Witchblood (12 page)

         ‘Hmm, don’t you think that’s a little strange when they have all the other albums, Jessica? Also, as Sebastian noted, you obviously had your father’s blue eyes and blonde hair, but other than that there are no similarities, and yet there seems to be no likeness to your mother either,’ he said.

         ‘Well no, but not all children look like their parents, and as you said I do have some similarities with my dad… well I did have!’ I said. ‘But what has this got to do with Sebastian saving my dad?’ I asked.

         ‘Sebastian will tell you himself this evening, but think about it,  because with your mother dead, your dad is the only one who can clear all this up. He has the information we need, and Sebastian has come to a dead end with your family history. We need more answers before you can be free,’ he answered.

         I sighed and looked back at the photo of my dad. The sadness was ingrained in the lines of his face. All the women in his family had died on him; his mother before I was born, his wife two years ago and now his only child. I guess the hole in his heart had become so large it could no longer be filled with neat whisky, and he decided that as the only member left of our little family unit, he may as well give up and stop the pain. 

         I couldn’t believe he was hiding something this momentous. Could it be that the mother I’d loved was not my real mother? No, no, it couldn’t be possible.

         ‘Am I going to get to see him, to talk to him? He needs to know I’m OK,’ I asked, relieved he was safe in a hospital bed, where he at least couldn’t get his hands on more alcohol, but there was a tightness in my chest. I squeezed my eyes shut to stop the tears and rubbed my temples.

         ‘I’m not sure, it’s up to Sebastian. Very few humans can be allowed to live knowing of our existence for obvious reasons; however there are exceptions to the rule. You’ll have to see what Sebastian says, and I’ll warn you now, don’t try arguing with him if you want to stay alive,’ Daniel said.

         ‘Fine, I’ll behave. When are we going?’ I asked.

         ‘As it’s Friday he’ll be at Exodus this evening, so we’ll leave here about eight,’ he answered.

         Thinking I’d see my dad sooner rather than later, I decided it was time to put my plan into action regardless of what was going on with my father. I smiled up at Eva. ‘Eva have you noticed how much I’ve changed this week?’

         Eva looked up, startled at the quick subject change, and then frowned suspiciously at me, looking me up and down.

         ‘Hmm, I see your eyes have turned now and your hair is paler I suppose,’ she added reluctantly.

         ‘Yes, but look how much thinner I am. These clothes just don’t fit. I can’t go to Exodus tonight looking like a tramp, can I? I mean, what will the others think of you, if I turn up looking like this?’ I grinned wickedly as I watched my words dawn on her features, and a smile threatened the corner of her mouth.

         ‘Well Jessica, that’s easily solved. As you know, shopping is my one true love. I will happily pop into town and get you some smaller clothes. Don’t you worry about it,’ she added with a wicked smirk.

         The smile disappeared from my face.

         ‘Please Eva, let me come with you. I
have
to get out of this house, and I really want to choose some clothes for myself. Come on, Daniel, please,’ I begged.

         I watched as they communicated, swapping silent words, and finally to my great relief they smiled at each other, then me.

         ‘I think it’s time,’ Daniel said. It was a short sentence but very, very sweet. I yelled in triumph as they both watched, quietly amused until I stopped jumping round the table.

         ‘You’ve changed considerably, but I think we both know that you would still be recognisable to anyone close to you, and because of that I suggest one precautionary measure,’ Eva said digging her hand into her bag and drawing out a box of chestnut brown hair dye.

         ‘You were planning it already!’ I said.

         ‘Of course! You were starting to act like a caged lion and I quite fancied a girlie shopping trip,’ she answered, her eyes twinkling.

         ‘Yey!’ I exclaimed happy again, momentarily forgetting my poor dad, but sure in the knowledge that I’d get to see him soon and that he was safe in hospital.

An hour and a half later, I was sitting in front of my mirror once again, this time towel-drying my new, dark chestnut hair. I stared at the pale, luminous face in the mirror and wondered if my father would recognise me, when he awoke from his coma. After all he’d been in an alcohol-induced coma twice before and had been fine a couple of days later. I told myself this time would be the same, but it didn't quite work.

         A surge of human emotion once again took over my body, and stumbling from my stool I fell onto my bed and curled into a ball, a single tear tracing a pattern down my cheek. If only I could feel Luke’s arms around me. I realised in that minute how much I missed him, and how much I’d lost. A ball of pure emotion was stuck in my throat and I choked it back as I controlled the urge to howl and scream. I knew Eva wouldn’t let me go out, if she thought I was out of control and wanting to see Luke.

         Of course, Daniel knew I was in pain, whether I screamed internally or out loud, and I heard the pair of them suddenly flying up the stairs two at a time. I had seconds to pull myself together, so I grabbed a firm hold of the human grieving girl inside me, shoved her back into the dark cell in my head and pushed with all my might. Gone; locked away. I rubbed the tear from my cheek and sat up on the edge of the bed as they both exploded through the door.

         ‘Jessica what’s the matter?’ Daniel was at my side in an instant, his arms circling me protectively. I sank my head against his shoulder thankfully.

         ‘Is it your hair?’ Eva quipped, frowning at me, knowing it wasn’t the real answer.

         I smiled weakly as Daniel glared at her, and explained as well as I could without giving away my true feelings.

         ‘No. I like my hair actually. I always wondered what it would be like to be a brunette, but I never had the courage to do it.’ I smiled again.

