Life went back to normal pretty quickly for Ben. Well, not exactly normal. He became nocturnal and prowled the streets for victims to feed on, always keeping his prey alive, and covering his tracks with mesmerisation. He used his vampire abilities often; his speed, his strength, and mesmerisation—all the while he hoped that he might unlock some new hidden gifts within himself, but he never did. Rik had fashioned the black obsidian into a necklace, but it didn’t seem to alter his abilities in any way. Still, it served as a good reminder of the time he’d taken on a 500-year-old vampire and won.

He obeyed his rule never to do anything messy in the house, like biting into an unsuspecting victim’s neck. As several people had pointed out, he had a white decor, and he did not want to stain it. All feeding was done far away from the place he rested his head each morning.

His new housemate did not have the same standards as Ben. In fact, Rik was a bit of a slob, something that Ben had an incredibly hard time dealing with. He seemed to forget where the kitchen was and often left plates and bowls on the arm of the sofa—the white sofa. Clothing was discarded wherever the warlock had peeled it off; Ben found it disconcerting when he found a pair of Rik’s boxer shorts on the living room floor where he had obviously stepped out of them and then forgotten about them. Why he’d been walking around the living room in the nude Ben did not want to know.

“Do you really have to do that?” Ben asked him one evening as he stood pointing at the filthy white socks that had been flung across the room and landed on either side of the door. Just seeing the white socks brought back unpleasant memories of Leon hanging by his belt.

“How can you be sure it was me?” Rik asked.

Ben planted his hands on his hips and gave Rik his most exasperated stare. “You are literally sitting on the sofa with no socks on. And I don’t own any white socks.”

“Oh yes, I forgot about the great white sock purge,” Rik joked. The night after they’d returned from the ritual Ben had thrown away every single pair of white socks he’d owned. Rik had asked why but Ben had refused to tell him that they reminded him of the man he’d forced to commit suicide. The only person that knew about that heinous act was Erin and even she was one person too many. “There’s more germane matters to discuss this evening. The Coven made contact with me today.”

Immediately the sock fiasco was driven from Ben’s mind; now he might finally get the warlock out of his apartment. “It’s about time, it’s already been two bloody weeks.” Ben had been starting to think the Coven weren’t interested in Rik after all. Numerous times he’d told Rik to call them, but apparently, that would have given them all the leverage. He had to wait for them to reach out to him.

“They obviously thought that given enough time to stew I would have gone grovelling back to them and thrown myself at their mercy. Anyway, we’re meeting them tonight in town. Wear something macho.”

“Something macho?” When Ben had redesigned his wardrobe he’d gone for stylish rather than macho; whatever macho was. “What’s macho, jeans and a leather jacket?”

Rik scoffed and shook his head. “You’d look ludicrous in a leather jacket. Just make yourself look intimidating. Wear black.”

“Isn’t this about building bridges? Do you really want to risk upsetting them?”

Rik waved away Ben’s concerns. “I vexed them plenty when I insisted the meeting had to be outside of daylight hours. The only way I’m going to get them to leave me alone is by showing them I’m not afraid. Now get dressed, we need to leave soon.”

“Fine,” Ben said as he trudged out of the room to head back upstairs. “But I need to feed first. And pick your socks up!”

About an hour later, Ben was well-fed, dressed all in black as requested, and they were on the way to town for the meeting. Ben was behind the wheel of the brand new Mercedes that he’d mesmerised into his possession. Rik had not picked up his socks before they’d left.

“Why do you need a vampire bodyguard when you have magic?” Ben asked. Even though Rik was a warlock, Ben had seen him do very little magic since the ritual. Apparently, magic wasn’t a casual finger-flicking thing, but a complicated craft that was not to be used willy-nilly.

He stopped at the traffic lights and glanced over at a rowdy group of men with smug superiority. They were talking animatedly and loudly enough for the entire street to hear them. One of them was sloshing his pint of beer all over the pavement. Just a few short weeks ago, Ben would’ve been intimidated by such a gathering. They reminded him of the kind of boys who’d bullied him in school. If he’d encountered them on the street he would’ve crossed the road to avoid them, and he would’ve kept his gaze averted as though merely looking at them would be enough to draw their unwanted attention. Now he could stare at them with impunity. Hell, he could probably hurl some verbal abuse their way if he was so inclined—which he was not. There wasn’t a thing they could do to hurt him. Even when they were stone cold sober they weren’t strong enough or fast enough to best him physically. He was the predator now. A self-satisfied smile slithered onto his face.

