Chapter 29
Reminiscing by oneself isn’t a desirable pastime, especially on bleak winter nights.
I consider going out to hunt as a thick fog is rolling across the city, which will conceal my tracks.
Perhaps later. I can’t sit still. There’s a restlessness in my bones tonight.
Yet my shabby first-floor flat in Grassmarket doesn’t give me much room for pacing.
I’m at the window in four steps, looking out over the barely discernible square.
A few figures hurry by on the pavement underneath, eager to escape the wreathing mist, their footsteps muffled by the rising damp.
I’m sure they’ve all got cosy, warm homes to go to. And people waiting there who love them.
Pressing my cold forehead against the colder windowpane, I consider my situation.
It’s gradually becoming worse since I was let go from the hospital where I was a part-time phlebotomist. It was the perfect occupation for a vampire.
I could swipe blood whenever I wanted. But maybe I slipped up, or a patient complained I was salivating when I stuck in their needle.
I don’t know. I was let go from there a month ago with vague mutterings from the head nurse about being overstaffed.
And my mending service, which covers the rent, is tapering off.
Maybe I’m being paranoid, but my regulars seem to be giving me strange looks recently.
It could be because my appearance hasn’t changed during the sixteen years I’ve been living in Edinburgh, even though I’ve tried to attend to the latest fashions and wear appropriate hats and hairstyles. It’s so much bother to keep up to date.
Speaking of which, I should go now before the fog lifts. Rousing myself with a sigh, I pull on my cloak. I’m buttoning it when there’s a sharp rap on the door.
Immediately, I sense a vampiric presence out there, and a thrill goes through me. Another one of my kind. They are few and far between in Edinburgh. Is it ... is it ... him?
But the energy isn’t male. And there’s more than one.
This is unprecedented.
The knock comes again. More impatiently. A female voice says in an amused tone from the other side of the door, ‘Hello, Hester Everill. I know you’re in there.’
Drat. This vampire has excellent powers of detection.
‘What do you want?’ I ask warily, taking a step towards the door.
‘I’m Sadie, and I’m with my friend Floss. We need your help.’
So two females, I was right. ‘How did you locate me?’
‘Charlie Dryden. He told us you were in Edinburgh.’
I hiss at that. ‘Charlie! If I next hear that name in a hundred years, it will be too soon.’
There’s the sound of laughter.
‘Us too! That bastard drank from us as payment for information about you.’
Gosh, if they gave Charlie blood, then it must be important.
Tentatively, I open the door and see two attractive women.
The one standing slightly in front, I know without asking, is Sadie.
She has a sharp chin-length blonde bob and piercing blue eyes and a bolshiness about her.
The other, Floss, has a longer bob of soft dark-brown waves and haunting violet eyes.
A strange sense of destiny washes over me as I look at them.
‘Aren’t you going to invite us in?’ Sadie asks, staring up at me since I’m a lot taller. ‘We don’t bite.’ She smirks. ‘Well, only men who are naughty.’
I laugh at that, and she grins at me. I like her sass.
‘Come in, both of you,’ I say, deciding that they’re not going to attack me. I open the door properly and step aside. ‘You just caught me. I was getting ready to go out ... for supper.’
Sadie flounces in, holding a suitcase, and Floss trails behind her. She looks at me shyly. ‘Hello,’ she says. ‘Thank you for letting us in. We’ve been looking for you for four days.’
Her deferential manner makes me soften instantly and I smile at her. She’s so sweet and polite!
Sadie drops the suitcase on the bed and clicks it open. It’s packed full of money, and my eyes widen.
‘Here’s the deal. We’re on the run from Alexander Dryden,’ says Sadie without preamble, putting her hands on her hips. The seamstress in me notes that her blouse and skirt are well-made, if slightly worse for wear. Both women look travel-worn.
‘Charlie’s father?’ I say, leaning against the small fireplace that I never use. ‘What’s he to you?’
‘He’s Floss’s sire and sort of husband. She’s escaped from him, but he’s like a dog with a bone. We can’t shake him off.’
Floss looks fearful, and a shudder goes through me.
I stare at the money. ‘Is that his?’
‘Yes, I stole it,’ Floss says quietly. ‘There’s more in our bank account in London.’
So not as sweet as I thought. She’s brave stealing from a sire.
‘I take it there was a good reason to nick his money?’
Sadie nods. ‘He kept her alone in his house in Paris for thirty-three years and cheated on her with thrall whores. She couldn’t even go shopping. And he hit her.’
I consider this. ‘So what do you need my help for?’
‘Charlie said you can shield?’
I nod, already knowing where this is going.
‘We need you to shield Floss from Alexander so he can’t pick up on the blood bond. We’re sick of running from him.’ Sadie looks at me squarely. ‘Would you consider teaming up with us? In return, we’ll share our money with you.’
I rub my temple slowly. Their money would help my current situation. A lot. But getting involved means I’ll be implicated. ‘Is he likely to kill Floss, do you think?’
‘Well, yes, but only if he catches her. And if we’re friends with you, the likelihood of that happening is a lot less.’
Friends. The word takes me aback. I haven’t had friends since the ladies-in-waiting I served with at Elizabeth I’s court. As I feared, being a vampire is a lonely existence.
‘You’re putting a lot of trust in me,’ I say with a frown.
‘In truth, we’re a bit desperate. We need you,’ replies Floss. She sways suddenly and puts her hand on the table, which is concerning.
‘Are you hungry?’ I ask them.
They nod. ‘We haven’t fed for a while,’ replies Floss, pressing her other hand against her chest, as if it pains her. She’s wearing a dark-purple blouse, which suits her colouring. But she does look a bit peaky.
I make a decision on the spot.
‘Come on then, let’s go out. I’ll show you all the best places to hunt.’
They look at me expectantly.
‘And ... and I’m happy to shield Floss. Why not? It sounds like you’ve both been through the wringer with this man. You’re also welcome to stay here. But as you can see, it’s not big enough for the three of us. With all this dosh, we’ll be able to find somewhere a lot nicer...’
Floss lets out a murmur of relief. She quickly crosses the room and takes my hand and squeezes it once, then twice. She looks up at me gratefully. ‘Thank you.’
I rest my other hand on her shoulder, feeling strangely emotional that I’m needed. Wanted.
Clearing my throat, I look at Sadie and Floss, feeling the need to make a little speech. ‘So welcome to Edinburgh, where people talk funny, and their blood is tinged with whisky. And the men don’t wear anything under their kilts.’
Sadie licks her lips. ‘Can we take a peek?’
‘Sure. If we meet one, I’ll hold him down, and you lift his kilt.’
Floss giggles, and I laugh too, ushering them out of the flat and shutting and locking the door behind us.
As we head down the stairs and out into the mysterious fog, I’m already planning which late-night pubs I’ll take them to for luring drunken punters; and my favourite shady graveyards, where we can loiter for fun during the day.
There’s a definite lift in my step and a buoyancy in my being now.
In fact, I feel happier and more hopeful than I have in centuries.
All because of these new vampire friends showing up on my doorstep.
It feels like I’ve known these girls forever.