         ‘What then? I felt you, you were screaming inside, Jessica,’ Daniel said.

         ‘I’m sorry. I over-reacted. I guess I had a delayed reaction to the news of my dad. I didn’t take it all in before. It’s so strange being here in Manchester but living a totally different life, and not being able to see my family and friends. But I understand why, don’t worry,’ I added, when I saw Eva’s frown form again.

         In the end it was Daniel, not Eva who questioned whether I should go out, but of course he knew that I’d felt more than I'd let on.

         ‘Jessica, are you sure you can handle this today? You can always send Eva to get you something to wear for tonight, and then go out shopping tomorrow,’ he suggested, but Eva jumped to my rescue.

         ‘Daniel, she’ll be fine. A shopping trip is just what she needs to feel normal again. I bet she’ll come back renewed and revitalised. She’s been stuck inside for nearly three weeks. That’s longer than most, and anyone would get upset, stuck inside for weeks on end. Jessica, go and get your sunglasses. It’s a perfect wintry day and you don’t want to get a headache. We’re hitting the shops!’ she added, turning back to me grinning.

         Surprisingly, it went without a hitch. Well, almost without a hitch. I was so thankful to be getting out of the house, I couldn’t help but smile as we hopped into her super-cute, shiny red convertible parked in the driveway. They’d taken the extra precaution of getting me to have some breakfast before we left, a good job really, as it turned out that the hundreds of people swarming round the city centre was rather overwhelming, but after the first five minutes, my fangs slowly receded and I was able to ignore the scent and concentrate on shopping.

         After a mammoth trying on session in the cubicles of Selfridges, we headed over to the till, arms laden with skinny jeans and tees that flattered my now skinny, toned tummy, a couple of smarter wool tunic dresses which I would probably still wear over jeans and a really sexy pair of black skinny leather trousers and jacket. It was only then, when Eva flashed her card that I wondered about the money. How was I going to get money? I obviously couldn’t withdraw anything from my old bank account, not that there was much in it, because I was supposedly dead, and how could I possible get a job – all my official details would be redundant.

         I’d officially ceased to exist. Once again, I felt shock prickle all over and I wondered if it was a good idea coming out after all. Tension started to crawl up my spine and prickle the nape of my neck. The muscles in my body tensed as if ready for a fight, and the scariest of all - I felt my fangs start to push through my gums, as I suddenly caught the strangely intoxicating whiff of the girl behind the till. I clamped my lips together to hide the fangs, and thankfully Eva immediately cottoned onto the change in atmosphere and hurried the girl at the desk, pushing her pin code into the card machine so fast it was a blur. She beamed a wide smile at the girl, picked up the bags and twirling round on her heels, marched me out of the shop into the icy winter air, where she carried on walking until we were well away from the mêlée of people and outside a gloomy backstreet pub.

         To any passing glance the pub looked closed, its windows were boarded up and it looked positively unwelcoming. My surprise grew as she walked right up to the door and pushed it open, striding in and pulling me after her.

         Once inside the pub, I glanced around and felt my fangs recede again and my body start to relax. The pub was nearly empty, dark and unwelcoming and I could just make out a small group of people in the furthest corner, but I was not distracted by their scent. They were vampires; in fact there was no human scent in any corner of the pub.

         I followed Eva over to a table in the opposite corner of the pub and watched bemused as a barman appeared from nowhere and briskly handed us two glasses filled with dark red, silky liquid in return for a ten pound note.

         ‘Eva, what is this place? How on earth does it stay undetected?’ I asked.

         ‘It’s called The Blackout. It’s a sanctuary for us. No human would come here, as it has magical wards surrounding it. It’s totally safe, a bolt hole if you like.’ She smiled at me before carrying on. ‘What happened in the shop, Jessica?’

         ‘I don’t know. I’m sorry. I was just thinking about money. How I have nothing, not even an identity and I err, just freaked out a little…’ I faltered.

         ‘Money? Right! Jessica you don’t need to worry about money, or an identity. All that will be sorted out for you. Sebastian will explain it to you later if you’re nice to him. Although not as nice as last time, hey?’ she said grinning.

         ‘Oh God! How embarrassing. I just want to forget that. Daniel was so mad, but you both made it clear that if I didn’t do it he’d kill me. Literally.’ I responded.

         ‘Of course, but Daniel didn’t expect you to - enjoy it quite so much I think,’ she said laughing again. ‘But Sebastian is very enjoyable. I can only agree with you there.’

         ‘Stop it Eva. Yuk! He’s never going to do that again, I can promise you,’ I said cringing at the memory of the heat Sebastian’s bite triggered.

         ‘We’ll see, but now for more important matters. Do you think you have enough clothes? Daniel will be getting antsy the longer I stay out with you, and I thought we could stop by the department store on the way back to the car, to get you some underwear essentials, if you think you can handle more?’ she probed.

         ‘Sure. I feel fine now, but let’s get back.’

         You don’t like being away from him either, do you? You’re so tense the nights he goes out.’ I started to protest, feeling my loyalty to Luke stretched and distorted, but she carried on unaware, ‘You know, I remember feeling like that towards Sebastian. It’s normal that you’ve a strong bond with the one who makes you.  Don’t try to resist it Jessica, you need to forget Luke. You can’t be with him any longer and you shouldn’t deny your feelings for Daniel,’ she added.