by Maggie Mundy
Vincent sipped his wine. “I was ten years old when I hid and watched him beat Harriet to death with his belt. I shed a tear, but only one. The excitement I experienced observing her death took over. My heart was beating so fast I thought my father would hear it. It made me hard. The thought of your impending death is doing the same. I started with animals and birds, and then eventually progressed to humans. I had friends once who were equally willing to partake in the killing, but alas, they’re no longer here.” Vincent stood up and made his way towards her.
“You won’t get away with this.” She spat at him. The spittle landed on his arm. “Someone will stop you.”
“I don’t think so, Cara. Not now, I have you. You look like Rosie from long ago. I searched for her sister the next day. She was gone. I wanted to kill her as well as an insurance policy in case the immortality started to fade. Someone said they saw her board the coach for Bristol. I wandered the streets there, looking for a sign of her, but to no avail.”
“She was smarter than you thought,” Cara hissed.
“A ship left for Cork the day after I killed Rosie. As time went by I assumed her sister was on board. Needless to say I didn’t find her, though I spent many months trying. Then all these years later, one of her descendants is here to give me the gift I’ve been waiting for.” Vincent finished his wine.
“I’m not giving you anything.”
“I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw you at Kathleen’s book launch. I wouldn’t have to share the power this time and I’d be able to live for another 500 years. Kathleen was most annoying. She died before I could kill her. If I didn’t know better I’d have said she did it on purpose.”
“She won. She defeated you. So will I.” Cara wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing how afraid she was. “Why have you waited so long?”
“I like to plan things, and there were a few problems. You were right by the way. I had painted her.”
Vincent went over to the far side of the cellar and came back with a painting. It was Shona and tied to the frame was her butterfly ring. “She was one of the problems. She damaged my dagger. It’s my own fault. I wanted to play with you by killing someone close to you. By the way, I hope you appreciated my work.”
He leered at her and smirked. “I hear you had to identify her body. She didn’t have your beautiful and unusual eye coloring. I knew she would only give me temporary respite. I needed you, dearest Cara. The party was an excuse to get to know you. Of course you’ve brought everything forward.”
Vincent sneered as he walked across and placed his hand around her neck and into her hair. “It was very rude of you to get the police involved, but I’ll think of something. He is out cold. I don’t think he’ll come to the rescue any time soon.”
“I know that someone will stop you, some day.” She turned her head. She tried to bite his hand.
He laughed as he slapped her face and jerked away. “I intend to travel again. It’s been a long time since I was in South America. No one notices another dead body amongst the drug dealers over there. I’ll be able to kill as many people as I want.”
He walked over and inserted the syringe into the intravenous access in her arm. He withdrew blood and squirted it into a small dish. Pulling the sheet covering her body back, he stared at her. His face showed no emotion as if he was empty of feelings. It filled her with fear as she tried to control her breathing.
“Your skin is so pale, but we can always add a bit of color.” He ran a finger across her scar. “I see I’m not the first to cleave your skin apart. Don’t worry. I can assure you I’ll be the last.”
She tried to move. It caused the ropes to dig deeper. Vincent dipped his finger in the blood and started to draw on her. She guessed that he would be tracing the lines he intended for his incisions. He picked up the dagger from the table beside her, the dagger she knew too well. She didn’t want to die like this.
She wanted to grow old with Seth. She wanted to see Daniel and Jeff marry. She even wanted to reconcile with her family.
“It was so kind of you to bring the dagger. Seth was to bring it to me.” Vincent placed his hand on her breast and squeezed hard.
She winced, but refused to show any other reaction. She wouldn’t let him win any more than he already had.
“You’ve become intimate with him, haven’t you? I watched the way you two looked at each other during my party. How fitting that he repaired the dagger that performed the deed. I wonder if there’s a way to draw him here. I could render him unconscious. Then, I’d call the police and say he had come here as a jealous lover and murdered you while you waited naked in my bed for my return. They would have caught the slasher-killer and would be happy. That plan will still work. I could find you all here when I returned and I restrained him. I could say he told me he killed your cop friend because he caught him in the act.”
It took every ounce of strength she had, but she had to let him know he would not succeed. “You won’t get away with this.”
“Oh, but I will. I’ve started over many times as a new person. This was the first time in many years that I actually used my real first name. Anyway, it’s exciting to recreate yourself.”
Pain seared through her as he cut across her forehead. She tried to wrench away. He held her face firmly with one hand. He cut again and again. The blood flowed into her hair and eyes. It blurred her vision.
She saw him climb onto the table. He straddled her body. Was he going to rape her? No, it was worse. She struggled not to scream when the blade bit into her chest. Then he dragged the tip of the dagger toward her breast. She couldn’t hold back. Agony speared through her. She screamed.
She thrust her hips up to try and dislodge him in a last ditch effort. It only excited him more. He laughed. Another slice. The world darkened. She felt the knife enter her chest. She couldn’t scream anymore. She couldn’t fight anymore. At last it was all over.
Chapter 25
Matcher had watched Cara drive off and then put his arms around Rachel. “Whatever it is, trust me we can deal with it.”
