The Witch Hunter (19 page)

Alex put his face in his hands and groaned. He was obviously thinking about what had just happened. "What the hell are you, Sam?" Alex asked angrily, getting straight to the point.

"I'm a vampire. And Aya," he glanced at her. "Aya is a vampire, too."

Alex leant heavily against the front door. "I heard Liz and Gabby talking about Aya. This is what they meant, wasn't it?" 

"Probably," she nodded.

"How old are you really? I mean, you're not 25 are you?"

"No, Alex," Aya smiled reassuringly. "I'm a lot older than that. I've been around quite a few more lifetimes that I had originally planned. But, I’m flattered that you think I’m 25."

"How old?" he whispered.

"I think you should tell him your age first," she said to Sam.

He shrugged, "I'm 167."

"Geesus!" Alex threw his hands up in annoyance. "You say that like its normal. And you?" He jabbed a finger at Aya.

She balked, "I'm two thousand, give or take."

"Fucking hell! And Zac?" his eyes widened. "Liz? Please don't tell me Liz is one too?"

"Yes, we all are. But not Gabby," he added. "Gabby is a witch."

"Holly fucking shit!" Alex's hand slapped his forehead in disbelief. "I'm in the fucking X-files!"

Aya frowned, "What's a X-file?"

Sam had to stifle a smile, "It's a TV show."

"TV?" she cocked her head, confused, then exclaimed, "Oh! The picture thing. I get it."

Alex was staring at them dumbfounded. 

"Alex, we're still your friends," Sam said seriously.

"And you're the first human who has liked me for who I was and not what I was," Aya smiled at him.

Alex was dumbfounded. "You're all crazy," he said backing through the front door, "You need to leave me the hell alone."

"Alex, please," said Sam.

"Just go away, Sam. I was attacked by a crazy vampire, something that isn't meant to exist. Then I find out all my friends are vampires too!" 

"And Gabby. Don't forget, Gabby. She's a witch," Aya quipped.

Sam glared at her, "Not helping."

"Will you just go away. I don't want you coming near me and I don't want you in my house," snarled Alex.

"Then take back your invitation, Alex," Sam pleaded. "Then I won't be able to come in."

Alex glanced warily from him to Aya, suspecting a trick.

"He's right," Aya nodded. "Rescind both our invitations. If you choose not to speak to us again, we cannot come inside."

Sam knew that it wouldn't work on Aya, she wasn't entirely vampire, but he was a little taken aback by her actions. He didn't think she had it in her to be kind.

"Then," Alex spat. "I take back both your invitations. I rescind Zac's and I rescind Liz's." he slammed the door in their faces.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"I
should have compelled him," Sam shook his head as they walked back to the car.

"No," Aya disagreed. "Alex won't say anything. You need to trust him, not the other way round."

"How do you know?" He didn't sound so sure.

"The one thing I know about Alex, is that he's loyal. He won't talk, at least not until he's had a chance to talk it through with Gabby and Liz."

He sighed and asked, "Why did you tell him that? To take back your invitation? You never needed one."

"If it makes him feel safer, then I will let him believe," she shrugged, leaning against the car.

"I must admit that I'm surprised."

"Surprised?" she raised her eyebrows. "That I'm not one hundred percent monster? Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"That's not what I meant and you know it." He waited for a response, but wasn't going to get one.

Aya, only now noticing that he was dressed up, said, "Hot date, Romeo?"

"I was meant to meet Liz," he said. "It's one year today since she was turned."

"Oh, so you celebrate them?" she said sarcastically. "Did you get her a cake?"

"No! It's just a hard day for her and all. She hasn't had the best time of it."

Aya laughed, "Does anyone?"

He didn't reply, frowning.

She snorted at his grimace, "Well, at least you wore a black shirt. The blood doesn't show up unless you look hard enough." 

"Thanks for the encouragement," he rolled his eyes. "If you don't mind, I have to go find Liz and apologize. If you're going to the manor, can you tell Zac?"

Aya groaned, tapping the car boot, "Only if you get rid of the body."

"Just do it with a little tact, Aya. I don't want him doing anything reckless."

"Yes, sir," she said sarcastically and opened the passenger side door, then slammed it shut, electing to go on foot, rather than get in the car with Sam. "But don't blame me when he does anyway."

The manor was dark when Aya made her way up the driveway. She knew that Sam would find Liz and apologize for being tardy and tell her about what had happened to Alex. And she was left to explain to Zac, which was all she ever seemed to do. She wasn't used to answering to others, let alone to the most annoying vampire in the history of the world;
Zac
. She worked her best one on one. Alone.

