BloodPledge

by Tima Maria Lacoba

I turned my gaze back to the ring and stared intently at the serpent’s eyes. Nothing happened – only Jake’s rapid breathing filled the confined space in the vehicle – until I brought up an image of Rasputin in my mind. The serpent’s eyes blazed to life and emitted a blinding beam that filled my vision with a burst of vivid scarlet.

  The men gasped and Jake called out.

  ‘No! Don’t do anything,’ I said. ‘Wait.’

  Cleansing. That was the only way to describe the light that filled my mind and blasted away Rasputin’s image. Seconds later, the beam died down and retreated into the serpent’s eyes. Golden daylight replaced scarlet.

  ‘Alec?’ I looked up to see Marcus staring at me, brow creased, lips a tight line.

  I nodded. ‘I’m okay.’

  ‘What did you feel?’ he asked.

  ‘Nothing; only light.’

  ‘So how do we know it’s worked?’ Cal asked. ‘It’s not like that injection against white-oak you gave us. We saw the proof of that in Dawson.’

  I described what had happened when I thought of Rasputin.

  ‘Do me next.’ Jake leaned forward in his seat.

  ‘No. Me,’ Marcus said. ‘I should take the risk before any of my men.’ He climbed back into the passenger seat and turned to face me. ‘Best done in here, just in case.’

  So far we’d been lucky, and the car park had remained empty. But any moment, someone might walk out and see something they shouldn’t.

  ‘Conjure an image of Rasputin in your mind.’ I raised the ring. Marcus focused on it. The serpent’s eyes flared briefly, and the same beam of light erupted before dying down again.

  ‘Deus!’ Marcus blinked and rubbed his eyes.

  ‘Okay, Alec. My turn.’ Jake focused his eyes on the ring.

  ‘You know what to do.’ I raised my hand to his eye level. ‘Think of that—’

  ‘I know, that son-of-a – Whoa!’ There was a flash and a bright, red glint.

  ‘Jake?’ I snapped my fingers in front if his eyes. He blinked.

  ‘Yeah, I’m fine,’ he answered. ‘It was like a laser beam – Rasputin’s image disintegrated.’

  ‘Okay, that’s good. I like that.’ Cal smiled. ‘S’pose it’s my turn now.’ He grasped the top of the vehicle and leaned in. ‘I’m ready. Go.’

  The scarlet light flared to life again.

  ‘Am I immune now?’ he asked when his eyes regained focus.

  ‘Let’s hope you don’t need to find out,’ I replied.

  Marcus pulled out his mobile phone. ‘Terentius and Sempronius need to be here.’ He whipped around to face the front as he made the call. Only Marcus still referred to his men using their Roman names. Everyone else had stopped doing so long before.

  ‘I want to extend our odds and take six houses instead of four,’ Jake suggested. ‘It’ll give us a better chance of catching them.’

  ‘Agreed, although they’ll sense our presence,’ Cal said.

  ‘Yours yes, mine no, because of the ring. We can use that to our advantage to herd them toward The Residence and execute them there.’

  A grim smile lit Cal’s face. ‘Or hand them over to Terens and Sam.’

  I had no doubt those two would derive pleasure from exacting as much pain on their enemies as the night hours would allow before ending their lives, but I couldn’t condone it. Although the Rebels deserved to die, torture was repugnant to me.

  ‘They’re on their way.’ Marcus turned back to face us. ‘Sam’s particularly interested.’

  I could understand why he would be. Jake lifted the back seat and pulled out several dark coats and swords. Marcus raised an eyebrow. ‘One for me in there?’

  ‘I always carry spares.’

  Marcus smiled and took the one Jake held out.

  We discussed the logistics of lying in wait for the Rebels when I sensed Sam and Terens arrived in Terens’s Porsche.

  ‘What’s this about the ring blocking Timur’s pet snake,’ Sam asked as he leapt from the vehicle.

  Chapter 30 - How To Explain A Death

  LAURA

  Matt closed the door and took a step back into the room, his eyes glacial. I’m sure the temperature around him dropped.

  I swallowed, unsure where to begin, or even how to begin telling him about Jean-Philippe and what he tried to do to me.

  Matt waited.

  ‘The man you’re looking for is dead.’

  His eyes narrowed. ‘How do you know?’

  ‘I saw it happen.’ Every muscle in my body tensed.