He noticed a black garbage bag at her feet. Rachel bent down to pick it up as he opened the door to the house. “What’s in it?”
“My clothes and stuff. I’m sorry, I didn’t know where else to go. I’ll find somewhere else as soon as I can.”
Matcher took the bag and went upstairs. Thankfully at this time of the day the guys wouldn’t be in. He dumped her stuff in his room. She sat on the edge of his bed with a box of tissues beside her while he went and made coffee. Her aura was full of swirling colors showing emotional turmoil and fear.
“It’s about last night, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but not really.” Rachel blew her nose loudly.
“You know I don’t know anyone who can blow their nose as loud as you. It’s a somewhat odd, but funny trait.”
She smiled and her aura relaxed a little. “I think last night was one of the strangest nights of my life. That was some of the weirdest stuff I’ve ever seen. If I hadn’t been there I’d say your friends were crazy, or I was on a movie set with special effects.”
“Was it us? Look, I didn’t know it was a first time for you. I wouldn’t have pushed it, you know.”
“I’m not upset about that Matcher. I should have told you that I wanted to since we met.”
“You’re kidding me. You’ve stayed at friends’ all night before, haven’t you?”
“Yes, but my step-dad didn’t believe I was just staying at Cara’s. He came there this morning and saw me leaving with you. When I walked in at home, Mum wasn’t there and neither were my stepbrothers. My step-dad walked in. His knuckles were red. That meant he’d given mum a belting last night. I should have been there. He tended to lay off her if I was around.” Rachel sipped her coffee.
“Go on,” Matcher
encouraged.
“I went to my room but he burst in. He called me a whore and said horrible things about Mum. That he had only stayed because he thought he would lay something a bit younger, but didn’t want spoiled goods. He said the kids were probably not his anyway. From the look of you, I probably had AIDS. I’m sorry.”
“Rachel, that’s just him. I’ve had so much sickness in my life, I’m not going to take any risks. As far as I know I’m clean. If I had thought there was any chance I wouldn’t have.”
“I know.”
“He said I was to get out. When I tried to pack my suitcase, he grabbed it from me and emptied it all over the floor. He said I could take my stuff in a garbage bag. I just wanted to be out of there. I think Mum and the boys must be at Aunty Meredith’s, but I don’t know. I’m sorry, Matcher. You have all this other crazy stuff. You don’t need me like this now.”
Matcher went and got the phone. He gave it to her and left Rachel to talk to her mum. Why is it when you think your life is insane and can’t get worse it does? He wasn’t sad she was here. He had loved every minute last night. The guys were right. She did have a good rack. Shit, he was an asshole thinking that right now. Everything was crazy. Cara trying to get Vincent locked up. Seth getting Daniel to stab him, and surviving.
Rachel had hung the phone back up and came back to Matcher’s room. She lay next to him on his small bed. They just cuddled for a while saying nothing. He knew she would talk some more when she was ready. Her aura was glowing so much more since she had talked to her Mum. He didn’t want to jeopardize that.
“Mum said she was sorry. She said she has let me down. She let us all down. She said she never believed she deserved my dad and then Pat was the only one interested. She always thought it had been a fluke. When things went wrong, she felt that was the way it should probably have been in the first place. I told her I’m staying with friends for a few days and then I’ll sort something out. I think she guessed it was you, but said nothing,” Rachel went quiet. “Can I stay?”
“Yeh, the guys won’t mind. We could try and get a place together, or you move back with your Mum. Whatever’s okay with you.” Matcher hoped she would stay.
‘I know it’s daft, but I liked being at Cara’s with her crazy immortal man, and you seeing stuff around people. Your place and Cara’s are the two places that feel good to me right now. Thanks for everything Matcher.” Rachel reached up and placed her hand on his cheek.
It felt nice, and he knew where it would lead. His mouth came down and touched hers. Her lips parted and he wanted more. He knew he should be thinking of Cara now, but he needed this and so did Rachel.
Matcher yawned and stretched. His arm had gone dead. He was spooning Rachel. His little bed wasn’t so little after all. It was dark even though the curtains were open.
It was the TV on in the other room that had made him wake up. Looking at his clock beside the bed, he could see it was eight. Hell, he had meant to phone Cara. He was worried she would have gone back to Vincent’s on her own.
Easing himself out of bed, he found his mobile and called her number. No one answered. He had to go and check. If she wasn’t there, then he would go to Vincent’s. He started to dress.
Rachel turned over and yawned. “Are you going to Cara’s?”
“Yes and don’t ask, because you’re not coming. You have had enough crap today. I’ll sort this out. I’ll tell the guys on the way out your staying for a few days.”
Seth’s bike was out in front of Cara’s apartment. The lights were not on in her flat. Maybe they were in bed, but Matcher didn’t think so, not on a day like this. He should have been there for her. He just hoped she had not done anything foolish as he pressed the buzzer.
No answer. He pressed it again. He wouldn’t take his finger off until someone answered or the neighbors called the police.
