Thicker Than Blood (Marchwood Vampire Series #2) (8 page)

‘
Do you even possess an
opinion about what’s going on?’ Alexandre asked. He still couldn’t
determine Blythe’s true character. Was he ambitious? Greedy? Weak?
What was his true agenda?

‘
I’m not paid to have an
opinion. Let’s just say I enjoy being a part of this secret
history. It thrills me.’

‘
So, you are a
voyeur.’

‘
A documenter of important
historical events,’ Blythe replied with a self-satisfied
smile.

‘
A coward.’

‘
I like you, Alexandre,
but you’re far too judgmental. You have the righteousness and
arrogance of youth. Maybe I’ll seek out your company in a century
or two.’

Alexandre paused at Blythe’s last sentence.
Could he really mean…

‘
Don’t look so surprised,
Alexandre. They have made me a promise.’

‘
A promise?’

‘
Yes.’

‘
You mean … to be
turned?’

Blythe nodded.

Alexandre stared at Blythe for a moment and
then he laughed. ‘If you believe that, you’re more of a fool than I
thought. They will not turn you.’

‘
I have their word, but
more than that, I have a legally binding contract.’

Alexandre laughed again. ‘You
think the law means anything to an immortal? To a cold-blooded
killer? Mr Blythe, even
you
do not respect the law.’

‘
It does not matter what
you believe. It is what I believe that counts and I believe they
will keep their promise.’

‘
And you would actually
choose to be like this?’ Alexandre tapped his own chest.

‘
Who wouldn’t want to live
forever?’

‘
Me. I would never choose
this. Never.’

‘
I don’t believe you. You
are thriving as a vampire. You love the power it affords
you.’

‘
No!’

‘
Tell me, what was your
life like before you were turned? Was it exciting? Were you
fulfilled?’

Alexandre tried to banish the traitorous
memories of his human frustrations, of his feelings of inadequacy
and boredom.

Blythe smiled.

‘
You’d better go. You have
a plane to catch.’

Alexandre glared at the smug lawyer.

‘
All this is nothing
personal. You know that,’ Blythe said, getting to his feet. ‘I
meant it when I said I liked you.’

‘
That is not something to
make me happy. You’re a vain old fool,’ Alexandre
growled.

‘
Goodbye, Alexandre. Good
luck. I sincerely hope you make the right decision. A little
knee-bending is not the end of the world you know.’

Alexandre turned and left the room, unable
to listen to the man any longer. As he hurried down the stairs, he
could sense the others in the street below. They had just pulled up
outside the offices. He would fill them in and then they would have
to plan their strategy well. He would not be drawn into ancient
vampire politics; it was nothing to do with him. He and his family
must be able to live freely. Bending the knee was one thing, but he
wasn’t stupid, he knew it wouldn’t end there. These creatures were
devoid of humanity. There was no reasoning with them, no
negotiating or bargaining. They would require him to submit. This
eternal life would never be his own again.

There was only one option – the Emperor had
to die.

Chapter Nine

Cappadocia, 571 AD

*

Some days, Aelia thought her old life must
have been a dream. Everything was so different now, here with Widow
Maleina. But for all her sharp words and harsh looks, the old woman
wasn’t all that bad. There was no affection, no softness, nor even
politeness, but neither was she deliberately cruel. Aelia wasn’t a
prisoner, she was free to leave at any time, but then where would
she go? She was an outcast and knew no one else outside her
village. The widow had asked her no personal questions and for that
Aelia was grateful. It would be too humiliating and upsetting to
have to recount everything. Equally, the widow offered up no
information about herself.

A rhythm had evolved in their daily lives.
It was Aelia’s job to sweep their dwelling and keep it clean and
she would also wash their garments every week. The cave had its own
underground spring and so trips to and from the distant river were
unnecessary. Aelia missed the communal ritual of fetching water,
but there were other opportunities to taste a little freedom. She
would spend hours gathering firewood and sometimes she hiked the
eight mile round trip to shop in the markets. Something else she
enjoyed doing was collecting the wild herbs and roots which the old
woman used in her medicines. For Widow Maleina was a healer.