  For the longest second I’d ever experienced, Matt watched me, face utterly blank before he said, ‘I want to know everything you saw, and be careful how you tell me. I may be off duty but I’m still obliged to report anything suspicious. You understand me, Laura?’

  I nodded and buried my shaking hands inside my pockets. This side of Matt frightened me. Would he be “obliged” to arrest me if I didn’t report it?

  He sat back down on the sofa, leaned forward and clasped his hands in front of him; his mouth a tight line as he stared at me.

  I perched on the edge of my seat and rehearsed the words I had to say to convince him that Alec had had no other choice but to kill him – Jean-Philippe had been deranged.

  ‘His real name is Jean-Philippe Reynard. He tried to rape and kill me.’ My hands began to shake.

  Matt’s eyes widened and his fists clenched. ‘When was this?’

  ‘Several days ago; at Alec’s place. He climbed up the outside of the building, crashed through the window and grabbed me after stabbing Alec. He said killing me was the only way he could be free, but first he wanted to rape me; said I’d enjoy it if I didn’t struggle.’

  Matt swore and appeared to be about to say something.

  ‘No, let me finish, Matt.’

  He nodded, breathing hard.

  ‘He nearly succeeded – I hadn’t the strength to fight him. Alec somehow managed to pull the stake from his chest, drag him off me, and stab Jean-Philippe with it. Luc and the other men arrived at the same time, but he was dead. They took his body away. I don’t know what they did with it.’

  That was the truth and Matt knew it – I didn’t hiccup once.

  Matt’s gaze never left my face, and for a fraction of a second his eyes softened as he looked at me. ‘You okay?’

  I shrugged. ‘I suppose. Alec made me talk about it, to let it out. He was there for me, even though he was hurt and nearly killed, too.’

  Matt dropped his head into hands, ran them through his hair then rose and paced the floor. ‘Why did the stake—’ he looked at me. ‘I assume it was wooden?’ I nodded. ‘Why did it kill Jean-Philippe and not Munro?’

  ‘My blood. It saved him.’

  Matt frowned and his gaze slid from my face to somewhere behind me, out the window. I knew that look – he was working something out. ‘Why did this Jean-Philippe want to kill you?’

  ‘We knew each other a long time ago.’ I related the story of our first meeting in Italy. ‘He thought we could rekindle it, and when I refused....’

  ‘You were only a kid then.’ His eyes blazed as he focused on me again.

  ‘He didn’t see it that way.’

  ‘And you never saw him after that?’

  I shook my head. ‘Only at the Ritual. From a distance, I didn’t realise it was him. Italy happened so long ago.’

  ‘He didn’t approach you?’

  This is Matt, the Detective, and I’m on the other side of the metaphorical interrogation table. It was what I feared. ‘Wasn’t allowed to, he told me. Luc forbade him.’

  ‘Because he was your half-brother?’

  ‘Maybe, but we didn’t know that then. Neither did Luc. Alec did the DNA test.’

  ‘How convenient.’

  I stood up. ‘What do you mean by that? The test results arrived on Luc’s fax and Alec passed it to him. It wasn’t rigged, if that’s what you think.’

  His eyes narrowed. ‘He could’ve told the lab to skew the result.�
��

  ‘Why? So I wouldn’t go with Jean-Philippe? That’s ridiculous. Even if the results were otherwise, I would’ve still chosen Alec.’

  Matt reared back like I’d slapped him in the face.

  ‘I’m sorry I didn’t mean it to sound—’

  ‘Leave it.’ His expression hardened again.

  I sat back down and decided to fill him in a bit more about Jean-Philippe. ‘He had a studio in Luc’s house, walls covered in photos he’d taken of me. He’d been stalking me all these years.’ I recalled the unease, even fear, I’d experienced as he proudly showed them off. I’d been his obsession.

  Matt stood behind the sofa, his fists white where they clutched the top of the soft leather. ‘Lebrettan?’ His voice was strained.

  ‘He didn’t know. No one knew.’

  Matt was silent a while, then he said, ‘You’ve put me in a difficult position.’

  I stood and came over to him. ‘I told you only because you promised not to tell anyone.’

  ‘I made no such promise.’

  ‘You did. It was implied. You know that.’

