The Violet Line (5 page)

When one vampire sires another, the exchange of blood allows them to share some of their memories; it was a long shot but it was still a possibility. I crept towards the stairs, picking my way gingerly through the gloom. I tried not to make a sound, but with each step my shoes were squeaked on the shiny floor. I hoped against hope that Aidan was too busy trying to get into the apartment to notice my squeaky movements. Climbing the wooden stairs I tried to keep my eyes and ears alert for any movement or even the slightest noise that might alert me to his presence. I prayed the other people in the building had the good sense to stay indoors.

Reaching the second floor I cautiously peered around the banister. I could see Annie’s door at the end of the corridor; it stood wide open spilling light into the hall. I frowned; where was he? I edged along, staying close to the wall. As I crept closer to the door and the square of light, I could hear a faint high pitched keening that became louder the closer I got to it. Bracing myself for whatever lay ahead of, I stepped in the door of her apartment and stood in the warm sunshine.

The first thing I noticed about the apartment was just how bright the place was. Annie had taken me at my word when I’d told her to open all the curtains. Not only had she opened them but she’d also partially taken them off their railing hooks so there was now no chance of them being closed again. Walking further into the room I glanced at the front door. The lock hung at an odd angle from where Aidan had forced his way in. I saw her then. She was sitting in the window alcove, her legs tucked up under her body; she watched me anxiously and as I signalled to her to indicate where he was. She shrugged in the direction of the kitchen.

I wasn’t sure of what exactly I should do at this point. The kitchen was still bathed in shadow where the blind was down and the high counter and table provided additional cover. I took one more step into the room, my shoe brushing against a screw that had fallen out of the lock in the door; it rolled harmlessly away on the floor but the high pitched keening stopped abruptly.

I stood completely still and waited, holding my breath. Surely he wouldn’t risk the daylight, but I couldn’t be sure and Sam wasn’t here to back me up. My heart thumped against my ribcage as I turned to stare into the shadowed kitchen. The entry to the kitchen lay between me and the further safety of the bright sunny room. I ran. My legs felt like dead weights as I made a break for the safety of the sunlight. All thoughts of safety disappeared as something snagged my foot sending me face first towards the carpet. My body hit the ground awkwardly and the breath was knocked out of me. I felt disorientated for a second and I could hear screaming ringing in my ears. My hands and fingers scrabbled at the carpet of their own volition, trying desperately to find a grip in something, but Aidan grabbed my leg tighter and with one tug dragged the lower half of my body into the kitchen. I lashed out at him with my free leg and I felt my foot connecting with his jaw. He grunted but his grip never lessened. Annie ran across the floor towards me.

“
Get back into the window and the sunlight!” I shouted at her; after all, she didn’t have the weapon that I did. He gave one last pull and I found myself skidding across the tiled floor. My head and back connected with the table with a loud crack splitting the timber and sending it all crashing down on top of me. I lay there stunned for a few seconds; stars and black dots danced before my vision. Newborns always forget how strong they are and tend to cause more damage than they really have to. I remembered the lectures Sam had taught me on the best ways of dealing with vampires; he was so afraid I would get hurt. Trying to pull myself up from under the broken table, strong arms lifted me by the front of my jumper. He lifted me as though I weighed little more than a feather and I knew this wasn’t the case. Slamming me against the high counter in the kitchen, I could feel the bruises already beginning to blossom across my skin.

“
You turned her against me, you stupid meddling bitch.” He spat the venomous words in my face. His fangs were fully extended and saliva clung to them as he spoke. I stared into his completely black eyes; there was no pull or power to them yet but there was also nothing of Aidan in those eyes.

“
Aidan,” I tried in my quietest voice; I didn’t want to anger him further. “I didn’t do this. Annie rang me because she was afraid you might do something you’d regret; she was afraid that you might hurt her because you’re so new at this. She cares about you.”

His grip loosened just the tiniest bit. “You’re lying. She knows I wouldn’t hurt her; I couldn’t hurt her.”

