Witchcraft (#2 Witchblood Series) (15 page)

I watched as her face transformed. Her
jaw dropped and her eyes widened. For a moment no-one spoke, until
I laughed at her and her whole face lit up.

‘
Have you been thinking about
biting boys, Jess?’ she said with a laugh.

‘
Uhh yes, and the odd girl too,’ I
laughed, ‘but I don’t want to hurt anyone.’

‘
Jess, Jess, you must know by now,
that we don’t hurt them. They love it, and come back for more. Our
saliva stimulates their happy endorphins, and the bite wound heals
within seconds. Oooh! I’m so excited. Now we can go out for dinner
together.’

‘
Hey, slow down a bit. I want to
take it slowly? I thought that maybe we’d do what you tried to do
last time with Gavin… but not him, okay?’ I said, cringing at the
memory of his spaced out, loved up face.

Eva nodded enthusiastically, almost
bouncing off the sofa.

‘
I think I’d feel safer in your
room at the club, and Eva…would you mind staying with me, and not
Daniel? It just feels wrong in front of him. I’d feel under too
much pressure, in case I enjoy it too much…’ I trailed off, looking
at the floor.

‘
Sure, good idea, we don’t need
him getting all jealous, though I can’t believe he didn’t tell me
about this. Boy am I going to have a word with him later,’ she
said.

‘
I made him promise not to tell
you. I wanted to tell you myself. I knew it would be good fun,’ I
said, grinning.

‘
So when do you want to go out? I
take it you’re feeling quite full currently.’

‘
Yes, but I don’t want to be
hungry for my first time anyway, so I thought maybe we could go
tomorrow night?’ I asked.

‘
Yes, that could work. Oooh,
Sebastian will be thrilled with you. He has a soft spot for you
anyway I think, you lucky girl,’ she replied.

‘
He likes you too,’ I
said.

‘
Yes I know. We’re both lucky
then,’ she said with a laugh.

‘
Why lucky? He is quite gorgeous I
suppose, but I just can’t get over the fact that he’s about five
hundred years old, and treats me like a little girl.’

‘
I know, I don’t mean it like
that. I had a brief fling when he first turned me, thought he was
the most gorgeous male alive…or undead, ha! But I’m over that now -
I meant lucky because life is so much easier when you have Seb on
side,’ she said.

‘
He would kill you if he knew you
called him that,’ I said laughing.

‘
I know, I have occasionally been
caught out. You know how I shorten everyone’s name. It’s an
affliction. I can’t help it,’ she said, her grin widening. ‘And
life is so much more difficult if he doesn’t take to you. Look at
poor Amelie.’

‘
Who’s Amelie? I’ve never met
her,’ I said, running through all the names of the vampires I had
met at Sebastian’s club.

‘
Exactly! She’s never at the club.
She doesn’t get on with anyone and ends up with all the worst jobs
Sebastian doles out. It’s definitely better to be on his good
side.’

‘
So, have you heard back from
Sebastian about contacting Luke? Has he found out anything about
Alex yet?’ I asked.

‘
I believe Daniel spoke to
Sebastian last night and I’m sure he’ll be working on it. Don’t
worry Jess. She’ll be fine. Like I said, I’m sure she’s probably
not even with Cole. Oh for effing sake!’

‘
What?’ I said, smiling at Eva’s
refusal to swear, and following her eyes out through the patio
doors into the dark night.

‘
Your
ex
-lover boy is here. Seems he can’t keep
away.’

‘
Why are you here, Luke?’ I asked,
a couple of minutes later, when I had let him in through the
kitchen door, and we were seated around the table.

‘
Sebastian informed the Council
about your letter from Cole, so myself and a couple of others have
been to London to speak to him,’ he said.

‘
How could you Luke? You might
have put her in danger,’ I said.

‘
If you were that bothered about
her safety you would have gone to London yourself, instead of
running to Sebastian,’ he answered.

‘
I wanted to, I really did,
but…’

‘
We wouldn’t let her. It would be
madness to play into his hands and send Jess to London. That’s just
what he wants, and we can’t go there unless we want war breaking
out. It’s not our territory,’ Eva interrupted.

