Chapter 19

“…I thought we weren’t expecting everyone?” I mutter, a bit worried now.

“We weren’t, but when Richard summons us, most at least give a reply, even to decline. We haven’t heard from Quentin.”

“What about Viktor?” Asks Cata. “And Elijah?”

“Viktor just texted back in the group chat,” Cecily says. “He’s fine, just sulking as usual.”

“Vivian said she was coming, she might just be late. Susan hasn’t texted in a while though…”

“So Quentin, Susan and Elijah are also missing?” Mutters Benedict. “…What the heck is going on?”

All eyes go to the patriarch… Is that the real reason he summoned them all here, and forbade them from leaving London? His dark expression tells me that’s right, but there might also be more than that.

Greyson looks a bit out of breath, and he smells like gasoline. A biker?

“…I understand,” Richard mutters after a while. “Thank you, Greyson.”

Greyson nods, then glances my way. To my surprise, he walks up to me, and before I can utter a word, he pats my head, his huge hand easily covering my scalp, and then walks past us, towards the kitchen.

I let out a faint sigh, while Cecily leans against the door frame, grabbing her phone. I bet she’s texting the missing vampires. Behind us, I spot Felicia, standing on the stairs with a sad expression. Bart glances at her too, and they silently exchange looks. I don’t know what to say… He then puts an arm around my waist, and without a word, I’m pushed back upstairs, Cecily following us. We all leave Richard alone in the living room.

“What the hell could have happened?” Bart groans after we’ve reached the second floor. “Atticus was no newborn and he always kept to himself. Who could have tried to attack him…?”

“You think someone attacked him?” I ask, shocked.

“That’s the only explanation,” whispers Felicia. “We don’t die from disease, and it’s unlikely a human could kill us. Atticus was the most quiet, calm vampire you could imagine. He spent four centuries living in the same area, guarding the cemetery his family was buried in. He would come to London or see one of us once in a while, but he wouldn’t have gone somewhere without at least telling one of us.”

“If it had been an accident, Greyson would have found him,” adds Cecily. “Vampires don’t simply disappear like that.”

I can’t help but shiver. Who could have been strong and mad enough to attack a three-centuries-old vampire? Do the Heartgraves have enemies I have yet to hear about? From what I’ve seen and heard, they all have their own lives, so who the heck would choose to attack one of them, and why? They seem worried it’s someone who’s after all of them, seeing how they were disturbed about the ones missing earlier…

“Is this the first time?” I ask. “…That one of the Heartgraves is… attacked?”

“No,” she shakes her head. “There were more of us before, but like we said, we lost a lot of our siblings during the wars. The thing is, wars were also a good way for enemy vampires to kill some of us without getting Richard’s attention. They are all trying to get to him, to our Overlord, through us. Richard’s a very, very powerful and old vampire, so they target us in order to hurt him.”

“That’s why we keep the newbies close to home,” adds Bart.

So Richard really did call them all back to check who was still alive and well, but also for my sake… I have a bad feeling about this. I’m already feeling angry for Atticus’ sake, and even worried for the others I haven’t met yet.

“Go to bed, Hera,” Bart suddenly pushes me towards my door. “Leave this to the grown-ups to handle, alright? Just rest, you’ll have to wake up early again tomorrow.”

I don’t really get to protest, and I feel like I don’t really have the right to. This is a family matter, and I’m just the newest addition who hasn’t really gotten to fully fit in yet. So, like an obedient girl, I get to my bedroom, close the door behind me, and go back to lying on the bed. I listen to everyone going back to their own, and the house gets quiet again. I can faintly hear Cata and Greyson speaking if I focus enough, but I won’t eavesdrop. From the little bit I saw of him, Greyson seemed like a nice guy, so I guess I’ll have time to properly meet him later…

I roll around under the sheets, more for comfort than for warmth. It seems like this life as a Heartgraves won’t be without danger either. For now, I should just trust Richard and the others… Seems like I’ll be safe as long as I obey their rules. Plus, I don’t really want to think further than my revenge. I may have calmed down, but I can’t not think about it.

I fall asleep with a lot on my mind. Perhaps that’s why when I wake up the next evening, I feel even more determined, and full of ideas. According to an app Cecily set up on my phone, the sun just went down, and it’s still early in the evening. I quickly get up, but then, my enthusiasm is cut short again.

Crap, I really need to get some clothes… Instead, I just go downstairs in my pajamas. As expected, Cata is already up and baking, but she’s not the only one ready.

