by Morgana Best
“Do you at least know that he’s a vampire?”
“Vampire?” I really would have to stop repeating her words. “Lucas O’Callaghan is a vampire?”
Linda frowned. “You didn’t know?”
I shook my head, dumbstruck for the moment. I presently recovered, and tried to find the words. “My aunts said there was a fifty percent chance he was a vampire, given that they knew one parent was a vampire, and they weren’t sure about the other parent.”
“But didn’t you think it strange how women flock to him?” Linda asked, tapping a long fingernail on her glass of water.
“Is that a vampire thing?”
“Yes, with some vampires. Forgive me if you already know what I’m telling you, but it seems that you don’t know much, so I’ll speak as if I’m speaking to a beginner.”
“You are speaking to a beginner,” I said without hesitation.
Linda set down her glass on the coffee table between us. “Some vampires have a magnetic quality that attracts others to them. You’ve seen how women act around Lucas.” Before I responded, she added, “His uncle Henry was the same.” She sighed deeply, a faraway look in her eyes. “But Shifters and other vampires are immune to it.”
“So I’m immune to Lucas’s charms?”
My comment made Linda laugh. “Sure, you’ll be attracted to him just as any woman would be attracted to a gorgeous man like that, but you won’t be weirdly attracted to him, as in the supernatural way.” She bit her lip. “I’m not making much sense.”
“To the contrary, you’re making a lot of sense. This is the most I’ve learnt since I found out that vampires existed.” I thought of how Lucas had been so sure I was throwing myself at him. Perhaps that wasn’t his ego after all—it was because he was one of those vampires who magnetically drew all non-vampire, non-Shifter women to him. Something occurred to me. “Does Lucas know I’m a vampire? Does he know that my aunts are vampires? Does he know you’re a werewolf?”
“I sure hope not!” Linda said firmly.
I was taken aback. “Why?”
“He’s a Cleaner.” She shuddered as she said it, and then wrapped her hands around herself.
I was puzzled. “I thought he was a winemaker? I mean, I know he only recently inherited the Ambrosia Winery, but he said he had a degree in wine science. But what does it matter if he’s a cleaner? I just don’t understand.”
Linda sighed once more, dramatically this time. “That’s really the first thing your aunts should’ve told you, to keep you safe.”
The butterflies started again in my stomach, and my right eye twitched. I didn’t know what she was about to say, but I knew that it was going to be bad, very bad.
Linda didn’t speak for a moment, so I prompted her. “Go on.”
She threw up her hands in a gesture of hopelessness. “I shouldn’t have told you anything I’ve told you so far, and you must not under any circumstances tell your aunts. Do you understand?”
I was stuck for a moment, wondering if I should keep anything from my aunts. However, I couldn’t really betray Linda’s trust when she had specifically asked me not to tell them. I did not want to keep anything from them, especially not something this important, but then it seemed that they had kept plenty of important information from me. “Sure,” I said finally. “Sure. I mean, I’ll probably have to tell them at some point, but I’ll do my best to delay that as long as possible.”
Linda hesitated before speaking. “Okay. I’m not exactly sure how to explain all this to you. It’s a lot of information for you to take in all at once. I suppose I’ll just launch into it, and you can stop me at any time if you don’t understand something.”
I nodded, wondering what was coming next.
Linda wrung her hands. “I know you’ve only been a vampire for a short space of time, but have you wondered how the general population doesn’t know that there are vampires and Shifters?” I went to speak, but she held up a hand. “I put that wrongly. I mean, people report UFOs and things like that, but the public at large doesn’t take it seriously. Aren’t you surprised that there have been no reports of vampires and Shifters, even if someone doesn’t take them seriously?”
“I was thinking that recently,” I said. “It’s as if there was some sort of hierarchy, some sort of council, overseeing things. Is that the case? Sort of like non-solitary witches might join a coven? Or is it every vampire for themselves? Oh, and I suppose you know I’m a witch.”
