by Emma Mills
‘So where are these boxes then?’
‘Here’ he said, indicating a huge washing machine sized box by his feet.
‘I take it you don’t need any help with it?’ he sneered. ‘Or does Daniel not let his precious fiancée carry heavy boxes?’
I sighed, really wishing I could have ten minutes to meditate with a calming app, and willing myself not to punch this guy in the face.
‘Sure,’ I said, picking the box up with ease.
The box wasn’t heavy, but due to its size it meant I had to wrap both arms round it and lift it right in front of my face in order to get it off the ground. This meant I had to walk slowly, peeping round the edges, to find my way past the various obstacles and out towards the door. Brittany wasn’t where I’d left her, but then she had probably heard me coming and gone to the car.
I made it to the door and pushed it open with my foot, over-compensating as usual. The door swung back with such force it slammed against the wall and took a chunk out of the Victorian brickwork before ricocheting back at me with force. I darted through before it hit me and stumbled slightly towards the car, thankful that Paulo hadn’t followed me out and witnessed my too human slip-up. He would have loved that!
‘Brit?’ I called.
No answer. Fumbling for the car fob I unlocked the boot and shoved the box back inside. Frowning I turned back to the warehouse.
‘Brit?’ I called again, stepping back inside.
I heard a muffled stumble and a groan, my enhanced hearing picking up accelerated breathing and I skimmed across the floor in the direction of the scuffle.
‘You total slime-bag!’ Brittany exclaimed, as I rounded a tower of boxes and skidded to a halt, a laugh erupting from my mouth as I took in the scene before me.
Paulo was flat on his back, his ankles bound with invisible magic, his arms pulled above his head and bound together at the wrist. He was writhing like a pinned snake.
‘You little bitch!’ he yelled.
‘And for that I’ll bind your mouth as well,’ she spat, chanting a few quick words that took immediate effect.
‘Brittany! Was this necessary? What did he do?’ I asked, smiling.
Her cheeks flushed and she looked at the floor.
‘Brit?’
She sighed.
‘I was stupid and totally fell for his plan. When you were dealing with the box he came over and suggested that witches were the least powerful and least useful of all the supes. I wasn’t listening, but then he nodded towards you lifting that box on your own, as if that proved it…’
‘Idiot!’
‘Well, then I fell right into his trap, because of course the set piece is back here and he said Go lift that then if you’re so strong… I can’t believe I fell for it,’ she repeated, shaking her head. ‘Of course as soon as I tried to lift the bloody thing up he grabbed me from behind and started trying to get his hands under my top. Hence I dropped the set… sorry!’
I shook my head and gave her a hug.
‘Forget about the set; it looks fine anyway. It’s Armageddon remember? A little bit of bashing around will only make it better.’
She smiled.
‘But you realise this is dark magic? I think we’d better lift it before someone gets alerted,’ I said quietly.
‘He deserves worse,’ she said.
‘I know.’
Brittany lifted the spell on his tongue first.
‘You little cow! I’m going to have you over this. They’ll take your licence away. I’ve got security cameras, directed to this exact spot, taping every last second.’
Brittany looked shocked and for the first time didn’t have much to say, but I did.
‘And I can just imagine what we’ll find on those cameras. How many other girls do you film as you assault them?’
I expected a change of attitude at my threat, but none was forthcoming.
‘Don’t be stupid. Do you think I’d keep it all in one file? You really are still green behind the ears aren’t you? No, all you’ll find on that tape is today.’
‘And it will be obvious to The Council that Brittany was provoked and attacked first,’ I answered, glad that he’d warned me about the rolling tape before I too acted illegally.
‘Not if I say we were lovers. It’s her word against mine and a lovers’ tiff should never end in dark magic. I win, she loses… but I can always rethink my decision. I could definitely be persuaded to change my mind…’
‘I can think of ways to change his mind! If I’m going to lose my licence I might as well lose it with style,’ Brittany said, nudging me out of her way and raising her hands.
