Thicker Than Blood (Marchwood Vampire Series #2) (35 page)

Alexandre felt another vampire
jump onto his back,
prising
him away from the
one on the ground. He tried to shake him off, but he wasn’t able to
keep the other one pinned at the same time. He was losing control.
And they were going to get Madison. He couldn’t let
them…

‘
Alex!’

It was Jacques!

Jacques and the others had arrived. He felt
the vampire on his back disappear and when he turned his head he
saw Freddie using some of the martial arts moves he’d been learning
with Ben at an evening class. That vampire didn’t stand a chance.
Alex allowed himself a small grin, before returning to the job of
subduing the vampire beneath him. The creature had its teeth bared
and was trying to bite him. Alex stuck his hand into the snow and
picked out some small rocks. He smashed them into the vampire’s
mouth. The rocks crumbled, but it gave Alex a couple of seconds to
pick the creature up and sling him across the plain.

Alexandre counted at least nine attackers.
He and the others were badly outnumbered despite Zoe having joined
them, but he couldn’t worry about that now. He saw his brother and
sister and Freddie giving as good as they got, but he hadn’t
spotted Leonora yet. He hoped she was alright. Zoe stood nearby,
blocking all attempts from the Cappadocians to get past her.
Stopping them from getting to Maddy.

Suddenly, he felt another presence at the
side of him.

‘
I should have killed you
when I had the chance.’

Alexandre recognised that voice. He looked
round. It was Sergell and he had Zoe by the throat. Suddenly,
Alexandre was grasped either side by two vampires. He tried to
shake them off, but they threw something around his neck. He felt
cold metal burn into his skin and the power drain from his body. He
growled and hissed, trying desperately to break free from his
captors, but he couldn’t loosen their grip and the metal chain
around his neck was sapping his energy somehow. What was
happening?

Next to him, Zoe’s eyes were wide with fear,
but Alexandre could do nothing to free her either. He felt worse
than useless. What did these damned creatures want with them? And
where was Madison?

‘
You’ve disappointed me,
Zoe,’ Sergell said. ‘I gave you a home. I gave you eternal life and
you betray me for a worthless girl and a group of weak fledglings.
You picked the wrong side.’ He flung her towards
Alexandre.

Another of the Cappadocians put a chain
around her neck and Alex saw that Jacques, Freddie and Isobel had
also been chained. He locked eyes with his brother who shook his
head in anger and frustration. Was everyone he loved to be
persecuted or killed? He tried to wrestle the chain from his neck,
but when he touched it with his fingers, the skin on his hands
melted and a searing pain shot up his arms. What were these chains?
Why did they burn so?

‘
Silver,’ Zoe moaned.
‘Silver chains.’

Alex hadn’t known silver was harmful to
vampires. He wondered why, and wondered how he could get the damned
things off.

‘
Sir!’ Sergell called over
his shoulder. ‘Sir, we have them subdued.’ He was addressing
another vampire. An ancient being who came towards Alexandre with
evil and destruction in his eyes. This vampire shimmered with
power, his marble skin and golden hair alive with it. He was no
foot soldier, but was dressed in ancient robes and a heavily
embroidered cloak. Was this one of the Cappadocians he and his
family had disturbed in that underground chamber all those years
ago? It was very likely.

Not for the first time,
Alexandre wished they had never unearthed that hellish city. These
creatures should still be buried in the cold belly of the earth.
They should have remained undisturbed. And he, Alexandre, should
have died a natural human death many years ago, along with his
family. Instead, he was here, chained in silver and unable to
defend the girl he loved. The girl who would still be safe if it
wasn’t for him and his
condition
.

‘
Who are you?’ Alexandre
croaked, barely able to talk now. The chains had thoroughly
incapacitated him.

‘
The girl?’ The golden
creature addressed Sergell, ignoring Alexandre’s
question.

‘
She is back there, Sir.
In the cave.’

‘
Good. His Imperial
Highness wishes us to bring them all back to the city. But the
girl, you can kill.’