Linda nodded. “I used to practise the old ways, too, but Paul didn’t approve. There isn’t a vampire or Shifter hierarchy or a governing body as such,” she added, “at least not in this country. Shifters and vampires pretty much do their own thing. However, there are the Cleaners.” She hesitated once more, and I figured she was searching for the right words. “Think of the Cleaners as the police.”
“Lucas is a police officer for vampires and Shifters?” I was incredulous. “So he investigates?”
“I wish,” she said with feeling. “Let me explain. No one knows when the Cleaners started, but the general opinion is that they’ve been around as long as there have been vampires and Shifters. Now there is one good thing about them—they keep government agencies away from us. You can imagine the government would love to get their hands on vampires or Shifters. Think of the military applications! The Cleaners are all that prevent the governments of the world from finding out that vampires and Shifters really do exist.”
The sinking feeling in my stomach suddenly worsened. “You said that was the one good thing. Does that mean there are bad things?”
Linda nodded. “That’s the only good thing. They don’t answer to anyone, and I mean anyone. If anything happens that’s likely to draw the attention of the authorities, the Cleaners move fast to make it look entirely mundane. They’ll take any measures they like. They have free rein. Like I said, they answer to no one.” She shook her head. “That’s the scary thing. Imagine your worst nightmare, and then multiply it some, and then you have a Cleaner. They can remove threats on a whim, really.”
“You don’t mean…?”
Linda shifted in her seat. “That’s exactly what I do mean.”
The black cat appeared from my bedroom and made to jump up on the couch, but spotted Linda. She arched her back and then ran out of the room. “Think of a Cleaner as a homicidal maniac,” Linda said, “because that’s exactly what they are. They’re assassins, executioners, and what’s worse, they don’t need permission from anyone. If there’s a mess, they go in and clean it up.” She tapped her chin. “Have you ever seen a mafia movie where someone is murdered, and the mafia calls in cleaners to clean the murder scene? The cleaners organise someone to do the physical cleaning, and they shoot all the witnesses, that sort of thing.”
I remembered I had seen a movie like that once, and I said so. “But surely there’s some sort of control within this, um, Cleaner system?” I asked. “Surely they can’t act independently and just go and do whatever they like?”
“They pretty much can,” Linda said. “That’s what makes them scary. You can see why I’m worried now, with Paul being murdered.”
“But wasn’t he murdered with solanine?”
Linda nodded. “Thankfully. I don’t mean thankfully he was murdered, I mean thankfully he wasn’t murdered by having his blood drained or being ripped apart or anything like that. Remember when Talos Sparkes was murdered?”
“How could I forget!”
“Do you remember the detectives mentioned that they found wolf hair at the scene?”
I nodded.
“Paul told me that was Yowie shifter hair, but the Cleaner somehow swapped the samples with wolf hair.”
I frowned. “How could he do that?”
“He probably got that constable to do it for him,” Linda said. “You saw the effect he had on her.”
I was shocked. “Surely not!”
Linda shrugged. “Who knows? All I know is, that would’ve been Shifter hair the police to
ok, but it came back as wolf hair.”
The cat came back and sat at my feet. I bent down to stroke her. “But that doesn’t make sense,” I said. “Why would he swap it for wolf hair? Surely that’s suspicious in itself. Why wouldn’t he have used dog hair?”
Linda shrugged. “No idea. I can only assume he was under time constraints, so had to use something, and fast. He must have known Paul was a werewolf by then, and used some of his hair.”
“But didn’t you say Lucas doesn’t know I’m a vampire? Don’t the Cleaners have a register of vampires or something?”
Linda smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. “No, nothing like that. He might not even know that I’m a werewolf, but he certainly knew Paul was. I’ve even wondered if he murdered Paul as part of his cleaning duty.”
My hand flew to my throat. “Why would you say that?”
“They had a huge argument the morning before Paul died,” she said. “Don’t look surprised. Cleaners murder vampires and Shifters, although they call it execution, and the vampire and Shifter populations at large think it’s justified.”
I tried to bring her back to the subject. “What was the argument about?”