Thankful for the alone time, she lit the fire in the parlor, preferring the warm light to the electric ones. It was more homely in the big old house. Stoking the coals, she watched the sparks whirlwind onto the hearth, her thoughts spiraling with them. The embers brought back memories she would really like to forget. The castle emerged from the coals that she knew so intimately, the details vivid even after two thousand years. The place where she was turned. Closing her eyes, she tried to will away the image. The stone and wood structure built by the Britons, sacked by the Romans and the same she destroyed in flame.

The adjoining door to the hallway burst open and she turned sharply hissing deep in her throat as Zac and Liz stumbled in, their hands all over each other, kissing like it was their last day on earth. Zac's shirt was open and he was pulling at the hem of hers. They hadn't even noticed she was in the room and if she moved, they certainly would. She scowled, her heart wrenching in her chest. Poor Sam. Sam, who loved this girl. Zac had pulled Liz's top off and was trailing kisses down her jaw and the length of her neck. Aya felt her heart lurch involuntarily. She could stand it no more and she coughed loudly.

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Liz covering herself with her arms.

Zac took a step back, drawing in a sharp hiss of breath when he saw it was Aya. Her expression was darkness as she scowled at them. "Aya, I didn't know you were here,” he stammered.

Aya snorted her disgust. "Maybe you should check who's in the room before you decide to fuck your brother's girlfriend in it."

They stared at her, not sure what to say, as if they were trying to gauge what she would do next. Aya made to leave the room, but Liz grabbed her arm, "Please don't say anything."

Aya snatched her arm back abruptly, looking Liz up and down with contempt. Without saying anything, she stalked from the room. How
dare
she. She flew down the hall into the study, coming to a stop in front of the French doors that opened onto the verandah. Opening them she walked out into the night air. She felt more at ease here amongst the overgrown wisteria and the light breeze and willed her anger to melt away. Once upon a time, the forest was her home, a safe place from the evils of the world. She ran her fingers across the vines that twined around the banister. Her earth sense had vanished when she turned, a loss that cut to her very soul. She missed the music of the plants, the shifting land beneath her feet. Casting her mind out into the night, all she heard was the soft hum of Zac, who had followed her outside. He leant against the doorframe, his open shirt flapping in the breeze.

Aya scowled as she felt her anger simmer up again. Without turning she said, "You could have at least dressed yourself properly."

He hastily buttoned his shirt up and came to stand beside her. Why was she so mad with him? Did she have feelings for him? She wasn't even sure what that meant. All she knew was the biting taste of revenge and destruction. She didn't know what love was and he obviously didn't either.

"Aya, I'm sorry." he began.

"Why are you apologizing to me? It's not my back you're going behind," she interrupted, not tearing her eyes away from the dark, cloudy sky that eerily reflected her mood. 

After a moment he said, "You like the garden." 

He was too observant, having noticed the way she stroked the wisteria. She didn't dare reply. God, he was so annoying.

They stood in silence for a while, neither looking at each other. Aya silently willed him to go away, but he didn't budge. None of them were blind; they could all see that Zac was drawn to
her. 
Alex, Sam, Gabby. They all knew in some small way, but trusted that he wouldn't cross the line. Sam, least of all, didn't expect Liz to reciprocate. It was Sam, Aya felt sorry for. 

Surprised at her train of thoughts, she felt the memory rise of the first night she had met Zac. The wolves had attacked him in the alley by the bar and she had saved him. She had compelled the memory from him, but still couldn't fathom why she had intervened in the first place. But, the greater mystery was how she had stopped the frenzy and not ended him along with the pack. Perhaps she would never understand. For the first time she wondered what his reaction was when he realized there was five mutilated bodies strewn around him. Her sadistic vampire side stifled a grin at the thought.

Zac shuffled nervously beside her, bringing her back to the present. She looked at him out the corner of her eye. The fact that his blood made that sound. It was something that drew her, but she still didn't think it had to do with love or lust. Perhaps he was something else as well, but she didn't think so either.

"Alex knows what we are," she said finally. She felt him stiffen beside her. Sighing, she walked back inside, leaving Zac behind to stew in the shit storm of his own making.

It was late when Liz finally climbed the stairs leading to her apartment above the small hardware store on the end of the main street. She had made a terrible mistake. She was hurt, alone and he was there. It wasn't an excuse, but it had happened that way regardless.

She was glad that Aya was there to stop them, but she feared she'd hurt her, too. Was there any end to her stupidity? What the hell would she tell Sam? Where had he been all night?  There was no doubt that she was attracted to Zac, otherwise she wouldn’t have let it go so far. But, he wasn’t blameless either.

As she came up the last flight of stairs she saw Sam sitting by her door, waiting. His expression was closed and her heart skipped a beat. She knew he heard
that
. 

"Sam," she said when he didn't look up.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, smiling sadly at her. Instantly, she knew something had happened.

"What's wrong?" she said, trying to hide the guilt in her voice.

"Alex was attacked by a vampire," he said. "Luckily Aya was there or I wouldn't have been able to save him."