“Earth to Benedict!” Rik said, waving a hand in front of Ben’s face and pulling him out of the happy recesses of his own mind.

Ben saw that the light had turned green and he got the car moving again. He heard a round of raucous laughter from the men and wondered if they were laughing at his inability to notice that the lights had changed.

“Why ask me a question and then zone out when I answer?” Rik asked, crossing his arms huffily.

“I just got distracted, what did you say?” Ben asked, his mind still on the laughing men.

“I said, I need vampire protection because the people we are going to meet can do magic just like me, and whilst I have acquired a higher form of magic than they possess, they are aware of that and will have taken steps to even the proverbial seesaw. They’ll be prepared for a magical fight, but they will never expect me to bring a vampire along. Speaking of, you should probably expect a touch of hostility.”

“Why, what have I done?”

“Witches can be a funny bunch. They don’t like outsiders getting in their business.”

“You say that as if you’re not one of them.” Ben pulled into the car park and looked for an empty space. It wasn’t difficult to find one since it was a weeknight and the town was fairly quiet.

“Technically, I’m not anymore. I’m a warlock now.”

“What’s the difference?” Ben asked, hoping he had not just invited Rik to embark on one his rambling explanations. If Rik was locked alone in a room he’d be perfectly content just listening to himself speak.

“Witches are part of a coven and warlocks go it alone,” he replied, thankfully keeping it brief.

Rik pushed open his door and hopped out of the car. It looked like he was eager to get the meeting over and done with which had hampered his need to answer every question in the longest way possible.

Ben followed Rik along Earl Street and looked about at the few diners who were hurrying to their restaurants, eager to get out of the cold. The weather had been grey all week and apparently, snow was on the way. It didn’t bother Ben; he did still feel temperatures since becoming a vampire, but coldness seemed to bother him a lot less than heat did. Even as he strode up the street in only a light jacket, the frosty weather was barely more than a cool breeze to him.

“Here we are,” Rik said, stopping outside a half-timbered pub that looked like something right out of a Charles Dickens story. The green swinging sign above the door read; Druids Arms.

“Druids?” Ben asked, looking at Rik.

The warlock shook his head. “The name of the pub is coincidental. There are no druids.”

“Oh,” Ben said, a little disappointed. Druids might have been interesting. “Is this the Coven pub or something?”

“Or something.” Rik glanced at the road where a collection of motorcycles had been parked directly outside Druids Arms. It didn’t strike Ben as a biker pub. “David, one of the Coven members is the manager here. He’s the second-in-command in the Coven.”

“The Coven number two runs a pub?”

Rik sighed. Clearly, his anxiety was making him irritable. “Yes, Ben. Being a witch is not a profession and we can’t just mesmerise whatever we want for free,” he said a touch waspishly.

“I saw you use your magic to allow one vampire to steal the abilities of another.” Ben lifted the black obsidian that now hung around his neck, the same stone that Rik had used in the ritual. “I’m sure you could use magic to get what you wanted.”

The warlock smiled sardonically. “Yes. That’s the kind of thinking that got me into this mess, and it’s highly unlikely that that ritual would have worked. When we go in I need you to stay silent. I need you to be intimidating and invoke a bit of trepidation in the witches, and as soon as you open your mouth that will all be ruined.”

“That’s rude,” Ben said, not that he disagreed. He was a baby vampire, less than a month old, he hardly inspired fear in the supernatural community. Not that he knew much about said community, this meeting was something of an introduction. He’d entered the vampire world, and now it was time to dip a toe into the magical one.

Rik entered the pub first and Ben was right behind him. He affected a slight scowl and swung his arms more than usual in his effort to be imposing.

“What are you doing?” Rik whispered when he caught a glance at Ben.

“Being intimidating.”

Rik shook his head in disagreement. “You look like a gorilla, stop it.”

The pub housed low ceilings and dim lights evoking an intimate and old-timey atmosphere. Ben would have quite liked it if it hadn’t been for the unwelcoming gang of middle-aged women who stopped their conversation to stare at him and Rik as the door thudded shut behind them.

