Elliott nods silently, looking like he’s in shock.
Then Floss turns to Sadie and me. ‘I love you, guys. From the day we all met, I knew we’d be sisters. We’ve had a blast, haven’t we?’
Sadie makes a strangled noise of distress while I can only stare at Floss in horror.
Alexander is getting impatient. ‘Enough of the emotional goodbyes. You’ve had a good run. A hundred and forty years is enough for any vampire. It’s time to pay for what you did to me. Let your friends see what happens when you cross a superior vampire. Come!’
Floss jerks forward, compelled by Alexander, her hand stretching out to take his. I close my eyes tightly, unable to watch. Oh my god. It wasn’t meant to end like this. Floss trusted me to protect her!
Chapter 29
Hester | Edinburgh, 1921
Reminiscing by oneself isn’t a desirable pastime, especially on bleak winter nights. I consider going out to hunt as a thick fog is rolling across the city, which will conceal my tracks. Perhaps later. I can’t sit still. There’s a restlessness in my bones tonight. Yet my shabby first-floor flat in Grassmarket doesn’t give me much room for pacing. I’m at the window in four steps, looking out over the barely discernible square. A few figures hurry by on the pavement underneath, eager to escape the wreathing mist, their footsteps muffled by the rising damp. I’m sure they’ve all got cosy, warm homes to go to. And people waiting there who love them.
Pressing my cold forehead against the colder windowpane, I consider my situation. It’s gradually becoming worse since I was let go from the hospital where I was a part-time phlebotomist. It was the perfect occupation for a vampire. I could swipe blood whenever I wanted. Butmaybe I slipped up, or a patient complained I was salivating when I stuck in their needle. I don’t know. I was let go from there a month ago with vague mutterings from the head nurse about being overstaffed. And my mending service, which covers the rent, is tapering off. Maybe I’m being paranoid, but my regulars seem to be giving me strange looks recently. It could be because my appearance hasn’t changed during the sixteen years I’ve been living in Edinburgh, even though I’ve tried to attend to the latest fashions and wear appropriate hats and hairstyles. It’s so much bother to keep up to date.
I could always revive my acting career? Women are now allowed on the stage, thank God. But it’s still not considered a reputable occupation for a lady, and it hardly pays anything. Besides, there’s the minor problem of my stage fright from 1752. My mind wanders, as it always does when I think of acting, to Darius and ... Sir Cyril. I never found out what happened to him. Darius said afterwards that he took care of it and that I didn’t have to worry about him. I assumed he was killed after he was turned, but sometimes I feel ... watched. Especially at night when I’m out hunting.
Speaking of which, I should go now before the fog lifts. Rousing myself with a sigh, I pull on my cloak. I’m buttoning it when there’s a sharp rap on the door.
Immediately, I sense a vampiric presence out there, and athrill goes through me. Another one of my kind. They are few and far between in Edinburgh. Is it ... is it ...him?
But the energy isn’t male. And there’s more than one.
This is unprecedented.
The knock comes again. More impatiently. A female voice says in an amused tone from the other side of the door, ‘Hello, Hester Everill. I know you’re in there.’
Drat. This vampire has excellent powers of detection.
‘What do you want?’ I ask warily, taking a step towards the door.
‘I’m Sadie, and I’m with my friend Floss. We need your help.’
So two females, I was right. ‘How did you locate me?’
‘Charlie Dryden. He told us you were in Edinburgh.’
I hiss at that. ‘Charlie! If I next hear that name in a hundred years, it will be too soon.’
There’s the sound of laughter.
‘Us too! That bastard drank from us as payment for information about you.’
Gosh,if they gave Charlie blood, then it must be important.
Tentatively, I open the door and see two attractive women. The one standing slightly in front, I know without asking, is Sadie. She has a sharp chin-length blonde bob and piercing blue eyes and a bolshiness about her. The other,Floss, has a longer bob of soft dark-brown waves and haunting violet eyes.
A strange sense of destiny washes over me as I look at them.
‘Aren’t you going to invite us in?’ Sadie asks, staring up at me since I’m a lot taller. ‘We don’t bite.’ She smirks. ‘Well, only men who are naughty.’
I laugh at that, and she grins at me.I like her sass.
‘Come in, both of you,’ I say, deciding that they’re not going to attack me. I open the door properly and step aside. ‘You just caught me. I was getting ready to go out ... for supper.’
Sadie flounces in, holding a suitcase, and Floss trails behind her. She looks at me shyly. ‘Hello,’ she says. ‘Thank you for letting us in. We’ve been looking for you for four days.’
