“What vibrations?”
“It means that you would be more susceptible to being able to see into the future. Maybe we could give you some of the missing students’ photographs or personal possessions and you might be able to see something?”
“I don’t know,” Ari said, “seems like a long shot.”
“Well, it’s the only shot we’ve got.”
Ari nodded firmly, then, thinking about the new Vice Chancellor, added, “Oh, and just so you know, we met the guy the Ancients sent to be the new Vice Chancellor. His name is James Frater.”
“What’s he like?” asked Lea.
“Like no one I have ever seen before, except I have seen him before. He was at the Ancient’s castle when they took me to Latvia. And, he isn’t even a vampire.”
“What?” Lea asked.
“Yea, and there’s more.”
Ari dived into the story about being called to trial by James Frater and that somehow he had unfrozen.
“But how the hell…” said Lea, her voice trailing off.
“I don’t know. But I have been thinking about it. I need to know more about being the Grandor Descendant. All the things I can do… but I don’t know how to control any of it. I was hoping that you might speak with your gran and ask if you could borrow one of the books she has; it’s called ‘Known Immortals.’ I saw it when we were at Marblehead.”
“But why that book?” asked Lea.
“Well, I didn’t really think much of it at the time, but when you and Chris left to get her books and your gran was speaking to me alone, a strange symbol appeared on my hand, and then I saw the same symbol on my palm when James didn’t freeze, or unfroze… whatever.”
“But what has that got to do with-” Lea started to say.
“-I saw the symbol in that book, ‘Known Immortals’. I didn’t get a chance to look at it properly; we were running against the clock to find a way to reverse the blood hunter curse, but I am sure it was the same symbol.”
“And you think this symbol has something to do with you being a Grandor Descendant?” asked Lea.
“I don’t know,” Ari admitted; she was about to say add something, when a tall girl with dark hair sat down next to Lea.
Ari’s eyes widened when she realised that it was Emily, one of the witches out of Lea’s circle, who had joined them at the table.
“Hey Em,” said Lea.
“Hey,” said Emily, smiling indifferently at both girls.
“You alight?” asked Lea, looking at her with concern, “you look a little peaky.”
Emily rolled up the sleeve of her shirt and showed them a small band-aid.
“Just got the free flu vaccine,” she explained, “the needle hurt like a bitch but it’s a really good idea. You can never be too safe. Besides, they’re free. You should go and get one.”
Inwardly Ari shook her head. She hated needles, had always hated them. When she had been a child at the Grace Valley Orphanage, she was supposed to get vaccinated, but she had run screaming from the nurse’s station. Fortunately her fear of needles stretched only to the human species, and not the rest of the animals in the world, otherwise her chosen profession as a vet might have been hopeless.
For the rest of the day Ari had to contend with a series of particularly detailed lectures by a substitute pathology teacher. Though the subject matter was interesting, Ari found it difficult to enjoy it, not without feeling guilty about what had happened to Dr Helen. She tried hard not to think about the gruesome way she had discovered her previous pathology teacher’s body, but images of the small elf-like woman kept cropping up in her head, making her feel nauseous and remorseful.
When the last lecture of the day finally ended, Ari raced from the theatre hall and moved quickly to the pond outside Delta halls, where she had arranged to meet with Ryder. It was twilight, and the deep red sun in the sky was just beginning to set, signalling the end of what had been a gloriously sunny day.
She had only been waiting for half an hour or so when Ryder finally arrived, appearing on the opposite side of the canal.
“Sorry,” he said, looking up at the sky, “had to wait for it the sun to set.”
“It’s ok. Besides, I’m the one who should be apologising to you. You sent me a text ages ago and we are only just talking now. I’m sorry. I’m such a bad friend.
“You’ve had enough on your plate,” Ryder pointed out.
“Yea, well, anyway, how are you? What’s going on between you and Patrick?” she asked, indicating for Ryder to sit down beside her on a patch of grass.
At the mention of Patrick’s name, Ryder’s eyes had shone momentarily but then he looked away. Reaching out for a pebble, he took aim at the water and threw the stone so that it skimmed across the surface, bouncing several times before sinking to the freezing depths below.
“I don’t know,” he said finally. “He’s been staying at Mark’s place in town.”
“Mark has a house here? Isn’t that kind of odd? I mean, the soldiers left ages ago, so why is he still hanging around? And how the hell did he manage to get a house so quickly?”
“Apparently he bought it a couple of months ago,” Ryder said.
“And he just happened to buy a house in the same area where his fledgling was?”
“And drive a wedge between us. Yea, that pretty much sums it up,” Ryder said gloomily.
“But haven’t you tried to talk to Patrick?”
“Sure,” said Ryder, his twinkling eyes locking onto hers before he looked away. “But it doesn’t matter, nothing I say matters. It won’t change what he thinks.”
“Which is what exactly?”
“That I cheated on him,” he said glumly.
“Well, we just have to make him see the truth,” she said, standing suddenly and striding away, Ryder at her heels.