‘
But you went to London with
Bradley, only a couple of months ago?’ I asked Eva.

‘
Yes, but Bradley was flying back
to Texas from Heathrow, and Cole was notified and gave us
permission. The point is, he wouldn’t be giving us permission to
enter his territory this time. He’s heard about you Jess, and he
wants you.’

‘
Right, so you put Jess’s life
over a human girl’s?’ Luke said.

‘
Yes we do. Jess is special, as
you know. Would you want her terrorised by Cole and forced to
submit to his rule, because that’s what he’ll do,’ Eva
said.

‘
Don’t be so overdramatic Eva.
Cole would do nothing of the sort. How could he? That kind of
torture is illegal, and has been for the last fifty years. That is
why the Council have us higher beings to keep the peace,’ Luke
said, looking scornfully at Eva, who in return looked like she
wanted to punch him.

‘
I don’t know how you had a
relationship with this creep, Jess. He’s so far up his own ass, he
can’t see the reality that’s in front of his eyes. I’m going in the
back room for a break.’

‘
Luke, why do you have to wind her
up? Can’t we work together?’ I asked.

‘
No we can’t, and she winds me up,
and you don’t bother,’ Luke sniped.

‘
Never mind. So you went to
London? Did you find her? Is that why you’ve come?’

‘
No…and yes. We didn’t put her in
danger Jess, I promise, and I’m sorry, I know you couldn’t go. I
mean, I’m sure Cole wouldn’t hurt you, he wouldn’t be allowed, but
I can see they wouldn’t permit it.’

‘
So…no, you haven’t found her?’ I
prompted.

He shook his head and looked at his
feet.

‘
Initially we did a recon. We went
to London and nosed around his bar and his area, listened in to
conversations, but there was nothing. Cole has plenty of rich human
girls hanging around his club, but none of them had heard of a girl
called Alex, from Manchester.’

‘
Rich girls? That seems weird,’ I
said, thinking of the hangers on in Exodus, the students, the
goths, the clubbers and the loners.

‘
Cole doesn’t have a night club,
like Sebastian. He owns an elite members only club in Mayfair,
called Mayfair Moon. He’s owned the place for over a century and
has quite a reputation for fashionable charity events in the city.
He also owns all the exclusive apartments in the Georgian building
above the club.’

‘
Oh!’ I said, actually feeling
somewhat intrigued, the more I heard about him. ‘So, no sign of
Alex then?’

‘
It’s not that simple. Beth and
Adam both believed that it would be worth talking to Cole, and
asking him about the letter. They believed it would be safe to do
so, as we had heard nothing of Alex…’

‘
But he specifically said not to
involve the angels, on his note,’ I interjected.

‘
I know, but we couldn’t have
found out anything more unless we did speak to him.’

‘
So what did he say? He’s not
going to admit to it, is he?’ I said, frustration building in my
chest, making me feel as if someone was wrapping my torso in
bandages, mummifying me with fear.

‘
He admitted to writing the note,
said it was a personal joke between the two of you, that he wanted
to meet you, and had never seen Alex. He laughed it off and
apologised for any bad feelings.’

‘
But Alex still hasn’t turned up
has she?’ I asked. ‘Don’t you think that is a little

coincidental?’

‘
Yes Jess. I’m sorry I came here
with bad news and I don’t know what we can do about it,’ he said,
his blue eyes blurring with unshed tears.

‘
He’s got her, hasn’t he?’ I
asked, already knowing the answer.

‘
Yes. When Beth and Adam walked on
ahead of me and left the building, a guard blocked my exit, with
the excuse of tying his shoelace. At the same time, Cole walked
swiftly past me and whispered in my ear. He said,
Sometimes letters speak more truth than
words
.’

‘
Oh God! He means that the note is
true and everything he said to the angels is untrue, doesn’t
he?’

‘
I think so,’ Luke said, nodding
slowly.

‘
Did you tell the others?’ I
asked.

‘
No, because I honestly don’t know
what we can do. He would deny saying it and it could put Alex at
more risk…’

‘
You told Eva that Cole wouldn’t
dare hurt her?’ I accused.

