Half Life (14 page)

 
“
I
’
d like to say yes but I can
’
t.  It
’
s all mixed up in my head.  All I can remember thinking when I was stabbing him was that I never wanted him to get up again.
”

 
“
He lost a lot of blood.  If the ambulance had taken any longer you might have got your wish and you
’
d be facing a murder charge.
”

 
“
Murder?
”
she exclaimed incredulously. 
“
I
’
m the victim here.
”

 
“
So far we
’
ve only your word for that.  There were no witnesses and Alex isn
’
t well enough to make a statement yet.  In fact everyone we
’
ve spoken to says what a nice normal man he was before he met you.
”

  Mercy was on her dignity. 
“
And who is everyone?
”

 
“
His mum.
”

 
“
Well she would say that, wouldn
’
t she?
”

 
“
His friends, other relatives, they all say the same thing.  He was fine then he met you and he started to go downhill.  Missing days at work, becoming withdrawn and moody.  His mum suspected you
’
d got him into drugs, although the urine samples you both provided prove that
’
s not true.
”

 
“
I don
’
t believe this.  He was acting weird because he
’
s a psychopath.  The mask was starting to slip and I was unfortunate enough to be around when he flipped out.  And if this is all down to me then how do you explain these?
”
she demanded, indicated the injury to her throat where the knife nicked her and the defence wounds on her arms.

  DI Paige
’
s eyes narrowed. 
“
We
’
re still processing the scene.  Let
’
s see what forensics turns up before we take this any further.  Interview terminated.
”

  With that DI Paige got to her feet.

 
“
Hey, what happens to me now?
”
frowned Mercy.

 
“
You
’
re free to go, just don
’
t leave the area.  We will need to talk to you again.
”

 
“
He
’
ll come after me, I know he will,
”
she croaked, eyes filling with tears.

 
“
I wouldn
’
t worry about that.  He wont be going anywhere for a while.
”
   

 
“
Please, you have to listen to me.  He
’
s dangerous.  If you let him back out on the streets he
‘
ll try to kill me again.
”

 
“
Like I said, you don
’
t need to worry about that yet,
”
said Paige before leaving.

  Mercy looked so stricken that the WPC
’
s face softened in sympathy.

  Alex lay in his hospital bed, his body a map of wounds and bandages, praying he would be back on his feet soon.  Mercy had really done a number on him and it was vital he finish what he started.  Once again he attempted to sit up but he was gripped by an agony so acute that he slumped back into the pillows, defeated.  He was so frustrated he couldn
’
t stand it.  Mercy was still alive.  It was his own fault, he
’
d underestimated her.  He
’
d seen a pretty, dainty little woman and thought she would be a pushover.  Next time he wouldn
’
t make the same mistake.  Now it was vital he concentrated on getting better so he could get rid of her once and for all.

  Then he heard it.  The click clack of high heels growing closer and closer.  Panic flooded his body and he looked around for assistance but it was night and he couldn
’
t see anyone.

  Mercy appeared in the doorway of his private room, a smile playing on her lips.  The blip of Alex
’
s heart monitor speeded up and his hand groped for the call button.  In two strides Mercy was by his bedside and she snatched it out of his reach.  Then she switched off the heart monitor that was beeping frantically with Alex
’
s terror.

 
“
That
’
s better,
”
she smiled sweetly.

 
“
I thought you were locked up,
”
he gasped.

 
“
Why should I be?  You
’
re the one who tried to kill me.
”

 
“
And if anyone knew what you really are they would too,
”
he spat back with more bravado than he felt.

 
“
And what am I?
”

 
“
A vampire,
”
he breathed.

  She threw her head back and laughed. 
“
Is that what you think?  Oh you silly boy.  I
’
m not one of those preening idiots.  Vampires are so vain.  You know, they actually enjoy all the films and TV programmes made about them.  Unbelievable.  One day everyone will realise they really do exist and start hunting them down with stakes.
”

 
“
A werewolf then?
”

 
“
No.  They
’
re almost as daft as the vamps.  We are something else entirely, something your limited imaginations have yet to comprehend.
”

 
“
We?
”
he said nervously.

