Текст книги "The Sweet Scent of Blood"
Автор книги: Сьюзан Маклеод
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Текущая страница: 19 (всего у книги 24 страниц)
Chapter Thirty-Four
Ihugged my arms around myself and gave Hugh a shaky smile. ‘Looks like I’m out of a job then.’ And out of my home, I added silently, looking around with regret. No way could I afford the rent without the witch subsidy working at Spellcrackers gave me.
Hugh picked up his notepad, tapped his pen on the front. ‘The two bodies were not human?’ His voice was raised in question.
‘What—? No, they were revenants. I thought you’d picked up on that.’
‘They are a type of vampire.’ He made a note in his pad. ‘Someone wants you out of the way.’
I laughed, a short sharp burst that I cut off before I couldn’t stop. ‘You could say that.’
Hugh’s forehead creased into concerned cracks. ‘The revenants attacked you?’
‘I’m okay, Hugh, really.’ I gave his shoulder a reassuring pat then held my arms out. ‘See, all in one piece.’
‘Well, you don’t look quite as skinny as you usually do.’ He got slowly to his feet, knocking his head against my amber pendant.
I smiled at his diplomatic compliment.
‘What I meant, Genny’—he brushed a hand carefully over his black hair and shifted away from the tinkling crystals—‘they wanted you to be out of the way physically. The bodies were left where they could be found quickly and easily. The dog-walker, the one who found the blood, said that wasn’t his usual route.’
‘Mind-locked,’ I said.
He nodded as if I’d confirmed something. ‘Inspector Crane wanted to take you in for questioning, and that would have meant you off the street for at least forty-eight hours. Now, thanks to Finn’s intervention ...’ He paused. ‘This vampire—the one who mind-locked the dog walker—is he the one who killed the revenants?’
I hesitated, realising I’d just confirmed to Hugh I’d been hanging around with a vampire. Still, after the Earl’s front page news—
‘Yes, it’s the same one,’ I said, ‘but why try and frame me up like that? He couldn’t have known what was going to happen, unless—I know he didn’t want me involved with this, so maybe this is his way of keeping me out of it.’ I frowned as something else odd hit me. ‘But then he also sent me an invitation to the Blue Heart.’
Hugh nodded thoughtfully. ‘You were under the witches’ protection, so sending you an invitation was the correct way to contact you. It’s standard practice between the witches and the vampires; that way they meet under the old rules of hospitality.’
Of course! The hospitality thing. That was why Malik had healed me. He’d seen it as his responsibilityto make sure I got home safe and unharmed, although it still didn’t explain why he’d invited me in the first place.
‘As this vampire killed the revenants, then there is no need to investigate their deaths.’ Hugh continued with his note. ‘I’ll order the blood tests, and once they’re confirmed the bodies will be burnt and the case closed.’
I nodded, understanding why. When they’d reclaimed their legal rights, the vamps agreed to abide by human laws, but only when it came to humans. They still kept their own judicial traditions, including destroying any vamps that turned feral or were considered a danger, without resorting to human law, and without fear of reprisal—and the two revenants qualified as dangerous in anyone’s book, never mind mine.
I shuddered. It was the same justice Malik was planning to follow in destroying me, or rather, the feralRosa me, my Alter Vamp.
‘S’cuse me?’ called a child’s nervous voice, and a hand edged through the half-open door, dropped a white paper carrier bag on the floor and disappeared.
I blinked for a moment, baffled, then realised the bag was Finn’s lunch order from the Rosy Lee. Briefly I wondered why Katie hadn’t delivered it, but shrugged the thought off—it was Sunday, and what with the tourists and the Witches’ Market, the café was probably busy. I’d check on her later.
‘You want anything to eat, Hugh?’ He shook his head and I put the bag on the kitchen counter moving the inspector’s brown envelope as I did. I tipped it up and slid out the contents: four ten by eight photos. The two of the Earl bending over my hand weren’t the problem. Like the one in the newspaper, it was obvious we were in a public place. They could be fobbed off as a chance meeting, something the witches probably wouldn’t object to. But the one of me kissing Rio, and the other where I was sitting astride her on the floor ... well, even I had to admit the Witches’ Council were probably right to think the two of us weren’t discussing the weather.
