by Niranjan K
Eve walked purposefully across the street. She still wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing. Would Ray even want her to do this? She didn't want to overthink this. It was enough that she had failed her brother once. She was not going to do that again. In her quest for revenge, she had forgotten that she had living siblings who needed her. Not any longer. This was for Ray.
The hotel lobby was dark after the bright sunlight outside, and Eve hesitated for just a moment before moving towards the reception. The young man gave her a smile. “Can I help you?”
“I've an appointment with Mr. Alistair Graham?” she said, giving him a nervous smile and exaggerating her fake accent. “About a job?”
“He's our manager.” the young man said. “He's not in, yet. You can wait in his office.”
“Thank you.” she said, still maintaining the facade. “I'm sorry about the trouble. I didn't want to be late, and I'm too early, aren't I?”
“No, you're not.” he said, beckoning one of the bell boys, who ambled up to them. “Mr. Graham is late today.” He turned to the bell boy. “Show the young lady to Mr. Graham's office.”
She thanked him once again before following the bell boy past the reception desk on to a corridor that was hidden from the main lobby and into a room at its beginning.
“You can wait here.” the bell boy told her as he turned on the lights.
She nodded, thanking him and sinking into one of the comfortable couches against the wall. The room was large with a square desk with a chair behind and two straight chairs facing it dominating attention. The two couches against the wall, a bookshelf at right angles to the desk and the carpet on the floor completed the furniture. There were no windows. The room was dimly lit even with all the lights.
Eve could feel her heart hammering despite the ease with which she had accomplished her task. Alistair hadn't been easy to find, and even after finding out his alias and where he worked, she had not been able to find where he lived. Probably, his commute to and from work was by unorthodox methods, which would explain why she had not been able to tail him. All she had to do now was to wait. She had not bothered to disguise herself. There was no disguise that could fool Alistair. He knew her too well. She would have preferred not to confront him at work. There were way too many cameras everywhere. That was something she hadn't accounted for.
Sloppy.
The door opened and Alistair entered the room, quiet and quick. She rose to her feet, her hand gripping her gun.
“Ryan told me you were waiting, but I don't remember any appointments.” he said before his eyes widened and recognition dawned in them.
Before he could speak her name, she shot him. The bullets were wood, and coated in rose water. It would prevent him from healing and would incapacitate him. But he moved faster than she had ever seen anyone, and the gun was plucked out of her hand, the bullets hitting the wall opposite. She jumped to a side, her legs sweeping his from under even as she drew the stake concealed in her jacket. He moved to a side, his hand gripping her wrist and the other one around her neck. She couldn't breathe and she stared at his face, trying to pry his hand loose with her free hand. Her other hand opened as his grip on her wrist tightened and the stake clattered to the floor. Her vision started to blur around the edges, and she kicked out in desperation, but her legs seemed made out of lead. His eyes bored into her and she could feel her will weakening. Her hand dropped to a side just before her vision went black.
He dropped her on to the floor and sensation returned. She gasped in lungsful of air, staying on her hands and knees. Nausea churned in her gut and she bit it back, clamping her lips tight.
“I expected better.” he said, his voice sounding as if coming from far away. “I thought you were a Haspel.”
The insult stung, but she had no breath to answer him. She flexed her wrist, grateful to realise it was only bruised. He could easily have broken it. She struggled to her feet, the world tilting dangerously as she regained her footing.
She leaned against the wall, and said, “I think I'm going to be sick.” Her voice rasped and it hurt to speak, and before she could understand what was happening, she was inside a bathroom.
“I'll be outside.” Alistair said and left.
Eve heaved into the toilet bowl, vomiting till there was nothing left, and she still kept retching. She could feel the wetness dripping down her face, and down the end of her nose and she made no attempt to stop it. What a fool she had been! Alistair wasn't a normal vampire. He was one of the oldest, and among the most powerful. Did she really think she could take him?
I'm sorry, Ray.
Ray would wait for her at the airport, and would ring her, and might come looking for her. Or he might head home, thinking she had changed her plans. Would he find her? Would her family ever know what happened to her? Alistair was probably not going to let her live, and he would be within his rights.
“Oh god.” she whispered.
She had broken the treaty. Whatever her reasons, she had attacked Alistair without provocation. Had she been successful, it wouldn't have mattered, but she had failed. If Alistair chose to go after her family... Even if he didn't, he could kill her or hand her over to the Vampire Council and have them make an example of her. Tears started to her eyes again. How disappointed Mom would be! And Dad was in the hospital. How would he feel? And Dan and Anton, and Ray who would probably blame himself.
She lifted herself onto shaky legs. She washed her face and rinsed her mouth. With trembling hands, she brushed her hair and tied it back. Her face looked pale and her eyes were huge in her reflection. Nothing she could do about it now. There was no way of leaving the bathroom except through the door, and there were no weapons she could use against him. She drew a few deep breaths, but her heart wouldn't slow down. She forced her unsteady legs to carry her to the door and through it.
“Sit down, Eve.” Alistair said, his tone and his expression cold and forbidding.
