LS. (5)
They were in transportation similar to the ones they had taken to pub when they were after the vampires the first time, Hunter noticed. He was in the same van as Simian while the other delegates were in their own cars. His vampire arsenal was safely strapped around his person and in the smaller duffel bag at his feet. Their driver was the same man who had stood by the door in the conference room and now that he was closer to him, Hunter recognised him from the other operation.
“Not much further.” The driver said, mistaking Hunters thoughts for ones of bloodlust.
Hunter just smiled. He was reminded of Gilbert and wondered how that young man had gotten involved in the new team. Michael had once hinted that he had good family connections, high up ones that knew exactly which strings to pull. Hunter he didn’t despise that sort of person because he loved his job and would have hated the backstabbing and politics of an office job - though a good word here and there would have come in handy when facing a suspension.
Simian was watching him so Hunter sat back and closed his eyes, not wanting to give the other man a chance to figure him out.
Glasses clinked around her as the guests and hosts raised their glasses, talking and laughing. Leonie wasn’t hungry and as her mind wandered she began to pick up on some of the conversation around her. Two of the Council were talking in hushed tones and she strained to hear them, knowing it must be important. A quick glance at Alonya let her know that she hadn’t noticed. She caught snatches of a few words and then the conversation seemed to pick up in volume and she caught a lot more than she had bargained for. They were talking about the lack of blood offerings, as if Alonya should have provided them with fresh meat. Another one was thinking about how delicious Leonie looked and how, when they found her guilty she would like to have first taste of her blood. An startling image rushed into Leonie’s mind and she looked up. The vampire was opening staring at her, a hungry look on her face. Most startling was the fact that her lips weren’t moving. Trying to keep her face as calm as possible, Leonie turned to Kaen. He seemed oblivious of everything going on around him, but a strange look passed over his face as he watched Alonya talking to a member of the council at the head of the table. Leonie tapped him lightly on the arm, bringing his focus back to her.
Then in a quiet voice she told him, “I want to know what is going on.”
“Fine.” He said in an arrogant tone.
“Let‘s go outside.” Leonie told him standing, then when he didn‘t move: “Now.”
He stood and they made apologies to those closest to them. Leonie led the way through to the kitchens where she knew they wouldn’t be disturbed. There, she turned to face Kaen.
“So are the Council here to try me for Neill‘s murder?”
“Yes.” He didn’t bother trying to lie.
“Is that it?”
“No, they might bring up the possibility of you seducing him but Alonya has tried to downplay that as much as possible. She feels that she owes you protection.”
“But the Council would kill me if I‘m found guilty.”
Kaen shrugged, not a promising sign. Leonie found herself shouting now.
“WILL THEY?”
The kitchen doors swung open and Alonya entered. She was followed by some of the Council members.
“What‘s going on in here?” She asked trying to keep her voice light and happy, but Leonie could see the warning signals in her eyes to show she was far from happy.
They pulled up outside the lone house and Simian got out. He held what looked like a tracking device in his hands and he smiled as he pointed towards the house.
“They‘re in there.” He said waving the other cars on.
Alonya led them back to where the others had now finished eating and were waiting for them. Leonie was seated and Alonya loomed above her surrounded by the Council. They didn’t look too happy. Suddenly Leonie felt tired by it all but she couldn’t find the strength to stand up.
“Is my trial starting now?” She asked defiantly, looking right into the eyes of one of the Council members.
There wasn’t even time to blink as she felt them tug at the edges of her mind and instinct drove up the fiery mind wall to protect herself. Then she was drifting behind her gaze as if moving away from the room.
Leonie lifted her hand to brush away an overhanging branch and stepped into a lush green meadow. There was a small river running through the edge of it and she walked closer. She was all alone so she sat by the edge and gazed at her reflection. Only it wasn’t her reflection but Ben who looked back up at her.
“I see you‘re getting better at blocking.” He said smiling.
“Well this didn‘t happen last time.”
“My fault, I called you to talk. Blocking is similar to dreaming so I can communicate more easily with you here.”
Leonie put her hands in her lap. “So what did you want to say?”
“I wanted to warn you about the Council, to tell you to do whatever it takes to stay alive and that I‘ll be around if you need me.”
“Thanks, but if you don‘t mind me reminding you- you‘re dead.”
He ignored that remark. “Help is on it‘s way Leonie, don‘t turn away from it like you did the last time. This time you need it.”
“Okay.” Leonie promised, and the scene began to fade.
Leonie blinked as she returned to the real world and the mind blocks felt stronger. She smiled to herself and hoped that too much time hadn’t gone by.
“I think that would be a good idea.” Alcart, a Council member, said in reply to her question.
“Why bother with a trial, we all know the case and have decided how to vote.”
That was Vale, the female vampire who had been thinking of what it would be like to try Leonie’s blood for desert. Alcart looked a little put-out, he was one of the oldest gathered and obviously liked things done in the proper order. He looked around to see how the others felt and at their nodding heads shook his slowly.
