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Well that was bizarre. I’ve never had to pretend to be wasted before, and I can tell you, it was by no means the perfect performance. I had to stagger out of Liz’s apartment while Sara kept Daniel covered by my jacket. To put a bit of authenticity into the act, she also stuck her tongue down my throat before we got into a cab.
This is no place for a baby, out on a dark night in a scruffy taxi that smells like rotten garlic. But Daniel seems happy enough, sitting on my knee, watching the lights go by.
Sara tells the driver to pull up down a dark backstreet. She pays the driver extra, telling him that this fare never happened. As she steps outside, I frown. There’s nothing here but a row of old lockups. She opens the door and gestures her head for me to get a move on.
“This is the plan?” I ask.
She puffs out, her patience with me at zero. “Just get out.”
The cab drives away as I awkwardly move to keep hold of a wriggly Daniel. He’s blowing raspberries again, gazing around this shit-hole in wonder, while kicking his legs. I’m already understanding that this kid is different. He’s strong, and way too perceptive. He’s just one day old, holding up his head, and he’s aware of everything around him. And not once has he cried for attention.
Sara opens one of the garage doors as I balance Daniel on my hip. He’s messing with this string and coin around his neck, dribbling. I’m no safety expert, but whatever it is, it’s a choking hazard.
“What is this anyway? I don’t think he should have it around his neck.” I hold Daniel out to an arms-length, looking at the coin on the string. “It might choke him.”
“He keeps it on, at least until we’re out of the country. That’s the one thing that is keeping Selene in the dark.” She enters the damp garage and I follow.
“How?” I ask, kicking an old oil can out of my way.
“It just is,” she grumbles, like I’m just an extra pair of hands to her.
She pulls on a silver cover to reveal a black 14 plate Ford Focus. It has tinted windows, fancy alloys, with a white racing stripe over the bonnet, roof, and hood. It looks like a teen racers first car. I scowl at it. How the hell are we not going to draw attention to ourselves in this piece of junk?
“Can you see Adrien driving this?” Sara asks, noticing the disapproval on my face, opening the door so I catch a whiff of cannabis. “No, and that’s the point.”
She marches to the boot and opens it. I stand at her back and peer inside. There’s a suitcase, diapers, milk, and bottles. She unzips a smaller black case. Shit. Money. There’s got to be over a hundred grand in there.
She walks to the back passenger door and takes out a baby seat. I squat down to carefully place Daniel inside. I examine the straps and tug to loosen them, but it’s no good, I can’t fasten the stupid fiddly thing.
Sara pushes me aside, handing me a passport and a new phone, and like she’s done it a thousand times before, she secures Daniel into the car seat without a fuss.
My brow tenses as I open the passport to see my new identity. “Are you taking the piss?” I utter. “My name is Mike Rotch.”
“Yes and?”
Oh god, she hasn’t got one ounce of humour in her. She’s been a vamp for too long. Every wisecrack and joke just flies over her head. This is Adrien, it has to be. The prick. I’m the one putting my ass on the line for his kid, so you’d think he’d be grateful.
“My crotch!” I say, waiting for her to get it, but her eyes just roll at me. Yep, right over her head that went. “What’s your name?” I ask her.
She flips open her fake passport. “Lisa Rotch.”
“So we’re married now. Fan-frigging-tastic!” I toss the passport inside the boot. “And the kid?”
“Daniel Rotch.” She slams the boot lid shut. “Right, come on. Our plane leaves in ninety minutes.”
I lift up the car seat. I’ve seen how this goes down before, parents’ cursing and stressed in car parks, trying to fasten them in.
“Here, I’ll let you.” I hand Daniel over and get into the backseat. “Jeez, it reeks in here. Is he going to be alright breathing?”
She pulls the seatbelt behind the car seat and clips it in, all while giving me the sexy evil eyes.
“If we’re traveling all the way to Canada together, will you try not to speak,” she snaps.
I smirk at her. “Well sweetheart, it’s what us married folk do isn’t it?”
“Just shut the hell up.” She slams the door in response.
***
WE’VE ABANDONED THE shitty Ford Focus in the airport car park. Sara even left the doors open. If it gets lifted, whoever does it, will be doing us a favour.
I have a nappy bag on one arm, and Daniel in the other as we board the plane. The flight attendants coo over Daniel as I shuffle through. I guess that’s one pro of having a baby. Babies seem to attract babes.
