Page 24 of No One’s Daughter

Marlette remained silent beside me, her attention fixed on him, unflinching.

“And you’re sure that’s all the second was?”

“It wasn’t the same,” I said. “The second was careless. Obvious. Nothing like the others.”

“Yes,” Valerius said softly. “Careless things often are.”

A pause.

“I have it on good authority,” he went on. “That an individual with a high power level has evaded the Iron Fangs. Sounds like that may be your unknown second.”

He let the words sink in before continuing. “As I’m sure you understand, this individual must be caught and dealt with swiftly. And this is to remain under wraps.”

“Yes, sir,” I agreed, although what he had said made no sense. He was implying that the second scene was linked to the unknown individual who had been taunting us all summer, when the evidence suggested otherwise. I feared what he wasn’t telling us, but that in itself only made me more certain that ‘Ailsa’ was more important than we’d first believed. Not to mention people didn’t just escape the Iron Fangs. They were an elite unit of ruthless soldiers directly under the command of the Adenauers. The more I thought about it, the more certain I was that he had an ulterior motive.

I felt Marlette’s attention shift slightly, letting me know that she too felt confused by his words. If anything, an unknown like that would be more suited to be the one responsible for the string of crimes without the scent.

Why was he attempting to steer our attention to Ailsa?

He glanced back at me then, faint amusement in his expression.

​“On your way then,” he said in a flat tone gesturing to the elevator door as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt with care, returning to the stack of papers on his desk. “And Mr. Sartini,” he added, almost as an afterthought, “don’t disappoint me.”

​We said nothing more after that. The corridor felt narrower on our way back, the quiet heavier. The door sealed behind us with a soft finality when we arrived back in our accommodations, and for a moment neither of us moved. Bewilderment sat where certainty should have been.

​Urgency began to take hold, my mind turning over fragments that refused to fit together. This had evolved into more than a hunt, and come nightfall, I intended to start finding some answers. Not just to resolve the case, but to find her. And find out what Valerius‘s interest in her was.

CHAPTER TEN

Ailsa

I STOOD AT the corner of Victoria Street and Borthwick’s Close, concealed by the shadow of night. My eyes scanned every window, doorway and alley. It was still, too still I thought. But then again, it was night, that was normal for night wasn’t it? I’d never really paid attention to just how still and quiet it became. Was this unusual? Something in the back of my mind warned me that it was.

Any evidence of what I had done the night prior was gone. Like it had never happened. No crime scene tape, no body, nothing at all. Everything looked just as it had, imperfectly in place where it belonged. Except for me. I didn’t belong here anymore, that much was clear. I wasn’t sure what would happen to me now, where my life would lead me, but I knew I couldn’t continue with the life I’d led. Only a day had passed, but I already knew I wasn’t her anymore. I was something more now.

Something that excited me.

I laughed internally at my stupid thoughts. How ridiculous they sounded. Me, Ailsa—a fucking vampire. The protagonist in my own horror story.

I should have felt more remorse, I was vaguely aware of that, but it was like that part of my brain had been switched off. Maybe I’d pay the price for that at a later time, but I couldn’t dwell on it right now. Couldn’t open that can of worms.

I looked out at the streets before me again, filled with homes and businesses shut for the night. A place that I’d called home.

There didn’t seem to be a soul around, but still I hesitated, unsure if this was wise.

But I desperately wanted a shower, a clean set of clothes and I wanted to at least gather some of my belongings. I needed to make sure Lucrecia wasn’t locked in the apartment. I hadn’t seen her when I had fled last night but I couldn’t be sure. And while I apparently wasn’t above killing a human to feed my own bloodlust, I wasn't going to let a poor cat starve to death, trapped inside my damn home.

I cracked a knuckle as I wrestled with my indecision.

I stepped out of the shadows, testing to see if there’d be a reaction. I wasn’t sure what I had expected—some scary vampire lord to pounce on me from the skies above or something—but nothing happened. All remained as it was, uninterested in my movements.

I showered as quickly as possible, and got dressed equally as fast. I opted for black jogging bottoms, and a black vest under a band hoodie. I figured I’d be best in something comfortable and flexible, just in case I was forced to move fast.

I was suddenly filled with sadness at the prospect of never returning to my beloved home. It had been the only place that ever felt like home, that had been wholly mine, where I felt safe. And now I was leaving it for the unknown. A pang of guilt hit me at the thought of Lucretia returning from her night wanderings to find me gone. It wasn’t like I could leave her a note detailing everything.

The rumbling sound of a motorbike caught my attention and I carefully drew back the curtain to peek out at the street. No one around here owned a bike, I would have noticed. Maybe I was being paranoid, but my skin prickled with the suspicion that the man in my line of sight was a vampire. And that he was here for me.

“No, no, no, no,” I muttered to myself as I looked around in a panic. I had hoped to at least get a bag packed, to gather what measly valuables I had. I cursed myself for choosing a shower over packing.