‘Brit, no!’ I exclaimed, as her chanting coincided with a sudden yelp of pain.
‘I’m on fire! Fire… Help! Please, please…’ he cried.
‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ Brittany said calmly. ‘There are no flames at all… nothing to see, by us or the camera!’
He began to whimper and a single tear ran down his cheek.
‘Brit, I think that’s enough. You’re above torturing people.’
‘He’s not a person.’
‘Okay, but still, you are better than this. Better than him. I don’t want to have to force you to stop. You’re my friend.’
‘You’re not the one who’s about to lose everything. If I lose my licence, I lose my job and the company I built up.’
‘You’re not going to lose your licence, okay? Just stop!’
She glanced away, a flash of remorse flickering behind her eyes. The spell stopped and the vampire stopped writhing.
‘You’re going to pay for this,’ he said, turning his face and spitting blood towards us.
‘No, we aren’t. And if you don’t want to relive this… or worse, you will tell us where to find the camera system,’ I said.
‘As if I would do that!’ he said.
‘Your other option is for me to video call Eva this minute, tell her the whole story and let her decide what to do… or even Sebastian. I have his number here on speed dial, but he really doesn’t like to be disturbed…’
Paulo’s eyes widened slightly as his lips formed a girlish pout.
‘Fine, but unbind me first.’
‘Not a chance,’ we both said together.
‘Jinx,’ we chanted.
He huffed.
‘Through the back door over there, then through into the office. You’ll see the camera system. It records directly onto a USB stick. You’ll find it, I’m sure.’
‘Good decision,’ Brittany said, as we left him spellbound on the floor.
The office was easy to find and a complete mess, but weirdly the desk and computer system was immaculately tidy. A flat screen showed the camera angle pointing directly into the corner to which Brittany had been lured, and Paulo was clearly visible, writhing under the bonds, making a valiant but useless attempt to escape.
‘I told you he was a slimy rat,’ Brittany exclaimed, rifling through some papers on his desk.
‘I just didn’t think he was stupid enough to risk trying anything,’ I said, shaking my head. ‘Here’s the USB. Let’s get out of here! Brit, what are you doing now?’
‘Nothing. Just having a root around. Look!’ She pulled out an old flyer that had mysteriously appeared in the Exodus toilets a few months back.
‘Why does that not surprise me,’ I said, taking in the familiar words. Pro-Choice. Pro-Vote. Freedom to Feed for the Superior Race. The background was blood red and the writing was as white as an American dentist’s teeth.
To say Sebastian had been livid was putting it mildly. He was very pro-secrecy and all vampires under his jurisdiction lived by his rules. It was why he was so well-respected within vampire circles worldwide; and why the Council had suggested he take the Southern territories under his wing. He had also recently been made Seth’s, the Council vampire representative’s number two.
‘Do you think he made the flyers?’ Brittany asked, nodding to the still struggling Paulo via the camera
.
I shook my head.
‘Nah, he’s a follower, not a leader. Come on, let’s get out of here.’
Brittany began chanting quickly, resting her hand on the computer system.
‘Now what?’ I asked.
‘Just a little computer virus, nothing dark. A tracking chip if you like, just so I can keep an eye on him,’ she said with a grin.
I shook my head, smiling broadly.
‘You’re incorrigible,’ I said, steering her out of the room and back towards her prisoner.
‘Now you have to let me go,’ he demanded, as soon as we returned.
‘We will, as soon as we’ve loaded this into the car,’ I said. ‘Brit, give us a hand with this will you,’ I asked, lifting one end of the set and making a point of asking my friend for help, even though I could have managed it on my own.
We took the set to the car and loaded it in.
‘I think it might be wise if I go and lift the hex. He won’t dare attack me.’
‘He wouldn’t dare attack me either, now!’ she said.
‘I’m more worried that he’ll provoke you and you’ll do something you regret,’ I replied, giving her a half smile.
‘Fine, I suppose that makes sense. I’m going to place a spell on his front door while you do that, to deter any females from entering his property.’
