The Last Keeper (39 page)

Even as I raced towards the car, Ray two steps behind me, I knew something was gravely wrong. It wasn’t like Lizzy to get distracted, and especially not when things had been so unstable.
 

Something was very wrong.

“Serenity, talk to me.” He took my hand in his for a moment. “Please.”

“They have her,” I whispered, my eyes never leaving the road. “I don’t know how I know, but they have her.”

I wove in and out of the tiniest of gaps in the traffic, desperate to get home.
 

Before I got out of the car, I picked up a frighteningly familiar scent. Elena had been here.
 

I raced into the house, desperate to know. There were no discernible signs of life, no heartbeats, no breathing, nothing. I swept every room in the house, hoping against hope that I’d missed something.
 

I hadn’t.

As I passed the basement, something caught my attention. There was no need for Martin to have been there, but his scent was as bright as a beacon leading down the stairs. I was at the bottom of the steps before I’d taken another breath.
 

Martin’s scent went as far as the desk, and presumably back again. There was a book on the floor, out of place in the neatness of the basement. I was sure it hadn’t been there before.

It was William’s family tree, a book I hadn’t opened even to update his death. I couldn’t.

The corner of an envelope was sticking out of the end of the book. Something that certainly shouldn’t have been in there. Everything we sent each other was destroyed. It had to be. Whatever it was, it must have been important.
 

Hammering on the front door caught my attention. I stuffed the letter in my purse and returned upstairs. Alex was doing the pounding, looking like he’d just run a marathon.

“I got here too late; they were already gone,” he panted. “Lost their trail three miles into the woods.”

“Thank you.”

A car—Poppy’s—came screeching to a stop in front of the house. Jayne stumbled as she tried to move faster than she was able, fear etched on her face.

“Serenity, what is going on?” she demanded.

“I am so sorry,” I whispered. “They have her.”

“What!”

“I didn’t have time to come home first,” I explained. “I got changed in the car and went straight to meet Ray.”

“We’re going to go get her,” she said calmly.

“No.”

“I’m coming with you, Serenity. This is my daughter we are talking about.”
 

“I know that, Jayne. I promise you,
I will bring her back,
but you are not coming.”

“She’s all I have left.”

“They won’t get away with this.”

She was going to argue, to try to tell me anything to get me to let her come along, but the ominous ring of the phone cut through the air, silencing all of us.
 

Ray was closest to it, and he hit the speaker button as he answered.

I fought back the hiss that threatened to escape me as Elena’s voice filled the room. “Put Poppy on.”

“I’m here.”

“My dearest Poppy, you remember the London catacombs? Bring the other human.”

“Are you demanding an audience with me?”

“No, I am suggesting you show up and explain why you’ve been sharing our secrets with humans.” It almost sounded as though she was bored. “Personally, I wanted to execute all of you, but I was overruled.”

“After I slaughtered the best you threw at me, how fortunate for you. Should I be contemplating adding your head to my collection?” That was the Poppy of legends.
 

“Not quite. The humans will die for this; you can only affect what your fate will be. You have one day. Oh, and bring that freak show you hang around with. All of them.”

Fortunately, she hung up just as Jayne lost it. She collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down her face. Alex moved to her side, comforting her and guiding her to a chair. I was on the phone.

“Zach, it’s Serenity.”

“Going somewhere again?”
 

“I need the plane, and I need it now. Be warned, we’re going to London, to the catacombs, and we have guests.”
 

“I’m coming with you.”
 

“No, Jayne. I’m only taking them because Elena will come for them if they don’t show.” It was bad enough that Lizzy was in their hands; I wouldn’t let them have Jayne, as well.

“I’ll be ready within the hour,” Zach promised.

“Thank you.” I hung up the phone.

“I’ll stay with Jayne,” Alex offered.
 

“I will bring Martin back to you.” I was already heading for the door.
 

What I had to say to Poppy and the others wasn’t for Jayne’s ears, so I waited until they joined me outside. It would be the first time I’d ventured into one of the catacombs in centuries, normally I didn’t have to go inside to influence the vampires there.
 

“I know we’ve had our differences,” I told them, “but I need you all to promise you will get Lizzy and Martin back. Alive.”

There were solemn nods from everyone. Even Leola didn’t look as harsh as normal.
 

“What are you planning?” Ray asked once we were in the car.
 

“I don’t know.”

I would keep both of my promises to Jayne. I would get her daughter back to her, and I would make The Seats pay. It was time they realised they were only alive because I allowed them to be.

It was a ninety minute flight, and then a thirty-minute drive to the catacombs. The London ones weren’t the easiest to find, not that I would’ve had any trouble.
 

   
It was far too long.
 

“You need to change,” Ray reminded me. I was still wearing my dress.
 

God only knew what they were doing to Lizzy. They could’ve been torturing her, or putting her through all kinds of hell.

“Serenity,” he pulled me against him briefly, “we’ll get her back.”

“I know. I’m just tired of this. Everyone I’ve ever loved has been taken from me, and now I am being forced to take you straight to them. I can’t do this anymore, Ray. I can’t lose you again.”
 

“You don’t have to,” he promised.

“But I do. If we manage to get out of there alive, they’ll come after you. There’s nothing that can stop them. I can wipe every memory they have and the end result will be the same as always. All it would take is one person with any knowledge of The Seats and it would be over.”

