Dire Straits

by Helen Harper

  The basement area is quite large and it takes me a while to find the row containing my group’s boxes. I trail my fingers along the edge of the shelves, brushing them against the different names. Nell Mickleson. Matthew Baldwick. Peter Allen. Nicola Temerlaine. Finally, I reach my own name and stand for a moment, staring at the pitiful container of my human life. I remind myself that I’ll be Sanguine – and more human than vampire – in a couple of days, then pull off the lid.

  My clothes have been laundered and neatly folded. I glance down at my regulation jumpsuit then back at my trusty leather jacket. It takes me half a second to decide to pull it out and shrug it on. The familiar touch of it against my body, along with the unmistakeable smell, instantly makes me feel better. I’m not leaving this inside any damn cardboard box. If Beth can get away with her stilettos, then I can wear my own sodding jacket.

  I dig inside the pocket, hoping that Ria and Ursus put Peter’s little cross back in the same place where they found it. The last thing I want is to confront them to find out what they’ve done with it. As soon as my fingers connect with the chain, I exhale in relief.

  I pull it out and hold it up to the flickering, buzzing light. It’s a fragile thing. I hope that it helps Peter and provides some kind of physical sustenance for him. I drop the cross carefully back into my pocket and turn round to leave. As I do, I catch the faintest edge of familiar scent. I sniff more deeply then swallow hard while my stomach flips. The sweet, fragrant smell of rosewater may be weak but it’s definitely there. And I could swear it’s the same smell that I identified back in the Wiltshore Avenue house.

  I shuffle to my left, bending down and inhaling deeply. I’m barely more than a foot along when it’s no longer detectable so I move back to my right, past my own box and beyond. By the time I reach Matt’s section, it’s starting to disappear again. I stay completely still and swivel my eyes back to the left. Matthew. Peter. Nicky. Me. I look at Peter’s box, then Nicky’s box. In Beth’s words, smegging hell.

  My gut tightens and I hear the rush of blood in my ears. I unfreeze my muscles and carefully removing the lid of Peter’s box. I duck down and smell. There’s aftershave and male musk clinging to the clothes and the other belongings inside but there’s nothing to suggest roses.

  I return the lid to its original position and move to Nicky’s box. I take a deep breath and flip it open. Immediately the strong smell assails my nostrils and I pull back, clasping my hand over my mouth and staring in horror. I know I’ve made a lot of wrong assumptions since I arrived in the Montserrat fold. And it’s only a smell. I’m sure lots of people use rosewater as a scent. Am I leaping to more ridiculous conclusions? My mind whirls through what I know of her. She was in a wheelchair as a result of a brutal attack that killed her parents. She’s young and seemingly fragile. She doesn’t appear to be the kind of person who would fit the profile of a genocidal maniac. And yet … I think about the way she reacted around Peter. She explained her distaste of him by claiming he reminded her of someone who attacked her. Maybe it’s simpler than that: maybe she doesn’t like him because he’s male and not under the effects of a passivity spell. She appears to have been unaffected by bloodlust too. I can’t see how she’d be linked to someone like Boris though. Regardless, I need to talk to her and I need to talk her now.

  I’d like to be able to say that I immediately spring into action. Unfortunately, it’s more of a slow walk. I don’t bother turning off the basement light. Yes, I’m aware it’s not good for the environment but the potential to fall flat on my face if I climb back up in pitch darkness is too great. I heave myself upwards, eventually making it back into the silent kitchen. I force my trembling limbs to keep moving. With any luck, I’ll find Nicky in one of the ground-floor meeting rooms so I won’t need to clamber up any more stairs.

  Unfortunately Lady Luck remains elusive. Nicky’s not there. When I peer into one room, I catch sight of Ria whose eyes narrow in my direction. I can’t worry about her right now; Nicky is my priority. Slowly, painfully, I make it to the main staircase just in time to see Beth tripping down.

  ‘Hey! How’re things?’ Considering she has now turned into a full vampire by drinking blood, she has a remarkably healthy demeanour. I can’t help feeling irritated, even though I’m relieved to bump into her.

  ‘I need to find Nicky.’

  Beth looks at me seriously. ‘Is this something to do with all this traitor business?’