‘Great plan.’
Chapter Two
The following day I was woken by someone hammering on the door. Ugh! I rolled over and dragged my eyelids open. The light creeping round the blackout blinds told me it must be at least nine, but my body told me I needed more sleep. I rolled over. The hammering started up again and I could make out the noise of an idling vehicle’s engine coming from the street.
‘I’ll get it,’ Brittany’s voice declared, floating up the stairs.
I sighed and pulled the blanket over my head, shutting out the weak winter light and the muffled noise of conversation coming from the ground floor. The conversation was followed by dragging and bumping noises. This went on for several minutes before the house once again fell blissfully silent and I resumed my beauty sleep.
I was woken several hours later by my phone vibrating on the bedside table. This time I felt slightly more alert and less like I wanted to be buried six foot under.
‘Hello?’ I mumbled groggily into the microphone, without first looking at the display.
‘Jess! Are you sleeping?’
‘No, I’m not now, am I?’ I grumbled.
‘It’s one o’ clock in the afternoon!’ Eva replied. ‘Has the delivery arrived?’
‘Huh? What? Oh yes, I think so… the wood, right? Someone knocked on the door earlier anyway…’
‘But you didn’t answer the door, did you?’ she snapped.
‘Hey don’t get in a tizz! Brit answered the door.’
‘Jess, the party is tomorrow and you never sleep in… well not for the last eight years anyway. What’s up? When did you last feed?’
‘Ugh! What’s with the third degree? I’m tired, that’s all.’
My mind was gradually waking up and I suddenly remembered that I still hadn’t heard from Daniel.
‘Eva? Where’s Daniel? I haven’t heard from him since two days ago.’
‘Oh! Erm, he’s fine, I’m sure. We’ve just been really busy. I saw him briefly yesterday so don’t worry.’
‘What’s going on?’
‘Sorry Jess, I’m going to have to go; the other phone rang. Make sure you get that house sorted for the party. We’ll both be home tomorrow with plenty of time to get ready. I’ve got catering arriving around six and we should be there well before then. Sorry, I’ve got to fly.’
The phone went dead and I sat up. Something was definitely up.
I scrolled through my messages - still nothing from Daniel. I tried his number. It went to answer phone. I tried it again. And again. Then twice more.
‘Jess? Are you alright?’ Daniel asked suddenly, surprising me.
‘Oh! You answered.’
‘Yes!’ His voice sounded irritated. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘Nothing… I was just worried because I hadn’t heard from you, and Eva just hung up on me.’
‘I spoke to you on Wednesday,’ he said.
‘Yes, I know, but we usually talk every night when you’re away… I thought…’
‘Jess, I told you, I’m really busy. I’m sorry, I can’t explain now. I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?’
‘Sure… message me later?’
Daniel sighed.
‘We’re not teenagers, Jess. I’ll be home tomorrow. I’ll see you then.’
Well, actually I was a teenager and would be until someone or something turned me into a smoking vampire pyre, but I could see his point. After all, we had been together ten years. It still hurt though.
‘Jess? Are you okay?’ Brittany said, as she pushed open my bedroom door.
She walked in, squinting through the gloom. Her green eyes were twinkling, the exact colour of my own. Green eyes indicated hereditary witch blood passed down through the mother’s genes. My genetics had been completely unknown until I’d already been turned into a vampire, at which point my dark red chocolate-coloured eyes transformed and caused something of a stir amongst the vampire community, as well as the Council. It is illegal to turn a witch into a vampire - too much power, too much of a threat. The Council was the supernatural council. They ruled over us all, kept the peace and most importantly kept us a secret from the human population. They didn’t want to be dealing with powerful witches that had the strength of a vampire, the hearing, the vision, the ever-lasting life… and of course the appetite for blood! But as I had been made with no knowledge of my witch blood I was allowed to live, which is why I’d ended up working on boring council jobs for the past nine years.
I smiled at Brittany as she perched herself on the end of my bed.
