Sepia and Silver (Tragic Silence Book 3)

by E. C. Hibbs

I drew in a breath to scream, only to have his hand appear over my mouth. Seeing his black eyes so close to me, I kicked out, trying to get free of him.

  “Be still!” he snarled, and then my limbs suddenly became stiff as boards, held in place by a chain of demonic will. I recognised it as how the Izcacus had immobilised me, and realised with a jolt that it must be a power all of the dark ones shared.

  I was defenceless to struggle as James carried me onward, following the raised track of the Overhead Railway line. After a few minutes, he dived into a tunnel set through a hill. It was still under construction, so he carefully manoeuvred further, towards the half-built station platforms.

  Then he set me on my feet, but as soon as he did, I began crying hysterically; the blood in my mouth tasted like bile. He quickly gagged me again, pushed me back against the wall and leaned in close.

  “Quiet!” he snapped. “Get a hold of yourself!”

  I shook my head, too horrified to think of anything but Norman’s dead eyes. I wrenched my face from James’s grasp and sank to my knees, weeping into my hands.

  “Murder!” I moaned in Hungarian. “Isten segíts!” God help me!

  “Calm down!” James took hold of my shoulders roughly, and angled his wings so they were spread behind him. “Listen to me. I can help you, but only if you let me, do you understand?”

  I was still far from composed, but forced myself to pay attention, and gave a panicked nod. James stared at me intensely, making sure I wasn’t going to run again. He pulled off his jacket and flung it over me, and commanded me to stay where I was for a few minutes. Before I could ask why, he let go of me and ran towards the mouth of the tunnel. I heard his wings beat at the air; then he disappeared completely.

  I whimpered, curling up against the cold curving wall. The dark underground felt like an abyssal cavern all around me. My heart was racing; I struggled not to hyperventilate. My eyes strayed to my hands and the red blood on my nails, and I began madly wiping them against my nightgown.

  To try and stop myself, I grabbed the jacket, pulling it tighter for warmth. I was dully surprised to notice that the fabric had no previous heat in it from James’s body at all. It felt as though it had come straight from hanging in a wardrobe, rather than having been worn.

  Oh my God, my mind started hissing, what have I done? Éva, what have you done?!

  I couldn’t believe it. I had killed somebody. I had murdered my own grandfather.

  I suddenly heard footsteps in the tunnel again, and turned, peering through the gloom to see James coming back. A strange sense of relief washed over me, but then I exclaimed when I noticed a figure slumped limply across his shoulders. When he reached me, he put the body on the ground, revealing it to be a middle-aged woman. She was dressed in raggedy clothes and a white bonnet, which immediately told me that she was from the slums. I was comforted to see she was still breathing.

  I didn’t need to ask James why he had brought her, because he looked straight at me and said, “Drink.”

  I instantly recoiled. “No!”

  James rolled his eyes. “Are we going to have to go through this again? Aren’t you aware of what just happened?”

  “I can’t kill people!” I cried incredulously. “I can’t!”

  “You already have,” he pointed out simply, pausing to fold down his wings until I couldn’t see them anymore. He spoke so uncaringly, it struck my heart deep, and I began trembling again, unable to push Norman away.

  “If you want my help, and you want to live, then you need to listen to me,” James carried on, indifferent to my distress. “You may as well try to make it easier by finding ones like this.” He nudged the unconscious woman with the toe of his boot.

  I couldn’t hide my disgust. “No, I won’t!” I snapped.

  James cocked an eyebrow. “You do not wish to live, then?”

  “It’s not just about living!” I argued, my horror quickly turning into rage. “What of living with yourself? How can you expect me to do this? How can you do it? It is insufferable! Evil!”

  “I told you the last time we met,” said James, “you are just like me. And as I must kill in order to survive, then so must you.”

  I stared at him. “What are you? How long have you been doing this?”