“Hi, Baby!” Rebecca greets me with a big smile. “Did you sleep well?”

Judging from her attitude, it doesn’t look like she heard one of her siblings went missing, or worse. She changed clothes, and is now wearing black leather pants and a simple white blouse, but it looks like they are all brand new, and perfectly flattering her impressive figure. She clearly puts the accent on her accessories, like those huge earrings or the bracelets making a racket on her wrist, and those flashy blue heels.

“Yes, thanks,” I nod.

“Come on,” she says, clapping her hands together. “It’s not often that I get to take one of my little sisters shopping, so today’s the day! Go on and get ready!”

“I’m coming too!” Suddenly shouts Cecily from somewhere above us.

Half a dozen groans of grumpy, not-really-awake-yet vampires reply throughout the house. I have to go back upstairs to get changed, and this time, Cessily hands me a knit dress she bought and never wore for some reason, with high boots. Not my style, but it will do for tonight. When I go back downstairs, Swithin is up, and visibly waiting for me in another impeccable black suite.

“Passport,” he says, handing it to me. “Credit card, National Identity Card, and my business card, for emergencies. Though I really hope you won’t need to use it.”

“Thank you,” I mutter, impressed.

I open the passport, which looks absolutely genuine. I realize they somehow took a picture of me last night and cropped it into my profile picture… When the hell did they take it? They picked my death date as my birth date, only subtracting 25 years… I guess that makes me a Libra now? Everything looks absolutely genuine. I don’t dare to ask what the limit is on the credit card, but I’m not really worried. It’s one of those top tier, black platinum type of credit cards that already cost a small fortune a year.

“Since you have a phone now, I’ve also sent you the details we’ve set as your life as Hera, so make sure you learn it all by heart, and do not make any mistakes.”

“Yes, Sir,” I nod.

“Give her a break, Swithin,” groans Cecily, grabbing me by the arm. “We have to shop for your passport protection and a proper wallet now! Come on, let’s go before the shops close.”

One thing I quickly realize: Winter is the shopaholic vampires’ favorite season. We take Rebecca’s car, and rush to the nearest shopping mall before it closes. I’m genuinely impressed at how efficient they are at picking which shops we still have time to shop in before they close, and finding my size once we’re inside.

To be honest, I enjoy the whole experience a lot. First, the simple action of shopping for clothes for myself is just one thing I had been missing for a long while. Plus, I’m Hera now. Hera’s body is different from June’s, and I don’t need to wear flashy, sexy clothes to get the photographers’ attention. In fact, I find that I tend to naturally gravitate towards the basics, and pick simple designs but with higher-quality fabrics, in dark or simple tones. In just two hours, I buy four different denim jeans, two pairs of leather pants, some short skirts to show off my legs, a few bodysuits with long sleeves, three strap tops, a couple of turtlenecks, and two dresses. Following Rebecca’s advice, I also buy a couple of accessories for jewelry, like a layered necklace, a few gold rings, and little hoop earrings. When it comes to shoes though, Cecily is a real tyrant. She forces me to try eighteen different pairs, each more impossible than the last, and half of them I couldn’t possibly have worn with my human legs without breaking an ankle.

While I love being able to wear high heels, I’m just not ready yet for the snake skin or big red pumps.

Luckily, I manage to settle for some boots, low and high, relatively normal heels, and even a pair of Nike Air Max, just so I look human from time to time… The last stop is the Dior makeup stand, and this time, I’m more than happy to try and get the latest colors I saw last night into my shopping bag.

Rebecca and Cecily have literally dozens of decades of knowledge on makeup, and happily advise me on which colors to get. Right after I pay for it all, still impressed at how the credit card doesn’t flinch at the impressive expenses of the day, we get back to the middle of the shopping mall, with all the shops around us closing or about to. I feel satisfied, and of course, not even tired from all that shopping.

Rebecca interlocks arms with me, with a malicious smile.

“Well, all that shopping has made me a bit hungry, ladies. Shall we look for dinner?”

…She’s not speaking about a restaurant. Cecily immediately looks all excited for it. Didn’t they already feed yesterday? I don’t know why, I don’t really feel like going with them. In fact, those three long hours of shopping have rendered me kind of overwhelmed, and I feel the need to be… alone, for a bit. We keep walking back to the parking lot, and they already have their eyes set on some high-end nightclub they want to go hunt at.

