The Violet Line (16 page)

“
Provocatively?” Aidan chipped in. The word caused Lorcan to flush completely crimson in the face. I smiled in spite of myself; this was the guy who had flung a vampire across the room and yet at the mere mention of the word provocative, he became shy and awkward. It struck me then that he had flung a vampire across the dance floor. What the hell was he? He had a heartbeat and he wasn’t pale; in fact, he was quite tanned so he couldn’t possibly be a vampire, but what was he? Maybe he was a werewolf. Sam had told me of their existence but I was pretty certain I had never met one yet so I wasn’t sure what signs I should be looking for. Lorcan continued talking but I had stopped listening, choosing instead to follow my own line of thought. How was I going to ask him if he was a werewolf? Maybe he was sensitive on the subject and didn’t want to be asked, or maybe he thought I already knew. It was just all so much.

While I had been pondering what he was, he had turned his attention to Aidan. “I don’t know why you thought you could protect her. You’re just a baby. When were you turned? I bet it was within the month; I’m close, aren’t I? You should have known that if she went in there dressed like that, she’d be coffin bait. I don’t think you’re a complete idiot, but then maybe you are. It was so unbelievably stupid and irresponsible. I’m just glad you both had enough sense to send the other human girl home; it could have been a blood bath in there.”

At that statement, Aidan visibly bristled. “I could have protected her.”

Lorcan shook his head. “Oh dear, I see your heart is entangled. It really would have been a blood bath and the older vampires in there would have relished draining her in front of you. I see that you would break all the rules for her, but it’s not always the best thing to do.” He made this statement as he looked straight at me. It was as though he was trying to tell me something in particular with his words that I didn’t quite understand. How could he possibly know about my problem?

Aidan looked away. “I don’t want to hurt her, but I don’t know how I can protect her from the monster that I have become.”

Lorcan reached his hand out and touched Aidan on the shoulder. “Simply realizing what you are and the limitations it places upon you is enough of a start for one so young, but you have much to learn if you want to have any future with her. All I can say is that for now at least, keep your distance until you have control – and at all costs, keep her away from the haunts of your kind unless you want a repeat of tonight. Your relationship has changed forever but that is not always a bad thing. You must learn to forgive yourself and move forward.” His face remained serious for a moment before it broke into a wide grin. “Jesus, I’m starting to sound like a fortune cookie.”

Aidan turned towards him. His face remained closed until suddenly they both burst out laughing. “God, Jade, where did you find him? You have the weirdest friends; cool, but very weird.”

He managed to speak through his laughter. As they had talked, I had grown colder. I shivered in my scanty dress, rubbing my arms vigorously, trying to put some heat into my icy skin. It seemed I had lost my coat while I had been under the influence of the siren’s music. Great, I thought to myself, spend a fortune on something and then lose it the first time I go out; so typically me. Lorcan stopped laughing and pulled his jumper off, handing it to me silently. I tried to decline politely.

“
Nah, it’s grand but I’m not cold. Thanks though.” I dropped my hands by my sides, trying to appear as warm as possible, and still he held it out towards me.

“
Jade, just take the jumper. I can see the goose bumps on your arms and how exactly are you going to stay warm in that scrap of material? I’m not surprised that vamp picked you up the second you walked in there. I mean seriously, what were you thinking dressing like that to go in there?”

“
Well excuse me! I dressed how I was told to dress to come here, so don’t blame me! I’ve never been to one of these places before. How was I supposed to know what would happen? I don’t want your stupid jumper; I told you I’m not cold.” As I spoke, I pushed his hand and the offending jumper away. He sighed and switched it to the other hand before quickly reaching over towards me and pulling it down over my head before I could stop him. I fought against him and pushed at his solid chest but I couldn’t budge him. It was like being inside a dark sack; I couldn’t see the top of it until suddenly he pulled it down so my head popped out through the hole in the top. I stood there with his jumper simply pulled over my head as he stepped away from me, his boyish grin crinkling up the corners of his mouth as he looked at me. The sound of spluttering and coughing caused me to look over at Aidan, who was doubled over holding his torn piece of shirt to his mouth as he shook with laughter. I looked ridiculous but I did feel warmer. I tried to push my arms out through the sleeves but it was too large. I felt like a young child playing dress up. The jumper hung below my knees and the sleeves wouldn’t stop slipping down over my hands. The two unlikely friends stood laughing at the thunderous expression on my face. Sulkily, I stalked towards the edge of the alley, intent on going home and changing out of this pathetic outfit. I wanted to drink hot chocolate to soothe my loneliness and upset over having failed to find out any information about Sam and the strange vampire from the vision.