  ‘Please, Beth. I don’t have much energy and it’s imperative that I speak to her now. Could you find her for me? Quickly?’

  ‘These shoes aren’t really designed for rushing around in,’ she comments, although she gives me a reassuring grin and heads back upstairs.

  I sit on the bottom stair and rest my head against the banister. I can’t shake the dizziness. I must have dozed off because, within what feels like the blink of an eye, Beth is back by my side. ‘I can’t find her.’

  I pull myself together, trying to ignore a trickle of alarm. ‘Her room?’

  ‘It’s empty. She’s not in the social area or the bathroom. No one has seen her for a couple of hours.’

  ‘She’s got to be somewhere.’

  Beth shrugs. ‘I have no idea where.’

  I try to think. ‘How about the garden?’

  ‘It’s pretty much the only place left.’

  I straighten up. I waver slightly and Beth grabs my arm, alarmed. ‘You stay here,’ she says. ‘I’ll check outside.’

  ‘I’ll come with you.’

  ‘Bo, you can barely smegging walk.’

  ‘I said,’ I repeat through gritted teeth, ‘I will come with you.’

  Beth chews her lip. ‘Fine.’ She hooks her arm through mine. ‘Just don’t collapse on me, alright?’

  I force a smile. ‘Alright.’

  It’s already close to midnight and, after my encounter with Ursus and Ria, there’s now a sinister edge to the garden that I’d not felt before. At least with Beth by my side, that pair will think twice before confronting me. The air feels heavy and oppressive, as if a storm is brewing. The clear skies are now obscured with cloud. Even the bright moon is barely visible.

  Beth opens her mouth to call out for Nicky but I hush her. ‘Just in case,’ I mutter.

  She raises her eyebrows as if to ask in case of what but, probably aware that I won’t give her a satisfactory answer, helps me onto the grass next to the path instead.

  ‘Gravel can be noisy.’

  I smile, pleased she’s taking me seriously. We make our way around the entire area. It appears that the garden is empty.

  ‘She’s not here,’ Beth comments.

  I shake my head. Something’s not right. ‘Let’s go round one more time.’

  We start again. The trees and bushes cast lengthy shadows and there’s the occasional skitter from an urban-dwelling animal. Everything else seems quiet. I pause when we reach the section of the garden where we clawed our way through to make our escape to the nightclub. ‘Are those guards still around?’

  ‘Of course. I don’t think Lord Montserrat has recovered from our little trip beyond the walls.’

  I frown. If there are guards on duty to prevent recruits from misbehaving, then why wouldn’t they have intervened when Ria and Ursus attacked me? None of us were quiet and vampires are supposed to have exceptional hearing: they couldn’t have missed that altercation. Beth’s eyes reflect my thoughts: if there are guards posted in the garden then where in the hell are they?

  I tug Beth over to the gap in the bushes leading to the spot where, days earlier, we climbed the tree to escape. It’s more difficult getting through the bushy flora this time around. She hisses from behind me, ‘You better not be thinking about getting over that wall again.’

  That’s the last thing I’m thinking about when I look up at the familiar tree. Beth moves up beside me and draws in a swift breath when she sees what I’m looking at. ‘Smeg.’

  There are two of them. Their faces, despite the bulging p
allor of death, are recognisable: they are presumably the poor guards who were on duty. No wonder they didn’t intervene when Ria and Ursus attacked me. Their bodies are slumped against the tree trunk, each one with frozen fingers clutched around a stake. Except the stakes they are holding have been violently thrust into the other’s body, not their own.

  Beth recoils. ‘It’s as if they simultaneously murdered each other,’ she whispers. ‘It doesn’t make any sense.’

  I stare at them. It does make sense if you’re so passive that you’ll take any suggestion given to you. I crouch down and examine them carefully. Their bodies are cold and stiff; they’ve clearly already been here for a couple of hours.

  ‘How does someone break into the Montserrat stronghold and kill two vampires without anyone noticing?’ Beth breathes.

  ‘Because she wasn’t breaking in,’ I tell her. ‘She was breaking out.’

  ***

  The discovery of the corpses has given me an adrenaline boost. I drag my body back out of the undergrowth and break into a run back to the mansion. Beth stays with me, even though I’m aware she could far outstrip my efforts.

