Longing for You, стр. 40

They walked on in silence. Alexis was desperate to talk and openup about her feelings. The love she had inside her had grown so large that itwas so hard to keep contained.

But what to come clean about first? That she loved her or that shealmost tried to forcibly turn her into a vampire? Both could destroy any kindof new friendship or feelings they shared.

They crossed over a little bridge with a stream flowingunderneath. “It’s so pretty here. Yes, pretty and…”

“What?” Alexis asked.

Katie guided them over to a bench made out of tree stumps. “Let mecatch my breath. I can’t wait till I’m fully fit again. I’ve usually got somuch energy.”

“You’ll be back full of vim and vigour in no time. What were yousaying before? It’s pretty here and—?”

Katie didn’t know to explain it exactly. “Um…it has a feeling ofsomething more ancient, something otherworldly, close to the spirits, Isuppose.”

“It is. A witch once told me that the veil between our world andthe next is very thin here. Like a portal where the two worlds intersect.That’s why the cunning folk based themselves here.”

“The cunning folk?” Katie asked.

“The witch coven who lived here. They were called the cunningfolk. An ancient coven of witches, very powerful ones at that.”

“And that old woman Amelia met. She’s one of them?”

Alexis nodded. “Sybil, yes she’s one of the few left.”

Katie rubbed her neck.

“Are you okay?” Alexis said. Alexis felt bad. Maybe she couldoffer some of her blood to help Katie heal more quickly. Vampire blood was richand could ease all manner of physical harms, but she couldn’t offer her bloodwithout telling Katie the truth. Maybe it was now or never.

“Shall we keep walking, or do you want to go back?” Alexis asked.

“No, I’d like to go a little further.” Katie took her arm againand they walked onward.

Alexis closed her eyes and took a breath. She was going to do it.“Katie, I’d like to talk to you about something.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about the night Josie attacked you.”

Katie sighed. “Do we have to relive it again? I’m trying to forgetit.”

“Yes, I have to tell you what happened,” Alexis said.

“Okay then, tell me.”

This was it. She would relive her shame and lose any chance shehad with Katie.

“When I found you that night, you were—” Alexis stopped dead. Shecould hear something. She had tuned out all of the usual forest noises, butthis was different. There were lots of voices coming from all around.

“What is it?” Katie asked.

Alexis held her finger to her lips, then guided Katie into thebushes to keep out of sight.

* * *

Amelia held Byron’s hand tightly as they walked up the path to herparents’ front door. Behind them, Bhal and Wilder followed, leaving the rest ofthe guards at the cars. The nerves in Amelia’s stomach doubled as they got nearthe door.

What would she say, would she manage to keep it together? Herparents always managed to make her doubt herself. She looked down at the GrandDuchess’s ring on her wedding finger.

You’re strong now. They can’t hurt you.

Suddenly Byron stopped and pushed Amelia’s hand away from thedoor.

“What are you doing?” Byron pointed to the broken lock on thefront door. “Oh no.”

“Wilder? Stay here with the Principessa. Bhal, you’re with me.”

“Yes, Principe,” Wilder said.

“But Byron—” Amelia tried to stop her.

Byron gave her a serious look. “Please, Amelia. We need to checkthat it’s safe first.”

Amelia finally relented and walked back to the car with Wilder.Byron could smell the unmistakable odour of fresh blood and heard a low moaningnoise.

“Blood, inside,” Byron whispered to Bhal.

Bhal nodded and drew the large Celtic sword from her back. “Let mego in first, Principe.”

Byron nodded and watched as Bhal pushed open the front doorslowly. She followed Bhal in and pointed her in the direction of the blood.When they got to what looked like the drawing room door, Bhal held up threefingers and counted down.

On one, Bhal kicked open the door, and what they found shockedeven Byron. Two people, who she presumed were Amelia’s adoptive parents. Themale had his entire throat ripped out and was as still as the grave, but shecould see and hear the woman’s shallow breathing, despite her injuries.

Byron sped over and dropped to her knees beside her. “Mrs. Honey?”

Byron’s eyes must have turned red, as she had been expecting afight, because Amelia’s mother looked absolutely terrified.

“Vampire?” She wheezed.

“I am, but I’m a friend of Amelia’s. She wanted to come and visit you.What happened?”

“Vampires, witches, they came looking for us. What’s your name,vampire?”

“Byron Debrek.”

Mrs. Honey grabbed her arm. “Don’t let them get her. The witchsaid you would come one day, that you would protect…”

Byron was starting to get even more fearful now. She had to knowwho they were. “Bhal? Check on Amelia and Wilder at the car.”

“Yes, Principe,” Bhal replied.

Byron turned her attention back to Amelia’s mother. “Who are they?Why do they want Amelia?”

“She’s…descendent,” Mrs. Honey rasped.

“Descendent? What does that mean?”

“Safe…” Mrs. Honey said.

“I will, but what does descendent mean?” Byron asked.

“Tell her we always loved her, and find Sybil…”

Then she went limp. Mrs. Honey was gone. It was then that Ameliarushed into the room and screamed at the sight.

* * *

“What the hell is going on?” Katie said softly. They were crouchedin the undergrowth since Alexis said she heard something.

Alexis again shushed her. “Please, let me listen.”

Katie wanted to say something snappy back, but she kept quiet.Alexis had her captain-of-the-guard voice on again.

After a few minutes Alexis turned to her and said, “They’ve passednow.”

“Who’s passed now?” Katie asked with annoyance.

“You still need to be quiet—a vampire could hear us. I heard a lotof voices approaching. They were talking about finding someone quickly andeliminating them.”

“Killing them?” Katie said with shock.

Alexis nodded, and then her phone rang. She grabbed it quickly tostop the loud ringtone.

Katie worried more and more as she listened to Alexis’s side ofthe conversation.

“But the Principessa is unharmed?…Yes, yes, of course. Katie iswith me…No, I won’t let her out of my sight…Yes, Principe.” Alexis ended thecall.

“What’s happening?” Katie asked.

“When they arrived to see the Principessa’s parents, they had beenviciously attacked by vampires. Byron