“
Aidan, it’s true,” Annie’s voice chimed in from the safety of the sitting room. “I was afraid of you. I know what new vampires do and I didn’t want to take that risk with you. I don’t want to lose you, but this isn’t the way!”

This close to him, I could see how conflicted he was. He really didn’t want to hurt her but I didn’t know if that was enough to override his hunger.

“
Aidan, just let me go; you’re hurting me.” He looked at me then and I could see the Aidan that I knew and cared about, Annie’s boyfriend and my friend. His humanity flooded back into his eyes, the blackness fading and the dark blue that was his own eye colour filling them once more.

“
Oh shit, Jade; look, I’m sorry. I just you know; I just can’t seem to control it. I don’t mean it. Look, I’ll just go; umm yeah. So my master is going to kill me when he finds out.” He looked at me with a sheepish grin playing on his face. “Did I hurt you bad?” he asked, looking at me seriously.

“
Nah, just a few bruises but I’ll be ok; you really hit me hard off that table though.” As we chatted, he released me and stepped back. I carefully touched my fingers to the back of my head where it had slammed into the timber. My fingers came away warm and sticky.

“
Umm, look, you should just go; take the blanket you’ll make it out with that.” I tried to hide my hand behind my back and began to back away from him. My body bumped against the counter and I had no way past him.

“
Fuck,” he snarled at me and pounced, his eyes were completely black.

As he landed on top of me, I caught him against the chest with both my hands and tried to push him off. I may as well have tried to lift a truck off myself. His fangs snapped just inches from my face and the spit dripped down on to me. I didn’t want to hurt him but there was no other way for me to protect myself. Closing my eyes against his crazed and starving ones the power ran up through my body. It always felt as though it was pulled from the very core of me, somewhere deep down inside, like I was pulling water up from a well. It ran like cold fire up through my body filling me until I thought I was going to explode with this tingling, fizzling popping sensation. It flooded out through my hands where they were pressed against Aidan's chest barely just holding him off. The second it hit him he looked surprised and then the pain hit. He tore away from me roaring and screaming and clutching his chest. Curling up into a ball on the floor, he sobbed like a baby. Taking this as my chance, I jumped over his curled up form and dashed into the sitting room. Annie was near the edge of her window light trying to catch a glimpse into the kitchen.

“
We’ve got to go,” I shouted at her, startling her with my appearance. Grabbing her hand, I shoved her towards the door, and threw my car keys at her.

“
It’s parked out front, go!” I shouted again.

She didn’t need to be told a third time and took off running. Grabbing the throw from the sitting room I flung it in the general direction of where Sam had last been before I too ran for the door, and pulled it shut behind me. The blood pounded in my ears as I raced down the stairs, taking them two at a time and not bothering to listen if I was being followed. I burst through the front door and elation poured through me; I wanted to kiss the sunlight for still shining. I jogged over to my car allowing my heart beat to slow to a more normal pace. Sliding back in behind the wheel, I looked over at Annie. Her face was white with shock. Without saying a word she handed me the car keys and we headed for my apartment.

Chapter Five

The jostling movement filtered through to Sam’s hazy mind. Unable to see anything he guessed from the sound of the engine he was moving at quite some speed in a car. At first he couldn’t remember what happened. He tried to lift his hand up to his eyes and realised he couldn’t move at all. There was a dull burning sensation in both of his wrists every time he tried to move them and he knew with certainty they had bound him with silver chains.

“
Ah I see he stirs; you didn’t damage him after all, my love.” Marianne’s laughing voice grated on Sam’s sensitive ears bringing all the night’s events crashing back in around him.

He remembered the conversation and that he had almost pulled Marianne under his control before Raphael had intervened. They must have knocked him out in order to transport him to wherever it was they were so eager to get to. Shifting painfully, he gingerly flexed his jaw checking for any damage to his fangs but everything seemed to be working just fine; he healed faster than most vampires he knew. Sam couldn’t resist nettling the other vampire,

“
You must be losing your touch, Raphael; nothing broken. You disappoint me; I was expecting better from you. You are getting soft in your old age.”