  “Almost a hundred and thirty years,” James replied. “I am a Revenant, and since I became such, I have lived through the reigns of five monarchs. Does this surprise you?”

  As strange as it seemed, for such a large time period to come from a mouth that looked barely a decade older than my own, I knew from Zíta that such an age was possible. In response, I shook my head curtly.

  “So you were not pretending to know your facts after all,” James said with a small smirk.

  “I don’t care what you say,” I declared, albeit quieter. “I lost control tonight... but I will never let that happen again. I...”

  Norman filled my head once again, and intense shame began to storm around me like a relentless blizzard. I felt my hands curling into fists as I fought to keep calm.

  “It is not possible,” James said. “You cannot run from this. It is a need, just as is drinking water, and simply ignoring it will only create more problems. It will solve nothing. How would you feel if the next one was your friendly little maid? Or her brother? Or even that arrogant boy who can’t keep his eyes off you?”

  I swallowed nervously, still tasting blood, and shivered. “I would rather die than kill anybody else.”

  “You can try,” James said, a snide edge entering his tone. “Look.”

  He unbuttoned his collar and pulled it down so the length of his neck was exposed. Running around the entire circumference was a definite scar, in a near-perfect circle. I silently noted that it was the only mark I could see: there was nothing even remotely similar to the bite-wound over my veins.

  “What is that?” I asked instead.

  “From when they caught me and I was hung for murder. Eighty years ago,” James replied, fastening his collar again. He smiled to himself, as though amused by the whole event. “It didn’t work. Nothing does. The great Empire of the world is not above bringing death, and I am older than her, so why should I be?”

  “You are a police officer!” I insisted, getting to my feet. He still towered above me, but being somewhat closer to his height helped me to feel less at a disadvantage.

  “Yes,” James shrugged, “and don’t you think it is a perfect profession? It is so easy to twist the law in my favour. Which brings me nicely to my price for helping you stay hidden.”

  “Price?” I repeated, taken completely by surprise. “What price?”

  “You belong to an impressive family,” said James. “So you can use that status to cover up tracks better.”

  I gasped, feeling my eyes narrowing. “That is why you didn’t kill me when you came back! Have you been planning this all along?”

  “As I said then, we are together in a world that cannot understand. It makes sense, don’t you agree?” James folded his arms casually, fixing me with his jet stare. “And I would not have been able to drink from you after I saw what you were, because you are already turned. The change has begun. The only reason I came to you that night was because I wished for a variation from my usual fare. I would have let you live either way: I could hardly kill the granddaughter of Norman Calvin in her bed and not suffer for it. With you, the thrill of tasting exotic blood overrode any desire to deal death to some random Scouser. But it turns out that on a sustenance level, you can provide nothing for me.”

  “So you want me on this level instead?” I demanded. But before he could speak, I held up my hand, thinking quickly.

  “You owe me some answers,” I said. “Why am I not like you? I’ve never seen you in the sunlight; you have wings, and your eyes are black, like the demons I know. Why am I different?”

  “I told you, you are a juvenile.” James didn’t move. “I have come of age; completed the transformation that you are still experiencing. And I cannot sa
y how long it will last. It could be one year or it could be ten. All are different.”

  He paused, noticing the perplexed expression on my face. “You don’t know anything about this part of vampirism, do you? Let me enlighten you. You gave no permission to be bitten, yet the venom still works within your veins. You are destined to walk in the shadow of death, forever.”

  I moaned in revulsion. “Nem... this cannot be!”

  “It can, and it is,” James said. “The blood is the life, Eva. And there is no other choice open to you now.”

  I twisted my fingers around each other nervously. “I cannot do this. I must get home.”

  “And how do you intend to explain your little mishap this evening?”

  “Not here. My other home. In Hungary. I need to return there before I finish this change, I know that much. My cousin... she may be able to help me...”

  “Ah. Leaving the country directly after her next of kin is found murdered,” James mused, stroking his chin dramatically. “No, that does not sound suspicious in the slightest.”