Aelia had a basic knowledge of plants, but
nothing like the wealth of information the old woman had begun to
share with her. Every morning, before breakfast, they went out
early to gather ingredients. Aelia was gradually learning how to
cool fevers and soothe headaches; how to clean wounds, treat snake
bites and even knit broken bones.

Visitors came to the cave every day and paid
Widow Maleina to cure them of their sicknesses. At first, Aelia was
the subject of scrutiny as each visitor eyed her with undisguised
curiosity.

‘
My niece,’ the widow
barked at each of them, until the stares grew less
intense.

Inevitably, Aelia’s thoughts often turned
towards the family and friends she had left behind. She hoped her
parents had forgiven her and she prayed her sisters had not been
tainted by the shameful shadow she had cast over them. The other
person she thought about was Lysus.

Aelia had been surprised by her feelings.
She had thought she would be devastated by his casual betrayal. She
had expected to sob and wail and be heartbroken at his treatment of
her. But for him to throw that stone was the final insult. She had
looked up to him, trusted him and had never doubted his word.
Growing up, she had heard all the stories of grand love and how
painful it can be to experience longing and rejection. But, after
the initial shock, all Aelia felt towards Lysus was cold hatred.
She cringed, when she remembered how willingly she had followed
him, like a trusting puppy. She had been weak willed and gullible.
How had she let him make such a fool of her? She had allowed him to
destroy her life and ruin her family’s good name. One day he would
feel her anger. One day he would pay.

*

Over the course of several weeks, Aelia
became aware of the rumours. She overheard fragments of
conversation in the market place and she was puzzled by odd
questions from some of Widow Maleina’s patients. They were all
talking about barbarians and an invasion of some sort.

One evening, as they sat cross-legged on the
floor finishing their supper, Aelia plucked up the courage to ask
the widow what was going on.

‘
Is it true?’ Aelia
asked.

‘
What?’ the widow snapped.
‘Speak clearly or don’t speak at all.’

Aelia raised her voice. ‘Is it true the
barbarians are coming? Everyone is talking about it. They’re saying
that …’

‘
Those gossips are all
fools,’ Widow Maleina interrupted. ‘And so are you if you believe
such rubbish.’

‘
So why would they say
it?’

‘
Fetch me some more
water.’

Aelia picked up the widow’s cup and hurried
over to the spring at the back of the cave. She dipped in the
vessel and scooped up some of the crystal clear liquid, hoping this
wasn’t going to be the end of the conversation. She desperately
wanted to know what was going on. She returned to see the widow
mopping up her food with a scrap of flatbread. Aelia set the cup on
the floor, unsure whether to sit back down or retire to her place
at the back of the cave.

‘
Stop looming,’ the widow
said. ‘Sit down. You’re irritating me.’

Aelia did as she was bid; pleased she wasn’t
being sent to bed yet.

‘
Something bad is coming,’
the widow said. ‘Something we haven’t seen for centuries. It’s
happening again.’

Aelia felt a chill. Widow Maleina continued
talking:

‘
I saved your life once
before, my dear, and it seems I shall save you twice.’

‘
Is it the invaders?’
Aelia asked.

‘
I already told you that’s
nonsense. Weren’t you listening? You can be so dim-witted
sometimes. Perhaps your brain was damaged when I found you on the
ground that day.’

Aelia bit her lip and lowered her head,
ignoring her rudeness. It was like the woman didn’t know how to be
any other way. She spoke in the same manner to her patients and
they didn’t pay any mind to it either. So if not invaders, then
what? What was Widow Maleina talking about? Maybe she was mad. But
Aelia didn’t think so. In her opinion, the woman was sharp as a
crow’s beak.

‘
What is coming then?’
Aelia asked. ‘If not barbarians, then what is it that is so
terrible?’

The widow eyed Aelia for a moment.
‘Demons.’

So she
was
mad after all.