“And how do you suppose we do that?”
“We’ll go to Mark’s house, find Patrick and tell him,” she said plainly.
“But…” Ryder began to argue, but Ari was already walking away; her mind was made up.
Ari and Ryder walked to Cruor halls. Watching Ari disappear up the second flight of stairs, Ryder said he would meet her outside in a few minutes after he got changed. Ari waved to show her agreement and continued to move to Ragon’s room. She knew she had to tell Ragon what she was going to do, but more than that, she needed him, or rather his car.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” said Ragon, after Ari had explained her plan. “You’re getting involved.”
“Ryder is my friend,” she said defensively, while searching his room for his car keys.
“I know that, but Patrick and Ryder are adults, adult vampires, who are old enough to work these things out themselves.”
“But they haven’t worked it out,” she said, her eyes lighting up when she spied the small silver keychain in a draw at Ragon’s desk. “This stupid fight has been going on for ages. And, don’t you think it is a little suspicious that Mark just happened to buy a house in the same town that his fledgling lives? What if Mark is just like Kiara was, possessive of his fledgling? What if he is driving a wedge between Ryder and Patrick on purpose? I mean, we of all people know about that. Look at what Bridget did.”
“Mark bought a house here?” said Ragon, his voice sounding troubled before he could stop himself. “Alright, but I am coming too,” he added, blurring over to Ari and grabbing the keys from his draw before she could take them.
“But!”
“No buts! Besides, you can’t drive,” he added.
“Excuse me?”
“In case you haven’t noticed but here in England we drive on the right side of the road, and you don’t have a license to drive on that side,” he said, smiling lightly to himself, “not yet anyway.”
Ari huffed but hung her head; she knew full well that Ragon was right. Though she had taken several driving lessons, it did not equate to having her license.
Ten minutes later Ryder, his hair newly styled
to the side and dressed in casual slacks and a blue vest, Ari and Ragon were driving to Mark’s house. The moment they left the Pasteur Institute parking lot, thick raindrops fell from the heavens, causing the roads to become wet, black and shiny, which when combined with the thick white fog that rolled from the forest and obscured the bitumen, made viewing the road almost impost. To make matters worse, Ragon did not slow down. Ari knew that his haste was due to his dislike of her plan and so she sat opposite him, trying hard not to react every time the car skidded along the road, or the other drivers honked as Ragon sped past them.
When they finally pulled up to Mark’s house it was pouring down with rain. Ragon blurred to open Ari’s door and when she jumped out of the car, rushed behind her, his hand on her back as the pair moved quickly to the front entrance. Quickly Ragon knocked lightly on the door three times.
“Hello?” said an unfamiliar male voice.
As the door swung open, Ari, Ragon and Ryder stared back at Mark. The three were crammed next to each other on the tiny front deck, trying to hide from the rain that was licking at the roof top and with each gust of wind, threatening to force its way closer and drench them.
“We’re here to see Patrick,” Ragon said politely, making to move through the door but Mark blocked his way.
“I don’t know if Patrick wants to see you,” said Mark, his eyes rested on Ryder.
“I don’t know if that is your decision,” Ryder spat back.
Ragon was just about to interject, when a noise behind Mark signified Patrick’s arrival.
“I need to talk to you,” Ryder said, standing on his toes as he craned his neck to see past Mark.
“Yea, well, I don’t want to talk,” Patrick said glumly.
“Told you,” Mark said childishly, glaring at Ragon, who was standing so close to him that the pair was almost touching noses.
“Patrick,” Ragon said, and Ari thought that there was a tone of authority to his voice, “please let us in.”
Mark had clearly interpreted this as a challenge. In an instant his face changed. It looked as if he was going to hit Ragon; his fists were balls at his side and he swayed on the spot, as if gaining momentum.
“Very well… come in then,” said Patrick, and Mark’s eyes bulged in disbelief.
“What a lovely home you err, have,” said Ari, when the three had walked awkwardly inside, skimming past Mark, who had barely given them enough room to pass.
It was clear from the state of the immaculate furniture, several unpacked boxes and the general feeling of disuse, that the house had not been inhabited for long.
“Were still settling in,” said Patrick.
At Patrick’s words, Ryder looked momentarily disheartened, but his eyes quickly hardened and he moved over to a large and grotesque picture of a naked man, saying, “No accounting taste.”
Instantly Mark made to move over to Ryder, but Patrick reached for him, grabbing his hand and holding onto it tightly.
“What do you want Ryder?” said Patrick, his voice tired. “I’ve let you in, so what do you want?”
“You know what I want!” Ryder replied, looking down at Patrick and the hand that was still clasped to Marks. “I want you.”
“But not as much as you wanted Glenn?” Mark spat, “Is that about right?”
“The only thing I wanted and took from Glenn, was his blood,” Ryder said imploringly, his eyes shining up at Patrick, desperate for him to believe this.
Ari watched as Patrick’s face fell, just as Mark’s hardened.