‘
No.’ Alexandre choked on
the word. The silver chain was like a burning brand around his
throat. He had to do something to save her before it was too
late.

‘
But we would be better to
finish them all now,’ Sergell said. ‘They are no good to us. They
will not …’

‘
Would you like to tell
his Imperial Highness what your thoughts are?’ the golden one
said.

‘
Of course I would never
presume to …’

‘
Fine,’ his leader
snapped. ‘Then do as I ask. And bring out the girl. This chained
fledgling seems to be fond of her. It would be amusing to watch him
while you kill her.’

Sergell bowed and retrieved Madison from her
inadequate hiding place. She looked defiant. Her chin set and her
eyes blazing, trying to keep up with Sergell as he dragged her
through the messed up snow.

‘
Please,’ Alexandre
begged. ‘If you spare her, I will come willingly. I will serve you
for eternity. I will be the best …’

‘
Quiet.’ The golden
vampire held up his hand. ‘You had an opportunity, but you did not
take it. There is no plea bargaining here. It’s too late. Do it,
Sergell.’

The vampire ripped Madison’s coat away from
her neck, bared his teeth and prepared to rip her throat out.

The Marchwood Vampires moaned, a collective
noise which reverberated throughout the snowy plain. Alexandre felt
so much pain he couldn’t bear it. How could he watch the
destruction of the girl he loved? He felt disgusted at himself that
he could do nothing, that he was too weak to move, to even try to
save his love. He bowed his head, unable to watch, but his captors
yanked it up and forced him to look at her.

This was it then. This was the end of his
happiness.

‘
Hello, Mislav.’ A voice
rang out. A woman’s voice, confident and mature.

Sergell stopped and turned his head to see
who had spoken. So did everyone else. An old woman walked towards
them, alone through the snow, her bright blue eyes fixed on the
golden vampire. She was small with pale hair fixed in a bun at the
back of her head. A dark woollen cloak was wrapped around her
shoulders and she carried a basket on her arm.

She will be slaughtered, Alexandre
thought.

‘
Sofia!’ Madison cried
out.

Maddy knew this woman? Alexandre’s confusion
dulled his pain for a moment.

‘
How do you know my name?’
the golden vampire, Mislav demanded of the woman.’

‘
Well that’s no way to
greet an old friend,’ she replied. ‘It is I, Aelia. Don’t you
remember me?’

Chapter Forty Three

Present Day

*

Alexandre realised the arrival of this woman
had delayed Madison’s death. Perhaps all was not lost. If he could
only get these chains off he would stand a chance of rescuing her
from Sergell’s fangs.

‘
What? What are you
talking about?’ Mislav growled at the old woman. ‘Aelia was a young
girl. You are old. How do you know about Aelia?’

‘
I know I have aged, but
do you really not recognise me?’

‘
You have wandered into
the wrong place at the wrong time, old woman.’ Mislav’s eyes blazed
with anger. He crossed the snow to where she stood and grasped her
chin in his hand, staring into her face.

To the old woman’s credit, she didn’t flinch
or look away.

‘
Mislav,’ she said. ‘I
remember the blue and silver room, the hot springs and the icy
waterfall. I remember the night you found me outside and my horse
disappeared. Who else would know those things?’

Although his face was already pale as
moonlight, Mislav visibly blanched. His cool composure evaporating
into the chill night sky.

‘
Who have you been talking
to?’ he said. ‘You are spouting rubbish. Old wives’ tales and
nonsense. I do not have time for this.’ He snapped his fingers and
one of his minions bared its teeth and came over to where Aelia
stood, preparing to bite her.

Alexandre was shocked at what happened next.
The frail old lady tossed the six foot vampire away from her and
into the snow covered darkness. Another took its place, but she
gave out the same treatment. Mislav snarled and grabbed her. His
fangs were millimetres from her neck but she held him at bay.

‘
Bite me and I’ll send you
all back to sleep for another few hundred years,’ she
said.

Complete silence descended. Alexandre wasn’t
sure if he had heard her correctly.

‘
What do you know of The
Sleep?’ Mislav said. ‘I demand you tell me.’

