Vengeance (Thorn's Needles)

by P. A Ross

  I was Day Jonathan again, and free with my own thoughts, and looking back over the nights events I realised I barely escaped death at Thorn’s hands. I was lucky to be alive. It was the scariest time of my life. Killing the gang was a good thing to do as they were hurting those girls, but it was still killing people. Maybe there could have been a better way. Maybe I could still help people like that where ever I ended up, without killing.

  Also, there was Scarlet, she wanted me back still and told me there was away out, and those words still echoed around my head during the day. Could there truly be away back, it was what I wanted during these daylight hours. I owed Thorn so much, we had a deal, but at times it felt more like pact with the devil. Last night it was a mixture of fun and fear with Thorn, but that was a true reflection, although more extreme of most nights with her. Thorn had never betrayed me, she had only ever kept to her word, and even if it hurt I was becoming stronger under her guidance. I needed time to think about going home to a normal life, maybe it wasn’t just a fantasy. I knew if I were to protect Scarlett in the mean time I had to forget her. If I dwelled on her for too long Thorn may pick up my thoughts, and both of us could be dead. Once we had finished with Barry I could sneak out and get away from Thorn during the day, and find my way back to Scarlett. Maybe it wasn’t too late to have a normal life. I just needed to follow my plan I had been building as Day Jonathan, and hoped that Night Jonathan would survive long enough to make it through, or not betray us to Thorn.

  CHAPTER 15

  From my last change, the vampire power lasted longer, and I had a greater control over it, being able to change in and out more quickly. I started to feel the hypnotic powers and psychic abilities on the last injection, pushing my thoughts into the minds of Annabel and Lucinda. Once the power had gone I’d grown again, stronger, faster, taller and more handsome as well. My fighting instinct seemed to have improved; I could feel the moves and actions I should take when back in my human form. It had pushed the boundaries of my human form, which never fully returned to normal again afterwards, like the elastic on a rubber band stretched too far. I waited to see if this included the psychic abilities, but I was happy with my new abilities in vampire and human form.

  A couple of days after seeing Scarlett and fighting in the warehouse, I was Day Jonathan and was putting my escape plan together. I just bought a silver knife and stuffed it deep into my rucksack and counted the remaining change. I walked around the corner to a phone shop and bought the cheapest mobile I could find with ten pounds worth of credit. I got the guy in the shop to make sure it worked properly, and I test called them to ensure it was already. I headed back to the house to hide my escape kit back in the loft and get on with training.

  After the incident with the Hunters and killing the slave gang, it became increasingly difficult for Thorn and me to roam free. Police and hunters had swarmed over the slave gang killings and had put it down to gang feud. Thorn told me that was the smartest thing about attacking criminals, as the police wouldn’t try to hard. The hunters were watching all the places to find Barry. His cousin, Terry’s house, was under constant guard waiting for us. Thorn decided we should leave town for a while, let the dust settle and try to distract the Hunters. Thorn had asked about what happened in Leeds after hearing Scarlett’s comments. I told her everything ashamed and guilty I had let my friend down again. She was extremely interested to hear what had happened, and she didn’t judge me. She decided that it would be part of my training to go back and face those events and people again.

  Luckily it was winter time so the dark hours lasted longer and came around sooner. We managed to do the drive all at night to the hotel. We were booked into the penthouse suite, in the middle of the city, allowing us to walk straight in and join in the fun. The penthouse was a huge room with double bed, sofas, large table, bathroom suite and balcony looking over the City. I toured the room amazed at its luxury and realising this was another benefit of life with Thorn, she was incredibly rich. I walked out onto the balcony watching the city below and was excited about being back in Leeds. Thorn had a plan tomorrow night of touring the places and events of my past. To face my fears, and confront the past as part of my training. But that was tomorrow, tonight we were going out into the City to have some fun. I never been out at night in the City, and I never imagined I would until I was a lot older as too I was scared. On the way up in the car I talked to Thorn about all the places I wanted to visit and all the things I wanted to do. I knew of all the trendy spots as heard about them second hand at school or read about them on social networking sites, and Thorn knew of better places. She joined me on the balcony and looked out over the city.

  “Nice view,” I said.

  “Yes, you should see it as I see it,” she replied.

  I imagined all the smells, colours and emotions flowing through her as she plugged into the city with her vampire senses.

  “I like the room.”

  “It will do,” she said, as the wind gently blew her raven hair across her face.

  “Where does all your money come from?” I asked intrigued.

  “Well, I have had a lot of years to save up. Compound interest is a marvellous thing. Being able to read minds is useful. I am especially good at poker. Good for getting inside tips on the stock market as well. The problem isn’t getting the money, its getting rid of it. I can’t afford to have too much money in one name as it generates too many questions. I give a lot to charity,” she said.

  I laughed, the idea of a vampire giving their money away to charity sounded ridiculous.

  “I know it’s a strange idea, it’s not from the goodness of my heart. It’s purely practical. It buys favours and builds my other identities networking contacts.”

  She carried on explaining.

  “I invest in companies conducting research as well. Anything that could give me an advantage. Money isn’t the point, its all about power,” she said.