  Matt lowered his head and tucked his hands into his pockets. I could only guess what he was thinking and hoped it had nothing to do with an arrest.

  ‘I want to protect you, Laura but....’

  ‘Protect me? I’ve done nothing wrong. Except not allow myself to get raped and murdered.’

  ‘You should have gone to the police.’

  I waved my arms in the air. ‘And say what? That a vampire tried to kill me, and another vampire killed him instead, and the body’s probably turned to ash? Is that what I should do?’

  He swore and pointed to the newspaper. ‘That can’t be explained away. If it hadn’t found its way into the papers, no one would be any the wiser, and I couldn’t have cared less. Actually, I’m kind of glad there’s one less vampire in the world. But people know his name, Laura, and it’s associated with yours. There’ll be questions.’

  ‘Which you can deflect because you know the truth.’

  Matt spun away from me and faced the windows on the other side of the room. ‘I don’t think I can.’

  ‘Why not? It’s not like I’m asking you to cover up a murder.’ I moved to stand in front of him as a horrid thought occurred to me. ‘Look at me, Matt,’ I said when he continued to stare at the view behind me, his expression stone hard. Slowly his gaze drifted to me. ‘What if I had told you it’d been Judy who’d killed Jean-Philippe rather than Alec?’

  He frowned. ‘It’d make no difference. I’d still want to take her in for questioning.’

  ‘But you’re not dealing with humans, here. Your rules don’t apply; they simply don’t work. Matt, please.’ I placed my hand on his chest, almost imploringly.

  He looked at my hand resting on his chest, and for a moment, his eyes softened. I felt his heartbeat beneath my palm before removing my hand. He still loved me but I could never use that to my advantage. Ever.

  ‘Sorry, I....’ My heart stopped as I realised the serpent’s eyes were black. How long had they been that way? I was about to cry out to Luc when they slowly returned to their normal blood red. Alec! It must be Alec. It can’t mean I’m in danger, otherwise Luc’d be here in a shot. But whatever danger it was must be gone because the eyes are red now. No danger. Breathe Laura.

  ‘What’s wrong, Laura? You’ve gone white as death.’

  ‘Nothing. Sorry.’ I walked to the window and looked out, trying to rid myself of the nauseating wave that had swept over me. It was late afternoon, and the yacht’s dark silhouette floated out over the water. Alec, be safe. My heart leapt at the thought of him. ‘You should go,’ I said to Matt.

  Silence behind me. Then, ‘You’re going through with it – having his kid?’

  I spun around to face him. ‘Our child. You know the stipulations of the curse. It’s the only way to end it and free my family.’

  ‘What then? Stay with him?’

  ‘I love him.’

  Matt’s jaw twitched. ‘Relay a message for me. I said I’d come after him if we found another drained body. In the last few days there’ve been so many.’ His expression darkened.

  My stomach hollowed out. ‘You can’t do that! Alec’s the only one who can stop them. His men are out there right now tracking them down.’ I pointed out the window. It’s Rasputin, my inner voice screamed. Doesn’t he know?’

  ‘He’s lost control. More and more bodies are turning up.’ He angled his head and looked at me through narrowed eyes. ‘What do you mean right now? In the daylight?’

  Crap. I bit my lip and nodded. ‘Ingenii blood. From Judith,’ I quickly added when Matt’s nostrils flared. ‘A present from Luc; once a year.’

  ‘Now they’re out during the day.’ He swore again, raised his arms and let them drop to his side.

  ‘It’s the only way they can find and get rid of them. Don’t worry; it only lasts a couple of days.’

  ‘How many more are going to die before they do? Dave’s already mentioned the media’s sniffing around, sensing we’re covering something up. The victims’ families have been asked not to go on social media, but it’s all over it.’

  ‘You’re supposed to be on sick leave.’

  He glared. ‘Didn’t you hear what I said, Laura? People are dying!’ He paused, then said, ‘I’m bringing Munro in.’

  ‘How do you propose to do that?’ The low, chill tone of Luc’s voice signalled danger. He must have been listening from the galley.

  Matt’s neck muscles tensed as he turned to face Luc. ‘Not even you can stop the police, Lebrettan.’

  My father strode to the bar. ‘No, but I have powerful friends. I’m sure you don’t need me to explain,’ he said meaningfully as he poured himself a brandy.

  I wondered if some of them were donsangs. Anything was possible.