I sit down by the porthole window near the back of the plane. My head hurts as I try to block out the constant annoying thoughts of excited passengers, going on their holidays. I thought I had a good control over it now. But in this confined space full of people, the chatter is causing a powerful static to buzz through me.
“What’s up?” Sara asks.
I close my eyes and give my head a shake. “Nothing... I’m fine.”
Daniel tugs on the zipper of my jacket. How the hell am I going to entertain this little man for nine long hours?
Sara drops down into the seat next to me, and the cheeky cow puts her earphones in.
“Hey!” I hiss. “I’m no damn super nanny.”
“He’s fine,” she says casually. “He won’t cry. Just get him to relax and he might doze off.”
She closes her eyes, so I nudge her arm with my elbow. “Sara, in case you haven’t noticed, this kid hasn’t slept yet.”
“Then this is the perfect opportunity for him to catch up.”
“So I’m stuck babysitting?”
“Yes... he likes you.” She shuts her eyes as she shuffles back to relax. “What’s the problem?”
“You, that’s my problem.”
Four hours in and he’s still awake. He’s not particularly doing much. Just sitting on my knee all mellow, watching the clouds drift by outside. He’s a strange kid. It’s as though he’s aware of my complete lack of knowledge when it comes to childcare, and is on his best behaviour.
Sara has gone to stretch her legs. So it’s just me, Daniel, and some sweet old dear sitting in front of us, who keeps commenting on how well behaved my son is.
Daniel starts to wiggle, his little feet are springing up and down like a rabbit. I rotate him to face me as he starts to blow out spit bubbles.
“Hey, what’s wrong little man?” His big green eyes widen and his face turns beet red. “Oh you better not... You are aren’t you?”
Oh great, this is just fantastic. A shitty nappy on a stuffy plane full of people. Where the hell is Sara?
Someone in the seat behind me prods my head. Rule one: If you want to speak to someone, use your damn manners. A prod on the head, equals a smack in the face. Rule two: Don’t piss-off a vampire who is already pissed-off.
I turn my head slowly to see some spotty grease-ball with bushy eyebrows, peering through the gap between the headrests.
“Dude, you going to change him, or stink us all out?” he says.
If Sara had hold of Daniel right now, this guy would be going through the airlock door. What right has he got to complain about smells? I’ve had to put up with his nasty body odour since I got on this damn plane.
“Well?” he continues to push me.
Maybe I should read his mind. He looks like a shady asshole. But if I open the wall, then the entire plane will be able to get inside my head. I look out for Sara as a last-ditch attempt to get out of this, but there’s no sign. Fucking typical.
“Shit.” I thrust myself up from my seat holding Daniel, and angrily pull down the nappy bag from the hand luggage above.
Cursing under my breath, I stomp down the aisle toward the toilet, hoping to find Sara before I get there.
***
THERE’S NO ROOM TO move in here. I’ve pulled down the baby changing table, and my thighs keep hitting the damn sink.
I lie Daniel down carefully. Okay, I’ve helped erect several buildings in London over the years, so this shouldn’t be that complicated, surely.
I pull a nappy out of the changing bag and study it. Front, back, and the fasten things on each side. It seems simple enough.
“Kid, this is just as awkward for me as it is for you. So... so just bear with me.”
He kicks his feet and I see my nightmare. It’s seeping through the damn sides of the nappy he has on. I was wrong, this is complicated. Too complicated for me. This situation is a damn crisis. This kid needs an antibacterial shower to get all this crap off him.
There’s a tap on the door.
“Hold on,” I yell in panic. “Shit... hold on!” I shuffle around and open the door to see Sara.
“Nathan, what the hell are you doing; people are queuing out here.”
“Oh thank god,” I blow out, dragging her inside.
She snatches the nappy from me, pulls a pack of wet wipes out from the bag, and pushes me out through the door. I gladly shove my way through the impatient passengers to get back to my seat.
***
FINALLY, AFTER THE flight from hell, we’re making our way to the car rental kiosk at Vancouver International Airport. After Sara hands in her fake passport and papers, we’re given the keys to a rental car Adrien has leased.
