I have no idea. I’m simply trying to get a clear picture of the sort of person she was.’
‘By wanting to know when we had se
x?’
‘Like I already said, you don’t know what might be relevant.’ I tap the corner of my mouth thoughtfully. ‘Now, all these demonstrations she was participating in. Do you know whether she ever took part in anything illegal?’
This time his answer is immediate. ‘No! Lisa was a good person. She wouldn’t break the law!’ He scowls at me as if I just accused her of eating babies. ‘Look, are you going to ask much else? I’ve got things to do. I’m only talking to you because her parents asked me to.’
I look past him. The flickering light of a television is just visible from the open hallway. He’s not as busy as he’d like me to think. I’m pushing things as far as I can though. ‘One last thing, Mr Leeman.’
He’s surly now. ‘What?’
‘Do you have a pen and a piece of paper I can borrow?’
He stares at me. ‘Wait here,’ he says finally. He turns and disappears back into his house then returns with a tattered sheet torn from a notepad and a pink pen with some strange fluffy attachment at the end of it. When he spots my raised eyebrows, he explains in a gruff voice that it belonged to Lisa.
‘Do you have anything else that belonged to her?’
He shakes his head. ‘No, she took everything when we split up. I found that underneath the sofa.’
I take the pen and paper from him. ‘Did she have a gold necklace with a little symbol of a tree on it?’
‘No.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Lisa didn’t like gold. She said there was no way to be sure that it was ethically sourced or something. I tried to give her some earrings on her eighteenth birthday.’ His mouth twists. ‘She virtually threw them back in my face.’
I nod and scribble the words ‘I’m watching you’ on the paper and fold it up. Then I pass him back the pen. ‘Well, thank you for your time. I might return with more questions later.’
As I turn to go he reaches out and grabs my arm. I look down, my gaze turning icy. He abruptly drops his hand. ‘You will find her, won’t you?’ he still asks. ‘You will promise to bring her back?’
I’m not promising a damn thing. ‘I’m going to look for her,’ I tell him. It’s the best I can do. Then I hop over the adjoining fence and drop the note into his neighbour’s letterbox while he looks on, the very picture of a dejected and rejected man. Life’s a bitch. And then one shows up and stamps on your heart.
Chapter Nine: Chinks in Armour
By now I’m starting to feel incredibly woozy. The sensible thing would be to go home and lie down but I promised Foxworthy I’d go and see him and I still want to confront Michael about his stupid recruitment plans. Unfortunately, I don’t think either of them can wait. Eeeny meeny miny mo…
I’m at the end of the road when my mind is made up for me. Apparently returning Kimchi wasn’t enough for Beth or Matt; their familiar figures are silhouetted against the orange lamppost on the far corner. Both of them have stiff, wary postures as if they’re afraid of what I’ll do when I see them following me. I roll my eyes in their direction and stomp over.
‘Still tailing me?’ I enquire. ‘Don’t you have anything better to do?’
Matt’s bottom lip juts out. ‘Bo, what’s wrong with you?’
I ignore my sudden flare of guilt. I don’t owe him anything; if anything, he owes me. Other vampires affected by the enhancement spell ended up in padded cells. I like to think that my involvement with Matt saved him from that kind of fate, whether he’s better now or not.
‘You mean aside from the fact that the pair of you can’t take a simple hint and leave me the fuck alone?’ I snap.
Beth peers at me. ‘Don’t be such a cow, Bo. Matt’s right. You look really pale.’
I realise I completely misunderstood Matt’s intention. He isn’t upset at my words; he’s just concerned about my wellbeing. I open my mouth to answer just as my vision starts to cloud. Damn it.
‘Bo?’ he asks in alarm.
I raise a hand as if to ward him off. ‘I’m fine,’ I mutter.
‘I think she’s going to faint,’ Beth says, as if from a long distance away.
I scowl. I’m not some soppy eighteenth-century maiden. And I’m not about to faint. Unfortunately that’s the exact moment that the ground rushes up to meet me.
When I come to, the first thing I notice is the unmistakable smell of new leather. The faint sound of an expensive engine meets my ears and I sigh. This can only be some stupidly overpriced Montserrat car. That means they’re taking me back to the Montserrat mansion. Yes, it’s where I intended to go anyway but I wanted to walk through the door with all my abilities intact, not arrive like some forlorn female in need of Lord Michael Montserrat’s heroic assistance.
I force my eyes open. I’m plonked between Beth and Matt, as if they’re afraid I’ll make a rush for the door and barrel out of the moving vehicle just to get away from their well-meaning intentions.
‘Relax, Bo,’ Beth murmurs. ‘We’re just taking you to get some help. You’ve been shot.’
