Chapter 24
Sadie | Highlands, present day
For the first time in my long life, I have no idea what to say. I stare at Tim’s smiling face, bewildered. He wants me to turn him? And he’s happy about that? Going off-grid has really made him lose the plot.
Someone behind us clears their throat and thankfully interrupts the moment. I yank my hands away from Tim’s and glance around to find Damian standing there, looking at us curiously.
‘It’s getting on. We should do that hypnosis session, Sadie,’ he says.
Tim looks from him to me. ‘Hypnosis?’
‘Long story. We’re trying to find someone,’ I explain.
Tim raises an eyebrow but doesn’t ask questions. ‘I need to start on dinner anyway. Is there anything you’d like ...?’
‘Meat, rare,’ I say promptly.
He nods. ‘I can do that.’
It’s weird how quickly Tim has adjusted to me being a vampire. He’s not reacting how I would expect him to. Maybe he’s sick of being human or just really bored living in the country and needs some excitement.
‘What’s going on with you two?’ Damian enquires as I follow him up a short flight of stairs to the first floor landing, where a tall narrow window looks out onto the darkened forest.
‘Nothing.’
‘Didn’t look like nothing to me. You were holding hands,’ he states mock accusingly.
I sigh. ‘There’s a slight complication. Your uncle is still in love with me and wants me to turn him.’
Damian gives a short laugh.
‘It’s not funny!’
‘It kind of is under the circumstances. Are you going to?’
‘Of course not! If I’m going to turn anyone, it would be Elliott.’ I stare at the back of his vulnerable neck. ‘But I am feeling a little hungry, and you did promise I could feed on you, remember?’
Damian pauses on the stair above me, and I hear him swallow.
‘Uh, yeah. But maybe after you’ve had dinner.’
When we’re in his room, I settle on the bed, and he pulls up a chair.
The bedcovers are rumpled, so I assume Floss has had a feeding session from Damian, and she’s feeling nice and satiated.
Lucky cow. She’s currently next door with Hester, helping her learn her lines for her Twelfth Night audition.
I hope she gets it. Seeing Hester act in a play would be quite amusing, and of course, we should go to London with her for moral support.
After we rescue Elliott, of course. It’s going to happen.
The buzzing in my brain is steady and comforting, letting me know he’s still with us. Still alive.
‘OK, Sadie. It’s the same process as before. Relax and clear your mind. I’ll count backwards and take you under.’
I nod and close my eyes. Damian does his hypnosis spiel in a calm, steady voice and starts counting down. One minute, I’m looking at darkness. The next, an inner eye opens; and suddenly, I’m looking at a different room.
‘What can you see?’
‘It’s kind of dark, but I can make out stone walls.’
‘Great, Sadie,’ says Damian. ‘Anything in particular about the room that you notice?’
I strain to see. But I’m dependent on Elliott’s limited human vision since I’m perched in his head. ‘Straw on the ground. A stone floor. A bucket. Sorry, that’s not much help.’
‘OK. It sounds like he’s lying in some kind of cell, maybe a dungeon?’
I nod. ‘Yes, that feels right.’
‘Concentrate on how he feels. What sort of physical state is he in?’
‘Tired. Hangry. Missing me.’ I bite my lip, a bit upset at that.
‘Go on, it’s OK.’
‘He doesn’t know what’s happening. Or where he is. Only that Alexander has been drawing blood from him with a syringe.’
‘Interesting.’
‘Yeah.’
I stiffen as a shadow crosses my vision. ‘Someone’s there with him.’
‘Who is it? Friend or foe?’
‘Not sure. But Elliott’s trying to move away from them. He’s afraid.’
The figure lunges at him, and I feel Elliott’s shock, my hands instinctively clutching for him. ‘Oh no! Someone’s attacking him, and he’s defenceless!’
With a growl, I launch myself at Elliott’s attacker and sink my fangs into their neck. I’m going to drain them. How dare they touch my thrall!
No, Sadie! Damian gasps in my head. Don’t!
But all I can think about is protecting Elliott.
I must. I take several long pulls, the spurt of warm liquid in my mouth goading me to take more.
Elliott lets out a groan, or is it Damian?
I’m not sure anymore as, by now, I’m crazed and confused by bloodlust. Don’t worry, Elliott, I’ll save you this time!
I yell, pinning the unseen attacker to the ground and taking my fill.
Sadie, please. Damian’s voice filters weakly through the red mist, and I wonder briefly why he isn’t bringing me out of the hypnosis. No matter. I drink some more.
There’s a piercing scream, and I’m flung across the cell, hitting the stone wall with a thump. Everything goes black.
When I come to, I’m not lying on the bed. I’m on the other side of the room, and Floss and Hester are there, huddled together. Floss is whimpering.
‘What’s going on?’ I ask groggily.
‘Stay over there!’ hisses Hester. ‘You’ve done enough!’
What have I done? I don’t remember. There’s something sticky on my chin, a delicious taste in my throat. I swallow and move my tongue around, licking at my lips. Mmm, blood. How did that get there? I wonder.
Hester: You nearly drained Damian! He’s not doing well. Floss had already drunk from him. His pulse is really weak.
Me: What?
I crawl over to them on my hands and knees. Nudging them aside, I stare at Damian lying prostrate on the floor. His eyes are closed, and his face is grey. There are two bloodied holes in his neck.
Shit, did I do that? I ask the others.
Floss: Yes! Why the fuck did you bite him?
Me: I was under hypnosis. I didn’t mean to! And wow, I can hear you loud and clear.
This is the first time she’s been able to project her thoughts to me. I’m impressed.
Floss: Never mind that. What are we going to do?
Me: Calm down. Just turn him. Job done.
Floss: But he hadn’t decided yet!
I gaze down at Damian’s fluttering eyelids and listen to his hoarse shallow breathing.
Me: I guess I made that decision for him. But you’re going to have to do it quickly. He’s fading fast.