“No idea. I was in the bedroom with a headache, trying to get back to sleep, and I heard a visitor. There were raised voices, so I went to the door to listen in. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I heard Lucas’s voice. After he left, I asked Paul what he’d said, but Paul told me to mind my own business. Paul was white and shaken after that. That’s why we had the argument, because he wouldn’t tell me what it was about.”
“Did he tell you that Lucas was a Cleaner?”
Linda shook her head. “No he didn’t, and that made me really angry. He should’ve told me that for my own safety, but he kept it from me.”
“But how did you know?” I asked.
“Henry Ichor told me,” she said, and her normally pale face flushed. “You know, pillow talk. Normally, the identity of Cleaners is hush hush.”
I bit my lip. “I know you said I couldn’t tell my aunts, but surely I should warn them about Lucas, about him being a Cleaner.”
Linda shook her head. “They already know.”
I felt as if all of the breath had been knocked out of me. “What makes you say that?”
“I heard them talking about it tonight, when I was in my wolf form. I slipped out and I heard them discussing it. I don’t know how they knew. Perhaps Henry told them, too.”
I wondered if Henry had once had a dalliance with one of my aunts, or whether Henry had been horribly loose lipped about such matters. Linda was still talking. “I took a huge risk, shifting into wolf form, but I really needed the run tonight.”
“But Lucas wouldn’t harm you if he knew you were a werewolf, would he?”
“No, nothing like that. Cleaners only harm those they suspect have done something to draw public attention to their Shifter or vampire identities. Still, a Cleaner would have to be one hundred percent certain someone was a vampire or a Shifter before he or she could execute them, so that’s why most vampires and Shifters will go out of their way to hide their true identity.”
I was at once afraid for my safety. “Are there many Cleaners out there?”
Linda bit her lip. “Nobody knows, really. Lucas arrived here just when his cousin was murdered, so we know he wasn’t sent here for that reason. And if Paul had been murdered by a vampire or a Shifter, then you could bet your bottom dollar that Lucas has hidden the signs by now—especially if Lucas himself killed him.”
“Are we in danger from him?” I asked, my heart beating out of my chest.
“No. A Shifter or a vampire is only in danger from a Cleaner if they attack someone, or do anything at all that would draw the attention of the authorities. Don’t forget, Cleaners exist to keep the existence of vampires and Shifters from normal people, specifically, from the military and governments. They also execute a vampire who turns someone into a vampire, and even execute the new vampire if they make a scene.”
I was shocked. The aunts had told me that turning was a myth. “So vampires can actually turn people?”
Linda nodded. “You didn’t know? Yes, it’s strictly forbidden, of course, but vampires and Shifters can turn someone.”
I thought it over. “Why are you so afraid of Cleaners?”
Linda looked me straight in the eye. “Because Cleaners are rumoured to have cleaned up innocent Shifter or vampire witnesses to crimes as well.”
I gasped.
Chapter 11
I woke up feeling tired and fuzzy-headed. I feebly reached for my phone. The time on the screen said eight. I had slept in, but I was surprised that I had slept at all, given the revelations that Linda had given me the night before.
I sat up groggily, and rubbed my eyes. I felt like I needed another five hours’ sleep, but I knew that I wouldn’t be able to sleep once I had woken up. With that in mind, I flung my legs over the edge of the bed.
Had Linda been lying? And if so, for what purpose? I had no idea. I had suspected for a while that my aunts weren’t telling me everything, and Linda’s statements only confirmed that.
The black cat jumped off my bed and stretched. I would have to give her a name soon. She had taken up residence with me, apparently preferring my company to that of the aunts. If she did have a home, she certainly wasn’t spending any time there.
I switched on my coffee machine, and while it was heating, I filled up the cat’s bowl with her favourite food and then looked for the strong coffee capsules.
There was simply too much to process, but that had been the case since I arrived in Lighthouse Bay.
I had awoken in the middle of the night and remembered that Linda had mentioned vampires turning someone. My aunts had answers and I wanted to know.