Raphael’s frustrated growls filled the small space of the car and he could hear shifting movement until Marianne’s voice cut through.

“
I see you haven’t lost your antagonizing ways, Samuel; you always were into playing mind games. But there are reasons behind Raphael not being allowed to finish you off in the alley, and I’m sure your precious Jade wouldn’t like it.” Her voice slithered over Jade’s name like some dangerous snake poised to strike.

“
What do you know about Jade?” Sam kept his voice low and measured, fighting the panic that threatened to swarm through his head. Marianne’s tinkling laugh made him flinch; it sounded just like breaking glass.

“
My dearest, it’s not me you need to be worrying about. She has come to the attention of three of our most revered and important people; did you think she wouldn’t? Foolish boy. They are most anxious to meet her you know, she has caused quite a stir although Lissie is not best pleased about the entire situation and I fear if she is not watched carefully, she may do something which the other council members would not be happy about. You know what twelve year olds are like and Oskaar does indulge her something terrible.

“
She is a brat, but over the years she has blossomed into a most delightful little sadist; she and Raphael now get on very well indeed. Don’t you dear?” Marianne’s words left Sam feeling cold, colder than he should have been; it was a chill that seemed to come from very deep within him. It terrified him. In all his years as a vampire, he had never once felt terror as he felt it now; it washed through him and threatened to choke him. He continued to listen as Raphael’s voice rumbled somewhere in the front of the car.

“
Mmhmm, yes she really does come up with the most ingenious methods of torture; she has come so far.” Raphael almost sounded like a proud father talking about how talented his daughter was at piano; it made Sam feel sick to think that Elisabeth, or Lissie as the others so fondly called her, would ever get near Jade.

“
So other than Oskaar and Elisabeth, who else came over to Ireland from the high council?” Sam felt proud that he could keep his voice from wavering. Marianne however could not hide the surprise from her voice.

“
You mean you don’t know? Oh dear, Sam, where have you been hiding? Tut-tut. Well Reuben, Omega and Rochelle felt that it was better that Lissie be sent here; you know a smaller country with no werewolf community. They felt the damage could be minimized with her here.

“
Did you know that she almost devastated the werewolf population in and around the Carpathian mountain range at the high council’s seat? She very nearly caused a war between our clan and theirs but then I’m not surprised. Anyway they tricked her into this exile, promising her all sorts of new play toys and a seat in power on the council here; she’s twelve and in her own way naive and of course fell for it. They sent Oskaar with her because he is the only one who has control over her anymore; it’s just a pity he doesn’t exert his power more. And of course they sent Cassiopeia for obvious reasons.” Sam could hear the shudder in Marianne’s voice as she spoke about her.

“
I hope I never have to endure her touch. I don’t think I could handle forever having to be her slave; I’d rather kill myself. But I suppose the threat of her touch keeps the vampire community in check.

“
Oh we’re here Sam, you’ll get to meet all your old friends once more. I believe they are having the feast tonight.

“
I’m so glad we got back here in such record time; now we too can join in the celebrations, my love.” This last part she had directed at Raphael and Sam could hear the kiss they shared in anticipation of the revels ahead.

The door near Sam’s head clicked open and strong arms lifted him out of the car before he was dumped face first onto the gravel driveway.

“
Raphael!” Sam struggled to sit up as Marianne warned Raphael against unduly injuring him. “You know what’ll happen if he is too damaged.”

“
Call it pay back,” Raphael muttered under his breath. The hood was lifted off Sam’s head and he stared around at his surroundings. Trees lined the property and he could see what looked to be a very dense wooded area towards the back of the house. The gravel driveway swept up towards the entrance and the house itself looked like a great manor estate. It was a four story red bricked country manor. The outside walls were covered in thick curling ivy but in places around some of the windows, it had been cut back to reveal the red brick work. The warm glow from the lights spilled out through some of the windows onto the gravelled drive.