I rose and began pacing. I needed a plan, but nothing I came up with would work. The only thing that had any chance was me staying hidden for as long as possible and letting Poppy try to talk her way out of the situation. She was highly respected among The Seats.
 

Worrying about the situation would do me no good, and I needed to change, which would at least occupy me for a few minutes.
 

It was as I was changing, making sure I had everything I needed, that I remembered the letter. I grabbed the letter and returned to the main cabin, turning it over as I went.
 

The wax seal on the back froze me in my tracks. It was the one seal we never used, the one that struck fear into the hearts of everyone who saw it. Of course, it had long since been abandoned and would mean nothing to anyone looking at it today. I recognised it, and it shocked me that William had ever felt the need to use it.

Sitting in the nearest seat, I tore open the letter.

Dearest Serenity,

By now you are the last of us, and I know this pains you every day. Please forgive me for not coming forward with this information for so long.
 

Before your sister passed, she came to me, concerned about her daughters. She knew then that one of them was talking to the vampires, telling them our secrets, but she could not bear to tell you herself.

I am not so innocent either. I have always known who it was that betrayed us, and I have always known the way to stop it, the way to bring our kind back. But I could not tell you, not until it was time.

It is time, Serenity. You are the only one left. Yet you cannot fight much more, but love will do such a thing to you.
 

Please understand the separation you faced was needed. Had you found him again so soon after losing him, you would never have accepted what he had become. Given those years apart you have been able to do exactly that.

Your sister sat with me, telling me what was going to happen. She said that when we were all connected, as never before, it would be time. All of our partners have been human up until you. Ray was destined to be turned, and I am so sorry for the pain it has caused you both.
 

I know it will have taken a great loss to find this letter, and that is how it must be. When you read this, you will want to hate me, and I understand, but please, when the time comes make sure it is Ray who takes your life. Him alone, or your gift will not work.

Ray is unique in his creation. He is the only vampire ever to be created by one who had never taken a human life. He is the only one this way, as you are the only one left of us. Both unique, both drawn to each other like no other.
 

Please understand, also, the vampires are aware of this, but believe a different version of events will come to pass. They believe draining you will kill you because Ray is now a vampire. They have waited years to seek you out, and in the end you will go to them. Please heed my words.

You were never meant to be the last of us, Serenity. You were meant to be the one to change us.

There will be a difference this time around. We will have no weakness; it will be our choice alone to pass on. Thanks to you. You were always the strongest of us, and I am truly sorry you have to be the one to do this.

I will love you always, and I wish you did not have to suffer the pain that is still to come.

Please find it in your heart to forgive me.

Your Brother,

William

“We’re about to land.” Ray’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.
 

How long had I sat staring at William’s words? With every part of me, I longed to hate him for hiding this. How could he? How could he have sat there across from me and not said anything?
 

“Serenity?” I folded the letter and handed it to him.
 

“Don’t read it until I tell you to.”

“What . . . ?”

“I have a plan, but please, do
not
read it until I tell you to.”

We touched down in London, about twenty miles away from the catacombs. Dawn was fast approaching.
 

The drive was relatively quick, yet long. Each second dragged on, longer than the last. Yet the miles flew by as though they were moving and we weren’t. As hard as I pushed the car, it wasn’t hard enough. I couldn’t take the bends quick enough or accelerate along the straights fast enough.
 

“Does everyone know the plan?” We were parked on a secluded stretch of road, half a mile from the catacombs’ entrance. “Above all else, get Lizzy and Martin home.”

Ray pulled me to a stop as the others set off on foot. “Serenity, what’s in the letter?”

“Please, when the time comes, I need you to do
exactly
what I ask.”
 

I almost told him how that single letter unlocked so many secrets I hadn’t known. How it was the key to everything. But if he knew, he wouldn’t do it.
 

“Promise me, Ray, that you’ll do exactly as I ask.”

“I promise.”

“Thank you.”

We were met at the entrance by a lone pair of guards. Neither of them recognised me as I stuck to Ray’s side.
 

“What do you want?”
 

“I’m Poppy Baruti.”
 

They must have been new not to recognise her.
 

“Are you expected?”

“I am
always
expected,” she snapped.

The second guard whispered something to the first one, glancing at Poppy every few seconds. He was probably informing the sap who she was. He paled for a moment before pulling out a small radio. Speaking rapidly into it, he nodded, looked at me and then back at her.

“Is that the one you were asked to bring?”

“She is.”

He spoke into the radio once more before shoving it in a pocket and nodding to us. “Come with me.”

We followed them into the dark entrance, and I was thankful that I was something more than human. The tunnels weren’t designed to accommodate mortals. Those who managed to survive an audience with The Seats then had to get out. One of The Seats’ favourite sports was pardoning a vampire and then hunting them in the tunnels. There was a trick to it. Know the trick, and getting out was easy. Every second left followed by every first right. It was the same with all of the catacombs.

Everything was as it had been when I saw it in the dream. The high ceiling was covered in skulls, dark and unsettling. I couldn’t see Lizzy, but she was here. Somewhere. The ground underfoot squelched, our footsteps echoing off damp rock and sodden floors.