I turned on the coffee machine and then had the presence of mind to put my coffee capsule in it. They really needed to invent a coffee machine for people who hadn’t had caffeine that day. Many a time, I had forgotten to put water in the machine, or even coffee.
I gulped the coffee down, and then had a quick shower. I decided there was only one thing for it—I had to ask the aunts about the subject of turning someone.
I made another coffee, intending to sip it on the way. My aunts had the same coffee machine, but they didn’t have the coffee capsules that I liked.
The cat hurried over and sat down in front of the open door. “Do you want to come out?” I asked her. She sat there, ignoring me. I made to shut the door, but she ran out. I sat my coffee on the windowsill and locked the door, but as soon as I did so, the cat scratched on the door to be let back in again.
I unlocked the door and opened it for her. “If you scratch to get out, I’m not going to do it,” I said to her. “This is your last chance.” She ran inside, and I locked the door. I waited for a moment, but couldn’t hear her scratching, so I took my coffee cup and headed for the front gate.
As I turned left towards Mugwort Manor, I saw Lucas at his front door, and Lila Sanders walking from his house to his front gate. He saw me looking, and I at once averted my eyes. I wasn’t prepared for the pang of jealousy and sadness that hit me hard. Lila must have spent the night there.
I kept my eyes forward, hoping Lila wouldn’t speak to me, but I was out of luck. It didn’t help that my coffee cup was full and I had to walk slowly so as not to spill it.
“Hello, Pepper,” she said happily. “Did you sleep well after your little scare?” She did not conceal the fact that she was gloating.
“Not really, but thanks for asking,” I said in the most pleasant tone I could muster.
“I didn’t get any sleep at all,” she said, and then laughed, a most irritating, high, tinkling laugh. “Are you going to the fundraiser tonight?”
“Fundraiser? I didn’t even know there was one,” I said. I stopped to sip my coffee, hoping she would continue on without me, but to my dismay, she stopped too.
“Lucas and I are going,” she said. “It�
��s a fundraiser for raising the shipwreck.”
I wanted to know what shipwreck it was, but I didn’t want to ask her. I just wanted to run away from her. “No, I’m not going,” I said.
“That’s a shame. I’m sure you’d have a good time,” she said insincerely. “I’m sure Lucas and I will have a lovely time.”
“That’s great,” I lied. “Anyway, see you later.”
“Yes, I have to go home and catch up on my sleep,” she said pointedly, before leaving.
I resisted the urge to throw my coffee cup at her, and kept walking to the manor. I was in an uncharacteristic dark mood when I knocked on the back door.
Aunt Agnes opened the door to me. “Valkyrie, you know you don’t have to knock.”
“I thought it might be locked or something,” I said.
“It was. Anyway come and have some breakfast. I see you’ve brought your own coffee. Would you like some toast?”
“Yes thanks, but I’ll make it.”
Aunt Agnes pointed to the table. “No, you go and sit down. There’s some fresh toast for you.” She pointed to a silver toast rack in the centre of the table.
“Where’s Linda?” I asked them.
“She must be sleeping in,” Aunt Agnes said. “I haven’t seen her this morning, have you Dorothy?”
Dorothy made an angry sound. “I’m not her keeper.”
I took a piece of toast and spread vegemite and peanut butter on it.
“I don’t know how you can do that, Valkyrie,” Aunt Agnes said. “That’s a horrible combination.”
“I love it.” I popped a piece into my mouth. After eating it and washing it down with a large gulp of coffee, my head finally started to clear for the first time that day. “I have more questions about… well, you know.”
The aunts looked at each other. Aunt Dorothy pushed her chair back, pulled herself to her feet, and crossed to the door to shut it.
“Go ahead, dear,” Aunt Agnes said, “but keep your voice down so Linda won’t hear you if she comes downstairs and eavesdrops.”
I frowned. “Why would she do that?” Of course, I knew she was a Shifter, but I couldn’t let on. When no one responded, I pushed on. “I’ve been wondering about the whole ‘vampires being turned’ thing.”