“
Jade, wait!” Aidan called after me but I continued to stomp my way towards the brighter street. “Fine then, but you probably want to hear this; it’s about the vampire you’re looking for.”

His words caused me to stop dead in my tracks. I whirled around and raced back to stand in front of him. “Come on then, Aidan, tell me!”

His voice was hesitant but steady. “Well, I asked a few of the guys I know here before you and Annie turned up. One of them said he probably knew who I was looking for and that he’d pass the message on that you were looking for him. He gave me this before Lorcan dragged me out.” He pulled a ragged piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. My hands were shaking as I opened it up carefully and read the note written inside in small neat hand writing.

“
My dearest Jade, I’m so glad you are seeking me out. Sam told me so much about you. It is a tragedy what happened, but I may have the information you seek. I will contact you early tomorrow to arrange a meeting time and place, but first I have business that cannot wait. You will know the note is truly from me because I will leave with it one red rose. I look eagerly forward to our encounter; I cannot wait to see if you truly are as beautiful as Sam insisted. Until tomorrow, adieu. Yours, Graham, the chemist xxx”

With shaking hands, I carefully folded the note once more and held it in my hand. Tomorrow. I would get to meet him tomorrow and hopefully find out once and for all what had happened to my Sam. I sighed. It was almost a relief; I was finally getting somewhere, perhaps tomorrow I would even be able to find him. ‘Alive?’ the voice in my head piped up. I could only hope; really, it was all I seemed to have left. Leaning towards him, I wrapped my arms around Aidan and gave him a hug. It didn’t quite explain how grateful I truly was but at least it was a start.

“
Thank you,” I whispered. Pulling away, I saw the shocked look on his face that he quickly tried to cover up.

“
I thought you’d be angry at me.” He muttered so low I almost didn’t hear him.

“
Why would I be angry? This is great, it was exactly what I was looking for, and I have you to thank, Aidan.” I smiled at him as I said it.

“
Yeah, but I didn’t tell you straight away and I almost got you killed when I brought you in there.” He spoke sheepishly, without looking at me.

“
Stop beating yourself up, Aidan. You didn’t get me killed and it was all for a good reason in the end. Now I have what I need; I should be able to find Sam. It’s ok really. Even if you had told me, I don’t think you could have stopped me from going in there. You know me; stubborn to the end. Unless I understood the danger first hand, you couldn’t have stopped me. Thank you for helping me; I won’t forget this.” I smiled at him again. “I’d better go. Aidan, will you be alright? You know, your face?” I gestured towards the wounds which appeared to be healing very slowly.

“
I’m fine, Jade. It’s only because I’m so young and he was a vampire that it’ll take me a bit longer to heal, but in a few hours I should be perfect again.”

“
Ok, do you want me to tell Annie anything?” I asked him quietly.

“
Just tell her, in answer to hers, I do too. Always.” With this he turned and melted into the shadows of the alleyway. I stood there for a moment contemplating what to do next when a hand on my shoulder made me jump and scream. I turned expecting to see one of the vampires from the club, but instead it was just Lorcan standing looking at me.

“
A wee bit jumpy, aren’t you?” he asked me smiling. I took a deep shuddering breath.