The woman gazed around at the vampires and
their prisoners. Then she turned her attention back to Mislav.

‘
Do you really not know
me, Mislav? Look at my face. Look beneath the wrinkled skin and
greying hair.’

‘
You might share the same
eyes, that is all,’ he snapped.

‘
And they are not enough
to convince you?’ she asked.

‘
Perhaps you are a
descendant. But that is not enough to save you.’

‘
Once, long ago,’ she
began, ‘you fought the other demons to keep me. You had me turned
by your emperor. You thought I was your plaything. But I was a
weapon sent to destroy you all.’ Her voice rang out, strong and
clear.

‘
A weapon? What are you
talking about? Who are you really?’

‘
I told you, I am
Aelia.’

‘
Aelia?’ Mislav’s voice
softened. He put a finger under her chin and tipped her face up to
the moonlight, staring at her. ‘Can it really be you? But if it is,
you have aged. How can this be? You were one of us.’

‘
I will tell you everything. But
first
he
needs to leave Madison alone.’ She pointed to Sergell whose
fangs still hovered over Maddy’s exposed throat.

Alexandre wondered how she knew Madison. He
was grateful for her request. Could he dare to hope Maddy was safe?
Not yet.

‘
And all these chains need
to come off,’ she continued. ‘Silver chains. How
barbaric.’

‘
Aelia,’ Mislav smiled. ‘If
it
is
you, since when do
you order me around?’

She smiled back. ‘Since I have the power to
put you back to sleep for another fifteen hundred years. Chains.
Off. Now,’ she said.

Mislav nodded to his minions and, with
gloved hands, they removed the clinking silver. Alexandre
immediately felt his strength returning, the skin healing where the
metal had bitten into his neck. Now he had a fighting chance
again.

‘
You need to tell me what
you are doing here, Aelia,’ Mislav said.

‘
I thought you said your
name was Sophia,’ Madison interrupted, her voice
trembling.

‘
Silence, human,’ Mislav
barked.

Alexandre bristled at the way Mislav had
shouted at her. He tried to catch Maddy’s eye, but she was looking
at the woman.

‘
My name
is
Sophia, the woman replied. ‘It is
Aelia, it is Sarah, it is Havva. My name has changed many times
over the centuries.’

‘
Havva Sahin! I thought I
recognised you.’ Suddenly, Alexandre remembered this strange lady.
She turned to face him.

‘
Yes, it is I. Hello,
Alexandre. It’s been a while.’

He remembered Havva’s strange words of
warning all those years ago when he was still a mortal, remembered
her telling him to heed the legends and leave the city undisturbed.
But he had ignored her words as the ravings of a delusional old
woman. And he and his family had gone on to unleash the demons from
their sleep. But he had paid the price for not heeding her – for he
had lost his parents and been cursed to live as a blood drinker for
all eternity. He bowed his head in shame as she looked at him.

‘
Send your demons away,
Mislav,’ Aelia said, turning to the golden vampire. ‘Come and sit
and hear my story if you will. It is time you heard the
truth.’

‘
His Imperial Highness is
expecting me to return with these fledglings. My vampires can take
them to the city while I listen to your story.’

‘
No,’ she said. ‘The
‘fledglings’ will stay and hear my story too and then they will be
free to go.’

‘
Aelia, you are trying my
patience. I am pleased to see you, but I will not take orders from
you.’

‘
You will, Mislav. Or I
will send you all back into your coma and then I will destroy you
while you sleep. I have a plague in my blood.’

Aelia held her ground as Mislav lost all
composure and grabbed her by the hair. She slid a knife from her
sleeve and pierced the tip of her finger, holding the dark bead of
blood up to his face. Mislav let go of her hair and took a step
back.

‘
You are wise to keep your
distance,’ she said, ‘for this blood will render you helpless as
the proverbial kitten. Send your vampires away and when you return,
you can tell his Imperial Highness that you just saved his kind
from total destruction. I’m sure he will forgive you the loss of a
few fledglings in return for his life.’