I nod and force myself to watch as Charlie, fangs bared, sinks the tips into the skin directly above the woman’s heart, delicately puncturing it.
Drops of liquid appear, then more. Charlie laps eagerly at the deep violet stream as it flows down between the woman’s breasts. He makes an ecstatic noise in the back of his throat as it hits his system.
My eyes are fixated on the glowing purple blood, and I lick my lips. My blood teeth itch and burn as they extend, and I want to push Charlie out of the way and take my filltoo. But Alexander’s arm is vicelike around my waist, holding me in place. ‘Easy, darling,’ he whispers in my ear.
The woman moans, and I shift uncomfortably as Charlie makes another puncture. But he’s too busy slaking his thirst to notice the woman’s eyes have snapped open. She can’t see the bloody mess on her chest in the darkness, but there’s no doubt she can feel the sting of Charlie’s fangs and his lapping tongue. She starts screaming at the top of her lungs.
Charlie quickly slaps a hand over her mouth. ‘Shut the fuck up!’ he growls. For some reason, his mind control doesn’t seem to be working.
Alexander tuts. ‘Do you want me to—’
‘No, Papa. I’ve got it—oooof!’
The woman has kicked him hard in the groin and is now scrabbling for the door handle. Charlie yanks her back, and she screams piercingly. I look at Alexander, and his jaw is tight. I can tell he wants to intervene because all this noise isn’t helping us stay discreet.
‘Control her.Now!’ he hisses.
‘Arrrrrgggh!’ the woman cries in terror as Charlie looms over her. She can’t see his fangs but senses she’s in mortal danger, which she is. Her eyes swivel wildly and search for me in the darkness. ‘Ma’am, please! Help me, for the love of God!’
The heel of my hand presses against my nose, trying toblock the scent of her blood, which is driving me insane.
‘Please, ma’am!’ She’s crying now, begging me to help her, and something twists in my gut. She is me, and I cannot let him do this.
I launch at Charlie, knocking him sideways against the carriage wall, gripping his lethal snapping jaw. He struggles to free himself, but I’m too powerful.
‘Go. Quickly!’ I tell the woman.
‘Oh oh oh, thank you!’ she gasps tearfully and lunges towards the carriage door.
I can’t see what’s happening behind me as I need all my strength to hold on to Charlie.Let her go, I plead with Alexander in my mind. There’s a burst of fresh air (which, thankfully, whisks away the smell of blood from the carriage), then the sound of boots landing on cobblestones and scurrying footsteps. She’s gone. She’s safe. I sigh in relief.
But it’s short-lived as Charlie wrenches himself out of my grasp and shoves me away from him. I hit the opposite wall at a weird angle, and my spine pops in protest. But I sit up and flex it back into position calmly. I’m not injured in the slightest. I don’t need Alexander’s protection after all. I’m too strong. Charlie can’t hurt me.
‘What the fuck did you do that for, wench?’ he snarls, crouching in the corner. ‘Now I’m going tobed hungry!’
‘Florence did the right thing, Charlie,’ interjects Alexander. ‘Killing her was too risky, especially here.’
‘I disagree,Papa.Rein your bitch in, or I’ll do it for you.’
‘Watch your mouth,son,’ replies Alexander tightly. ‘I won’t have you speak about my wife like that.’
I stare at him amazed.Wife?Did we get married without my knowledge?
Charlie’s lip curls disdainfully, showing a fang. ‘How romantic. I’m so happy for the both of you.’ He cracks his knuckles and glares at me.
The carriage has been meandering along aimlessly, and I have no idea where we are. We could be outside Buckingham Palace for all I know. But from the unsavoury smells curling through the swinging carriage door, I sense we’ve come farther into Whitechapel. The thought makes me uneasy, and I turn my head away for the briefest moment.
Charlie silently springs towards me, aiming for my neck, but Alexander is ready for him. I’m pulled out of the way and thrown unceremoniously from the carriage before he can do any damage. My cheek scrapes hard against grimy, wet cobblestones and I sprawl like an ungainly doll, my dress tangling round my legs. Spitting out bits of gravel and cursing Charlie, I leap to my feet, fists clenched, ready to deal with him myself.
But the carriage door has swung shut.
Alexander sticks his head out, looking grim. ‘Sorry about that, my darling. Charlie is a little unsettled. So it might be best if you make your own way back, just for your own safety. Everything will be in order by the time you return.’
I gape at him. ‘But ...’
‘You’ll be perfectly fine, my love. There’s nothing out here that can hurt you.’
Charlie gives a low evil chuckle from behind his shoulder. ‘If you happen to see Jack the Ripper, say hello from me, bitch.’
