Darlings of Darkness: A Vampire Anthology Part 176

I jumped up, pushed him aside, and ran into my grandmother's house for the first time in years. I sucked in a breath. Everything looked the same except the furniture had been tossed around.

Peter came up behind me. "Is she here?"

I shook my head. "No, I can't smell her. There's blood. Not much, but it's there. They took her earlier, maybe yesterday. Oh, G.o.d, what have I done?" I sank to my knees.

"Who took her?"

"I don't know! Does it matter? It's all my fault no matter who did it. I'm systematically s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up the lives of everyone around me without even trying!"

"Come on, get up," Peter said. "Freaking out isn't going to help Nancy."

I took a deep breath, wiped a few tears from my eyes, and got to my feet. "Yeah, you're right. I've stuff to do. Look, thanks for everything. You didn't have to help, but you did. I owe you. I have to go now, figure this out. Could you make sure Carl gets home safe?"

"Yeah, sure, but I'm not going to... I mean, I know Nancy. I have to help too," Peter said, his forehead creasing with stress.

Carl limped into the room. "I'm going to help you too."

"Are you two stupid? You could die! You're both human, and you've nothing to do with this c.r.a.p. I've gotten you both into enough trouble as it is!"

Carl crossed his arms stubbornly. "I'm not going while you need help. What happened with me was an accident, and you did everything to fix it. I'm not going to walk away until it's over."

"Carl, you don't know what you're talking about. It's the bond. You're still feeling it."

"I'm not, Ava," he said, his voice firm and steady. "I'm sticking around because I want to."

"Same here," Peter said.

I glared at them both, but they were unfazed. "You can help me figure out what happened, but that's it."

"Whatever," Peter said. "Let's go."

"Where?" Carl asked.

"My place. We'll figure out things from there."

As soon as we got to Peter's house, he made some phone calls-leaving Carl and me alone in the kitchen. We made sandwiches and coffee and faced each other warily for a while.

"You feeling okay now?" I asked.

He nodded. "A little shaky. It felt like something was ripped out of me back there."

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "It's okay. Thanks for looking after me when I was all... brainless."

"Do you remember everything?"

"Not everything, more like flashes. I remember the other vampire. I was looking for a taxi home after a night out. This guy asks me for the time, and next thing I know, I'm up against a wall being nibbled on. Then you walked up, and all of a sudden, I had to follow you. All I wanted was to do what you said. And, you know, other stuff." His ears and neck flushed scarlet.

"It's okay," I said. "You had no choice."

"But I wanted it. Even when I tried to be me, I still wanted it. I keep thinking about when I tried to-"

"Don't worry about it," I said firmly, not wanting to acknowledge it happened.

He scratched the back of his neck. "But you really fought it. You could have just killed me and gotten rid of me that way. I don't know what to make of the whole vampire thing, but you're not bad."

It was my turn to blush. "I had a little help. Eddie gave me this," I showed him the cross. "And it made it easier for me to stay normal."

"Doesn't matter. You still tried not to hurt me."

"I promise we'll talk about this, just not now, okay? Want to call your family or something?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I probably should."

"What are you going to tell them?" I asked as I handed him my mobile phone.

"As little as possible."

"I'll give you some s.p.a.ce," I said and headed into the other room.

"Where's Carl?" Peter asked as he flipped through a book.

"I gave him my mobile to call his family."

"If you avoid the world, what do you need a mobile for?"

"My business. Sometimes people want to make phone contact. No big deal."

"Hmm. Okay, look at this map," he said, marking it with a pen. "My best guess is this is where Nancy is."

I looked askance at him and waited for an explanation.

"Fine. I rang someone who works for Daimhin. She said no way did they take Nancy. Rang around a couple more sets of eyes. One said there's an old lady amongst the volunteers who aren't really volunteers at Maximus's place. This is where I've heard it is."

"You know someone who works for Daimhin? How do you know they can be trusted?"

"I just do. Besides, it makes sense for Maximus to take her. He wants you, probably reckons you're human enough to be persuaded if they take someone you love."