“Pay no attention to the Karens,” Rik whispered before striding over to the bar. “Where’s David?” he asked the grey-haired woman who was halfway through pouring a pint of ale.

“Back room,” she said without looking up. Judging from the way her mouth stretched into a grimace, Ben guessed that she was familiar with Rik.

Rik walked to the back of the bar and pushed aside the simple black curtain that concealed the doorway. A short hallway stood on the other side, its walls lined with stacked boxes of peanuts and crisps.

“This way,” Rik said, motioning for Ben to keep following as he walked past the snacks until he came to a simple brown door. Rik opened it without knocking and strode straight in.

The room was small and housed a long white table and small kitchenette against one wall. It was obviously a break room for the bar staff that had temporarily been turned into a meeting room for the coven.

Two people were waiting within; a middle-aged man, and a young woman. They were both sitting behind the table, the man was staring at Rik, and the girl was staring at the phone she had clutched in both hands.

“You’re late,” said the man, presumably David. He was both unique and uninteresting both at the same time. He didn’t have a single defining characteristic. His hair was dark brown and had no definable style. His face was clear with no blemishes and only the first signs of crow’s feet around the eyes. He was dressed in brandless jeans and a t-shirt, both of which were blue. Even his eyes seemed rudimentary. He was like a blank slate of a man who had accidentally been given consciousness and released from the factory without any added details.

“What are you staring at?” David asked, fixing Ben with an aggressive glower.

Ben remembered the instructions Rik had given him and simply remained silent.

“You can answer him,” Rik said. The hint of amusement on Rik’s face informed Ben exactly how Rik would like him to answer.

“I’ve never seen such an unremarkable person before,” Ben told David.

David’s brow furrowed more in confusion than annoyance. Perhaps he didn’t understand what Ben meant. The young woman snorted but she did not look up from her phone which she was tapping away on. She would have got on well with Aiden Ben thought with a small smirk.

David chose not to continue the conversation with Ben and instead turned back to Rik. “You’re late,” he said again.

“Yes, I stopped to stroke a cat,” Rik lied.

“I’m surprised you didn’t kill it in one of your rituals,” the girl said, looking up at last and placing her phone down on the table. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at Rik impatiently, her light-pink lips pressed firmly together.

“I don’t kill cats,” Rik said dismissively. “Ben, this is David and Grace. David is the Sorceress’ right-hand, and Grace is her daughter. The Sorceress is the head of the coven.”

Ben nodded but said nothing. He was going to remain silent unless Rik told him to speak again. His role was the mute bodyguard and he was sticking with it.

“Who is this?” David stood up to get a closer look at Ben and then his eyes widened in alarm. “You brought a vampire into Coven business?” he almost shouted, rounding on Rik.

“He makes a good bodyguard,” said Rik.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“Thank you,” Rik said. He pulled out a chair and sat down opposite David. “Sit down, Ben.” He patted the chair opposite Grace and Ben lowered himself into it, ignoring how Rik had spoken to him like he was a dog.

David remained standing, his gaze sweeping between Rik and Ben almost frantically. Ben’s presence had rattled him more than Ben had anticipated. He started to wonder what Rik’s aim actually was because although winding David up was amusing, it didn’t seem to be achieving much in the way of a peaceful solution.

Grace’s phone lit up as a text message arrived in her inbox. She glanced at the screen and decided that the events taking place in the room were more interesting.

David threw himself down into his chair and then dragged it closer to the table forcing it to screech across the linoleum floor.

“Rik, you’ve broken the rules and you know it. I’m not going to bother listing all the rules you’ve broken because it would be a waste of time. I’ll cut straight to the biscuit. You’re a horrid little man and you’ve got to answer for what you’ve done. Fair is fair.”

For the first time Rik’s aggravating smile faltered. “I’ll answer for my actions when I’m dead and I finally find out what lies beyond the mystic divide. I certainly don’t have to answer to you.”

David’s cheeks reddened and he jabbed a finger onto the table. “As long as you are—”

“I hereby renounce the coven and all its doltish rules. Consider this my formal resignation.”

“Our coven and our rules have existed for centuries.”

“Maybe that’s the problem,” Rik snapped. His face darkened. Both Rik and David were leaning across the table and they looked about ready to attack one another.