Chapter Four
Alistair wasn't really sure how to interpret what had happened in the last hour. Eve looked frightened as she sat in front of him. He stared at her, debating what to do. If this got out, it was going to be trouble for the Haspels, all of them, including Ray. But how could he just let this go?
“Are you going to explain?” he asked, not expecting an answer. She shook her head, confirming his expectations. He sighed. “What do I do with you, Eve?” he murmured, feeling weary all of a sudden.
How could he harm her when he had watched her grow up, and had seen her suffer through everything that life had thrown at her? And yet, he had to know what prompted this attack. She lifted her head to stare at him, surprise and confusion clear in her expression.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“How long have you known me, Eve?” he asked instead.
She drew a deep breath, and looked away from him. “All my life,” she whispered finally, her voice so low as to be inaudible, except to his vampiric ears.
“And I've watched you grow up.” He pulled a chair close to hers and sat down facing her. “Why, Eve? Have you any idea what is going to happen if this gets out?”
She looked at him again, the sheen of tears in her eyes. “I had to.” she said at last. “For Ray.”
It was perhaps the last thing he had expected, but if he had any sense at all, he should have. “Eve,” he said quietly. “Ray is human again. This vendetta serves no one.”
“Yet, you took him!” There was grief and bitterness in her voice. “We... We couldn't protect him!”
“Ray came to me.” he said. She knew all this, didn't she? Why was he explaining himself to her? Even her father had accepted that Alistair hadn't done anything to violate the terms of the treaty. “He wanted to be a vampire.” he said, the lie slipping out so easily now. It wasn't completely a lie because that part of it was true, but it wasn't the whole truth either.
“He was sixteen!” Her gaze and voice were full of rage, despite her eyes still shining with tears a
nd her voice little more than a hoarse whisper. He could see the bruises on her neck, and couldn't help feel slightly guilty. “Sixteen, and you... God! Alistair, you know damn well you shouldn't have done it!”
“I'm a vampire.” He reminded her. “Don't expect me to behave as a human would have.”
He could have told her the truth, of course, but he didn't want to. It was for Ray to tell his family, if he chose to. He wouldn't betray his secret. Not even if it cost him his friendship with the Haspels. He ignored the pang the thought gave him. Wasn't that why he had run? The Haspels meant more to him than anyone realised, and to know he had irreparably damaged that relationship was more than he was ready to face. He could blame Ray, but she was right. He had been sixteen.
I made amends. Why do they behave as if everything's my fault?
She sniffled. “What are you going to do to me?” she asked.
He handed her a handkerchief and waited till she had dabbed her eyes and blown her nose before replying, “Let you go. Just promise me you won't try anything like this again.”
“And if I don't?” The defiance he knew was rearing its head.
He hardened his heart. “I'll have to tell your mother.”
Her eyes widened, dismay clear in them. “You wouldn't!”
“I certainly would.” he said. “Look, I get you're angry with me for turning your brother, but that was a long time ago. You have him back; you've had him back for twelve years now, so just let it go, all right? Is it worth breaking the treaty?”
“You don't understand.” she whispered.
“I do.” he said, suppressing an eye roll. He might not be human, but he had lived amongst then long enough. “You feel guilty. You feel like you should have been there for Ray. You think he came to me because he had nowhere else to go, no one else who understood him.”
Her eyes were still wide, but with surprise this time. “How do you-” She paused and rubbed her forehead. “You make me feel like a child.” she said at last.
“That wasn't my intention.” he said. “I know you won't believe me, but you're not responsible for Ray's choices. Perhaps you were preoccupied, but if he had approached you, would you have rebuffed him?”
She had a strange expression on her face as she stared at him, suspicion and something he could not decipher. She shook her head slowly. “No,” she said. “Of course not. But... but I did make him feel like he couldn't come to me... that I had no time for him...”
“Did Ray ever tell you that?”
She shook her head again.
“So, you're just assuming,” he said. “Let it go, Eve. Ray made his decision. And it's all moot anyway.”
“Is it?” She stared at him, anger in her gaze. “You still have the bond with Ray.”
“For better or worse, he was my fledgling once.” Alistair said. “I can't help the formation of the bond.”
“He's no longer your fledgling! Nor does he need your protection! It is there now because you choose it to be there. You could have broken it when he became human again!”
“Strange,” he murmured, thinking of Magnus' visit the previous day. “You're the second person in as many days to demand that I break the bond with Ray.”
“But you will not do it.” she sounded tired.
“I told Magnus and I'm telling you, Eve that I'll break the bond when and only when Ray asks me in person.” That was only fair, wasn't it? Wasn't he owed that much? Ray could bloody well ask him if he wanted.
“I guess that's fair,” she said after a moment glaring at him. She shuffled in her seat a bit. “Can I leave?”
“I haven't tied you to the chair.” he said, this time rolling his eyes. How many times did he need to spell it out? She rose, but her legs wobbled and he steadied her. “Perhaps you should see a doctor.”
“I'm fine, it's just... everything has been... I don't know, it's been rather intense.”
“If you're certain.” he said, letting her go.