Seth’s head thumped with the buzzing. Why the hell wouldn’t the noise stop? Opening his eyes felt impossible. Had someone weighted his eyelids with coins? He was at Cara’s, but when he finally opened his eyes, he couldn’t see her anywhere. Why didn’t she answer the door? He tried to stand. His knees gave way. He fell forward onto the floor. The room spun. The buzzer droned on incessantly.
He finally managed to stand, stagger to the door and answer the intercom. “What?”
“Seth.” Matcher’s voice echoed through the intercom. “Let me up.”
Seth pushed the security button, opened the apartment door and stumbled back to the couch. When Matcher entered, he turned on the lights. Then, he checked all the rooms.
“You look like shit. I can guess what she gave you. My cupboard used to have the same concoction of sedatives and pain-killers when I was sick.”
“Where’s Cara?” Seth asked shaking his head in a bid to clear it of double vision.
“My guess would be she’s gone back to Vincent’s. What time did you get here?”
“I don’t know.” He wanted to throw up.
“Think, damn it, Seth.” Matcher grabbed his shoulders and shook them.
Seth’s head started to clear. It was the anger building inside. People didn’t touch him unless he said so. His hands went into fists. What was going on here? Matcher looked scared.
“Come on, Seth. What time was it?”
“Five, I got here at five.”
“It’s nearly nine. Come on, you need to splash that face of yours and wake up. I’ll drive you. You’re in no fit state to ride that great monstrosity of a bike at the moment. I’ll tell you what happened this morning on the way.”
Matcher helped him up from the seat and dragged him to the bathroom. With his head over the bath and cold water running into his hair, Seth started to recall what happened. Why had she drugged him?
When he returned to the living room, he found Matcher with a pile of paper in his hand. “Cara didn’t tell you everything,” the younger man said.
“I figured that much out for myself. We need to go.”
“Not yet.” Matcher met his gaze. “The other night she told us about a book she’d stolen from Vincent’s. This is a copy of the pages. She put the book back on the night of the party. She believed Vincent was the killer. She didn’t want you to know. The book says if you try to kill him, you’ll die yourself.”
“That wouldn’t be such a bad thing.”
“To you maybe. When we went to Vincent’s this morning, she thought she saw some evidence that would link him to the most recent murder. Other people have lost loved ones too.”
“Then why are we standing here wasting time?” Seth snatched the papers from Matcher’s hands.
Matcher paused in the kitchen to grab a torch. “I know where the spare set of keys is kept and I saw the van down front. You can read on the way.”
Seth sat in the van and started to read. All the years had led to this. He thought he would be angry. Instead, he was scared, not of Vincent, but at the thought of losing Cara. If Vincent hurt her, dying would be the easy solution to this situation. Matcher didn’t interrupt him as he read. They pulled in around the corner from Vincent’s house.
“I just thought of something. If she left the van behind, how did she get here?” Matcher asked.
“There’s your answer. That’s the police inspector’s car. I’ve seen it outside of Cara’s flat before. I’d like to think it’s a reassuring sign. If Vincent’s been alive as long as I have and can’t be killed, he won’t give up easily.”
Chapter 26
Pain. The agony she was in meant she was still alive. Her heart beat wildly. Her breathing was too rapid. She wanted oblivion back. A voice cut through the agony. It was Matcher.
“Cara.”
He leaned over her. He tugged at the rope tethering one of her wrists. As she gazed up, she saw him disappear from view. There was a dull thud. Had som
eone hurt him? Thrown him into a wall? She tried to raise her head but her body would not respond.
Anger welled inside her. It wasn’t like anything she’d felt before. Not the anger at the injustice of losing her baby, or her parents indifference, or people hurting her friends. It was sheer violent rage at something being taken.
Then it was gone again. Warmth flowed through her. The discomfort eased. She must be dying and soon the hurt would be gone. The ache finally eased. She was leaving this world for good. The realm between life and death were close. Welcoming darkness beckoned. Someone called her back. A face appeared in the black surrounding her, but this time it wasn’t Matcher.
It was Rosie. She didn’t want someone in her head who had loved Seth as much as she did. It was an unworthy thought. Still, it was true. Death was near. He would live on to love someone else. She didn’t want to live forever. She had just wanted to love him now. Why couldn’t they leave her alone? The voice in her head was insistent.
Cara, come back. Seth needs you. He’ll die without you.
It was the only thing anyone would say that made a difference. Matcher, where was Matcher? In some part of her brain, she remembered seeing him.
Seth is here, Cara. I wanted my killer to pay. I made Seth stay because I was angry, angry at him, angry at life. Anger’s a powerful emotion and I thought it was right. He’s learned to love again with you. Let me heal you. I know Seth.
If you’re gone, he’ll want to die. His rage will turn him into something dark. I never understood the depth of his feelings. He was so scared to open up to anyone, but he opened to you. Each time you’ve been together, he’s given you a part of himself. We haven’t much time.
Cara found herself floating near the ceiling. Her body below her was a mass of skin and blood. The blade was still partially embedded in her chest. Seth bent over her.