David’s eyes shifted toward Ben and then he seemed to think better of attacking Rik. He pushed himself away from the table, leaning back in his chair, and creating a bit more distance between himself and the warlock.

“You used sacrificial magic on Coven ground. Leaving the coven doesn’t change that. You broke the rules. Fair is fair. You have to take your punishment,” said David with a finality that indicated the conversation ended there. Anybody who knew Rik knew that no conversation ended until he’d fired out as many words as his mouth could form.

“What punishment does the Coven propose?”

Grace’s phone buzzed again and this time she deemed it important enough to respond to. Her fingers tapped the screen like she was trying to hurt it.

“You have to stand trial.”

Rik erupted in a fit of sarcastic laughter. “Oh, that was a first-rate joke. I didn’t think the Coven could get any more pompous, but here you are to prove me wrong.”

“You killed a man! You killed a man to gain power!” David’s declaration brought a sheet of ice over the room that made Grace stop texting at once.

Ben had not expected him to say that. He’d thought this entire debacle had been some trivial matter that could be solved with a simple negotiation. He should have known better, after all, he had seen Rik kill a woman to power the ritual that Theo had demanded. Ben had shrugged that murder off as something that Theo had forced Rik to do. Thinking about it now, Ben realised that Rik had never shown a flicker of remorse for his part in that.

But who was Ben to judge? He had forced a man to take his own life in order to save his own skin. The white sock appeared and Ben forced it aside. Grace seemed to notice the shift in his demeanour and her eyes narrowed.

Was Rik as haunted as Ben was? Ben kept his torturous thoughts to himself so maybe Rik did too. Or maybe Rik was a callous killer who Ben had been living with the past couple of weeks.

When Rik spoke again his voice was a harsh whisper, full of pain and subdued rage. “He deserved what he got and you know it. Don’t pretend the Coven didn’t know what he was doing.”

David was unable to hold Rik’s gaze and looked away quickly. “That’s not…” Apparently, he was unable to answer as well. Ben was suddenly intrigued by everything that was left unsaid. He wanted to know more but didn’t dare inject himself into this conversation.

“This palaver is pointless,” Rik said abruptly, waving his hand as he stood up. Ben stood with him. “Only Christine has the authority to make a decision, so tell her to speak to me herself. But I’m not standing trial in some kangaroo court of pompous, pretentious, decrepits.”

David didn’t bother trying to stop Rik as he stormed out of the room and Grace was once again fully absorbed in her phone. Ben offered David an uncomfortable smile before making his exit.

For the first time ever, Rik was in no mood for chatting. The entire drive home was a silent one. Usually Ben would have enjoyed the peace, but he had too many questions for the warlock.

When they arrived home, Rik kicked his shoes off, launching them across the living room, and then threw himself down on the couch. Ben stared at the offending footwear, wishing that he could incinerate them with his vision alone. Rik grabbed the TV remote and began searching for something to watch.

“So that went well,” said Ben. He sat down on the other side of the corner couch where he had an annoyingly good view of the shoes that were scattered across the floor and the dirty socks too.

“It went how I thought it would,” Rik replied, his voice lacking his usual cheerfulness.

“You could have just said that in a text message. We didn’t really need to go there.”

Rik rolled his head lazily to face Ben and fixed him with a dead stare. “I’m sorry I wasted your precious time. It’s not like you’re immortal and have a surplus of it. Oh, wait…” He turned back to the television as if he’d just dropped the mic.

Tact wasn’t going to get Ben anywhere and there was no way he was going to be able to move on until he had answers. “Who did you kill?”

Rik’s hand tightened on the remote control and his focus on the television doubled.

“Rik, I’m not going to let you stay in my house if you’re a sadistic murderer,” Ben told him. Living with a less than tidy person was one thing, but living with somebody who might decide to kill him in the night was out of the question.

“Seriously? I’m getting this talk from a vampire.” He laughed drily.

“I haven’t killed anybody for power. If you don’t understand that distinction then you’re no better than Theo was.” The only stain on Ben’s soul was Leon and that had been done for self-preservation.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Rik warned him, pointing furiously at Ben with the remote control. Ben resisted the urge to snatch it from his grip and whack him over the head with it.