“I‘m sorry Alonya, the Council have decided.”
The wave of vampires slit into two groups, Council members and Alonya’s people. Alcart and Alonya stayed by Leonie. As one the Council took out a small sheet of paper and wrote one of two letters G for guilty and N for not.
“If I could have your votes please.” Alcart said once everyone had voted and folded over their piece of paper.
One by one the votes were opened and placed on the table. Leonie was surprised that there were two piles and wondered who had voted her not guilty. At the end though the number of ‘guilty’ s outweighed the ‘not’ s, but Leonie was prepared. As soon as Vale took the first step towards her she stood and pushed Alonya closer to her vampires and told her to leave them.
“I‘m sorry, but I don‘t have to hurt you. Go.”
Once Alonya and the others were gone Leonie turned back to Council a smile on her face and a fireball in each hand. Their faces registered fear and she took a step towards them.
“Sorry Vale, but I don‘t think you‘re going to be drinking my blood today. You couldn‘t roll my mind and I know you don‘t want to risk burning today.”
“What are you going to do? Run away home?” Alcart asked her.
“Let‘s make a deal: I leave unharmed and you leave unharmed. Then we both go home.”
For added effect she made the flames dance a little higher. That decided it for Alcart she could see.
“Alright.” He said.
But another vampire stepped forward. “Alcart doesn‘t speak for all of us.”
Leonie let the fireball fly at him and it landed just over his shoulder. He took a quick step back and she created another one to show them that she would do the same again if they made her.
“Very well. How many of you disagree?” Leonie asked.
There was silence. The vampires didn’t look happy and Leonie didn’t want to risk putting the flames out just yet.
Simian turned to Hunter. “Did you just see that?”
Hunter nodded slowly. Someone had just started a fire at the house. It was spreading slowly along the floor but the flames were big enough to be visible through the windows.
“Do we move in or let them come out to us?” Gilbert asked moving towards them.
Hunter looked at George, blatantly ignoring Gilbert. “I‘m going in.”
“I‘ll come too.” George told him. “Harrison stay here.”
Hunter smiled and together they made their way towards the house, keeping as camouflaged as possible.
Leonie knew it was Hunter coming before she saw the two shapes making their way towards the house. She also knew that she had to keep the Council distracted and get the others out to safety. Every time one of the Council started to move towards her she shot a few slithers of flame closer to them. She could tell that the fire had started to spread and she didn’t know whether or not to chance leaving the room. When she nearly incinerated Alcart for moving closer to the Council she realised that the situation was too tense to continue. So with tiny footsteps she crept back to the door, eyes still on the vampires.
Leonie took a deep breath as she entered the hall. Alonya was waiting with Kaen.
“What have you done?” Alonya asked.
“You‘ve got to go. There‘s people coming and they‘ll do to you what they did to Harriet.”
Kaen looked at her. “You‘re trying to save our lives?”
“Don‘t look so confused. Just run.”
Alonya turned to go, stopped and turned back to say one more thing. “Thank you.”
Then they were both gone. Two doors were broken through as one. Hunter entered from outside and the Council had managed to break down the one behind Leonie. After a brief pause of shock on both sides, the vampires charged and the humans defended.
Hunter lashed out at the approaching vampire, using a stake from the kit around his waist. His companion had a bottle of Holy Water and a gun. Leonie watched as Alcart and another council member died. Their blood, or the blood of their victims, was splattered around the room. Some landed on her dress and face. She knew that she couldn’t call the fire with other humans around so she took a knife from the bag Hunter had dropped and turned it on the vampire closest to her. The vampire was about to attack when he saw the look in her eyes and recognised her. He ran. Hunter turned back to her, his friend fending off the most persistent of the un-dead.
“Do whatever it takes to stay alive. Help is on it‘s way Leonie, don‘t turn away from it like you did the last time. This time you need it.”
Those words echoed back now. You can‘t trust them for a moment. Leonie didn’t know what to say.
Hunter was standing in front of her, asking that same question. “Can you trust them?”
Slowly Leonie shook her head and followed him outside. At least Alonya would be safe. She didn’t know what Hunters people would do with the Council, but she hoped that Vale at least didn’t escape.
Epilogue.
There were drops of blood on her hands. They mingled with the long sleeved red dress she was wearing and lay there like drops of water on a window. It didn’t last though, they faded through the material turning it brown. She looked around. How could this happen? She felt her body jerk, unable to control her movements she came closer to the ... carnage was the only word she could think of. Even with her eyes closed she could see it all. She felt strangely numb at the memories.
A lot had happened over the last three or so years. Things that no-one should ever have to know about, Leonie told herself. Yet that was exactly what she planned to do, let others know. And she would get started on that as soon as she’d taken Hunters good-looking friend up on his offer for a drink. What was his name again? George? He’d given her his telephone number, and all she had to do was find it. Then she could restart her life back in England and away from the vampires.
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there is a second story in the works, thought quite near from completion. smile
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