  He gave me an intense look. I returned it, realising that his remark held some truth. I couldn’t leave now. I was too well known to the family’s circles; as of yesterday, my hand was even promised to one of the wealthiest heirs in the county. Simply disappearing was impossible. And I would have to be extremely careful to have a hope of surviving not just literally, but figuratively as well.

  “What am I to do, then?” I asked. But I already knew the answer.

  “Trust me,” said James without hesitation. “Stand by my side. We will cover our tracks together. And we have time yet before you will come of age. So we shall find a way to see you back to Hungary.”

  He tilted his head so the expression in his eyes became even more penetrating. “And that leads to my final condition. You will never betray me. No matter what may come, or who may ask, not a word of me shall ever cross your lips. Are we in agreement?”

  I swallowed, my thoughts racing. It didn’t appear a very solid plan to me, but then I appreciated that my choices were extremely limited. It was thin, yet a safety net nonetheless; and there was no better option for me.

  I closed my eyes with a small nod. “Fine,” I muttered. “Alright, I will do it.”

  “Good,” said James, shooting me a smirk when I looked up at him again. “Then begin now.”

  He pointed at the woman, and I instantly balked. “But I just...”

  “I know you just drank several pints of blood,” James interrupted, kneeling beside her. “But now it’s my turn to be slaked, and a little more will do you no harm.”

  Without waiting another moment, he bared his teeth and pounced. There was a horrid wet tearing sound, and I cried out as the woman’s legs jolted in reflex. But she didn’t fight, and I recognised the reason why. James employed his will once again, mentally restraining her so she could not move.

  He stayed in that crouched position for a long time; the mist that surrounded him writhed more agitatedly as the seconds fell past us. Then he glanced at me, covering the gash in her throat with one hand. The only trace of carnage was the reddish tinge to his lips.

  “Finish it,” he said, beckoning me.

  Instinctively, I went to protest, but then I remembered what I had promised. And despite myself, I felt rather grateful that he’d not let me make the first move. What I had done less than an hour ago was still fresh in my mind and on my hands; he seemed to sense that I couldn’t do it a second time.

  And I couldn’t help but notice how my thirst mounted again, at the prospect of being so close to yet more fresh blood. It spoke to some deep and primal part of me, newly awakened by the vampiric infection.

  My bare feet carried me closer, until I was opposite James, the pale and dying woman lying between us. He kept her pinned, but moved his attention onto me, a glint of expectancy in it.

  I met his gaze as evenly as I could manage, before lowering myself down. At the last second, James removed his hand, and I fastened my mouth around the wound, feeling my eyes bleed red as I drew out my fill.

  The wind whistled eerily past the tunnel opening, bringing with it the faint saltiness of the sea. And when its moaning died away, so too did the final muffled protests burning beneath my lips. The woman took her last breath, and I my last swallow. I silently whispered a heartfelt apology to her, before drawing a cross across my chest, and closing her glassy eyes.

  CHAPTER XIV

  True to his end of our macabre bargain, James left no traces that could possibly lead to me. He flew us to a quiet area of the river where I could wash the blood from my hands and face; disposed of the woman’s body by weighting it with stones and letting it sink into the depths, close to where he had taken her. He then employed his demonic powers, calling down the shadows to shroud us from any night-walkers. And under the black cloak, he took me back to my house, slipping silently through the window.

  He locked my door so nobody could come in, and turned his face to the wall before instructing me to take off my nightdress. I was alarmed at the command, but sensed that he meant nothing by it, and quickly obeyed, changing into a fresh gown that was identical to my other one. I cleared my throat to tell him that I was decent, and he approached, snatching the bloodied garment in one swift move.

  “I’ll dispose of that,” he said in a whisper, balling up the nightdress and hiding it inside his jacket.

  “Are you sure this will work?” I asked nervously. “I mean...”