“So explain it to me then.” Ben’s thinning patience was clear in his tone.

“You don’t need to know. You agreed to protect me. We made a deal.” Once again he tried to leave the conversation there, but Ben would not let the matter go.

“I don’t care about our deal. I’m not going to protect a psychopath,” he said firmly. He could already see how that conversation with Izzy would go; she was like a human Jiminy Cricket. At the moment she liked Rik, and thought he was charming, but if she found out he’d murdered somebody for no good reason that would change. She knew about the woman he’d killed for Theo but, like Ben, she’d put the blame on Theo who had forced Rik to do the ritual.

“He wasn’t innocent, Ben. He deserved what he got. Just please drop it. Please. I’m not a psycho killer. I’ve only ever killed one innocent person and if I hadn’t then you and me would both be dead right now,” Rik said, the desperation to drop the conversation seeped through his every word.

Ben nodded. Rik had given him no details but Ben believed his assurances. He let the matter rest and the two of them watched the television together, although Ben suspected that Rik was paying attention to the show about as much as he was.

“So what will the Sorceress do now?” Ben asked. He wanted to know what to expect next since the situation was only going to escalate.

“Christine,” Rik said her name with a snide chuckle. “She’ll try to keep it civil. She abhors violence. David’s more bullheaded so he’ll push for a firm response. He’d like to string me up and cut me open.”

“Is there any chance they’ll come here?”

Rik shook his head. “First, they don’t know where you live. Second, they wouldn’t risk delving into unknown territory—they’d seek to lure us into their domain where their power is stronger. Third, I’ve covered this apartment in enough protective charms to keep them out. The only way they’d be able to overcome my spells is to resort to casting the dark arts themselves.” He said the last part with a spooky, foreboding voice that made Ben grin.

The spells Rik had cast over the house had made Ben feel a lot more secure. He didn’t feel vulnerable just because Rik was in his home, but also because he wasn’t totally free and clear with the Black Veil yet. The vampire called Darius could show up at any time, and it was refreshing to know that he would be unable to barge in the way Theo had.

“As long as nobody can get in here whilst I’m kipping I’ll still be able to get a good night’s sleep.”

“Day’s,” Rik corrected.

“Huh?”

“You sleep in the day, so you get a good day’s sleep,” he elaborated.

Ben had still not gotten used to that. He had gotten used to sleeping during the day, but he had not gotten used to remembering that in everyday conversation. He still said things like “today” and “good morning”. He wasn’t sure how long it would take to grow accustomed to calling his days nights.

“Whenever I sleep, I want to do so safely. Speaking of which, I need a favour.” Ever since Ben had seen Theo’s loculum recro, he’d wanted to create one of his own. Since his life had grown exponentially more precarious since becoming a vampire, he wanted to put safeguards in place. One of those was creating a coffin that would heal any wounds. However, he didn’t want a big old coffin full of dirt sitting around in his home. It would take up too much space and look bloody weird. He needed a place to hide it.

“There’s a building in town that I want to buy. I need you to meet with the owners and agree on a price,” Ben said.

Rik was so stunned by Ben’s request that he actually muted the television before turning to him.

“Why can’t you do it?”

“They want to meet in the day.”

“Why do you need a building and why are you buying it instead of just stealing it like you do everything else?”

“I need a place in town to store things and Izzy has been giving me a lot of lectures about stealing things lately.’ Izzy didn’t mind so much when Ben stole from big corporations or drug dealers, but a local landlord was not the kind of person she would consider fair game, and he was growing increasingly tired of being lectured.

“And you care because?”

“Because she’s my friend and her lectures are exhausting.”

Rik snorted laughter. “But how are you going to buy a building, you don’t have any money?”

Be shrugged awkwardly, knowing exactly the reaction his reply would garner. “I’ll steal the money.”

Rik snorted with laughter. “How is that any different?”

“I think Izzy will be less offended if I steal from a big bank rather than some local landlord. The banks won’t miss the money and the landlord gets paid.”

Rik laughed again. Ben was all too aware of how ridiculous the entire situation was. “Sure, I’ll meet the landlord for you. And I want to come to the bank too. I cannot wait to see how you’re going to rob a bank.”

Ben hadn’t figured that part out yet, but he was not going to admit that to Rik. He’d felt the sting of mockery enough for one conversation. First, he would get a price from the landlord. Then he would plan how he was going to steal the money.

