sorry, April, we don’t have time now. We’ve both got to get to school. All you need to know is that there are more of us than you think, and that we’re here to help.’
Her disappointment and fear must have shown on April’s face because Miss Holden reached out and touched her hand.
‘Okay, I can see that this is all getting to you. Why don’t you tell me what you need from us – from me – right now.’
April looked across at Jasper, who seemed to be looking back with one eyebrow raised. Do cats even have eyebrows? April didn’t know where to start. Her dad’s death? Saving Gabriel? What was going on at Ravenwood and who was behind it?
‘I want to find that book and save Gabriel.’ That was the truth – Gabriel was dying and her heart was dying with him. She had to do everything in her power to help him.
Miss Holden took a moment to sip her coffee.
‘And then what?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘What will you do when you’ve saved Gabriel?’
‘Well, then we have to find the Regent and …’
‘And what? Hand them over to the police?’
‘I, uh, I hadn’t really thought about it …’
‘Bullshit.’
April looked at her teacher, her eyes wide.
‘I’m sorry, April, but you’re telling me you watched your father die, sitting in a pool of his blood, and the thought of avenging him has never crossed your mind?’
‘Well, of course I’ve had moments where I …’
‘Where you what?’
‘I don’t know …’
‘What, April?’ said Miss Holden, leaning towards her, her face severe. ‘What would you do if you found the Regent? What would you do if you found the animals who killed your dad?’
‘I’d tear their throats out!’ yelled April, jumping to her feet. ‘I’d make them suffer like he suffered!’
Miss Holden sat back, her face serious.
‘And that’s the truth,’ she said quietly. ‘The truth is you couldn’t hand them over to the authorities. It’s very unlikely we’d ever get any evidence you could use in a court of law and, even then, I doubt any prison could hold a vampire for very long.’
‘So you’re telling me I’ll never get justice for my father’s murder?’ said April incredulously. ‘You’re saying they’ll get away with it?’
‘Well, that depends on you.’
April felt cold. She had a sneaking suspicion she wasn’t going to like what came next.
‘What do you mean, on me?’
‘You, a Fury. The vampires’ nemesis. I want to be sure you understand exactly what we’re talking about here, April. You have to kill them. We’re not investigating a mystery, you are a soldier going to war. Make no mistake, they will kill you without a thought – and they will enjoy it – so you had better be prepared to kill them.’
April felt her skin prickle. She felt sick and hot at the thought.
‘Kill them? You mean I have to hammer a stake through their hearts or …’
Miss Holden shook her head sadly.
‘I know you’re only seventeen and would rather be worrying about shoes and kissing boys, but that’s all gone. You need to grow up, toughen up – and fast. Your life and your friends’ and family’s lives are at stake.’
‘But I don’t want any of this.’
‘Tough.’
Miss Holden sat back and folded her hands. ‘Your father is dead, April. Murdered. A vampire tried to kill you; it’s real, it’s happening. Yes, you could ignore it, but I doubt you’d make it to eighteen and you would take a lot of innocent people down with you. The only way to save Caro, Fiona, your mother and even Gabriel, is to embrace it. The only way you can save them is to stop the killers who are coming for you all.’
In a rush, April realised her teacher was right. She hated her for it, but there was an undeniable truth in what she said. It wasn’t about her any more. It never had been. ‘All right then, tell me what to do!’
Miss Holden spread her hands.
‘Find that book.’
April gaped at her.
‘“Find that book?”,’ she repeated,
Her disappointment and fear must have shown on April’s face because Miss Holden reached out and touched her hand.
‘Okay, I can see that this is all getting to you. Why don’t you tell me what you need from us – from me – right now.’
April looked across at Jasper, who seemed to be looking back with one eyebrow raised. Do cats even have eyebrows? April didn’t know where to start. Her dad’s death? Saving Gabriel? What was going on at Ravenwood and who was behind it?
‘I want to find that book and save Gabriel.’ That was the truth – Gabriel was dying and her heart was dying with him. She had to do everything in her power to help him.
Miss Holden took a moment to sip her coffee.
‘And then what?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘What will you do when you’ve saved Gabriel?’
‘Well, then we have to find the Regent and …’
‘And what? Hand them over to the police?’
‘I, uh, I hadn’t really thought about it …’
‘Bullshit.’
April looked at her teacher, her eyes wide.
‘I’m sorry, April, but you’re telling me you watched your father die, sitting in a pool of his blood, and the thought of avenging him has never crossed your mind?’
‘Well, of course I’ve had moments where I …’
‘Where you what?’
‘I don’t know …’
‘What, April?’ said Miss Holden, leaning towards her, her face severe. ‘What would you do if you found the Regent? What would you do if you found the animals who killed your dad?’
‘I’d tear their throats out!’ yelled April, jumping to her feet. ‘I’d make them suffer like he suffered!’
Miss Holden sat back, her face serious.
‘And that’s the truth,’ she said quietly. ‘The truth is you couldn’t hand them over to the authorities. It’s very unlikely we’d ever get any evidence you could use in a court of law and, even then, I doubt any prison could hold a vampire for very long.’
‘So you’re telling me I’ll never get justice for my father’s murder?’ said April incredulously. ‘You’re saying they’ll get away with it?’
‘Well, that depends on you.’
April felt cold. She had a sneaking suspicion she wasn’t going to like what came next.
‘What do you mean, on me?’
‘You, a Fury. The vampires’ nemesis. I want to be sure you understand exactly what we’re talking about here, April. You have to kill them. We’re not investigating a mystery, you are a soldier going to war. Make no mistake, they will kill you without a thought – and they will enjoy it – so you had better be prepared to kill them.’
April felt her skin prickle. She felt sick and hot at the thought.
‘Kill them? You mean I have to hammer a stake through their hearts or …’
Miss Holden shook her head sadly.
‘I know you’re only seventeen and would rather be worrying about shoes and kissing boys, but that’s all gone. You need to grow up, toughen up – and fast. Your life and your friends’ and family’s lives are at stake.’
‘But I don’t want any of this.’
‘Tough.’
Miss Holden sat back and folded her hands. ‘Your father is dead, April. Murdered. A vampire tried to kill you; it’s real, it’s happening. Yes, you could ignore it, but I doubt you’d make it to eighteen and you would take a lot of innocent people down with you. The only way to save Caro, Fiona, your mother and even Gabriel, is to embrace it. The only way you can save them is to stop the killers who are coming for you all.’
In a rush, April realised her teacher was right. She hated her for it, but there was an undeniable truth in what she said. It wasn’t about her any more. It never had been. ‘All right then, tell me what to do!’
Miss Holden spread her hands.
‘Find that book.’
April gaped at her.
‘“Find that book?”,’ she repeated,
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