She nodded. “You won't tell Mom, will you? Dad's just had a heart attack and-”
“What?” He was startled. Ned had a heart attack? “How is he? And why are you here instead of going to him?”
“It's early days yet.” she said. “And I'm going to him, I've an evening flight.”
“What aren't you telling me?” His eyes bored into hers. He rarely used his powers on humans, but he was no novice, and even a mind as strong as hers wasn't immune from him.
“Ray is coming as well. I'm meeting him at the airport here.” she said, before his eyes let her go and she gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth.
“Are you afraid I may harm him?” The idea was laughable. “I'm not as irresponsible as that, Eve. I won't break the treaty.”
She looked as if she would tear him a new one, but she swallowed whatever it was she wanted to say and walked out of the room, her gait still not quite steady. He made no move to stop her. She was an adult. She could take care of herself, and she had made it quite clear that his help wasn't wanted or welcome.
Why couldn't he let the bloody Haspels go?
Chapter Five
Ray checked his watch, feeling slightly impatient. It wasn’t like Eve to be late. He shifted from one foot to the other, stretched and yawned. It had been a long flight from Miriwok to Bahter, and he was exhausted. Would he able to get some sleep in the flight? It was an overnight flight, so perhaps.
“Sorry I’m late.” Eve’s voice startled him. “I got held up.”
He felt something within him relax and a smile stretched his mouth. “You look like shit,” he said, enveloping her in a hug. She might be older than him, but she was small, taking after their father’s side of the family.
“Good to see you too.” she said, hugging him back so hard it hurt. He had forgotten how strong she was in spite of her stature.
“Are you crying?” That surprised him. Eve had always been so tough, even when they had lost Shane.
Don't go there!
“Hey, what is it?” he asked, worried now as she hid her face on his chest, her shoulders shaking.
“I was so stupid.” she whispered, sniffling. “Promise me you won’t be mad.”
“How can I ever be mad at my favourite sister?”
She chuckled, even through her sniffles. “I’m your only sister, you asshole.”
“And my favourite as well.” he said.
She pushed herself away from him, her gaze on his face, searching and keen even through the tears.
“What is it, Eve?”
She shook her head. “It’s just… seeing you after all this time, and Dad and...” she sighed. “I haven’t been home in a while.”
He knew that wasn’t it, but he didn’t want to push her. God knew he had his own secrets. Everyone was entitled to their own, and if Eve wanted to tell him, she would. All he could do was play along.
“So, I understood from Anton.” he said, as he put an arm around her shoulder and hefted his bag in his other hand. “Where’s your luggage?”
“I sent it on ahead.” she said. “You’re not planning on staying long, are you?”
He didn’t ask her how she knew. It wasn’t a difficult guess, easily deduced from the size of his luggage.
They walked towards the boarding area, his hand still around her shoulder. It felt so good to have her there. Ray had not realised how much he had missed her, just as he did the rest of his family, and yet he had run halfway across the globe. Admittedly, he wasn’t thinking too straight, what with realising that the bond with Alistair still existed and also that his feelings for the vampire had undergone no change. There was also the way everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells around him, as if they no longer knew what to do with him.
An involuntary sigh escaped his lips and she asked, “Are you all right?”
“I don’t know,” he said, deciding to be honest. “I missed you, all of you. I should have come home earlier.”
“Then don’t go back.” she said. “Stay. We missed you to
o.”
He wanted to, so desperately. But the images in the photographs that Magnus had shown him came to his mind. “I can’t,” he said. “I need to find that rogue vampire.”
Had Magnus contacted Alistair yet? Did he agree to breaking the bond?
“You know, perhaps you can ask someone else to do it. You can’t be the only vampire hunter in Miriwok.”
“Still the only Haspel in Miriwok.” he smiled at her. “Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.”
She looked troubled, and he could guess why. Of course. It was part of why he had left too. The way his family behaved around him. None of them blamed him, even though they all knew it was his fault, but they did behave as if he needed to be protected.
From myself.
He couldn’t blame them, not completely, but he had got tired of it. How many years would it take for them to trust him? How many years would it need for them to lose that troubled look whenever he went hunting?
Eve said softly, as if guessing his thoughts, “I wasn’t questioning your competence.”
“Only my trustworthiness.” he said, releasing her.
“Ray...”
“How many years, Eve?” He couldn’t help the bitterness in his voice. “How many years before I must stop paying for my mistake? How many years before you can all treat me like a fucking adult? It’s like you think I’m some kind of an addict who shall go back to being a vampire if I spend too much time with them, even if I’m hunting them?”
“Ray, it’s not-” She stopped and sighed. “It’s not that. We lost Shane, and then we almost lost you. It’s not lack of trust, Ray, it’s concern… I… We didn’t know it was making you this uncomfortable…”
“Stop humouring me.” he said, allowing his weariness to show.
“I’m not!” She looked angry. “Besides, it wasn’t even your fault! If anyone is to blame, it is only Alistair!”
It wasn’t. Surely she knew it? “You know that isn’t true.” he said softly. “I was the one who went to Alistair, who wanted to become a vampire. It was all me.”
