Chapter Fifteen

I couldn’t think of anything to say as we sped towards Hampstead. Again. I wanted to scream and shout and tell them not to use Danny – not to allow him anywhere near the psycho who had made him. I was sitting between Danny and Will and found I was clutching both of their arms. A fact, unfortunately, which hadn’t gone unnoticed by Will, and one I felt sure would be mentioned at some point later. Lurid pictures of what the house might hold flitted through my thoughts, and just when I thought I couldn’t stand them any more, Will leaned in to whisper.

‘Elinor, I assure you I shall take care of the boy to the best of my ability. I will not allow him to enter the house at any cost.’

I turned to look at him. ‘Promise me.’

‘I believe I just did.’

Luke turned off Heath Street, drove down Admiral Walk and then up Branch Hill, and eventually turned into Templewood Avenue. He must have more ‘knowledge’ than a London cabbie, because he never consulted either a map or sat nav. Decades of driving around London probably.

‘Temple Gardens should be second on the left,’ he said. ‘Do you want me to drive into the road?’

‘I think park as soon as you can.’ Will looked around at the pretty street. It appeared affluent, peaceful and very innocent. Why did psycho types always choose places like this to defile?

We sat in the car, listening to the tick, tick of the engine as it cooled, and I continued to hang on to both Will and Danny. There were no people out walking tonight, and I wondered if the police really were encouraging people to stay inside the safety of their own homes.

When Will spoke, I jumped, even though he’d spoken softly.

‘Can you sense him boy?’

I looked at Danny’s face, illuminated by a nearby lamp-post. He still looked like a child; his face hadn’t yet lost the roundness of youth. His eyes, large and blue, fringed by soft brown eyelashes added to his look of innocence. I didn’t want anything to happen to him. He stared ahead, evidently concentrating, and made no attempt to answer Will.

‘Daniel?’ Prompted Will after a while.

‘I can tell he’s been here, but I don’t know whether he’s still here. Sorry.’ He leaned back in his seat, looking crestfallen and younger than ever.

‘Shall we check the house anyway?’ Jez seemed keen for some action.

‘I think perhaps we should.’ Will made to get out of the car. ‘Elinor, stay in the car with Daniel …’

I didn’t let him finish the sentence. ‘No way! Where you go, I go.’

He sighed as usual. ‘Very well. Which of course means, we all go, as the boy cannot be left alone.’

‘Why? Do you think I’m going to do a runner?’ Danny sounded disgusted.

‘No. I think someone could hurt you if they are around, and contrary to popular belief, I do not want that to happen.’

He looked slightly mollified by that, and got out of his side of the car. I saw him looking around and sniffing the air, and realised this was only the second time he’d been out of the house since he’d arrived.

I remembered the first night Will brought me to the Heath. How I discovered I could smell the depths of the very earth we walked on, and how I’d listened to the calls of bats and owls, and the distant bark of a fox. I felt sure Danny would be feeling just as strange and disorientated as I had, and went to stand next to him.

The first drops of summer rain began to fall then, carrying the pungent smells of damp earth and grass with every raindrop. Danny continued to look around him, and I watched whilst he took in the smells of the wet, balmy night. Jez and Luke stood nearby, talking quietly together.

Will came to stand close to me. ‘Are you all right?’ His voice was soft, like a caress.

‘It feels strange this street – odd somehow.’

He took hold of some wet strands of my hair, and ran them through his fingers. ‘I agree. Thomas’s essence is old and strong, and is therefore bound to affect young vampires such as yourself and the boy.’

‘He’s not here.’ Danny’s voice sounded hollow, almost distraught. ‘He’s gone.’

Jez looked at Will. ‘But we’ll still check the house out?’

Will nodded in agreement and slipped an arm around my waist. ‘Lead the way.’

We followed Jez and Luke, and Danny ran to catch them up, obviously preferring to walk with them rather than us.

A piece of paper nailed to a tree caught my attention. One corner had freed itself and it flapped damply in the breeze. It was a Metropolitan Police poster, with the word MISSING emblazoned across the top. Shock and sadness filled me when I recognised Cassie’s innocent face staring back at me. Rain trickled down the poster, looking as if Cassie cried tears from inside her paper prison. I reached a trembling hand to touch the poster.

‘Cassie,’ I said softly.

Will turned me to face him. He cradled my face in his hands, and held my gaze with his own. ‘The bastard will pay for the innocent lives he has taken, and anyone who assists him will pay the same price.’ He bent down to brush my lips with his, and just that brief, almost chaste, touch ignited a flare of responding passion that shivered through my body. He kissed me again, his soft lips lingering against mine this time. When he drew back, his expression was solemn, his eyes unfathomable.

‘Work to do,’ he said, taking hold of my hand.