  “Power over who?”

  “Over those who wish to destroy me and my kind,” she answered.

  “The Hunters?”

  “Yes, and others. But the time for a history lesson is once you have completed your training. For now, I need to keep you and the needles a secret.”

  I had pressed the question on other vampires and her history before but had always been rebuffed.

  “Why?” I asked again, looking around at her, feeling braver now we had spent time together.

  She gazed into the distance and closed her eyes, letting the cold air wash over her. I sensed memories flashing through her mind. Images of fire and smoke blazing around, as battles against Knights in armour raged. Swords cutting through the smoke as screams and roars engulfed the air. Vampires fighting the knights and trying to escape into the night. Vampires like her glowing and passionate, and others dark, half dead, and decaying in the shadows. Her memories jumped back further to other battles and glimpses of giant wings beating the air and knights charging in with red crosses emblazed on their tunics. The images were moving around to reveal the source of the wings, and suddenly they stopped as she forced me out of her mind. She turned around and frowned.

  “You are getting stronger. I must be more careful around you,” she said a little perturbed.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to. It just sort of happens sometimes,” I said hoping I hadn’t crossed the line.

  “So the other powers remain with you afterwards as well, not just the physical strengths,” she said.

  I hadn’t mentioned it before, trying to keep it a secret, my ace in the pack, but the secret was blown.

  “Yes. A little of the power I had as a vampire remains. My powers seem to improve upon every needle , and a residual amount remains and grows each time,” I confessed.

  “Interesting. You are becoming more fascinating,” she said, and turned and held both my hands so we were face to face.

  “I will tell all eventually, but first I must be sure you are ready. You must complete the training,” she said, her bright
sky eyes smiling at me, and I knew that was the end of the conversation as I felt her powers encircling me.

  “Let’s party,” she said and walked back through the door into the penthouse room, pulling me behind her.

  After a restful sleep, I woke with the last of light fading around the edges of the curtains giving the room a dim covering. Thorn was asleep, but it wouldn’t be long before she woke. I was Day Jonathan and thoughts crossed my mind of pulling the curtains back and exposing her to the UV light. I could finish her and be free to be with Scarlett again. Free from the fears that Thorn would kill me or get me killed. As the night came and I could sense Thorn awakening, and I could feel Night Jonathan taking over.

  “Let’s open the curtains and kill her,” I, Day Jonathan said.

  “Why, you have a deal , and she is keeping it,” he, Night Jonathan replied.

  “But I was wrong to make that deal. It was a deal you made,” I replied.

  “We both wanted it. Don’t pretend you haven’t been happy with your new strength and abilities.”

  “I am, but it’s gone far enough. Who knows what she has planned tonight,” Day Jonathan said his voice beginning to fade with the light fading around the corners of the curtains.

  “Well hopefully some excitement and blood,” I replied.

  “More blood on your hands. How can you sleep?”

  “Easy, in the knowledge I am safe and no one can hurt me anymore. This is what we both wanted. You just don’t have the strength to admit it and see it through,” I replied.

  “It’s not that simple,” he said, his voice nearly a whisper.

  “Why not,” I said, and grinned, as I Night Jonathan was back in control once more.

  “Last night was great being out in the City. A place we never thought we could go. Thorn has given us so much. You need to trust her, as she trusts us,” I added, as Day Jonathan was gone again.

  Darkness had fallen, and Thorn woke up. She sat up in bed, and we kissed as the sheet fell away from her body revealing her perfect form.

  “It will be a good night, I can sense it,” she said, and padded off to the shower room to get ready.

  I switched on the news as Thorn showered. The local news played in the background, and I considered if I would be on the news in the couple of nights following our visit. Thorn came back and was dressing to get attention on the tour of the City, short tartan kilt skirt, white high heels and tiny white crop top. I went to ask her if she was really going out dressed like that, when she looked at me eyebrows raised.

  ”Yes I am.”

  I hated it when she read my mind.

  Thorn insisted I wore my new clothes, designer blue pre-roughed up jeans, Ducati retro 50’s black leather jacket, grey tight surfing t-shirt and brown suede boots. I felt good in the new clothes , and as a couple, we were a usual sight with Thorn dressed as if on a night out clubbing. She was obviously a lot older than me, more than people realised, in fact she was older than everybody. I was dressed like her young toy boy. I could tell by the hotel staffs reaction and snippets of their thoughts, they assumed I had lots of money to have a woman like Thorn. They were surprised as she paid for the room and the food in the restaurant using her American Express centurion credit card. They had to check the card as never seen one before, and discovered on the internet you needed $5000 to initiate and $2500 a year for fees. They spoke to Thorn with deference and respect on their return, previously having almost ignored her due to her dress and assuming I was the one with money. A couple of them gathered in a corner and looked over at us as I finished off my steak and chips before we left to explore.

  Thorn smiled and looked at me.

  “They can’t decide on our relationship. They thought I was some sort of trophy girlfriend. Now they think I am a sugar mummy, corrupting some poor young boy,” she laughed.

  “You are, aren’t you,” I laughed back.