I handed Hugh the pictures, trying not to wince. ‘You can say I told you so if you want.’
He took them from me. ‘Yes, I have seen them. There is also a video on the internet of you with this vampire.’ He held up Rio’s picture. ‘That is what seems to have antagonised the Witches’ Council the most, from what I can gather.’
My day was just getting better and better.
Hugh slid the photos back onto the counter. ‘Apparently, some of the younger witches think that segregation from the vampires is the wrong way to go, particularly in the current climate. The council feel that if they don’t make a stand with you, it will set a bad precedent.’
Damn. Finn with his shining-knight complex might think he could get Inspector Crane to help me, but he had more chance of carrying soup in a sieve.
‘Finn knows.’ I looked up at Hugh. ‘He knows about the 3V. He wants to try and help me.’
‘Ah, Genny.’ Hugh gave a hesitant rumble as a guilty expression crossed his face. ‘There’s something I should explain.’
I frowned, puzzled. ‘What about?’
‘I know I’ve always told you to keep your distance from the fae because of your problem.’ Dust puffed from his head ridge. ‘I know I said that if they were to find out they would ostracise you, but that’s not entirely true. Those with good hearts—like Finn—would want to help you. I think it’s time I told you this, and also to apologise for misleading you all this time.’
‘But Hugh—’
‘Let me finish. When I first met you, I realised you were alone and vulnerable and desperate to put your trust in someone. I also realised that if you started to mix with the fae—’ He sighed, and continued, ‘Well, there are some who would use you for their own gain, much like the vampires. I didn’t want that to happen, so I convinced you that it was better to stay away from others of your own kind as much as possible. I’m sorry.’
‘I was young, Hugh, not totally stupid,’ I said, frowning. ‘Why would you think I would trust someone, even another fae? I mean, it took a couple of years before I started to trust you.’
‘That night I found you,’ Hugh’s fingers tightened around his troll-pen, ‘the night when the human attacked you—well, he’d obviously picked up those church leaflets and used them to lull your suspicions. And if a human could trick you like that, then you’d be an easy mark for a fae,’
‘The human didn’t trickme, Hugh,’ I snorted. ‘He tried to, but I could tell he was some vamp’s blood-pet, his skin was hotter than a dwarf’s furnace. But when I told him to get lost, he said he’d kill the woman working in the café unless I played nice and went with him. I’d planned to Glamour him once we were outside.’
‘But he poisoned you with iron, Genny,’ Hugh rumbled loudly.
‘Yeah.’ I pulled a disgusted face. ‘I admit letting him do that wasn’t the smartest idea I’ve ever had. I sort of expected the effects to wear off a bit quicker than they did.’
‘But why did you go along with me all this time if you knew I was misleading you?’
‘Well, you weren’t really, were you?’ I said slowly. ‘You were just being kind. The fae wouldshun me if they knew about my tainted blood.’
‘Genny, I just explained: not all of them would.’ His frown cracked even deeper.
Oh shit—Hugh didn’t know!He didn’t know who—or rather, what—my father was. The dragon at the sanctuary had told him about the salaich sìolin my blood, but she hadn’t told him about my father ... And no way could I deal with telling Hugh that little revelation just now.
‘Right,’ I snatched up the photos, mentally back-peddling, ‘but then if some of the fae did shun me, never mind anything else, think about all the problems I’d get with the witches, and the vamps.’ Hoping to distract him, I tapped the pictures and added quickly, ‘Like this mess I’m in now.’
‘This is what I have always been afraid of, Genny.’ More red mica glinted anxiously in Hugh’s hair. ‘That something like this would happen. It’s left you very vulnerable.’
‘I’m trying to get out of it, Hugh,’ I sighed, taking a cake box out of the food bag. ‘There’s just one more thing I need to do first before it’s finished.’
Why on earth had Finn ordered cakes? Neither of us ate them. I prised up the lid and stared. It wasn’t a food container, but two heart-shaped blue leather jewellery boxes. My stomach knotted: they had to be from the Earl. Tucked down beside the boxes was a note.