We joined the others at the gate of a small cottage. The tiny terrace looked early Victorian in style, with small, well-kept front gardens. A slate plaque adorning the middle cottage said ‘1805.’ Jez nodded towards the end cottage. It had a ‘For Rent’ sign in the garden, but the cottage itself appeared to be deserted. No lights shone out from any of the windows.

‘That’s the one,’ said Jez, and immediately strode off towards it.

I glanced at Danny, his nostrils were flared and his eyes appeared glazed.

‘What is it?’ I asked him, touching his arm. He turned to look at me, but his eyes looked strange and unfocused. ‘Danny?’

‘I can hear him. Elles, what’s it mean?’

I turned to Will for help. He gestured for me to move away from Danny. Grasping hold of his arms in a fierce grip, he spoke in a harsh whisper. ‘What does he say boy?’

‘He’s laughing. He’s really laughing! It’s a trap, we mustn’t go in.’ Danny started to panic, trying in vain to break Will’s death grip, his eyes bulging with abject terror. ‘We’ve gotta leave. Now. Will – don’t let Luke go in there.’

Will shook Danny with such ferocity that he yelled in pain. ‘Get a grip boy. Pull yourself together.’

‘It’s a trap.’ Danny repeated.

I turned to see where Luke and Jez were, and saw only Luke, standing by the gate of the end terrace. I started to run towards him, and heard Will’s muttered oath as he left Danny in order to come after me. Somehow I knew I had to reach Luke before he followed Jez into the house. I didn’t even know why – but I knew I had to stop him.

Without pausing to think, I jumped up onto the nearest gatepost. The quickest route to Luke had to be along the fence, which would cut off the street corner. I began leaping from post to post – for once, making use of both my dance training and vampiric speed. As Luke opened the gate, I landed directly in front of him, causing him to step back swiftly in order to avoid me.

‘It’s a trap!’ I shouted. ‘Where’s Jez?’

In answer, Luke looked towards the front door of the cottage, just as Jez opened it. There was a flash of ultraviolet light, which blinded me for a split second, then both Will and Luke threw themselves on top of me, and we all crashed to the ground.

‘Be still,’ came Will’s urgent whisper. Like, I could move anyway with two hulking great vampires on top of me.

The whole scenario had taken but a few seconds and happened in complete quiet, yet the ensuing silence was deafening.

I heard Danny’s footsteps, then his voice, strained and anxious. ‘Are you guys all right? Ellie? Luke?’

I tried to push the men off without success. Luke sat up first, and I could see Will’s stricken face when I sat up.

‘Jez?’ But I knew the answer before he shook his head. He looked back at the cottage.

‘Ultraviolet light has the same effect as the sun’s rays. Thomas must have rigged them to come on the moment the door was opened. You saved Luke’s life, Elinor.’

‘But I couldn’t save Jez.’ My voice shook with emotion.

‘Is he really dead?’ Danny sounded on the verge of hysteria. ‘Can’t we check?’

‘We cannot go anywhere near those lights Daniel,’ said Will. ‘If not for you and Elinor, we would all four be but dust now.’

‘We have to go.’ I grabbed frantically at Will’s arm.

‘Absolutely.’ Will scooped me up in his arms immediately, and for once I didn’t make any snide remarks about Mr Spooky the macho man.

Will’s Journal, 31st May

I cannot believe Thomas has managed to kill another of my men. I am a fool to have followed a young, headstrong vampire like Jeremy. I have seen many traps for vampires over the decades, but as technology becomes ever more advanced, so do the traps themselves. If it had not been for Elinor and the boy, Thomas would have succeeded in killing us all.

Ultraviolet lighting is something that had never occurred to me. I should realise by now that Thomas either possesses superior knowledge of electronics, or has someone with him who does. The fact he installed surveillance cameras outside my house, should have warned me what we are up against. An ancient vampire with twenty-first century technological skills is a terrifying thought. We are fortunate he had not rigged up a bomb, because that would have killed many more people tonight. Although the ultraviolet light reduced Jeremy to mere dust particles – in seconds – and in absolute silence.

I am full of admiration for Elinor’s bravery; to witness her leaping from gatepost to gatepost, her glorious titian hair flying behind her, is a sight that will remain imprinted on my memory for eternity.

Elinor, I know, is devastated about Jeremy. His loss has hit her hard. She is young and has seen none of the true horrors I have witnessed over the centuries. Although sadly I feel she has suffered and seen more traumatic events in these last few weeks, then ever before in her whole life. I want to shield her, protect her from any more pain, but I am horribly afraid the worst is yet to come.

As I sit writing this journal in our bedroom, she is curled up in bed like a wounded animal. She does not want me to leave her alone. I have never seen her so frightened and I would happily torture and kill Thomas for that alone.

I know I shall have to use the boy as bait now. A fact I intend to keep from Elinor.