“Rebecca, is it alright if I just go home instead?” I ask. “I just… need to be alone for a bit.”

“Are you sure, Baby?” She frowns. “It’s quite a walk back to the house.”

“I’ll be alright,” I nod. “I just need to keep walking north-east, and plus I have a GPS on my phone. It’s not like I’ll be tired either, I’ll be fine.”

They exchange a look, and Rebecca shrugs.

“Alright, Baby Vamp, up to you. Just text us if you have any issues, alright? And if you eat, make sure it’s not messy!”

She gives me a wink, and I nod, putting my shopping bags in the car. I just keep my newly-bought wallet in one of the pockets of my also brand new coat, a big fake fur one. I probably wouldn’t be able to get away so easily if I was with anybody else, but Rebecca and Cecily are just so excited for their “meal”, and a bit high on the shopping adrenaline. They bid me a quick goodbye, and the car drives away, towards another part of town and, no doubt, a fancy place with lots of fresh throats. I sigh. I’m left alone in the parking lot, with the last few customers making their way to the underground. I walk away. I did plan to walk home, but I have an extra destination in mind. I realized on the way here that we were close to that road.

I start walking, grateful for my tireless legs that don’t mind the high heels on the asphalt. It doesn’t take more than 20 minutes to get there.

Westway Road.

I only have very blurry memories of the accident. I probably wouldn’t have been able to find out the road if it wasn’t for the article I read over and over again, until I knew it by heart… The road on which my mom died. I don’t know why she chose to drive so fast on a rainy night, but I have a hint of why she would have been drinking. I just wish she hadn’t taken the car that day. I wish she would have thought of me, and just stayed home with her four year old… I take a deep breath. It’s an above-ground highway, so it’s not like I can get up there, anyway. I just wanted to see it, just once. If I asked Swithin or Richard, I could probably find where she’s buried as well…

I sigh, but keep walking. There’s no use staying around. I was curious to see it, but it’s just a road like any other… And I almost feel sorry for my mother if she sees me now. Sorry I didn’t get to live older than you did, Mom.

The neighborhood is quiet and empty at this hour, but I enjoy the loneliness. I can’t be alone a single minute at the Heartgraves Mansion, so this is welcome. As someone who’s lived alone for a long, long time without much contact with the outside world, I’m grateful for my new family, but I can’t adjust so easily.

I keep walking, but something is tingling in the back of my throat. It’s like a faint ache, something that renders my throat a bit dry, a bit thirsty… I feel my fangs tingle. My eyes get a bit blurry… and red. Shit, seriously? Now?

I try to calm down. The streets are empty anyway. I just need to find a human, quick, and hope I’ll have enough self-control to stop… I keep walking, a bit faster, listening to my surroundings. I hear a small group nearby. No, too many. I hear a couple arguing, but they are behind closed doors. I keep going, taking small, dark streets, walking faster. The thirst gets worse, I need blood. I need blood, right now, fast, quick. Warm, delicious, filling blood. Come on, there can’t be literally no one… Suddenly, I hear one. A drunkard, mumbling to himself. Very drunk, from the uneven sounds of his steps. I chase him down, a bit faster than I should. I feel like a panther hunting for her prey, restless and secretive. I’m so horribly thirsty, my vision is turning black and white… and red. I finally stop him. This should be easy.

The guy reeks of cheap alcohol, and he can barely walk already. I don’t bother with the small talk, I literally jump on him, biting like a savage.

It’s not good, but it’s filling… I drink, and drink, and drink. Remember to stop, remember to stop, for fuck’s sake… but I want more. Just one more drop… Suddenly, a chuckle stops me. Shit! I didn’t check around. I glance up, and, from the alley I came from, I immediately find a silhouette. I hiss immediately by reflex, and drop my victim to the ground. I sure hope he’s still alive… Yeah, I hear his heartbeat.

That was another close one… I try to see the silhouette better. I can just tell it’s a man, but he’s completely hidden in the darkness, and even my eyes can’t really distinguish him from his surroundings, except for the light blonde hair. He smiles, showing off his fangs. Is that an enemy? I remember Atticus, and hiss even more. Shit, can I fight someone?

But before I can decide on what to do, he suddenly disappears. Fuck, where did he go? Why? One second later, I get my answer: bright, blinding headlights, and a loud police siren. I turn my head to find a police car coming down the street. Two cops jump out, their eyes on me and my blood-soaked chin and hands.

“Hands up!”

Oh, Swithin is going to kill me…