her a furious look and shook himself free of Charlie’s grasp.
‘Is that true, Violet?’ Fabian asked, assuming the role of the diplomat. My expression of guilt must have answered his question, because he continued. ‘Where are they?’
I shook my head, refusing to answer. A second later, several very powerful, very intrusive minds entered mine and my thoughts became displaced and chaotic. I fought to hide everything, but somehow, the details of my plan slipped through. I could do nothing but hope they hadn’t realized a maid had helped.
‘Kitchen,’ Fabian grunted and Kaspar raced out, followed by Charity. I didn’t plan to follow, but Fabian’s look of indignation corrected that.
‘You idiot,’ he scolded. ‘Why couldn’t you just keep your head down? You’re going to make your life here hell.’
I pushed past him as he held the door open for me. ‘I don’t want a life here,’ I muttered. Not waiting to see if he replied, I headed down the stairs and towards the kitchen. But maybe he’s right. Maybe I have gone too far.
When I got to the kitchen, they were pulling the bottle from the back of the fridge. Fabian tipped it upside down over the sink and a few drops of blood dribbled out. The condoms collected around the neck, ruined.
Charity turned to me, her expression moving from stunned to disappointed to murderous and it was at that point that I knew I was in for it. I turned to run, but she was already flying towards me, razor-sharp pink-acrylic nails bared. Grabbing my shirt she yanked me back and swiped at my face. I felt her nails gouge my skin and howled as she went to take another shot, but came to my senses long enough to throw my full body weight at her. It didn’t do much, but it was enough for Charlie and Lyla to grab her.
‘You’re just a fat jealous cow,’ she spat, wiping her eyes and smudging her make-up so she had a grey ring around each eye.
‘Excuse me?’ I hissed.
‘I said, you’re a fat jealous cow!’
‘I heard what you said,’ I jeered back.
She shrugged free from Lyla’s grip and straightened her skirt, which had ridden up. ‘Whatever. Just keep out of other people’s business, will you? Come on, Kaspar.’
‘Wow. I didn’t know they made bitches and whores rolled into one,’ I muttered as she was just about to pass through the door, Kaspar following like an obedient dog. She froze.
‘Take that back,’ she snarled, her eyes moving from blue to black.
‘No,’ I said coolly and she let out a cry, lunging for me with her eyes transfixed on my neck. I yelled, trying to throw her off. She scratched me once more, but, before she could do any more, we were being yanked apart – Fabian’s strong arms were wrapped around my stomach, as Kaspar pulled Charity away. She wasn’t struggling, but she threw insult after insult at me, which I ignored until she struck where it hurt.
‘You should have killed her while you had the chance, Kaspar. I know what these human girls are like. They’ll come on to anything with legs.’
I surged forward, but Fabian held me firm. ‘Don’t worry; I wouldn’t touch your kind with a bargepole.’
‘Yeah, right,’ she replied, squirming into Kaspar’s arms, stroking the side of his face. Kaspar didn’t respond with the same affection, but pulled her closer, in a mechanical fashion. She didn’t seem to notice. ‘Come on, baby, let’s go hunt for humans; I’m sick of animal blood.’ She eyed me as she said it, knowing what effect it would have.
‘You’re sick.’ My voice was becoming hoarse. ‘Sick parasites.’
Charity didn’t notice. She was staring at the door as the King entered. With downturned faces, the vampires bowed and curtsied. Fabian stood straight with difficulty, his arms still clenched around me.
I did nothing, turning away. Why should I curtsey?
He turned to Charity first, who extracted herself from Kaspar’s grasp and hung her head, managing to throw me a scathing look every few seconds.
‘I will remind you, Miss Faunder, that your father’s position in the council and court is subject to the actions of both himself and his family.’ His deep voice did not waver with anger, but contained a clear menace. ‘Go,’ he instructed, and she disappeared, not waiting to be told twice.
Then he turned to me and I shrunk, pierced by his grey eyes, so cold they sent a shiver running down my spine. Fabian loosened his grip, realizing I was not going to try anything now. ‘You play a dangerous game, Miss Lee. You will end up injured, or worse, if you are not wary of your actions.’
‘Better dead than one of you,’ I shot back, going to leave, but Fabian caught my arm. It seemed as though the King wasn’t finished.
‘Your sentiments will change when you have grown accustomed to our ways, which will happen in time. And time you shall have, Miss Lee, for your father is not foolish. He knows of our power and will not attempt to free you for a considerable length of time, at which point it will be too late.’
My eyes widened. Does he mean what I think he means? ‘My father doesn’t know about vampires.’
Behind the King, Kaspar laughed. It was a cold, hollow laugh, full of mocking. ‘Your father is in charge of the defence of this country, Girly. Of course he knows about us. He knows it was us who killed the slayers in Trafalgar Square and he knows it is us who have you.’
The King raised a hand and Kaspar quietened. As he did, his shirt sleeve slipped down, revealing arms scattered with raised, mottled veins.
‘No charge will be brought against us, Miss Lee. The case will be quietly closed by the Metropolitan Police once the media interest has died down. The idea that your disappearance is linked to you witnessing the killings will be fastidiously denied by your father, as instructed by my ambassadors, and if your father tries anything rash, such as to reveal our existence to the greater population, you will suffer. Unless you turn to become a vampire, you will remain here so you cannot reveal our existence. If you become a vampire and then reveal our existence to humans, you will suffer as we do.’
My mouth opened and my heart dropped through the pit of my stomach. They have everything covered, I realized. ‘You can’t do that. How can you do that?’
‘We are above the law and as I’m sure you can tell, Miss Lee, your situation is rather dire,’ the King said, turning to Kaspar. ‘Miss Faunder is welcome to stay as long as she likes. Whilst she is here, however, Miss Lee is to be confined to her room.’
I started to protest but the King ignored me and left the room, leaving a smirking Kaspar behind to gloat.
‘Is revenge sweet, Girly?’
I scowled at him, and laughing, he left the room. Fabian looked down at me, sympathy shining in his eyes as he led me back to my room.
That night, the groans from the room next door were even louder.
ELEVEN
Violet
It