I unfolded the thick cream paper and read:
My dear Genevieve,
I believe the item within the smaller box belongs to you. I acquired it, on your behalf, some three years ago, when you felt the need to offer it up as security. I understand the item has sentimental value, and so I am returning it now, as a gesture of my esteem. I am writing to extend you my protection at this uncertain time and have hopes that you will look favourably upon my offer. I also wish to assure you that my intentions are honourable and enduring. With this in mind, the larger box contains a gift that I trust you will appreciate.
The Earl
My heart pounding, I grabbed the smaller box and jerked back the lid. Tildy’s black opal collar rested on the padded cushion within. My hands were shaking as I picked it up and ran my fingers over the five-stranded necklace. I held it to my nose, but the precious scent of Tildy’s gardenias no longer clung to the jewels, only the sad smell of blood, old and stale and almost bitter. I clutched the opals, blinking back tears. I didn’t have time to get upset.
The Ancient One had said she’d keep them safe, that was the agreement. She’d decided I wasn’t going to be around long enough for her to get all her money, and had actually refused to take my wordthat I’d pay for the spell, every month, on the dot—which I had. And all this time I’d never known the Ancient Bitch had sold the opals to the Earl– shit. Did that mean the Earl knew about my Alter Vamp disguise? Had she told him that’s what the opals were security for, or had she just grabbed the opportunity to cash in? The Ancient Bitch was going to have some explaining to do. If I survived that long.
I opened the larger box, then swallowed hard. The Fabergé Egg nestled amongst the blue velvet. It wasn’t my father’s; his didn’t have sapphires on it ... But the egg meant that the Earl knew who my father was—who Iwas—and he wasn’t planning on selling me back to my prince, so long as I accepted his offer of protection. The note was pure blackmail, however nicelyit was couched. Only—If he’d known about me all this time, why had he waited until now before making his move?
‘Genny?’ Hugh’s voice interrupted my thoughts. I’d almost forgotten he was there. ‘Isn’t that your necklace? The one I looked after for you when you were younger?’
‘Yes, it is.’ I took a deep breath. ‘And I want you to look after it again, please Hugh.’ I turned around, yanked open the fridge and took out the plastic container. It wasn’t big enough to hold the blue velvet box, so I wrapped the opals carefully in some kitchen roll and tucked them next to the soap, then snapped the plastic lid closed. ‘Keep it with all my other stuff.’ I held the box out to him. ‘Oh, and you’d better keep that too.’ I indicated the egg. ‘I’ll need to return it.’
‘Of course I’ll look after your things,’ he said, a small dust cloud puffing from his head ridge. He held up the Earl’s letter. ‘But—’
‘Look, I’ve got to go, Hugh. There’s someone I need to visit.’
‘Genny.’ His deep rumble made me stop. ‘I don’t know what you ran away from all those years ago, or what you need to do to finish this, but I do know it’s something to do with the vampires. And you’ve come too far to give in to them now.’
I gave him a rueful look. ‘Don’t worry, Hugh, I’m not going to give in.’ At least I hoped not. ‘I’ll be back before sunset. Tell Detective Inspector Crane I’ll take her up on the offer of a cell, because I think I’m going to need it.’
Then tomorrow I could sort out what I was going to do with my life.
Chapter Thirty-Five
The Bloody Shamrock was closed. In the daylight the door was pitted and scared, as if it had withstood an onslaught of Beater goblins. The neon cloverleaf was unlit, and it looked like no one was home, but when I concentrated, the faint trace of vampire snagged the edge of my radar. I hammered my fist on the door and gave it a kick for good measure. I turned and scanned along the street—Shaftesbury Avenue with its busy crowds was only twenty-odd feet away—but here was deserted. There wasn’t much call for day visitors, not when your main attractions were effectively dead. Or at least I hoped they still were.
I gave the door another hard thump.
There was the sound of bolts being drawn and the door opened slowly, revealing a thin slice of darkness. I shoved my shoulder against it and pushed my way into the building.
Mick stumbled away from me, a sullen look on his face. ‘What’d you do that for, Genny? I was gonna let you in.’
‘Yeah? Well maybe I wanted to make sure.’
