The Price of Blood

Chapter 30

Jamie's POV (for one chapter only!)

"Mrs Groves, sorry to call again," I reply, as she gives me an ambiguous greeting on the other end of the line, "It's just that we haven't seen Lauren for a couple of days, and we were just wondering where she was and if she is okay."

"Oh Jamie, lovely to hear from you again," Mrs Groves says, "Lauren is ill, as I said yesterday and the day before, she's bedridden and can't come into school. STOP CALLING!"

And the phone is put down. She's hung up on me. Again. I sit back down onto my chair in one of the piano rooms at our school. Harriet is doing homework, but she can't really concentrate, especially not now. Our best friend is missing.

"Look Harriet, there is something really fishy about this all," I tell her, and she puts down her pen, tucks her hair behind her ear (a fetish of hers that I adore) and sighs. I come over to her and we just hold each other for a few seconds. I let her rest her head on my shoulder, but my mind is on how an earth we are going to find out if Lauren is still alive.

"We need to go to the police." she says finally, "Get them to open up a missing person's case."

"But according to her mum, she isn't missing. She's ill." I say, and Harriet looks at me irritably.

"You said you had a hunch, I have a hunch, anyone in their right mind would have a hunch. I have no idea why Mrs Groves is lying to us, but we need to get some answers." she emphasizes, "Lauren's life could be in danger."

There are a few moments silence as we both ponder the possibility of going to the police, knowing how crap they were last time when we tried to go and sort something out.

"Why don't we talk to the Headmaster first?" I finally suggest, "They'll have loads on data on whether Mrs Groves rang Lauren in sick or not, and then after that we can go to the police with some evidence."

"You think Rocky Green will be able to help us. Are you crazy?" she bursts out, before collapsing into tears. I run over to soothe her, and she breaks down even more. When she has calmed down a little, I agree and disagree with her.

"I don't, but I think it is a good starting point. C'mon, we both have a free next period, let's go and talk to them." I try and reason with her, and eventually she relents.

"Fine, but if it comes to nothing, we go to the police." Harriet replies sternly, and I nod in agreement.

***

I have never been to the principal's office in secondary school, but the fact they were are going to go in there to ask about a missing person's case terrifies me more than I could have ever imagined. Harriet, in her multi-patterned trousers and her cute Lord of the Rings top is squeezing my hand, as I have gone as white as a sheet. We have no idea what to do. We're just kids, I think, teens who are way over their heads. All the while, I am hoping and praying that nothing comes from this, that we will find out what has happened to our best friend.

The door to the office opens, and Mr James comes out. He is flanked by Ellie and Rob, who look grave and concerned.

"Are you folks my 2 o'clock?" he asks, and we both nod. Rod helps Harriet to her feet, she is trembling so much that she can barely move. I follow Ellie and Mr James inside the office. If I had not been scared out of my mind, I would have appreciated the NFL posters covering the walls, but I was. I felt like I couldn't breathe, like everything was closing in on me, that I couldn't move, I couldn't think. We sat down on the two chairs, Mr James sat behind his desk and Rob and Ellie went over into the front of the door. I started to feel slightly more calm, especially when we were offered a cup of herbal tea to soothe our nerves.

 I started to feel slightly more calm, especially when we were offered a cup of herbal tea to soothe our nerves.

"You're hear to ask where Lauren is, am I correct?" Mr James dives straight in, and Harriet and I look at eachother, confused. How did he know?

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you that she is not in Manhattan, New York or even the North of America anymore." he carries on, "Now, I appreciate you may have a lot of questions, but I ask you to just hold them in your mind for a while until I give you an opportunity to ask them."

We both nod, trying to hide the feeling of dread that is in both of our stomachs. Where the hell si she then, I think, not, not, not.

"She is alive." Mr James goes on, "We've been tracking her progress, she is currently at a disused vineyard in NorthEast Montana."

"Montana..." breathes Harriet, and she delves into her bag to pull out a leather-bound book from her bag, "An anonymous sender got this for me for my birthday. It's a history of Montanian Vineyards. What's its name?"

"What did I say about questions!" exclaims Mr James, and Harriet stops talking, the fear overtaking her again.

"Many years ago, centuries and centuries ago, a new kind of threat emerged in the United States. Something truly abhorrent, that threatened all people of all classes, colors and creeds." he announces, "In Latin, this abominations were known as "carentiam animarum", meaning "lack of souls", for these creatures had no hearts, and most certainly no souls too. They were killers and should henceforth be treated as the ultimate threat to the vulnerable in the nation."

We both don't speak.. What does this have to do with Lauren, I mouth at Harriet, and she shrugs her shoulders, but is clasping the edge of the bureau drawer very tightly.

"A group of the strongest and bravest, but also the most trusted, was set up in Montana, near the Mission Mountain Vineyard, at the bottom of the mountain itself. The AAVDL's purpose was to wipe out these creatures when they became powerful and dangerous to the entire population. They were known for taking innocents and murdering them, often in entire sprees in a couple of weeks."

Slowly the puzzle pieces begin to fit together. This must be what has happened to Lauren.

"Outreach fighters were sent to every school in the country to protect the student body. Indeed in New York alone, 84% of headteachers are members of the AAVDL. I give you permission to now ask a question."

"So, Lauren's been taken by these 'carentiam animarum' thingys?" Harriet wailed, not being able to control her emotions, "She's already dead then."

My question is much easier for the trio to answer.

"Hsa this got something to do with Jake Dean sir?" I ask, and Harriet stops crying, before looking at me, open-mouthed.

Mr James removes his glasses and places them down on his desk, before sighing deeply.

"This has everything to do with him. Probably the most." he replies.

"H-h-ow?" I stammer a little, my fear making my head swim a little.

"Well, he's the one whose taken her." Mr James answers, before scratching his head, as if trying to think of the best way to break the most devastating news imaginable.

"Now, I need you to trust me." he says finally, "And not to freak out. If you mention anything I am about to tell you, you will be found and suffer the consequences. Do both of you understand?"

We look at each other, trying, once again, to hide our fear.

"Yes." we chorus, and then Mr James looks at us right in the eyes, and we feel him staring right down into our souls.

"Do you know another word for these creatures, another Latin word?" he asks us, "It's not used much now because of its length, but some of the ancient hunters of these foes called them "permalum bibit sanguinem"."

"Blooddrinker," murmurs Harriet, and all three of them nod. She stares at them, open wide and open mouthed.

"Think Jamie, what creature drinks blood?" she wails again, her hands and face and entire body white with terror.

I stare at the floor, trying to think. Then it hits me like a train.

"A vampire!" I yell in shock.