Chapter 28
Hester | London, present day
Tentatively, I raise my head and peer through the window at the party, which is quickly descending into debauchery.
‘I never knew there were so many horny vampires in London,’ I whisper to Sadie on my right.
‘Yeah,’ she whispers back. ‘And not fashion-forward ones either. Look at those two dudes by the bar.’
She’s not wrong. From their ancient moth-eaten velvet suits, they look like they’ve crawled out of a Victorian crypt.
On my left, Floss nudges my shoulder. ‘Look, there’s Will. On the far side. He’s talking to a thrall.’
‘Wow, she’s got massive tits,’ remarks Elliott.
Sadie stomps on his foot with her stiletto. ‘Ow! I’m just stating a fact,’ he mutters.
But the damage is done. I can’t help bristling as I watch Will with the thrall, who’s wearing nothing but a purple lace bra and G-string.
She thrusts out her chest provocatively and says something.
Will leans in closer. I can’t hear their conversation because it’s double glazing, and he has his shield in place.
‘Don’t worry,’ whispers Floss, sensing that I’m getting testy. ‘We’ve all seen the way Will looks at you. He’s just getting the lay of the land—’
Suddenly, the thrall drops to her knees in front of him. Damian snickers. ‘Lay of the land, for sure. Lucky Will.’
Floss elbows him sharply, and I close my eyes. Jesus! Surely he’s not going to let her give him a blow job!
Then Alexander materialises, and we all duck hastily.
Slowly, we rise up again. The thrall has gone, but Will and Alexander are talking.
Alexander leaves; and Will spots us, grins, and waggles his eyebrows.
‘See?’ whispers Floss. ‘It was all an act.’
I relax. Of course he has to pretend to be a horny vampire. ‘Will is a really good actor,’ I say dreamily, and Floss and Sadie giggle.
Will does a few incomprehensible motions with his hands.
‘What does that mean?’ asks Damian.
‘Uh, your guess is as good as mine,’ says Elliott.
‘He may be a good actor,’ quips Sadie. ‘But he’s a shit mime.’
He leaves the room, and five minutes later, there’s a low whistle from above.
We crawl around some bushes to see Will’s head poking out of a small window farther along to the right.
‘Duh, he was miming opening an upstairs window,’ I whisper, happy that he hasn’t forgotten me. ‘You guys are just shit at charades.’
Will beckons for me to come up.
But I soon discover climbing a drainpipe in leather pants isn’t the easiest of tasks. After sliding down for the third time, Floss gets impatient. She tucks her hands under my armpits and flies me up to the first-floor window. I clamber through the window with Will’s help.
‘Nice work,’ he says to Floss, who’s levitating outside.
‘Thanks. By the way, I’m coming too. If you stake Alexander, I want to make sure he’s really ended. I’ll go and tell Damian,’ she says and lowers to the ground before we can stop her.
I look at Will. There’s practically no space between us since it’s a tiny bathroom with a toilet and sink. ‘Were you planning on staking him?’
Will holds my eyes steadily with his. ‘If that’s what you want.
’ A frisson of understanding flows over me, and I know he won’t hesitate.
My knight will fight the evil vampire for me.
Will brushes a ringlet off my cheek, and I lean in to his touch.
The evil vampire can wait a bit longer for all I care.
‘If I kiss you, will you turn into a snake?’ I ask softly.
Will nods. ‘Probably, so it’s not a good idea.’ He moves closer. ‘However, I did manage to control it downstairs with a stern “no”! So maybe we should practise...’
His hands rest on my hips, and I sink into his touch as his lips move towards mine ...
‘Sorry to interrupt. But could someone give me a hand here?’
I turn to see Sadie grinning at us—her hands resting on the toilet cistern and her ass poking out through the window.
Will moves away from me, and I glare at Sadie. Bad timing! ‘What are you doing up here?’
‘Everyone’s coming,’ she says as Will hauls her inside. ‘You didn’t think we’d let you have all the fun, did you? Besides, there’s no way Damian’s leaving Floss alone in here with Alexander.’
Speaking of which, Damian appears at the window next.
‘Hey,’ he says in a low voice, climbing down over the toilet seat. Then Floss brings up Elliott.
‘Well, this is cosy,’ she says with a laugh, climbing in after him. We all shuffle closer together.
‘How do you fit six vampires into a small bathroom?’ Damian jokes. ‘With caution.’
My body is now pressed up against Will’s, and I can feel him shivering. It must be a huge effort for him not to change. But he’s managing it admirably.
‘I’m not nervous you guys will bite me. But I am nervous about being in the same building as Alexander,’ Floss whispers. But it’s a bit late to be thinking that now since we’re all up here.
The music stops suddenly, and we all freeze. Then a low thump of bass starts up from downstairs, and we all relax again.
‘So what’s your plan?’ Sadie asks her.
‘I don’t know,’ says Floss with a shrug. ‘We don’t even have any weapons.’
Will checks in the cupboard behind him. ‘What about this?’ He brings out a toilet plunger and rips off the rubber end. ‘Anyone got a penknife?’
Floss reaches into the side of her boot and hands over a Swiss Army knife. We all look at her, and she hitches a shoulder.
‘What? If you had a vampire target on your back, you’d never leave home without it either.’
Will does some quick-fire whittling while I watch with pride. He’s so capable! And I do like a man who’s good with his hands.
The finished product is a short, stout stake with a sharp pointy end. He gives it a twirl, holds it aloft, and does a practice thrust at Elliott’s chest.
