Hellfire

Chapter Nine

I was placed in the care of an old friend - Tabitha, a vampiress who ran the largest immortal club in the centre Bath and a woman I viewed as an aunt of sorts. She was a strange vampire who was constantly changing her skin like it was yesterday's fashion, but she was strong, almost pure, despite her vagrant nature. No House claimed her and she claimed none, but she had power all the same, a voice Lucius often sought for advice and eyes that could see things he necessarily couldn't.

If anyone could keep me safe from Lucius, it would be Tabitha.

Since I'd arrived, Tabitha had mostly left me be - not once coming to bother me, and simply focused on ensuring no one dared to cause trouble within her club. She gave me the best room she could offer, far up high within the building and flooded with bright sunlight, adding a layer of invisible protection to me, while her silver bats slept on the curtain rails.

Sam and Oliver would come to me every night. I enjoyed Sam's company the most. She made things more normal, wanting to watch a film with me squashed between herself and Ella while stuffing her face full of popcorn. Oliver however brooded in the corner, watching me like a hawk and clearly wanting to speak to me alone by how he'd shoot poisonous looks at Ella. She however refused to leave, pretending she never noticed them, and I just ignored him. I knew what he was going to say, and I refused to listen to a bad word about Lucius when this whole shitty situation was my own doing. Lucius wasn't at fault.

I was more relaxed during the day. Doc would sleep in a chair he'd claimed as his own and Arnold would do crosswords, bringing me ones he'd made for me and would mostly chat with Ella about mundane things or watched some poorly acted soap-opera on the tiny TV.

And not once did Lucius try to reach out to me. No bat winged by, no sexual dream haunted me as he summoned me to his side, and I never spied him in my room. He never came to me. Not even after the promised week had passed, no matter how much I subconsciously willed him to. I started to get fidgety, either pacing frantically or sitting curled on a chair, nails tapping against my knees and staring darkly at the wall. Nine days had passed. Nine.

Where was he?

Ella dealt with this well, ignoring me as she watched TV merrily, wine in hand as dusk began to creep over the horizon, spreading an orange golden light to illuminate the dingy room.

'Why isn't he coming?' I muttered darkly under my breath, chewing the tip of my thumb. 'He should be fine by now. A week has gone already.'

Ella shrugged lightly. 'Maybe he's just needing some more time.' She glanced at me, scrunching her nose. 'Remember, he nearly did kill you.'

No, something was wrong. I knew it in my gut and every inch of me had this creeping sensation that he needed me. I needed to be by his side. I hugged myself tighter, arresting my legs so the itchiness to get up and go to him didn't spread. I had to wait. He'll come when he was ready, and I had promised to wait for him when he was. He'd come to take me home soon.

I tried to focus on Ella, questioning the film she was watching and irritating her when I pointed out all the plot-holes and tore it apart, but the moment Oliver appeared at the death of dusk, I knew my gut had been right.

He popped into existence, instead of using the door like usual. He was flustered, his breath quick as if he'd been running, his hair messy and clothes thrown on. More importantly, his teeth were bared and blood was staining his right arm.

Ella froze at the sight, glancing at me as I stared hard, muscles bunching, my body instinctively gearing itself for a fight.

'I need to get you out of the city.' Oliver announced frantically.