Chapter 41
Is he the archive of their accusations?
Or their ghostly purpose, their pining vengeance?
Or their unforgiven prisoner?
- Ted Hughes
Warnings/Bonuses: Violence, Death, Pixel blood, Coarse language, Adult themes.
36 Laurel Lane, Arden. April 12, 1987. 12:05 am
Daniel slipped back in through the side door; he was agitated but left Isobel to tend to the man bleeding to death on the floor. He was still breathing, but each lungful of air was thick and burbled as it mixed with blood. The man smelled of death even now. Isobel was crouched over the injured man, whispering to him in that kind, soft way of hers. She had done the same for him when he was young, coaxing him to hang on to whatever thread of life he could grasp on to when the fog of dying was its strongest.
When she paused Daniel cut in, “Whoever it was, they are gone now. Did you recognise them at all?”
“N-no, he was not what I was concerned about.”
He curled his lip at the sigh of all the waste of blood. Only newly sired and poorly taught could have left the man in such a state. “He must have been young. They are the only ones who are so impatient and messy with their prey.”
Isobel glanced up at him and her voice quivered, “Samuel was not prey, he was tortured. They wanted information about the me and the children.”
Daniel jerked back slightly. She was right and it annoyed him that he was letting his anger at Isobel cloud his judgement, but when he looked at her it was all he could do to not replay his last conversation with Lily. “If that is truly what you think, you need to leave. Once I know you are safely on your way, I will come back and track him and make certain that brat never gets his news to his mistress.”
“Forget her puppet, he is not important any more, Olivia will not be far away now.” Isobel slid her arm under Samuel and began lifting him up, but when he winced she had to choke back a sob and ease him back down. She looked back to Daniel and pleaded, “Help me get Samuel into the car and then we can get the girls.”
“We will never move quickly enough with two children and an injured man,” he replied, but she shook her head in response. Daniel pulled her up off her knees and forced her to look at him. “Get your child, we will have to leave him and the other one.”
“I will not leave my husband or my daughter to that beast,” she sneered.
Daniel roared, “He is your what?”
“Husband,” she tried to say, but it was a word Isobel mouthed more than she actually spoke out loud. She saw Daniel’s eyes flicker with red as she uttered, “And I will not just leave him here.”
“A human?” he hissed back at her. It was if he was trying to throw her own words back at her, all the things she had said to Lily and himself to make them part ways years before.
“Of all our kind, you should understand.”
He edged his face close to hers and breathed, “How dare you. How dare you bring me here, into this house and flaunt in front of me the very things you made certain I could never have. I should leave you to her whims.”
Isobel whimpered, “If she finds us all is lost.”
“Good luck Isobel,” he said, turning on his heel and taking a few steps towards the door. He stopped when her hand gripped his arm.
“I did not know we could possibly be worthy of feeling anything other than pity for them, but you were right. If I could trade all my happiness with you I would, I would give you back your time with Lily. You have to help me. Please.”
Daniel sighed and let himself be led back to where Samuel lay. He shook his head and tried to console her, “He has bled too much, he is not going to live.”
She panted, her voice straining with desperation, “I could turn him with your help, he would need more blood than I could give him.”
“It is too late.”
She begged, “We have to try.”
Samuel strained to talk, “Is, no.” Blood spattered across his lips and chin as he also managed to add, “Love you.”
She gripped Samuel’s arm and whimpered, “I am so sorry. I will make sure the girls stay safe. I love you Sam.” Looking up to Daniel she pleaded, “Please. Just make his pain stop.”
“Get out of the way,” he snarled. When she had moved away he kneeled by Samuel’s head. Snapping his spine was the most merciful death he could offer now. He wondered if Samuel even benefited from his effort, as the man never fought back as Daniel gripped his head.
Daniel looked at the blood dripping down his forearms with an odd sense of wastefulness. “We should go,” he muttered.
Isobel answered, sounding lost and emotionless, “Take both of them to Lily. Whatever you do, please do not leave Katia behind, it is not her fault.”
A flash of light on metal caught his eye. Turning he saw a lighter in her hand. “What the hell are you doing Isobel?” he yelled. He dove at her and grabbed her hand.
She fought him for control, twisting her arm free as she spat, “Olivia will keep looking for them unless she thinks we are all dead.” With a quick flick a flame appeared. Daniel caressed her cheek and moved back. A fire would keep Olivia from exploring the house and leave little evidence for her to sift through later. It would not kill Isobel, but she would be too injured to move to safely before the morning light seeped into the house, finishing her off.
Travelling south from Hunters Beach. November 24, 2005. 4:34 am
Katia tried not to fall asleep as they drove, but the exhaustion from fighting with Max and the lull of the moving car soon won out.