“Then why did Glenn tell us differently?” asked Mark.
“You seriously trust what Glenn and Mark says over me?” Ryder asked. “I don’t know why, but I am sure that Mark planned this… all of it. He is trying to drive a wedge between us.”
Patrick shrugged, looking at Mark temporarily before glancing down at his feet.
“I don’t need to drive a wedge between you,” said Mark, “you have done that fine on your own.”
Ryder shook his head, his angry eyes shifting from Mark as they settled imploringly on Patrick.
“I’m telling you the truth. Why would I lie? Why would I cheat on you? You know how I feel. I don’t know why Glenn lied about us, but nothing happened,” Ryder said. Still Patrick did not reply, and so Ryder took a hopeful step towards Patrick and added, “There’s really nothing I can say, is there?”
“No,” said Mark, before Patrick had a chance to reply.
Ryder continued to stare at Patrick, searching his face for a shred of hope, but it did not come. Without warning he blurred to the front door and threw it open, a temporary gust of wind reaching into the living room, where Ari stood by the outrageous painting. At the entrance Ryder hesitated, placing both hands on the frame of the door as he turned slowly so as to face the group. The wind flecked around his hair, blowing it wildly, just as his deep blue eyes seemed to lighten, while small droplets of rain glided down his marble face, though it might have been tears, Ari wasn’t sure.
Ryder’s eyes were rested on Patrick when he said, “When you offered to turn me I never once hesitated. Even when you told me I would have to give up my family and my friends… even when you told me that I could die. I didn’t risk everything so that I could become immortal. I did it because I wanted the chance to spend eternity with the first man I ever loved. I never betrayed you. I never would.”
A second later and Ryder had vanished. Ari didn’t hesitate but raced after him, holding the door open and staring out at the cold misty night, looking for him.
“Ryder,” she yelled, just as fog curled from her mouth only to disappear into the hazy air.
There was no reply, though behind her, Ari heard someone whistling tuneless, and turned incredulously to stare at Mark. He was clearly dubious.
“Well,” said Ragon, reaching for Ari’s hand and intertwining it within his own. “I think we’ll be leaving too.”
“Good,” said Mark.
Ragon pulled Ari towards the door, but just before he reached for the handle, Ari turned around to glare at Patrick. She felt that his dismissal of Ryder was a kind of betrayal.
“Didn’t you hear him?” she said, and Patrick looked up at her when she spoke. “He gave up humanity to be with you. Ryder could never lie. Not when he was human and not now that he is a vampire. If he says he didn’t cheat on you, then you owe it to him to at least listen.”
Patrick released Mark’s hand at these words, but still he did not speak.
All the way back to the campus, Ari stared out of the car window in search of Ryder. Her plan to try and reunite him with Patrick had failed miserably. When the pair returned to the campus, she noticed a bus pulled up next to the entrance of the university. There were many students bustling off it, duffel bag in arm. Ari didn’t recognise any of their faces but she was sure, judging by their general youthful appearance, that they must be studying at the Pasteur Institute. Shrugging indifferently, Ari made her way back to Omega halls alone; Ragon had said that he needed to hunt. The moment she was inside her room, she collapsed onto the bed and quickly called Ryder. She wasn’t entirely surprised when he didn’t answer, so settled on writing him a text message instead:
‘Can you call me when you’re feeling up to it? I want to know you are ok.’
Her phone vibrated and Ari saw that she had received a text message, not from Ryder but from Lea:
‘The spell is done. I have opened your mind to the future… at least I think I have. I am feeling pretty drained, the magic wasn’t easy, but I’ll come by your room as soon as I can with some of the missing students personal belongings to see if you get a premonition. Hope that’s ok! Lea’
Ari read and reread the message, finally writing back:
‘Sure.’
Looking around her room mournfully, Ari reached for the picture frame that sat by her bedside table. Her eyes scanned the image of the coven in its entirety. Eight faces shone back at her: Larissa and Cambridge, Sandra and Thomas, Clyde, Ragon, Patric
k and Ryder. Ari had photo-shopped Sameth out of the image before she had gotten it framed. Taking the picture with her to her bed, she fell back against the soft quilt, her eyes remaining locked on the image. Soon her hand became heavy and still clasping the photo, she let it fall by her side, succumbing to the temptation of drifting into a peaceful sleep.
But her dreams did not offer the serenity she had hoped for. They were dark and full of murder and despair, and even more frustrating was her inability to clearly make out anything. She saw a man covered in shadows, whose face she couldn’t see but was painfully familiar to her. He was watching two small children play by a stream. In an instant he had blurred towards them, grabbing them and holding them under the water. It was a vampire; only a vampire could move with such speed. Ari watched helplessly from beside the stream as the children’s arms flailed at their sides, just as small splashes signalled their struggle against their attacker. A moment later and the vampire retreated, whistling as he raced back to the outskirts of the woods, while the lifeless bodies of the children bobbed along the now still surface of the dark water.
Bound (The Grandor Descendant Series Book 3) Page 21