  Thorn frowned at me for a moment, and I was frozen with panic at my joke gone wrong.

  “Yes I am!” she said and laughed again, as she knocked back her Vodka and Tonic.

  We drove to my old house in the quiet cul-de-sac I had lived for all my life prior to London. The windows were still boarded with fresh red writing, ”Run Grass.” The for sale sign looked tatty and wasted as long as the attacks continued. Dad hadn’t been able to sell the house looking as it did and was causing him financial issues with a mortgage and rent to pay. I remembered all the years I spent in the house just Dad and I. It was better when I was younger, as we had live in help to look after me, but soon as I turned fourteen they left as I was deemed old enough to take myself to school and home, and to look after myself while Dad worked. The last few years were lonely, and Giles helped me through it as my best friend, and I had abandoned him at his time of need. I remembered the happy times, learning to ride my bike and playing in the back garden. The bad times, living in fear after the accident and even before then as a home alone fourteen year old. Dad devoted himself to work when I reached fourteen by taking on his new night time project, which I guess was connected to Thorn, but she had always been based in London. His work was still a mystery, and I would like to get some answers someday I thought. I explained it all to Thorn as we sat outside and she soaked it in looking at the house, and re-living my memories as I played them out in my mind.

  We drove onto my old school, “St Tersea’s,” and I stood by the front gates looking at the names and faces scratched into the red letters. I took out a permanent black marker and wrote on the square railings on the gate.

  “Jonathan Harker returned” and added in the date next to it.

  I hoped someone would see it upon returning to school, and it would be a talking point. I looked through the gates into the courtyard and road snaking round the side to the car park at the back. My memory re-lived finding Giles surrounded by the O’Keefe’s gang and the look of fear on his face, his eyes bulging looking for salvation. I remembered Liam scaring me off and walking around the corner trying to justify my cowardice. I imagined how different life would have been, if I hadn’t of been scared off, but stood my ground and tried to help. Maybe the car accident could have been avoided , and Giles and I would still be friends. I may have still been living in Leeds, but could have still been living in fear. Maybe I was better off it did all happen, else I would have never met Thorn, but I would of never would have been mugged by Barry and betrayed by Scarlett either. Yet, there was no guarantees life would have been better in Leeds or London, I knew I had to make the best of where I was now.

  Thorn looked around for a bit and listened as I explained the events in detail. She listened, and I could tell she was re-living those memories and emotions as I explained it. I held myself together as a sadness welled up from all the years of fear I went through at school, and that fateful day. She held my hand as I explained, and we hugged at the end.

  “They can’t hurt you anymore,” she said as we hugged.

  “Remember what you have become. You have a rare opportunity to put things right,” she added.

  I nodded, and I knew without any psychic abilities what she had planned for the night.

  “Good, now where do they live,” she asked, standing back and pressing the car key fob making the car lights flash and the locks clunk into place.

  I wasn’t particular keen on walking into that place at night the old fears were too strong to quash, but she wasn’t taking no for an answer and I pointed in the right direction. Thorn walked on to the estate putting on a terrific show, seriously working her body, swaying her hips back and forth like she was on a cat walk. I knew what she was up to as she had done this before it was her way of hunting. She didn’t go and find her prey, but she got them to find her. She was the honey and the trap. We got the attention she desired as we walked through, cars beeped and young men leered out the windows, and few local youths wolf whistled, and she blew kisses trying to provoke them into fatal action.

  The further we walked into the estate the more uncomforta
ble I felt. The housing was getting more run down, windows broken and boarded up. The litter on the streets blowing about and garbage dumped on street corners. I would have never walked around here day or night. I started to feel scared , and my muscles tensed up, and I looked down at the floor as we walked on trying to avoid anyone’s gaze. Thorn stopped and grabbed my shoulder and I looked up, her eyes flashed red , and she bared her fangs for a second. I suddenly remembered who I was walking with and pulled myself upright, and we carried on down the road deeper into the hunting ground. I loved it when she read my mind.

  As we turned onto another road I recognised it as the place the accident happened. I was even able to find the exact spot and pointed it out to Thorn. I remembered Liam catapulting over the car and his motionless body behind the car. I remembered opening the door, being sick and running off scared at what would happen next. I was right to be scared as they came after us driving Giles to suicide and I would have been me next if it hadn’t been for my Dad’s work. Just then as Thorn was re-living my memories a gang of three lads came around the corner ahead. Thorn caught their attention and they started staring. She held their gaze and started strutting towards them and giving it everything to fuel their desires. They approached full of swagger and bluff pulling their hoodies down, and I recognised one of the lads from the gang, Dave. He was Patrick’s right hand man in school, always there to act as the extra muscle and had bullied Giles and I in the past. He recognised me as well.

  “Jon?”

  “Yeah,” I replied confidently.

  “Hardly recognise you, especially not here.”

  “Well just showing my girlfriend around,” I responded.

  Thorn stood next to me hugging my arm and smiling at Dave, acting the part to perfection.

  He looked at her surprised.

  “Really, why here?” he asked.

  “I want to find the O’Keefe’s house,” Thorn answered.