‘You’re normally up by now. Why aren’t you feeding? You haven’t been out for the last four nights, have you?’
‘Now you sound like Eva,’ I complained. ‘It’s no biggy! I just didn’t feel like it… I thought Daniel might call me, and then I couldn’t be bothered.’
‘Was that him you were speaking to just now?’ she asked.
I nodded. ‘And Eva. Eva woke me up, demanding we get on with party prep,’ I said, smiling as Brittany’s face hardened. ‘But then when I asked if she had seen Daniel she went all weird and said she had another phone ringing… but there was no phone ringing. I’m a vampire, I would have heard it. She was brushing me off and she basically hung up on me.’
‘But then Daniel called you, right? Maybe he was with her?’
I shook my head.
‘I called his number and it kept going to answerphone. He picked up on the fourth… or fifth go.’
Brittany grinned. ‘You stalked him!’
‘No! You can’t stalk your partner,’ I said, glaring at her.
‘You can, and you did! How did that go down?’
My glare turned into a frown.
‘Not well. He acted weird too, and basically said I was acting like a teenager… which he knows is a sore point for me. Something is going on and they aren’t telling us what it is.’
‘Are they still coming tomorrow, because I’m not going to all this trouble if they’re too busy to turn up!’
‘Yes, they both said they would see us tomorrow. Eva said they would be here well before catering turns up at six. So I guess we should get the house sorted. Was that the wood being delivered this morning… sorry about that, I just couldn’t wake up,’ I said.
‘Yes, and it’s fine. That’s why it’s useful to have a human living with you. We don’t fall into a coma when we get hungry! Why don’t you nip out now and then we’ll sort the house out. I’ve asked Luke to come round later with Caoimhe to give us a hand, so it won’t take that long.’
I shook my head.
‘I’ll go out when the sun begins to set…’
‘Which thanks to your lie-in, is in about forty-five minutes,’ Brittany interrupted with a laugh.
‘Okay, fine. Let me get a shower, and then I want to have a look at the delivery. I really don’t want to bash a load of nail holes into Daniel’s walls, especially after his mood this morning,’ I said.
Brittany stood up and began to leave the room.
‘Oh Brit, what time is Luke arriving?’
‘Sixish, I think. We’re going to get pizza.’
I scrunched up my nose. I really needed to feed first, otherwise the food nausea would be doubly bad.
‘Is Jack coming?’ I asked, grinning.
She glared at me, her eyes betraying her amusement as she shook her head.
‘Nah! He’s not for me - too clingy,’ she said, as she left the room.
I drove to Exodus, Sebastian’s night club, half an hour later, feeling refreshed but slightly drained. The club wouldn’t be open for another six hours, but since it had become the most successful club in the city Sebastian had expanded into the old building next door and opened a trendy café bar. This opened from noon every day until late and always had a fresh supply of trendy twenty-somethings and the slightly more scorned vampire fan-club. Of course these were the human goths and alternative types, who unlike most human beings had a glitch in their brains that meant they remembered being fed from; they remembered the pleasure… and sometimes the pain, but they always came back for more. It was useful and annoying at the same time.
I parked up in Daniel’s reserved space and beeped the car lock as I left it, striding across the car park, crossing my fingers and chanting a charm to ensure there was a booth free. Sebastian catered for all tastes and the café-bar had been cleverly designed, mixing an ultra-modern, almost apocalyptic style with retro American diner. It sounded weird, but somehow it worked! The booths were the masterpiece of the entire development because each one had been spelled by Brittany and me, so that they worked as individual private bubbles. From the inside of each pod, which to the human eye looked like any old diner booth, the client could see out across the café, as if nothing was interrupting their view. They felt nothing as they walked through the spelled bubble. Yet those on the outside of the booth could only see what we wanted them to see, a clever mirage depicting those inside chatting, eating or drinking regular human food. If anyone tried to enter the bubble, having seen a friend for example, the spell would simply clear their thoughts and redirect them to the bar.