His short red hair was mussed, like he’d just got out of bed—which I guessed he had going by the green silk boxers hanging off his narrow hipbones and the fluffy slippers that looked like he was wearing a couple of small furry barrels on his feet.
‘You don’t seem very surprised to see me,’ I pointed out. ‘Not going to ask me what I want or why I’m here?’
‘Fiona said you’d be coming.’ He hugged himself, hands clutching his arms, the suckers on his fingertips pulsing red. ‘She’s never wrong.’
‘Let’s not keep her waiting, then.’
He edged past me and re-bolted the door top and bottom, then said, ‘She’s upstairs.’
I followed him through the empty pub. His pale, freckled skin shone like a beacon as he picked his way through the spiky maze of upended chair legs. The place smelled of stale beer and blood. The combination made nausea roil in my stomach—or maybe that was just nerves.
He glanced back as he reached the stairs and I gave him a toothy smile.
‘Bumped into your boyfriend last night,’ I said, conversationally.
‘I know,’ Mick mumbled. His slippers made shushing sounds on the wooden treads. ‘He told me he saw you at the Blue Heart.’
‘He looked like he was getting all cosy with this blonde. You better watch that.’
‘It was business.’ He tried for couldn’t care less, but there was a stricken sound in his voice.
Shit. Now I felt like the bad-tempered faerie ... oh, wait, I was, but maybe Mick deserved it. Maybe. I’d never quite worked out if he’d set his sister, Siobhan, up as bait four years ago, or if she’d just ended up a victim because of his naïveté.
We walked past the semi-circular booths to the far wall of the gallery. It looked like a dead end, but Mick waved a hand above his head and there was a soft snick, and a section of the wall slid quietly aside.
Behind was a narrow hallway, with four heavy steel doors down one side. At the fourth, Mick stopped and waved again, then he turned and glowered at me. ‘I know you think I’m stupid for being with Seamus, especially after what happened with my sister.’ He stuck his bottom lip out. ‘Sometimes he has to do things that I don’t like. But we love each other. If you had ever felt like that about anyone, then you’d understand.’
He was right: I did think him stupid, and I didn’t understand—but then, I wasn’t the one in love, so I just shrugged and didn’t ask him the question that popped into my mind. Wasn’t love supposed to make him happy?
The steel door did its snick-and-slide thing.
The place was done up as an Edwardian lady’s boudoir. Painted plaster roses covered the ceiling, ivory-striped silk lined the walls, and long velvet drapes suggested there might be windows behind them, though I doubted it. A huge marble fireplace dominated one side; double doors opposite presumably led to the bedroom. Someone liked their little luxuries.
In the middle of all this finery Fiona reclined on a velvet chaise lounge, looking like a beautiful painting. Her white-blonde hair spiked above her large, luminous grey eyes, and a ruby necklace dripped into the deep V of her rose silk negligee.
‘You were right, it was her.’ Mick sidled past me and sat in front of her, legs bent to one side. ‘And she’s not happy.’
She rested a pink cotton-gloved hand on his freckled shoulder, gave it a squeeze, throwing me a resigned but slightly wary look. Her makeup was still perfect, but it didn’t hide the dark circles under her eyes or the map of ugly red veins that pulsed across her chest. She looked delicate and fragile, and nothing like a cold-blooded murderer.
I strode over the thick rose-coloured carpet towards her and stopped with my boots touching Mick’s legs. ‘Want to explain why you sent those two revenants to kill me last night?’
Mick shuffled his legs further back.
‘Ms Taylor’—Fiona’s fingers spasmed, digging into Mick’s freckled skin—‘sometimes I seethings that distress me, and I have to try to alter the course of what might happen.’ Perspiration beaded her forehead.
‘Well, I’m pretty distressed about what didhappen, never mind the future.’ I leaned over her. ‘Start talking, and give me a reason not to tell the police about it.’
‘Tell her what she wants to know.’ Mick patted her glove, glaring at me with a half-petulant, half-anxious expression. ‘Then she’ll leave us alone.’
Fiona took a shuddering breath. ‘Ask your questions, Ms Taylor.’
I straightened. ‘Tell me about Melissa and the spell that they all want, the one that’s supposed to have killed her.’