‘
I know, I’m sorry. I don’t think
he will; he can’t. I cannot believe that he would test the Council
in this way, but I wanted to be sure. Alex was my friend too, you
know.’

‘
Right, so we need a plan. Could
he have her in his apartments?’ I asked.

‘
No. We interviewed Cole in his
private suite, and most of the apartments belong to billionaire
Europeans anyway. He would never risk his business and reputation,
if he is indeed doing something illegal.’

‘
So where can he have her? Does he
have any other businesses?’

‘
None in this country, and I don’t
think he’d try to take her out of the country. Again it’s too
risky,’ he said.

‘
Have you followed him? To see if
he goes anywhere?’ I asked.

‘
No, not yet. I could try that.
After the meeting, Beth and Adam wanted to come back and didn’t see
the point in following him, other than to antagonise him. Jess, if
he catches me following him, Alex could be in real
danger.’

‘
So don’t let him catch you then,’
I said. ‘We need to know where she is.’

‘
Right. I’ll go back tonight,
before dawn,’ he said.

‘
I’m going to tell Daniel tonight
when he comes home. I want to go to London, and if Daniel and Eva
can’t go, then I could go with you.’

‘
I don’t know Jess. It’s likely
that Eva is right to some degree, and Cole is after you, not Alex.
You should probably stay here.’

‘
Damn right! It’s a relief to hear
you say something sensible for once,’ Eva remarked from the kitchen
door.

‘
I thought you were in the back
room?’ Luke said, his eyes sparking with irritation.

‘
Ahh you see, you might be
higher beings
but we have better
hearing than you, better eyesight, scent and speed as well, now I
come to mention it,’ Eva said, her mouth tilting upwards in a slow,
sarcastic smile.

‘
Stop fighting you two, else I’ll
go and join Cole’s clan just to get away from you both,’ I said.
‘So, did you hear everything he said?’ I asked Eva.

‘
Yes, and you’re not going on a
mad-cap rescue mission to London Jess, but I’ll let Daniel tell you
that when he gets back.’

‘
You can’t stop her wanting to
save her friend, so if she wants to come with me, she can,’ Luke
challenged.

‘
You said yourself, Jess should be
kept safe. It’s not about controlling her,’ Eva
answered.

‘
It doesn’t sound that way to me.
Do you actually ever listen to the needs of the vampires below you,
or are they just slaves?’ Luke said, his eyes glinting.

‘
Luke, they never treat me like a
slave. They care about me,’ I said.

‘
That’s because you’re different.
You’re a prize worth keeping happy. It’s the other poor souls I
meant,’ he said.

‘
They aren’t like that!’ I said,
my anger forming a hard, solid ball in my tight chest.

‘
How do you know Jess? Have you
met any others?’

‘
This is ridiculous! Get out of
our house before you force me to test the law,’ Eva
snarled.

‘
Jess, I’ll be back at dawn to see
if you want to join me,’ Luke said. ‘Remember, it’s your choice,
your choice only.’

‘
Just go Luke, I’ll see you
later,’ I snarled through gritted teeth, as I desperately tried to
control my frustration. I didn’t want any more fireballs breaking
Daniel’s windows, and I needed to prove to myself that I could
control my anger. But why the hell couldn’t they at least
try
and get on!

‘
Damn!’ I shouted, my irritation
needing an outlet, as I banged my fist onto the table.

With a crack, the wood splintered
beneath my fist and a fissure snaked its way from the six inch
thick oak edge, half way across the smooth surface. Ugh! Why was I
always breaking things? I’d just had enough. I had gotten over the
incredible sadness and grief that had threatened to engulf me over
the previous few months, and now I was left feeling angry. My anger
bubbled at the surface like a feral cat, spitting and biting, eager
to escape. I ignored Eva’s raised eyebrow and looked down at the
table. I placed both hands flat on its surface and I felt a warm
glow between my palms and the wood throb slightly as the anger
dissipated, leaving my body. My heartbeat returned to its undead,
barely beating state and the frustration poured out, through my
chakras, down my arms, and fingers. I had channelled it out into
the wood. I had grounded, this time without the book’s help. A
smile crept across my face till it reached my eyes and I looked up
at Eva.