I bit my lip. Maximus was p.i.s.sed. He had killed Arthur who was completely loyal to him. What would he do to a little old lady? After everything she'd put me through, she was still my grandmother, and according to Peter and Eddie, she had changed.

"Don't worry," Peter said, putting his hand on my shoulder. "We'll get her out of there."

"I can't say I ever really loved her, Peter," I said, reluctant to speak the truth but needing to get it off my chest. I sat down and avoided his eyes. "But I don't want to see her hurt. If I'm honest, I barely know her. She wasn't exactly a cuddly, loving woman, you know?"

He sat next to me and squeezed my hand briefly. "I get it. But she isn't like that anymore."

"You don't know," I said, shaking my head. "She had all these rules and secrets but no explanations for most of it. She wouldn't even tell me about my parents, or what really happened when I was born. And the things she did to me, Peter, how she made me feel. I've hated myself because of her. She couldn't just accept me. She couldn't just love me. I was a lonely, scared little kid, and I was born this way, I didn't choose it."

His eyes widened, and I wondered if I'd said too much, but for once, I didn't care. I needed to talk to someone. "Part of me thinks she deserves to be punished... but not this way, not like this. This isn't right. If anything happens to her, it'll be my fault. I don't want that."

"It's okay to feel all of those things, Ava," he said. "When I first met Nancy, she was in a bad way. She blamed herself for everything. She regretted a lot of things. I know she made mistakes with you, but almost everyone who's introduced to this other world loses the plot in some way. Except maybe Carl."

I laughed, relieved he was taking the conversation in a lighter direction. "Yeah, he seems at ease with everything, doesn't he? I can't believe he's volunteering to stick around. I was him? I'd be running away, screaming like a little girl."

"And you do it so well."

I punched his shoulder lightly. He clasped my fist and held my stare a little too long. I mentally counted rapidly, anything to calm down my racing heart. Carl interrupted us before things could get any more awkward.

He burst into the room in a temper and threw my mobile on the sofa.

"Everything okay?" Peter said, inching away from me.

"Yeah, it's cool. So when are we going to get Ava's grandmother back?"

Carl's fists clenched tight; I wondered what his family were like.

"Peter thinks Maximus has her. He reckons he knows where."

"I'm pretty sure, actually."

"We going now?" Carl asked.

Peter shook his head. "We should get some sleep first; let you heal up a little. You still don't look the best. Then maybe head over during the day. There'll only be humans there."

"Humans?" I said, surprised.

"Yeah, they tend to use bodyguards during the day. No problem to us."

I squirmed. "I don't like the idea of humans getting hurt."

Peter's face darkened into something I didn't like. "They deserve it if they work for evil. I'm wrecked. I'm heading to bed. We'll talk more in the morning. There are spare rooms upstairs, so take your pick."

"I'm going to sit up for a bit," I told them before they headed upstairs.

I tried to relax, but all I could think of was my grandmother. Maximus could spend the entire night torturing her while I had a good night's sleep in Peter's house. If I waited, she would probably suffer and judging by Peter's black/white morality issues, the bodyguards would almost certainly get hurt, too. I had enough on my conscience. The more I sat there thinking, the more certain I became. I was going alone. To offer myself in exchange for my grandmother.

Chapter Thirteen.

Once again, I found myself sneaking out of Peter's house. I originally planned to call a taxi, but I had forgotten my mobile. I decided to run and look out for a car on the way, but changed my mind when I realised I was running fast. Very fast. Determined, I pushed myself harder and harder, to the quiet outskirts of the city. I found my way to Maximus's place easily. It was as though I honed in on his location.

He lived in a fancy mansion-sized building on a small but well-kept estate. I should have guessed. The exterior decorating made me want to puke, all overdone fountains and played-out colours. I was surprised by how unafraid I was. I had worked myself up into a fit of anger that was keeping me going. If I was entirely honest, part of me was too tired to care if I lived or died.

Two vampires stood outside the house and clocked me with surprise clear on their faces.