Elliott recoils. ‘Watch it, mate.’
‘Staked by toilet plunger. What a way to go,’ says Damian, then looks nervous as Will hands the stake over to him and the knife back to Floss.
‘I’ll try to get Alexander away from the party and upstairs,’ Will says.
‘My friend mentioned there were going to be themed rooms. So I’ll ask for a quick tour before he does the lucky dip.
You guys wait in one of the rooms, and I’ll let him lead the way.
Once he’s in, you can ambush him, and someone can drive in the stake before he knows what’s happening.
But for God’s sake, make sure it’s Alexander you’re driving the stake into and not me! ’
***
After reassuring Will that we’ll definitely check that we’re staking the right vampire, he leaves to head back downstairs to the party. ‘Right, guys,’ murmurs Sadie. ‘Let’s go.’
Cautiously, we edge out of the bathroom and tiptoe down the corridor like we’re spies in a James Bond movie.
There are three doors on either side of us.
Floss opens the first one with the nameplate ‘Fang-tasy Suite’, and we all peer inside.
It’s giving off castle dungeon vibes with cheap foam bricks and bondage gear hung on plastic chains.
In the middle is a bed shaped like a coffin but covered in zebra print fabric.
Glow-in-the-dark skeleton decals are stuck to the wall, and a bunch of plastic bats hang from the ceiling.
‘Wow,’ breathes Sadie. ‘This is really cheesy. Alexander should’ve hired a professional interior designer.’
Quickly, we check out the other themed rooms, which are all equally as tacky.
The last one, the Crimson Carousel room, looks like it’s been inspired by My Little Pony.
The coffin bed is covered in red velvet and trimmed with white ruffles.
Overhead is a chandelier made of dangling glow-in-the-dark plastic horses.
There’s a plush purple chaise longue shaped like a rearing unicorn with a mane of cheap synthetic fur, which is shedding pink glitter all over the floor.
But it’s the only one with an actual wardrobe. A narrow thing painted silver with a padded black velvet interior. Weirdly, there are a number of children’s party dresses hanging inside.
Floss, Elliott, Sadie, and I climb in. But when Damian tries to get in too, the door won’t close.
‘I guess I’m doing the honours with the stake,’ he says, not looking too keen.
‘It makes sense’, says Sadie, ‘since you’re holding it and you’ve got some medical training. You’re more likely to stab his heart on the first go.’
Damian nods, and Floss gives him a kiss for luck. He stations himself behind the chaise longue near the door, and we shut the wardrobe.
‘These are giving me the creeps,’ says Elliott, pushing the party dresses away from him.
‘Some men like the baby doll look,’ Sadie tells him. She pouts and twirls her hair. ‘We can role-play it at home if you want.’
Elliott shudders.
‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this,’ Floss murmurs. ‘I should be out there with Damian.’
‘Shhh,’ hisses Sadie. ‘I can hear voices.’ She holds a finger to her lips, and we freeze.
The door swings open, and Alexander strides in, talking confidently over his shoulder. ‘Now I’m expecting this room to be one of our most popular. It’s what I like to call “luxury childhood nostalgia”—’
His voice cuts off; and there’s a scuffling noise, grunting, and gasping. Then a loud scraping noise, like a piece of furniture is being shoved across the room.
The wardrobe door flies open, and before we can do anything, we’re plucked from the interior and compelled to stand frozen in place. The bedroom door slams shut of its own accord.
The outcome of our ambush is painfully clear. The stake is lying uselessly on the ground, and Alexander has Damian in a headlock over by the cotton candy–pink curtains. Alexander is smirking. Damian looks terrified.
‘Well well well. Last-minute guests. How wonderful!’ Alexander says smarmily. ‘I can tick one thing off my to-do list now.’
He tightens his arm around Damian’s neck, and his eyes bug out.
‘No, please!’ Floss screams.
Alexander looks at her and loosens his hold slightly. ‘Your loyalty is very touching, my beauty. I wonder ... Will you swap places with him?’
Floss nods.
Oh shit. It’s her that Alexander really wants.
He shoves Damian to the floor, and he shuffles over to us on his knees with a hand clutching his throat.
Alexander tilts his head at Floss.
‘Come then, we have a date with destiny. The rest of you can go. Even your boyfriend since I’m feeling generous tonight. I just have a bone to pick with you.’
He reaches out his hand to her, and Sadie cries, ‘Don’t do it, Floss!’
Floss looks at her steadily. ‘I have no choice.’
She gazes down at Damian and chokes, ‘I love you so much.’
‘Floss, no! I can’t exist without you,’ Damian pleads.
‘You’ll be OK, babe. Try to be happy when I’m gone. I’m sorry I got you into this mess.’
She smiles sadly at Elliott. ‘Look after him for me, El.’
Elliott nods silently, looking like he’s in shock.
Then Floss turns to Sadie and me. ‘I love you, guys. From the day we all met, I knew we’d be sisters. We’ve had a blast, haven’t we?’
Sadie makes a strangled noise of distress while I can only stare at Floss in horror.
Alexander is getting impatient. ‘Enough of the emotional goodbyes. You’ve had a good run. A hundred and forty years is enough for any vampire. It’s time to pay for what you did to me. Let your friends see what happens when you cross a superior vampire. Come!’
Floss jerks forward, compelled by Alexander, her hand stretching out to take his. I close my eyes tightly, unable to watch. Oh my god. It wasn’t meant to end like this. Floss trusted me to protect her!