  Inside, I head straight for the meeting room. Ria’s still there and I stride up to her. ‘Where’s Lord Montserrat?’ I yell.

  She snarls, ‘What’s it to you, recruit?’

  Others begin to rise, alarmed at our aggression. I ignore them and lean towards her. ‘Where. The. Fuck. Is. He?’

  Before Ria can say anything, Beth interjects. ‘There are two dead vampires in the garden.’

  The mood in the room changes abruptly. I keep my gaze fixed on Ria. ‘You need to tell me where he is. You said he was meeting the other Family Heads.’

  Her face is pale and she nods. ‘You don’t think…’

  ‘I do think. Unless someone has seen Nicky in the past few hours, then I goddamn well do think.’

  I’m met with astonishment.

  ‘The crippled recruit?’

  ‘She’s not in a wheelchair any more,’ I say grimly. The time for obfuscation is over. Lord Montserrat can be pissed off with me later. ‘Besides, when you have a spell that makes the users impotent in every sense of the word, as well as open to any suggestion, then who needs to worry about physical strength?’

  ‘A spell?’

  ‘The daemon.’ Ursus comes up quietly. ‘That’s what all this is about.’

  I meet his gaze. Recognition of what happened in the garden passes between us, along with a silent agreement to put it behind us. ‘Yes. Females aren’t affected but, as far as I can tell, the effects are irreversible on male vampires.’

  ‘Matt.’ Beth’s voice is soft.

  ‘I think that Nicky is behind it. And I also think that she’s gone to wherever the Heads are to make sure they take it and do whatever she wants.’

  Ria is sickened. ‘Because we will do whatever the Heads want.’

  ‘Indeed.’ I turn to Ursus. ‘You said they’re all closeted together. We need to get there now and warn them. Can you call?’

  He shakes his head. ‘It’s a closed session. No phones or computers allowed.’

  I avoid rolling my eyes. They really should know better. What if there was some kind of emergency? Like, say, a crazed girl on her way to subjugate them to her every whim? ‘Then you need to call all the other Families. Every female vampire within a fifty-mile radius needs to get to where they are. We have to stop her.’

  ‘Lady Bancroft is there. She won’t be affected by it. Does that mean that she…?’

  ‘I’m pretty sure she’s not involved.’ I have no idea how Nicky is planning to bring her down though. ‘Where are they, Ursus?’

  ‘Big Ben.’

  I blink, not quite sure I heard him properly. ‘Uh?’

  ‘It’s a large tower with a clock at the top,’ Beth says, regaining some of her composure. Her sarcasm alleviates the tension a little.

  ‘Funny.’ I take a moment to look round. ‘We need to prevent Nicky from getting anywhere near them.’

  ‘You can’t just send girls.’

  I understand Ursus’s annoyance at being sidelined but it doesn’t mean I have to agree with him. ‘It’s too dangerous otherwise. If she gets to you, she can turn you against us.’ I give him a brief flicker of my death stare, just enough to prove that I’m serious. ‘Irreversible,’ I remind him.

  A muscle throbs in his cheek and his big shoulders bunch in anger but I know he’ll stay away.

  ‘You need to remain here and hold the fort. If things don’t work out, then batten down the hatches and don’t let anyone in. No matter who they are.’

  He nods. ‘Can you drive a motorbike?’

  I’m reminded briefly of Zupper and I smile. It’s enough for Ursus because he throws me a set of keys. ‘It’s parked out front.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Look after my pride and joy,’ he growls. I know he doesn’t just mean his bike.

  Thirty seconds later, the room is empty.

  As soon as I step back into the cool night air, I spot Ursus’s bike. I whistle in admiration. It’s a lean, gleaming beast and obviously his prized possession. There’s no sign of a helmet and I don’t waste time looking for one. Instead I straddle the seat and turn the key, revving the engine. Behind me, Ria, Beth, Nell and the other female vampires in the Montserrat mansion are running out to a motley selection of other vehicles. I don’t give them a backward glance, I’m already whizzing down the street.