‘Melissa was Declan’s little spy. He used her to keep tabs on the other Masters. Once she’d overheard them talking about the spell, then of course he wanted her to find out more.’ Her gloved hand shook. ‘Only she got ambitious and started holding back information, and then she died. When her mother found her, she phoned the police instead of us. It meant we couldn’t get to the body. Declan searched Bobby’s memories and discovered that Melissa had found the spell, but Bobby didn’t know the details.’
I walked over to her dressing table, picked up a gold-backed hairbrush. ‘Alan Hinkley’s story about Melissa being killed by magic: I take it that was just so I’d check out her body for the spell?’
‘We thought the spell had been given to her.’ She watched the brush. ‘Only we weren’t sure how.’
Sliding the brush back onto the table, I asked, ‘What does the spell do?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘C’mon, Fiona,’ I gave her a sceptical look, ‘Declan must have told you.’
‘Maybe he did, but I don’t remember.’ Her voice trembled like an old woman’s. ‘Memory for me is ... difficult. Sometimes it is mine, more often it belongs to a stranger. Sometimes all my mind seesis the future. It is both my gift and my curse.’ Her pale brows creased. ‘If I know what the spell does, that knowledge is not mine at the moment.’
Mick patted her glove again.
I walked behind her chaise, lifted the edge of one curtain. Yep, I’d been right. No windows. ‘What did you seewhen you touched me?’
She twisted her head, straining to keep me in sight. ‘Without Declan, Ms Taylor, I would not be able to control my ability. Neither Patrick nor Seamus is strong enough to help me. I would very quickly go insane.’ She slumped down on the chaise. ‘When I touched you, I sawthat you would cause Declan’s death. I will not allow that to happen.’
‘So you decided that it would be much more convenient if I wasn’t around.’
‘It was nothing personal.’
‘Great!’ I snapped. ‘I can’t tell you how much betterthat makes me feel.’ I stalked towards the double doors, heading for the room beyond. ‘So how am I supposed to cause Declan’s death?’
Fiona struggled up, looking anxious. ‘The vampires are to Challenge each other over you. Declan would not stand down; it is not in his nature.’ She clutched at Mick for balance. ‘But he cannot win against the Earl or Malik.’
My stomach twisted into a tight knot. That so was not the information I wanted to hear. ‘I can tell you now,’ I said, ‘I don’t intend to be anyone’s prize.’
‘I don’t think you have any choice in the matter,’ she said softly. ‘The future is decided.’
‘Something else you saw.’ I made it a statement rather than a question. Then I opened the double doors.
It was a bedroom. The rose and ivory décor continued right down to the rose silk sheets that covered the massive bed. The two vampires sprawled naked, their ivory skin gleaming in the rose-shaded lights on either side of the bed. Declan lay on his side, dark head pillowed on his arm, one knee drawn up. Next to him, lying on his front, arms and legs spread like a starfish, was one of his brothers, Patrick, I guessed. Somehow I couldn’t see Mick or Seamus sharing this little ménage à trois.
I knew they would rise close to sunset, but they were lying so still, that it seemed they were more than asleep ...
‘Please don’t hurt them.’ Fiona’s slippered feet scuffed over the carpet as she hurried to stand beside me.
‘Why would I harm them?’
‘You are angry.’ She cast a fearful look at the two brothers. ‘Hurting them will not change what will happen.’
‘What will then?’ I demanded.
‘I have lived a long time around vampires, Ms Taylor.’ She sighed. ‘When they want something, they usually get it. Fair means or foul. If they want you—?’ She gave a delicate shrug. ‘But I will keep Declan from the Challenge. I imagine that after it has happened your fate will be decided one way or another and you will no longer be a threat to us.’
‘When’s this Challenge supposed to happen?’
‘Tonight.’
My pulse jumped.
Turning to look at her, I said, ‘You know he’s not going to be very happy when he wakes up and finds you tried to kill me.’
‘This morning, I knew you weren’t dead.’ She clutched the edges of her negligée together. ‘I knew then I couldn’t change your future, but I thought that maybe I could change theirs.’
I narrowed my eyes. ‘How?’