"I'm here to see Maximus," I said. To my relief, my voice stayed steady. They let me pa.s.s without speaking a word.

The front door opened before I reached it. A young girl dressed in a stereotypical s.l.u.tty maid costume greeted me. Puncture wounds on her neck were barely healed. I stifled a shudder.

"Follow me," she said in a sweet voice. I wanted to cry for her. She was someone's kid.

She moved purposely slowly then gave a neat little curtsey and held open a door for me. I made my way into the room, recognising Maximus straight away-even if I hadn't, it was obvious who was in charge. He was the one reclining on an old-fashioned chaise longue, fawned over by the others. One vampire sat closer to Maximus than the rest, his blond hair caressed by Maximus's oversized hands.

"Come in, come in," Maximus called out, as if I were an old friend. He rose to his feet and knocked the blond vampire aside carelessly. That vampire scowled behind Maximus's back, hatred in his eyes.

"I really didn't expect to see you so soon," Maximus said.

I stepped closer to him. "You have my grandmother?" I said as boldly as I dared.

Maximus grinned and tossed his hair. "I do, indeed. But enough about that-"

"Let her go, and then we'll talk."

Maximus frowned. I obviously wasn't acting the way he wanted me to. Judging by some of the other vampires in the room, he was used to those more docile than I.

"I don't want to," he said, surprise making his voice high. I noticed the blond vampire roll his eyes, and a couple of others shook their heads in disgust-maybe Maximus wasn't a popular leader, after all.

"Then I won't talk." I shrugged and put my hands in my pockets so he wouldn't see them shake.

For a couple of seconds, I expected him to attack. His chin shook, and his eyes narrowed as he looked at me, but then the smile returned. "I think you will, young lady, but I don't mind humouring you. Bring out the old woman."

He stared me down as two vampires left the room. They weren't as thin as Arthur, but they seemed as obedient as Carl had been. Either vampires could control other vampires, or else they were terrified of Maximus.

The duo soon returned with my grandmother. I cried out at the state she was in. She had aged dramatically since I last saw her. She had been spry my whole life, but now she looked unbelievably frail. Tears formed in my eyes as I noticed dried blood splattered on her clothing and one side of her face. One of her eyes was bruised purple. Her face lit up with hope when she saw me, but the spark died almost as quickly.

"Let her go." I spoke through clenched teeth, ready to fight, but not willing to risk my grandmother being hurt. Our past didn't matter anymore-I wasn't about to let the vampires have her. Especially not Maximus.

"She's a feisty old lady," Maximus said, wandering over to her and lifting her chin. "I'd like to keep her." He turned to gauge my reaction with some satisfaction.

"If you want my help then you won't p.i.s.s me off. Don't give me a reason to look for revenge." I glared at him, his arrogance making me stubborn. He wanted me to join him yet he threatened my family? His mistake.

Some of his vampire cronies rose to their feet and hissed their disapproval. Maximus laughed heartily, joined by his blond sidekick, as if they enjoyed the show.

"I'll let her go as soon as you tell me all about yourself. This little old lady knows nothing, it seems." He said it lightly, but I could feel his irritation and guessed my grandmother had been as stubborn as me. My chest swelled up with pride and grat.i.tude as I realised she kept my secret.

"She's practically senile," I said, trying to sound scornful, bluffing in the hopes at least one of us would get out of the building alive. "She probably doesn't even remember who I am. But still, she's family. Let me send her off safely. If she calls me from a friend's place, then I'll do what you like. Me for her. What do you think?" I sauntered around the room, touching vases as I spoke. Maximus flinched each time. I picked one vase up and pretended to let it fall. Maximus cried out in horror. Imagine, a vampire attached to old pieces of pottery and gla.s.s.

"Whoops!" I put the vase back down and smiled sweetly at Maximus. "Well?"

"Fine," he said, charging past me to inspect his possessions. He pouted, probably because I wasn't begging, and I realised that everything had to be dramatic for him. I couldn't help wondering how he had become the coven leader when he seemed more concerned with getting attention than anything else.