  Wind whips past me as I careen round the first corner. The bike builds up speed and the dark buildings and closed shop fronts become a blur. I turn right sharply and into a tight alleyway. I narrowly avoid hitting a fox nosing at a trio of overflowing garbage bins as I skid back out on to the street ahead. Tower Bridge isn’t far away.

  I’m tempted to take the most direct route but I know it’s also the one most likely to be monitored by the police. I can’t afford to have them slow me down or turn on their sirens to chase me and alert Nicky – and whoever else is with her. I skid right again to avoid some of the bigger streets but maintain my speed for as long as possible. I ignore the traffic lights blinking red, forcing myself to forget how similar their colour is to arterial blood, then squeeze out just a little more horsepower from the bike. Less than three minutes later, the Houses of Parliament are in view while Big Ben towers ominously above them. I realise I have no freaking idea how to get inside.

  I park as close as I dare then clamber off the bike and run towards the building, keeping low. Every so often the shapes in front of me start swimming as I lose my vision then, abruptly, the dizziness clears when I shake my head. I’m so focused on finding a way in that I miss an uneven paving slab. My foot catches the edge of it and I’m sent flying onto the hard cold pavement. It’s just as well, however, because when I look up from my prone position, a broad-shouldered man comes into sight. That’s when I know for sure that this time I’ve not made a mistake. Boris, it appears, is on bodyguard duty. Ten yards behind him, Nicky’s slender shape is also visible.

  I close my eyes for a second. As relieved as I am to finally identify the traitor, there’s still part of me that can’t believe it’s innocent little Nicky. I count my blessings that they’ve waited until now; this might have been over and done with already. But when Big Ben chimes to signal two o’clock in the morning, I understand why. Nicky’s not in this for sex or money. It’s not even about power, although that might be a welcome bonus. No, her motives are much more pure. What Nicky is after is revenge. She told me the attack on her parents that also forced her into a wheelchair had started at two in the morning, although she’d never said who the attackers were. She must think that vampires were responsible; it’s the only thing that makes sense.

  The pair of them disappear through the gate. They must have disarmed the security system. Ideally, I’d wait for the others to arrive; I’m on my last legs and I need a bit of vampire girl-power beside me. But I’m too worried that I only have a short time to get inside before the alar
ms are re-set. The element of surprise is going to be more useful than anything else and, while setting off the security system would alert the Heads, it would also alert Nicky and Boris. They’ve been planning this for a long time and I’m sure they’ll have back-up. Just about the only thing they won’t have factored in is me.

  I pick myself up from the ground, run across the street and clamber over the gate after them. My heart is thudding and my lungs feel tight. Tam’s face flashes in front of my eyes and I grit my teeth. I need to keep it together; if nothing else, I owe his memory that.

  I jog along a cobbled path, with the high walls of Portcullis House looming over me. This time I take care to watch my step; it’s imperative that I stay quiet and undetected. But I need to be fast and catch Nicky before she gets to the Family Heads. Up ahead I hear a door bang and I realise they have already entered Elizabeth Tower – the real name for Big Ben. With the path ahead clear, I can afford to speed up.

  When I reach the door, I freeze and listen. Everything seems still and quiet so, moving carefully, I turn the knob and go in after them. The base of the tower is both smaller and more modern than I expected. The walls are smooth beige and there are a few olde-worlde benches around the edges. I head for the stairs.

  I move up one step at a time. Although the situation reminds me hauntingly of attempting to sneak up on O’Shea at Wiltshore Avenue, at least these stairs are made of sterner stuff and won’t creak and give me away. I can move quickly. I have to catch up with Nicky and Boris now; I can’t risk them unleashing O’Shea’s spell.

  My increased speed is why I round the next bend without paying enough attention. I barely reach the top step when a fist connects sharply with the side of my head. I go flying, fortunately into the room rather than back down the stairs but, nevertheless, I’m a flailing mass of limbs when the kick comes. I curl into a foetal position to protect myself from the next one. When it doesn’t come and the pain starts to subside, I open my eyes. Boris is standing above me with a twisted smirk on his face. I look for an exit but he’s blocking the staircase. There’s a tiny window behind me but, even if it were big enough to leap through, a heavy rusting metal object sits in front, effectively blocking it.