  Matt stood there for a moment, lips a tight line, eyes cold as a glacier. ‘I understand, all right. You get Munro off on a technicality and I’m the one reprimanded, maybe even demoted and shunted off to some outback town where I can’t do any damage. Is that how it works?’

  ‘I’m glad you understand,’ Luc answered.

  I glared at Matt and clasped my hands behind my back to stop myself from slapping him. ‘Alec is no criminal, how dare you.’

  ‘Alive but compromised. Is that it?’ His gaze was glued on Luc. Had he even heard me?

  ‘I believe you have it,’ Luc answered and calmly downed his brandy.

  ‘You manipulate everything and everyone around you,’ he glanced at me, ‘even your own daughter.’

  ‘Matt!’

  Luc stepped out from behind the bar, eyes narrowed. ‘Be careful what you say, Detective Inspector. Everything I do is to safeguard my family. Be thankful you’ve never been in a position where you’ve had to compromise and make hard decisions to protect the ones you love.’

  Matt swallowed as Luc bared his fangs, but just as quickly, he retracted them.

  ‘Show me this newspaper,’ he growled.

  Matt stepped back as Luc picked the newspaper from the table. A sad expression flitted across his face as – I guessed – he gazed at the picture of Jean-Philippe. ‘My daughter spoke the truth. Alec saved her life, and I will not allow you to arrest him.’ Luc raised his head from the paper and gazed dangerously at Matt.

  ‘I don’t doubt her, nor you—’

  ‘Yet you come here and threaten?’ Luc’s eyes lightened.

  Oh crap.

  Matt paled.

  ‘You think I would let you jeopardise everything I’ve worked for all these centuries?’

  In the fraction of a second it took to blink, Matt ended up unconscious on the floor, Luc standing over him.

  My heart jumped sickeningly. ‘Is he...?’

  ‘No, ma petite, he’s not dead. I only pressed a nerve to knock him out until I decide what to do with him.’ He picked Matt up, tossed him over his shoulder and headed for the stairs leading down to the cabins.

  �
�Please don’t kill him.’

  ‘I have no intention of doing so. I know it would hurt you.’

  ‘Couldn’t you have mesmerised him?’ I traipsed after him, visions of police raids, arrests and years of imprisonment parading through my mind.

  ‘It’s not healthy to use that too often on a human, especially by different Brethren, so I dare not. On the weaker minded, it could lead to brain damage. And this one,’ he swatted Matt’s rear end, ‘has experienced it twice. Only Alec can do it to him again safely.’

  Luc opened one of the cabin doors nearest the corridor and dumped Matt’s body on the queen-sized bed, located his mobile phone and pocketed it.

  ‘Is he okay?’ I asked.

  He stared at Matt intently for a few seconds. ‘Heartbeat’s fine, but he’ll have a headache and nausea when he wakes. It’ll keep him in bed for the next hour or so.’

  I smoothed the hair from Matt’s forehead. ‘I’m so sorry, Matt.’ I doubt he heard me.

  Luc secured the porthole. ‘Now he won’t get out.’

  ‘How long before he wakes up?’

  ‘Few minutes. Come.’ Luc took my hand, led me from the room and locked the door. ‘You’re not to worry, ma petit. He’s in a comfortable room and in no danger. I’ll sort this out.’

  He sounded so confident, yet a tiny niggle at the back of my mind told me things are never that straight forward. Matt was stubborn; I’d been with him long enough to know. Although I hated the idea, perhaps mesmerisation was the only answer. At least he would be alive. But now, we had the missing persons article to worry about.

  ‘What if Jean’s disappearance comes to the police?’

  Luc rubbed his chin. ‘It may not. So let’s not think on it.’ He smiled and placed his hand on my shoulder. ‘Your friend, Jenny, is in the Jacuzzi. Why not join her?’

  Jen! What would she say if she found out my father was holding my police detective ex-boyfriend prisoner in one of the guest cabins? I closed my eyes and groaned. ‘What am I going to tell her? She’ll freak!’

  ‘Then don’t.’ He said it so calmly, as if it was no great matter.

  I gazed at him open mouthed. ‘And when Matt starts yelling and banging on the door?’ I could so picture it.

  Luc grinned. ‘Don’t worry, he won’t wake the dead. Kari’s not due to rise for another few hours.’