more than just human. Which means he’s probably a vampire. I keep very still and try not to breathe. Vampire is much worse than police.
‘I don’t want to hurt Ms Blackman.’
Lie.
‘I just want to ask her a few questions.’
Utter horseshit.
‘Well, if I see her I’ll tell her you’re looking for her. What’s your name again?’ I have to give it to Becks, she’s remarkably unruffled. I silently applaud her control. But if this is the same vampire who’s responsible for the other attacks, then she could be in a lot of danger. I tense, ready to spring out if need be. Not that I have any chance of facing off against a vampire, but maybe the sight of me will distract him.
‘Ursus.’
I blink. Sounds like arse. Quite fitting, really.
‘Here’s my card. She can call me on that number day or night.’
The door jangles, signalling his departure. I hear Becks exhale in relief. I stay where I am, waiting for her to come round to the back to find me. Arse probably still has eyes on the front of the shop. I’m tempted to leave her in peace; she’ll be safer if I leave without seeing her, but I need to see that card. I need to know which Family that vampire is from.
As soon as she rounds the corner and sees me, she shrieks, then clutches her chest and gasps.
‘Bloody HELL, Bo, you just about gave me a heart attack!’
‘I’m sorry.’ I give her a moment to recover. ‘I won’t stay. It’s not safe for you if I’m here. I just need to see the card that vampire left.’
She looks surprised, then passes it over. ‘I was going to chuck it in the bin with the others.’
‘What others?’
She looks grim. ‘Wait here.’
While Rebecca disappears into her office, I check the card. It’s a deep midnight blue, signifying the Montserrat Family. I’m feeling pleased with myself until she emerges holding several other cards. I flip through each one, my horror growing. Red: Medici. Black: Stuart. Silver: Gully. White: Bancroft. Every single freaking vampire Family has been here looking for me.
‘Do you want these too?’ She holds out several more cards. ‘They’re from the police.’
‘No, I…’ I stutter and end up just shaking my head.
‘I saw what happened at Dire Straits, Bo. What the hell is going on?’
‘I’m damned if I know.’
‘You know if there’s anything I can do…’
I know,’ I say softly. ‘You’ve already done enough, Becks. I’ll stay away for the near future. Don’t worry about me. I’ve got a plan.’
She looks at me sceptically. She knows me too well. I wish I really did have a plan though.
Chapter Nine: Doctors and Nurses
By the time I leave The Steam Team and start driving towards Brighton Hospital, the London traffic is in full swing and it’s not long before I hit full gridlock. I feel the frustration building up inside me. The driver in front seems more concerned with checking her make-up in the mirror than paying attention to the lights, whilst on my right there’s a kid who not only looks too young to be driving, but also has some kind of godawful rap music blaring out at maximum volume.
Telling myself there’s nothing I can possibly do to make the traffic move any faster, I grab the burner phone. I’ll have to discard it after these calls; it’s probably almost out of credit anyway. Ignoring all the laws about mobile phone use while driving – not that you could call moving at two miles an hour driving – I ring the ridiculously exclusive spa where the Bancroft Family Head spent her day. My call is answered within three rings.
‘Good morning, Spa de Loti, Angelique speaking,’ the receptionist trills. ‘How may I help you?’
I adapt my accent to the way I speak when I want to needle my grandfather. ‘Good morning, Angelique. This is Midnight calling from the Bancroft estate.’ I know Midnight is a silly name, but I also know a human will accept it at a vampire nom de plume more readily than,
‘I don’t want to hurt Ms Blackman.’
Lie.
‘I just want to ask her a few questions.’
Utter horseshit.
‘Well, if I see her I’ll tell her you’re looking for her. What’s your name again?’ I have to give it to Becks, she’s remarkably unruffled. I silently applaud her control. But if this is the same vampire who’s responsible for the other attacks, then she could be in a lot of danger. I tense, ready to spring out if need be. Not that I have any chance of facing off against a vampire, but maybe the sight of me will distract him.
‘Ursus.’
I blink. Sounds like arse. Quite fitting, really.
‘Here’s my card. She can call me on that number day or night.’
The door jangles, signalling his departure. I hear Becks exhale in relief. I stay where I am, waiting for her to come round to the back to find me. Arse probably still has eyes on the front of the shop. I’m tempted to leave her in peace; she’ll be safer if I leave without seeing her, but I need to see that card. I need to know which Family that vampire is from.
As soon as she rounds the corner and sees me, she shrieks, then clutches her chest and gasps.
‘Bloody HELL, Bo, you just about gave me a heart attack!’
‘I’m sorry.’ I give her a moment to recover. ‘I won’t stay. It’s not safe for you if I’m here. I just need to see the card that vampire left.’
She looks surprised, then passes it over. ‘I was going to chuck it in the bin with the others.’
‘What others?’
She looks grim. ‘Wait here.’
While Rebecca disappears into her office, I check the card. It’s a deep midnight blue, signifying the Montserrat Family. I’m feeling pleased with myself until she emerges holding several other cards. I flip through each one, my horror growing. Red: Medici. Black: Stuart. Silver: Gully. White: Bancroft. Every single freaking vampire Family has been here looking for me.
‘Do you want these too?’ She holds out several more cards. ‘They’re from the police.’
‘No, I…’ I stutter and end up just shaking my head.
‘I saw what happened at Dire Straits, Bo. What the hell is going on?’
‘I’m damned if I know.’
‘You know if there’s anything I can do…’
I know,’ I say softly. ‘You’ve already done enough, Becks. I’ll stay away for the near future. Don’t worry about me. I’ve got a plan.’
She looks at me sceptically. She knows me too well. I wish I really did have a plan though.
Chapter Nine: Doctors and Nurses
By the time I leave The Steam Team and start driving towards Brighton Hospital, the London traffic is in full swing and it’s not long before I hit full gridlock. I feel the frustration building up inside me. The driver in front seems more concerned with checking her make-up in the mirror than paying attention to the lights, whilst on my right there’s a kid who not only looks too young to be driving, but also has some kind of godawful rap music blaring out at maximum volume.
Telling myself there’s nothing I can possibly do to make the traffic move any faster, I grab the burner phone. I’ll have to discard it after these calls; it’s probably almost out of credit anyway. Ignoring all the laws about mobile phone use while driving – not that you could call moving at two miles an hour driving – I ring the ridiculously exclusive spa where the Bancroft Family Head spent her day. My call is answered within three rings.
‘Good morning, Spa de Loti, Angelique speaking,’ the receptionist trills. ‘How may I help you?’
I adapt my accent to the way I speak when I want to needle my grandfather. ‘Good morning, Angelique. This is Midnight calling from the Bancroft estate.’ I know Midnight is a silly name, but I also know a human will accept it at a vampire nom de plume more readily than,
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