I step out into the muggy thick air. It’s still and the sky is grey. Sara opens the central locking of a blue Fiat as I stand there, unimpressed. Economy flights, and the smallest cheapest crappiest rental car there is. I bet Mr Prick isn’t travelling on a damn budget. I bite my tongue on the matter. There’s no point in voicing my opinions. I know exactly what Sara will say. Adrien wants us off the radar, blah-blah-blah.
***
WE’VE BEEN ON THE ROAD for just over an hour. I watch as buildings and concrete structures give way to snow peaked mountains and trees. I turn to see Daniel in the backseat. My eyes widen, watching as he starts to doze off. His tiny eyes roll then expand as though he’s fighting it. I give him this, apart from the nappy incident, he’s been no problem at all. He’s busy, soaking everything he sees up like a sponge.
I flick the switch on the radio, to hear some guy going on about air pollution. I change the channel, searching for any decent music stations, only to have Sara switch it off in a huff.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I mumble.
She is one moody cow. Why the hell did I sleep with her? Oh yes, that’s right. She may have the personality of a plank of wood, but she’s a sex demon between the sheets. I smirk, silently recollecting. The things she did to me, I never knew existed. She had power over me and I have to admit, she’s probably the best I’ve ever had.
“What the hell are you smiling about?” she snaps.
“Oh, nothing.”
Her view switches from me then back to the road. “Look Nathan, I know you think I’m being a bitch about... well everything.”
“Not at all.”
I smirk because she has been a bitch, but it’s not going to do me any good to agree. When a woman asks if her ass looks fat, you say no, no matter how huge her backside is. It’s all about the hormones. And I don’t need to get into an argument with a hormonal vampire.
“If you’re going to be like that about it.” Her tone has become almost congenial, and I’m actually interested in what will come out of her mouth next.
“I’m not being like anything Sara,” I say. “It’s been a rough day.”
“I need to make sure we follow the plan. I had a part to play in all this happening,” she says in frustration.
“What?”
“I should have stopped Adrien. He should have never gone near Liz. I knew it would result in something terrible.”
“You could say we all knew, Sara. If I’d have been there for Liz, not been such an asshole, then who knows.”
“You really do still love her don’t you?”
I swallow down, watching the landscape zip by. “I think I always will. But it’s different now. Seeing her happy is all that matters. I hate Adrien for what he’s done, but Liz will never see me in the same light. She’ll do anything for that dick. That’s why I’m here, to make sure that whatever happens, she’s okay.”
“Wow, Nathan, I never knew you had such depth.” Her smile hits my side vision, and it’s contagious. “I think you’re brave to come here... and sweet.”
“Sweet, no. It’s necessary, Sara. She has a kid to him, unfortunately, and now her entire life has gone to shit. I could have walked away, but I guess I still feel some sense of responsibility. Adrien has ruined both our lives. Liz is now a vampire, and I think it’s going to take me a long time to get my head around that.”
I glance over the headrest. Finally, after nearly forty-eight hours, Daniel has his eyes closed, and his little podgy face is all scrunched up as though he’s annoyed he’s sleeping.
“What will happen to him?” I ask.
Sara peers at Daniel in the rear-view mirror then looks back to the road. “I don’t know. All we can do is wait, and make sure he’s protected.”
“You believe Adrien can stop Selene?” I ask, doubtful.
“Not one vampire would ever believe that possible.” She bites on her cheek. “But Adrien will figure it out.”
I smirk aloud. “Yeah, I’ve seen how he figures things out on that night Laurie nearly killed you and Liz. He did a good job there.” I grow angry talking about him, but I can’t help myself. “I was told he used to be some kind of assassin for the order. All I see in him, is a weak fuck-up, who likes to pull others down with him.”
“You need to shut up.” Her tone has now changed with me.
“Well, look at us,” I say. “I’m a vigore, and you follow him into the shit willingly. Liz has had her life ripped from her, and now this little guy in the back, faces a life on the run.” I check to see that he’s still sleeping. “When are you all going to conclude, that Adrien Knight should be avoided at all cost?”
“For all that’s happened, the good he’s done outweighs everything else,” she insists in a nasty tone. “He’s saved countless human and vampire. And the only reason we are in this mess, is because he fell in love. So if I hear one more bad word, I will kill you myself.”
I roll my eyes, watching the trees whizz by. Just what is it about him that they all think so godly? I hate him for what he’s done. Yet others forgive him and follow his every word. Well I won’t be a kiss-ass. I’m here solely for Liz and Daniel. They don’t deserve any of this.