🦇 🦇 🦇

Izzy straightened out her completed paperwork and tucked it into a plastic wallet before taking it over to the pharmacy manager’s cluttered desk. Papers were scattered across the surface of the desk, cup rings had stained the wood, and a filthy cup with a layer of dust in the bottom had been abandoned behind the computer screen. How the man could work in such filth was beyond Izzy; how he managed to retain his position baffled her even more. Hospitals were supposed to set the standard for cleanliness and organisation and yet her boss was the antithesis of that.

She looked around for a clear spot, but unable to find one she simply opted to drop her forms on top of the computer keyboard. He would definitely notice the papers there when he attempted to use his computer. Whether or not he read them was another matter entirely. She estimated there was a 70% chance he would simply push them to the side and go about his day happily ignoring their existence, along with the rest of the files he had designated to being irrelevant. A huge messy pile of such files was hanging dangerously over the edge of his desk.

She squirted some sanitiser onto her hands, feeling dirty from just standing near the desk, and then left the small office as she rubbed the gel into her palms. Izzy had been offered the chance to interview for the manager’s role when it had opened up two years ago, but she’d liked her job as it was and hadn’t wanted to risk ruining things with unnecessary change. Had she known who would be hired instead of her she might have chosen differently. She certainly had the skills and knowledge to do the job. Her manager also had the skills and knowledge, however, he was too lazy to utilise them.

She walked through the hospital, tired but cheerful. There was no better feeling than finishing a long day’s work and knowing there was a big glass of Bordeaux waiting for her. She could kick off her shoes, let her hair down, pull off her bra, and curl up on the sofa to watch television until she fell asleep. It was a simple life, but a good one. And it brought a smile to her face.

That smile melted away as soon as she left the hospital and wandered into the dark, deserted car park. There were plenty of lampposts to light up the space, but all those lights cast plenty of shadows for predators to hide in. She glanced about nervously as she hurried to her car, shoulders hunched, bag pressed against her chest.

Ever since that vampire—Theo—had burst into her home, her safe and private space, and attacked her, she’d been jumpier. She was wary of any slither of darkness, of every street corner, and every menacing-looking bush. And every bush looked menacing these days.

After Ben had saved her from Theo, she’d used the knowledge Ben had told her to create a self-defence weapon. She’d pilfered a bottle of silver nitrate solution and poured it into a spray can. If any vampires came for her she’d spray them right in the face and then run for it. She never went anywhere without her spray can.

She made it to her car and had the door unlocked ready for her to open right away. She slipped inside, slamming the door and locking it. She sat in the safety that the little metal car provided, her eyes squeezed shut and her breathing heavy.

Rik had protected her house and her car with magical spells to keep any uninvited visitors out. They were the only two places she felt safe now. Although a small part of her wondered if there was some way that some monsters might be able to overcome his spells. Rik was full of confidence but sometimes he seemed like he was all bluster.

One day, she hoped, things would return to normal. She’d accept that there was not a monster waiting around every corner to snatch her off the street. One day she would be able to take a leisurely walk back to her car without glancing over her shoulder. But that day was far away.

She opened her eyes and started the car. Her headlights came to life and illuminated the almost empty car park in front of her. Her heart froze in her chest, too scared to risk another beat.

There was a man lingering by the side of the hospital. There were a few people scattered around outside the building, but none stood out like this man did. In fact, it was because he hadn’t stood out before that her eyes were glued to him now.

He was standing just outside of the lights cast by the lampposts, and the shadows gathered around him like a cloak. His long coat hid most of his body and a hood covered his head. She knew that she should put her car into gear and get the hell home. Yet she did not.

She sat and watched the man milling around. When he turned more toward her she saw that he had his phone in his hands and was engrossed by whatever was on the screen. She grabbed her own phone, though what she was going to do with it she was not sure. She wanted to call somebody, but who? She couldn’t call hospital security and tell them there was a man outside who was giving her a bad vibe; her bosses would find out and refer her to the psychiatric department.