“
I’d forgotten you were here, too,” I answered him. It sounded a little cold so I added, “You know, I just have a lot on my mind lately; I forget a lot of things. Don’t take it too personally. By the way, thank you for tonight; I know I sounded bitchy and ungrateful earlier but I know I was in real trouble. If you hadn’t stepped in, I know it would have been worse and I don’t think I could have fought him and that music. It was stupid of me to let my guard down like that. Normally with my power, I can stop them from keeping me under the power of the gaze and the young ones have no effect on me at all. That’s why I can be around Aidan and there’s no problem, but tonight in there,” I said, a shudder rippling through me at the thought. “I had no control; it was as if I checked out of my brain completely. I had no other thoughts except for the music; I wanted to dance and it was as though I wanted that vampire to bite me, to posses me. When I think about it now, it frightens me. Maybe I’m too fickle, that I would let it take me like that. I should have thought of Sam; it should have been enough to stop me from letting him do that. This is just all so new to me.”

Lorcan smiled at me. “You know, Jade, it’s fine; you’re human. What was playing in there is beyond human capabilities; you have no choice when you hear it. It takes you over completely. Really, it’s not your fault. I’ve seen people do worse than just want to dance when they heard that music. Trust me, I should know; I’ve been around a few sirens in my time.” He laughed as if remembering something that particularly caught his imagination.

“
That’s not the point, Lorcan. I can accept that I’m only human. I know that fact only too well; it haunts me often enough and it always seems to come back somehow and bit me in the ass. But I wanted that vampire in there.” I pointed at the club as if by doing so would emphasise the point I was making. “I wanted him however he was willing to take me; I wanted him to bite me I even lusted after him.” Lorcan’s face grew flushed at the mention of the word lust. “I would have done anything. I told Aidan I wanted to be with this vampire. That’s what kills me; that with a bit of music, I would have so easily betrayed Sam, the man I love. I could have quite easily betrayed the very person I went in there to find out information about. How can I say I love him if I could do that so easily? I don’t believe I should have been able to; my love should have protected me and it didn’t.” I stopped talking and tears rolled down my cold cheeks “I’m sure I love him I can feel it inside, in my heart.”

“
Jade, I believe you. It’s the siren’s call; they use the love that you feel against you. It’s how they operate. What you felt in there was simply a magnification of what you feel for Sam; they simply tricked you into thinking it was Sam who was with you because that was the feelings they were using against you. Why do you think the vampires play that kind of music in there? That is exactly the effect they are looking for.” He came to a halt as he looked at my face. “Look, Jade, I’m going to get you home; I think we need to talk a little.”

This stopped me and I looked at him. “I’m not taking you home with me!” I said, my voice sounding indignant despite the tears.

He began to laugh. “Fine, fine,” he said holding his hands up. “I’ll take you to a coffee shop I know ok?”

I nodded and he gestured for me to follow him from the alley and out onto the brightly lit street.

* * *

Sitting inside the small backstreet café, I glanced around. It was more of a pub really, but Lorcan insisted they preferred to try and be more European by calling it a café. He also insisted that they served everything here. I had to smile at his enthusiasm. He was always smiling and his good humour was slightly infectious; one couldn’t be too sad about anything around him for long, it just wouldn’t work. It was warm and cosy and for the first time since Sam had disappeared, I felt safe and protected. Glancing at my watch, I took note of the time; ten to eleven. I would have to chance work tomorrow. I couldn’t keep pretending to be sick or at this rate, I would have no boyfriend and no job, which would quickly be followed by nowhere to live if I couldn’t pay the bills. Ripping open one of the sugar packets, I watched the granules spill wildly over the table top. I pushed them around in spiral shapes as I waited for Lorcan to come back with the drinks. Eventually, I saw him weave his way through the tables to our booth with two tall glass cups of something dark and steaming. He sat one down in front of me and then watched me expectantly. It smelled great but I was a bit apprehensive because I didn’t know what it was.

“
What is it?” I asked him sniffing it; it made my mouth water.

“
Hot chocolate with a twist,” he said proudly, lifting his and taking a swig before making a face. “Jesus, it’s hot though; watch it.”