No shit. Does she really think I hadn’t noticed? I pull myself up and stare stiffly at her. ‘I’m fine.’
She snorts. ‘Yeah, right. That’s what you said right before you keeled over on the pavement like a sack of potatoes.’
‘Why are you alone, Bo?’ Matt asks. ‘Where’s Kimchi?’
‘Relax.’ I struggle to sit up straight. ‘I’ve not munched on him or anything like that. He’s with Rogu3.’
‘The kid?’ Matt’s face is the very picture of hurt dismay. ‘You’ve let him back into your life but you won’t let me?’
I frown at him. ‘I thought you were better. What’s with all the “woe is me” crap?’
A flash of anger lights his eyes. Good. He really is better. ‘That’s not fair.’
‘No,’ I sigh as the car pulls up to a halt. ‘But then life isn’t fair, is it?’
‘You’re not going to do anything stupid are you?’ Beth asks.
‘Like what? Run away from a thousand do-gooder vampires?’
‘There’s only five hundred of us. You know that.’ I give her an irritated look. She subsides. ‘Okay. Maybe now there are more.’
‘How many more?’
Beth doesn’t answer. Instead the door opens smoothly and Matt climbs out, before reaching in for me. I succumb to his help only because it’ll make him feel better. From what I remember of pre-spell Matt, his ego was all important to him.
Once I’m outside, I see both Ursus and Ria waiting on the steps. Michael looms behind them, all dark frowns.
‘Hey,’ I say, with as much weak cheeriness as I can muster. ‘The old gang’s all here.’
Michael marches towards me, taking my arm as Matt releases me. ‘You’re an idiot,’ he informs me.
I shrug. ‘Takes one to know one.’
He rolls his eyes. Fair enough, I would too at such a crappy rejoinder. I need to work on my snappy comebacks ‒ at least where he’s concerned.
‘Have you stopped drinking blood again?’ he demands. ‘Is that why you’re like this?’
I stumble, falling against him and cursing. His jaw tightens and he helps me get back upright again. I suppose I should be thankful that he’s not trying to carry me. There are limits. ‘No. In fact, I had a great meal just a few hours ago.’ I bare my fangs at him and pat my stomach. ‘I like blood now. The more the better.’
His face leans in towards me. It’s almost like he’s sniffing me. His closeness is unsettling and it’s making it difficult to think. I’d put it down to the wound in my gut if I didn’t already know better. I can only fool myself so far.
‘Hmm,’ he says, eventually pulling back. Thank goodness. I allow myself to breathe again. ‘At least that part’s true.’
‘You think I’d lie to you? You’re the one who’s been hiding behind untruths. What the fuck are you doing recruiting more vampires?’
He draws me closer, his hand like a steel clamp round my shoulders. ‘This is neither the time nor the place, Bo,’ he
says through gritted teeth. ‘Shut the hell up and let me help you.’
I stop speaking. It’s not out of any desire to do as he wants, it’s just that the effort required to form words is simply too much. I let him guide me indoors, ignoring the wide-eyed looks from the Montserrat vampires milling around at the front. Back here again. Just brilliant.
***
An unnamed Montserrat vampire, whose face I vaguely recognise, bends over my torso with a pair of lethal-looking tweezers while Michael glowers at me from the doorway.
‘You know,’ I tell him, ‘I don’t need you to rescue me. Or to send the troops out after me. I was doing alright.’
His eyebrows shoot up. ‘Is that what you call it? You passed out in the middle of the street. What if a Medici minion wandered by? What would have happened to you then?’
Pain lances through me as the tweezers dig into the bloody mess, searching for the bullet. I squeeze my eyes shut momentarily. Mind over matter: it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t hurt…
I let out a small moan. ‘I was in suburbia,’ I gasp. ‘I hardly think Medici guzzlers would be likely to stroll past. Not unless they are in the market for a cute little starter home with floral curtains.’
The other vampire shoves something into my mouth. ‘Bite down,’ he instructs. ‘This is going to hurt.’
Like it isn’t hurting already? I do as he says, my hands gripping onto the sides of the narrow bed.
‘You’re not invincible, Bo,’ Michael says, crossing his arms. ‘You’re still a newbie. We’ve had disappearances lately.’ He takes out his phone and holds it towards me, flipping through a gallery of photos. ‘All strong vampires, all missing presumed dead. I know you’re stronger than most because you took so long to complete the turning process, but you’re still vulnerable. You can still be killed. I bet you can’t even go out in daylight yet.’
Thankfully I’m saved from responding because of the thing in my mouth. I groan loudly. How long is this going to take? Surely it can’t be that hard to find one bullet. Agony sears through me; it feels as if he’s pulling out my intestines, inch by slow inch. Tears spring to my eyes. Bloody hell.