 
“
Me and mum and dad.  There are others.
”
  She picked up his casenotes from the end of the bed and started flicking through them. 
“
You have a heart defect.  You kept that quiet.
”

 
“
I don
’
t like to talk about it.
”

  She sighed and threw the casenotes back down on the bed. 
“
Oh Alex I
’
m so sorry.  This is all my fault.  I should never have let you get so close but I liked you.  You
‘
re the nearest anyone
‘
s got to finding out what we are.  How did you know there was something different about me?
”

 
“
When we were in bed together I realised I couldn
’
t hear your heartbeat.  When you fell asleep I checked your pulses; wrist, neck, thigh.  I couldn
’
t find one.  Then I saw it moving about inside you.
”

 
“
By
‘
it
’
I take it you mean the real me?  Of course you
’
re right.  This body is just a way of hiding what I really am,
”
she said, indicating her attractive form. 
“
But I
’
m afraid I
’
m in big trouble with the family.  They
’
ve told me I
’
ve got to silence you once and for all.
”

  Alex
’
s face turned even whiter. 
“
I wont say anything, I promise.  I
’
ll confess I went mental and attacked you.
”

 
“
Oh poor Alex, I
’
ve already told the police that.  They think you
’
ve slowly been deteriorating mentally.  I told them you drove me to inappropriate places at night to scare me.  DI Paige wasn
’
t as easy to convince as I thought she would be but the crime scene will prove my story, after all you really did try to kill me.  The Charming house was an ironic place to take me to.
”

 
“
So that was you?
”

 
“
Not just me.  Mum, Dad and Granny too.  We were a lot wilder back then.  Now we
’
re much better at controlling our homicidal tendencies.  How did you find out?
”

 
“
I was researching the Charming murders for the book I
’
m writing.  I found a crime-scene photo, taken just after the bodies had been discovered.  You were stood by the barrier the police had set up around the house, watching.  That photo was taken forty years ago and you still looked exactly the same.  At first I thought it could be a relative but then I noticed your parents stood with you.
”

 
“
That was very careless of us, allowing ourselves to be photographed like that.  I have to ask, why did you take me to the graveyard?
”

 
“
The Charmings are buried there.  I was hoping to elicit a response but I couldn
’
t get you inside.
”

 
“
We don
’
t like graveyards.  So many of our enemies dwell within them.
”

 
“
Vampires?
”
he said hesitantly.

  She tutted and rolled her eyes. 
“
What is it with you and vampires?  You would be most disappointed if you ever met one.  No, not them.  There are so many other creatures in this world that you don
‘
t even know exist.  My presence in the graveyard would literally have caused some of the dead to rise.
”

  Alex
’
s heart thudded then fluttered sickeningly, causing a stabbing pain in his chest.  He knew he needed medical attention but had no way of reaching it.

  She regarded him with her head cocked to one side, concern on her face. 
“
Are you experiencing some pain?
”

 
“
No.  I
’
m okay,
”
he lied, causing her to smile knowingly.

 
“
Did you intend to kill me the first time you took me to the Charming house and gave me the tour?
”
she said.

 
“
No.  I just wanted to gauge your reaction.
”

 
“
And what did you see?
”

 
“
Sadness and a little regret.  You are sorry for what you did.
”

 
“
I admit I am.  It was cold and cruel but that
’
s what happens when we lose control.  I haven
’
t killed since, which is a huge achievement for a creature like me.  Killing is in our blood and comes very easily to us.  I
’
ve been good for so long but thanks to you I am about to fall off the wagon.
”

  His eyes filled with tears and he tried to shout for help but she clamped a surprisingly strong hand down on his mouth, silencing him. 

 
“
Ssshh it
’
s alright.  No pain, I promise.  I
’
m not called Mercy for nothing.  Everyone will think your weak heart just gave out and there
’
s only one way I can think of achieving that.  You
’
re going to get your wish.  I
’
m going to show you what
’
s inside me.
”

  Alex
’
s eyes widened with terror as Mercy drew herself up to her full height, amid a great ripping, tearing sound.