  “Well, you’ve already proved your acting skills once,” James replied, taking my wrist and pulling me towards the bed. He put me on the mattress and scuffed the sheets to make it look as though I had been sleeping in them.

  “What are you going to do about...?” My voice trailed off, unable to say my grandfather’s name.

  “I’ll have to leave him to be found,” said James. “No-one turns a head if the slums lose one or two. But he’s a gentleman; it would be more suspicious if he just vanished.”

  I nodded to show I understood, and my hands began squirming in distress. James took hold of them firmly.

  “You’ll have to get that under control, Eva. It’s precisely what gave Lady Macbeth away, I’ll have you know.”

  “But I cannot face what I have done!” I cried. “Of all the people I may have struck down, why could it not have been some other? I loved my grandfather; he cared for me! And this is how I have repaid all he has done! Monstrous!”

  “Quiet!” James snapped, taking hold of my chin to force me to look at him. “Enough of this, else you will end up precisely where he is! There will be time for mourning later, but it is not now, and you must never allow guilt any purchase either. This is what it means to live amidst death. And there is nothing you can do, except to make the best of the situation where you can.”

  My breath trembled. “Why has this come upon me? I asked for none of it! I am a good person; it was never my choice to become this... this devil!”

  James gave a small grimace. “It never is,” he said, and I was surprised to find a hint of softness in his voice which I had never heard before.

  He released me; then strode to the window. I watched in amazement as mist pooled around him; then gradually took shape into the wings, becoming ever more solid and dark. Each one was easily as long as James was in height, and when he held them out, they practically filled the room. I hazarded a guess that their full span was something close to fourteen feet.

  “Istenem,” I breathed. “My god, they are incredible.”

  James glanced over his shoulder at me, flames suddenly dancing across the surfaces of his eyes. Then the latch lifted by itself; the window opened, and he leapt into the night. I kept staring at the spot where he had been as the panes closed fluidly, and left absolutely no trace of him ever having been there.

  *

  My sleep was remarkably serene after the horror I had passed, but I was awoken early the next morning by Christine fussing about with the fire. She was making much more noise than
normal, and I rolled over so I could see her better. She noticed my movement and spun around, her face white as a sheet.

  “Oh, Miss Éva, did I disturb you? I’m sorry!”

  I held up a hand. “No, there’s no need. What is the matter?”

  “The Master has not come home,” she said immediately, and got to her feet. “There ain’t been a sign o’ him ever since he left for his club last night.”

  I swallowed. “What?”

  “Mrs Calvin has just called for the police. Nobody knows where he is.”

  “What about George?” I asked, thinking quickly. “Didn’t he go with Grandfather?”

  “Not yesterday,” said Christine. “He was called home by our Mam in Anfield for a couple hours.”

  I grasped the duvet so tightly, my knuckles turned pale. Christine gave me a small smile, coming closer to offer me a cup of tea which she had obviously brought and placed on the nightstand.

  “Don’t get in a state, Miss. I’m sure the Master will come back alright,” she assured.

  I glanced at her wordlessly and took the tea with a grateful nod. But I still couldn’t stop myself shaking, almost spilling the contents down my front.

  “You seem more yourself today, Miss,” Christine said. “How are you feelin’?”

  “Much better,” I replied truthfully. My voice trembled. “I think I may come down later.”

  “Might I suggest you stay in bed for another few hours?” asked Christine. “You really haven’t been well, Miss Éva. You can’t do yourself in so quickly. I’d wait until the Inspector has left, like.”

  I instantly decided that was a good idea. The policeman would probably smother us with many questions, and while I felt I could be able to dodge around any fired by the household, an experienced officer would be a different matter. My only hope was that it would somehow be James who answered the call, since Toxteth tended to be his area of patrol.

  But then I recalled the fact that he was a vampire. I had only ever seen him at night for good reason. It would be impossible for him to walk the streets in the sunlight, whether he was on duty or not.