‘We’ve only got to get to the border,’ he repeated, slowing down a fraction as we rounded a tight bend and continued to climb. But that fraction was enough; the car behind us sped forward and before I could blink he had drawn level with us. I didn’t dare look in that direction; gut feeling told me that the cruel grin of Giles would face me.
‘No, you don’t!’ Kaspar roared as the slayer’s car drifted towards us. ‘Nobody gets even a single scratch on my baby!’
If I thought we were going fast before, it was nothing compared to the speed we were going now as the roar of engines filled my ears. Screwing my eyes tightly shut I began praying to every deity alive for my life, feeling the car break the peak of a hill and begin soaring downwards.
‘Not much further now … not much further now …’ Kaspar muttered with furious determination, braking hard and taking a sharp left.
‘I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die,’ I whimpered, eyes still shut tight.
‘No, you are not!’ Kaspar grunted and I heard the car change down a gear.
‘I’m gonna die! I don’t want to die!’
‘There, we’re—’
‘I’m going to die, I’m too young to die, I can’t die; I haven’t been to Disneyland yet!’ I cried hysterically, hardly registering the fact that the car had slowed considerably.
‘Vi—’
‘I’m gonna die!’
‘Girly! For the last time, you’re not going to die! We’re back! They’re gone! They can’t get through the border!’ he yelled above my sobs, cutting the engine and slamming his hands down on the steering wheel.
‘Huh?’ I opened my eyes tentatively, beginning to loosen my grip on the leather of the seats. We were indeed back: the floodlights of the garage gleamed off the paintwork of the cars, the comforting howl of the wind as it passed through the hills of Varnley echoing in the distance.
‘They’re gone. It’s okay,’ Kaspar cooed in what he must have thought was a comforting tone.
‘Oh God,’ I muttered, burying my head in my hands, taking deep breaths and attempting not to hyperventilate. ‘Oh God, I think I need a cup of tea.’
FORTY-THREE
Violet
The kettle whistled as I settled gingerly onto a bar stool, letting my head fall into my hands. I was shattered, overwhelmed and the shrill whistling echoed painfully in my head, filling the room with the jingling of the pans hanging on the walls.
Shuddering, but not from the cold, I heard the sound of the gas being killed and felt the steam rising as the water stewed, the vapour tickling the tip of my nose.
Raising myself up onto my elbows I watched as Kaspar ducked down beneath the counter, rummaging in a cupboard for a second, cursing, and then mumbling that he would be back in a minute.
Resting my head back on my arms I listened to the gentle rise of my chest in the unnatural silence, the occasional wisp of smoke escaping from the kettle – the only other sound that my hearing didn’t filter out.
The sound of another’s breath joined mine and I peered through my curtain of hair in time to see Kaspar returning, a dusty bottle of liquor cradled in his arms.
‘Finest Scotch whisky, 1993, and the last bottle in the cellar, so don’t tell Father, he’s rather fond of his spirits.’
And there was me thinking they keep coffins in the wine cellar.
In one fluid moment he unscrewed the cap and took a swig, gulping a ridiculous amount down that would have a human on the floor in seconds – to a vampire it was about as intoxicating as lemonade.
‘I said tea! Not whisky,’ I said, sounding weaker than I had hoped.
He set the bottle down with a clad, eyeing me the whole time. Not bothering to add milk or sugar he passed me the steaming mug, sliding it across the counter that separated us. In a blink he was by my side, bottle in hand and taking the mug straight back from me.
‘Trust me, after the day you’ve had you need a shot of this,’ he said, pouring a copious amount into my tea whilst I watched dubiously. ‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost. And it tastes fine, stop looking so disgusted.’
I took it hesitantly. Taking a large mouthful I almost spat it back out it; it was smoky and combined with the herbal taste of the tea, just plain disgusting. It left my mouth dry as I forced myself to swallow and within seconds I felt burning down my throat, which I was sure had nothing to do with the heat of the tea. The room did a somersault and to stop myself from swaying I focused on Kaspar, who was knocking back the remainder of the bottle whilst settling onto a stool and watching me with vague concern.
I set the almost-full mug down, still feeling like I was spinning. ‘I think I’m just going to leave the rest of that.’ Sliding around to face him, our knees brushing, it didn’t feel like the potent stuff had done Kaspar’s intended job. I rested my chin on my hands, closing my eyes and willing tears not to fall as they stung and threatened to leak, almost beyond my control. ‘God.’
I had made my decision and I felt terrible. I had just abandoned my sick and vulnerable little sister as well as my family and friends, not to mention my education and the promise of a normal, burden-free life.
And what had I chosen instead? A Kingdom full of sick, twisted, manipulative creatures that feasted upon humans, and the Varns’ handsome, if egotistical, fourth son; the very pinnacle upon which this secret world would one day revolve. I must be out of my mind.
Yet the thought that I could have left it all behind still made my heart clench; whether in gladness that I had stayed or in protest that I hadn’t gone was unclear.
I groaned inwardly, collapsing onto the counter, all too aware of the figure stifling a snigger beside me; all too aware of the gaze of his striking eyes and the shallow, almost unnecessary rise and fall of his chest that I could just glimpse through the gaps between my strands of hair.
What the hell is happening to me?
I do believe the term applicable here is Stockholm Syndrome, my voice offered, smug, like it knew best. You’ve become indoctrinated. Congratulations.
I’m not a mindless idiot yet, I snapped back and I sensed that if my voice possessed a pair of shoulders, it would be shrugging them.
Not yet.
‘What have I done?’ I asked, not really directing the question at Kaspar, but rather voicing my thoughts aloud. ‘I’ve abandoned Lily. I abandoned her and all for—’
‘For what?’ he cut in sharply. I raised my head from my arms to see that his eyes were grey again. ‘Why didn’t you go? You had a chance to be free but you just came running back!’ With his change of tone, all feelings of confusion fled as something far more sinister crept in, clawing and dragging at my chest.