‘
You can doubt me but it
won’t change the fact,’ said the widow. ‘Demons are among us and
soon there will be more. Your family will perish along with
everyone else.’

‘
My family?’

‘
I wouldn’t have thought
you’d be worried about them. They cast you out did they
not?’

‘
How do you know about
that? Anyway, it wasn’t my family who cast me out, it was the
Praetor.’

‘
Doesn’t matter. They
didn’t prevent it. They didn’t come with you to make sure you were
alright. They watched as you were sent out into the wilderness to
die.’

The widow’s words stung.

‘
That’s not true. My
mother saved me from death.’

‘
Pssht,’ the widow waved
her hand to dismiss Aelia’s protests. ‘It’s not important. What is
important is that we are safe here. Everyone else is doomed. They
will all die.’

‘
What!’ Aelia got to her
feet. ‘How? Why will they die?’

‘
You’re making me tired
with all of your questions. I thought you were a good girl, a quiet
girl. I don’t want all this questioning. You want shelter here? Or
you want to take your chances with the demons?’

Aelia took a breath. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t
mean to …’

‘
I am tired now,’ Widow
Maleina said. ‘All this chatter. I don’t like it.’ She stood and
limped across to her sleeping quarters.

Aelia cleared away the supper things and
retreated to her corner of the cave. None of the widow’s words made
any sense. It must be nonsense. So why did she have such an uneasy
feeling? Why did she believe every word the widow said?

Chapter Ten

Present Day

*

Madison shivered and reached
for the quilt. She needed to pull it up to her chin to get warm.
Where was the stupid thing? But as she felt around, she realised
there
was
no quilt, there were no covers at all. And what was that
smell? The air smelt damp and musty … horrible. And then she
remembered.

She didn’t want to open her eyes for fear of
what she might see, but they opened anyway. The bed she lay on was
narrow and covered in a grubby white sheet. Sitting up, she took in
her surroundings and her stomach lurched. A concrete floor, bare
stained walls, no windows and a noisy, whining strip light. The
room was small with two doors. Her head pounded and her mouth
tasted disgusting, like six-month-old milk. Her wrists and ankles
hurt where they had been tied together. She gave them a rub and
winced as she saw the red raw flesh.

Sliding off the bed, Maddy staggered across
the three feet required to reach the nearest door. It rattled in
its hinges as she tried the handle - locked. She gave the base of
the door a half-hearted kick before heading over to the second
door. This handle creaked and the door opened inwards to darkness.
Maddy patted the wall until she found the light switch. Another
strip light buzzed on, illuminating a sink, a toilet and a
blackened shower head protruding from the ceiling. Everything was
caked in layers of grime, rust and other stuff which she’d rather
not think about. Shallow pools of liquid lay on the floor. She
wrinkled her nose, turned off the light and closed the door. What
the hell was going on?

She strode across to the locked door and
rattled it again, harder than before.

‘
Hey!’ Her fist pounded
against the peeling paintwork. ‘Open the door! Hey! Is anyone out
there?’

She put her ear to the door and listened
hard but all she heard was her own ragged breathing. No sound came
from outside. Either there was no one there, or they were ignoring
her. Well, they couldn’t ignore her forever, could they? They had
brought her here for a reason and she’d probably find out what it
was soon enough. Maddy shivered. She was still wearing the same
boots, jeans and sweater she had on at the ice rink, but it was
freezing in here. Scanning the room, she spied a dark shape on the
floor near the end of the bed. It was her parka. She picked it up
and shrugged it on, then checked for her mittens, but the pockets
were empty. Never mind. The coat was toasty and she zipped it up to
her chin and shoved her hands back into her pockets.

Suddenly, the light spluttered and went out.
Darkness. Silence. Maddy’s skin crawled and fear clutched at her
belly. She took a breath and told herself that whoever had taken
her hadn’t harmed her. They obviously wanted her alive. For now at
least. She shuffled over to the low bed, climbed on and brought her
knees up to her chest, hugging them in tight to her body.