Then again, due to the string of murders that had taken place a couple of weeks ago, they might be more inclined to take her seriously. The hospital had only just started to get back to normal and they wouldn’t want to risk going back into another lockdown. As far as everybody was concerned, the murderer was still at large. Izzy knew that Erin was long gone, but as far as the police knew, the murders had simply stopped. And the lead detective had burned to death in a random house fire on the other side of town. The local newspaper had had a field day with all the weirdness.

She could call Ben, but again, what would she say? The man had done nothing and still she just knew that somehow he was connected to all the vampire business that had taken place a couple of weeks ago. She could feel it in her bones. Ben would be reassuring but he’d still tell her she was being paranoid.

Her paranoia was proved right when the man hurried over to the fire escape and let himself in with ease. All fire escape doors were supposed to trigger an alarm when they were opened and none of them could be opened from the outside. Plus, that particular fire door was on the disused hospital ward. The very one that a vampire had recently taken up residence in. Was this another vampire come to finish what Theo had started?

Now Izzy had cause to call security. She dialled the number and waited as the line rang and rang. Since the hospital had reverted back to normal the security team no longer had so many staff on it. The security office must’ve been empty if nobody was answering her call.

She sat staring at the hospital for minutes on end whilst she tried to figure out what to do. This was nothing to do with her. She could just start her car and go home. What if the man was here for Ben just like Theo had been? She couldn’t drive away without a care if her friend was in danger. She’d have to go into the hospital to tell the security team. She grabbed her silver spray, got back out of her car and jogged back to the building.

There were no security personnel in the lobby. The only member of staff was a receptionist behind the front desk. The security office was only around the corner so Izzy bypassed the reception and headed straight there.

All the way there all she could think about was how stupid she was being. She should have gone straight home and forgotten all about the weird man. If he was a man. He was probably a vampire. Ben had told her that more might come looking for the one who’d been killed. The one who had kidnapped Izzy.

A vile shiver rushed through her and she almost turned around and fled the hospital there and then. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t live with the uncertainty. If she went home she’d spend every minute wondering if a vampire might crash through her window to attack her. She needed to know what was going on. She needed to have her safety assured.

She knocked once on the security office door and then went straight in.

“There’s an intruder in the…” she stopped dead as the door closed behind her. Enzo, the security officer who Izzy had known for years, was lying motionless on the floor. Sitting in Enzo’s seat was the skinny man from outside. His dark hood still covered his head so Izzy could see nothing of him. He stiffened in the seat and his spindly fingers ceased dancing across the computer keyboard.

“I assure you it’s not as it seems,” he said. He raised his hands slowly as if he thought she had a gun and then turned to face her.

“Don’t come near me,” she said, her voice shaking. She brandished her spray can at him.

“Okay,” he said. He stopped turning, now facing her, and she could see his weathered face beneath the hood. If he was a vampire he’d been turned late. He had to be at least sixty. He stared in bemusement at her weapon. “I’m going to remove my hood.”

“Why?”

He made a sound that might have been a chuckle. “Perhaps if I’m not hidden you might feel more at ease.”

“Unlikely. Usually, when predators show you their face it’s because they’re going to kill you.” Her fingers groped for the door handle behind her. She found it and pulled it down only to find that the door was inexplicably locked. Her heart started pounding against her ribs. Her breathing grew ragged.

“I’m not going to kill you.” His fingers swept his hood from his head and a mop of silver curls sprung free. He looked like a mad old grandad and had Izzy not seen him breaking and entering she likely would have felt no threat from him at all.

“The door,” it was all she could manage.

“I locked it.”

“No, you didn’t.” It had been unlocked when she entered the room. Obviously.

“With my mind.” He tapped an aged finger to his brow.

A little groan of despair slipped between her lips and she felt her legs weaken. She only just managed to keep herself standing. “You’re one of them.” Ben had told her that different bloodlines had different powers.

“One of who?” His bushy eyebrows knitted together inquisitively.

“The vampires.”

His hand curled into a fist and he pointed a vicious finger her way. “Don’t you dare call me one of them. I am not a filthy, vile, parasite. Vampires are an infection. A disease. Something dirty that spreads from place to place and corrupts all it touches.”

“What are you then?”

“I’m the antidote.”

“What?” For a moment her confusion overrode her fear.

“Come on, you’re in a hospital, dear. I would have thought that was an analogy you’d get. Let me make it simpler. Vampires have come to your dreary town and I am here to erase them.”