She puckered her lips and blew a breath towards me. ‘Do you recognise the smell?’
A bittersweet scent drifted in the air. ‘No.’
‘She poisoned herself.’ Mick put his arm round her. ‘Nightshade.’
Fiona gestured at the two vampires. ‘They will feed once they wake. It will take some time for their systems to neutralise the effects. It should keep them here until the night is past.’
I blinked. ‘You’re going to feed them both?’
‘Of course.’ Her lips lifted in a small smile. ‘I always feed them on waking.’
‘Won’t they notice you’re unwell?’
‘Not until it’s too late.’ She leaned into Mick. ‘Mick will give me the antidote once they have fed.’
She looked ill enough that I thought Mick should be giving her the antidote right now.
I waved at the bed. ‘Declan lied to me.’
‘Did he?’ She frowned.
‘Melissa wasn’t a faeling.’
‘No, she wasn’t.’ Her voice carried faint confusion. ‘Did he tell you she was?’
I thought back. ‘Declan told me that Melissa had fae blood in her.’
‘She did,’ Mick broke in. ‘Bobby was always doing experiments, and we did one where he injected Melissa with my blood. Bobby said it was like she suddenly got somuch more attractive. That’s why Declan made her his spy. All of a sudden the vamps were round her like she was a bitch in heat.’
Now that was a nice image, not!
I stared down at the naked vampires. Declan may not have lied to me in words, but the magic didn’t always take notice of semantics, only intent.
A memory edged into me.
Matilde, my stepmother, raging at my father, screaming at him to stop.
My father, drenched in blood that smelled like sweet apples, his voice calm. ‘Genevieve gave me her word that she would not see the beast again.’ Gripping my arm, he forced my nine-year-old self to kneel on the ground. The blood was still warm and it squelched under my knees and soaked up into my nightie. ‘The waterhorse was a danger to us all. Now she will understand the result of her lack of honour.’ The sleek ivory body of the kelpie was almost unrecognisable, but for patches of skin that still gleamed like pink-stained moonlight.
My father hadn’t killed the kelpie; the local people had. They’d been frightened that the kelpie would drown them and steal their souls.
The kelpie would have left before they found him if it hadn’t been for me. I hadn’t seenhim again, but I had gone and talked to him—for the magic, that had been enough.
A noise beside me brought me back to the present.
‘Melissa wasn’t killed by magic,’ I said.
Fiona gasped. ‘How do you know? Have you seen her body?’
I turned to her. ‘I don’t need to. Melissa was killed just as the police have said: her blood drained by a vampire.’ I pointed at Declan. ‘Tell him that. And tell him I have honoured my side of the bargain. Now he must honour his.’
She frowned. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘Never break a bargain with a fae.’ I smiled, and it was bitter. ‘The magic always has its price.’
Mick gave me a sullen look. ‘Go away, Genny. We don’t want you here.’
I sighed. Fiona and Mick had confirmed what I’d already guessed, and if they did know about the spell, short of trying to beat it out of them, they weren’t going to tell me. I’d fulfilled my obligation, but I hadn’t learned anything really useful by coming here ... yet.
Was Fiona right about what my future held? There was only one way to find out.
I clasped her arm, just above her glove, skin to skin.
Mick shouted, clamped his hands round my wrist as Fiona’s eyes went wide, startled, her pulse jumping like a frightened animal under the thin skin of her throat. I held on tight, though Mick tried to pry my fingers from her flesh. She sagged, falling heavily to her knees, her mouth gasping like a waterless fish.
‘Please,’ she cried, her lashes fluttering on her cheeks, ‘no more.’
I let her go and she collapsed, trembling into a heap of rose-coloured silk.
‘Go away,’ Mick shouted, shoving me back, ‘just go away!’
Then he hoisted her in his arms, and tucking his head next to hers, he murmured small comforting noises. He carried her to the bed and laid her gently between the two vampires.
She sighed and curled into Declan, cuddling up against him like he was a giant teddy bear.
‘What did you see, Fiona?’ I demanded.
She gazed back at me, her pupils dilated by the poison, sweat beading her forehead. ‘Nothing,’ she whispered. ‘Nothing but fog.’
Damn.
I let myself out.
