bite.

bite. - chapter 32

My parents warned me of the dangers of living outside the coven. Without a coven there was no protection; nowhere safe to sleep and nowhere safe to eat. To lose the protection of the coven was the worst event that could ever befall a vampire. Michael’s hand slid into mine as we watched Skull’s pub go up in flames. We could not go back to our coven and Skull’s coven had been slaughtered. We had nowhere to go. Deep inside the pub I could hear the monsters screaming and I wondered how many others were out there waiting for us?

“We have to go now!” Keira urged supporting Skull.

Neither Michael nor I responded because we both knew there was nowhere else to go. In a few moments time the fire engines and the police would descend upon the site and we needed to be gone by the time they arrived. A few drunks were staggering towards the blaze as well as some neighbours. They stared at us suspiciously as Keira pleaded for us to go. Eventually Michael broke out into a run and dived into the back alley, he kept a firm grip on my hand as he sped through the back streets away from the blaze. Keira followed dragging Skull with her. We stopped a few minutes later in an empty street. Michael turned to Keira and said,

“Call the car to fetch you and Skull. Me and Lorna will find somewhere else to stay.”

Keira’s eyes widened, “Michael those things are running around out there hunting you down! You can’t go squatting around London unprotected!”

“We don’t have choice.” Michael said bluntly.

Keira pursed her lips, she wanted to make some credible suggestion which would solve our dilemma but her eyes glazed over as she realised there was no alternative. Her eyes fluttered to the floor and she said softly,

“Well at least let me swap clothes with Lorna- she can’t go wandering about in that t-shirt.”

Michael let go of my hand and Keira and I slipped behind a shop and swapped clothes.

“They should fit,” Keira said. Her voice sounded weak and strained, “They’ve got a bit of stretch to them.”

“Thanks.” I replied sliding into the pink velour tracksuit.

“I’m sorry we’re not the same size shoe.”

“Well I’m sure I can pick something up somewhere.”

“Lorna,” Keira said deparately “Please don’t let them get you. I don’t think I could stand another Emma again.”

I looked up at Keira and saw the tears in her eyes.  I never thought Keira was capable of crying, the girl who once was the ultimate bitch to me.  She flung her arms around me and hugged me tightly then shoved her phone and wallet into my hands.

“Take these. There is two hundred pounds in there,” She said. “And make sure you call Sheldon, he’s working his ass off trying to find new leads.”

“He’s already found one.” I replied.

“Good. If he finds anything else out Skull and I will pursue it.” Keira said.

Michael appeared from the street dragging Skull, “We need to split, they’ve got a police helicopter flying above and think the slayers are operating it.”

“How do you know?” Keira asked.

“I sense the other archangels. They are close by.” Michael admitted.

Keira nodded and one last time gave me a hug, “You stay alive,” she ordered then looked at Michael, “And you better keep her fucking alive!”

Michael saluted Keira and nodded. She rolled her eyes and grabbed Skull, “Come on baby, lets get out of here.” She said to him.

They ran off in the opposite direction and Michael pulled my arm and we ran off in a different direction. I didn’t bother to ask where we were going because I didn’t know London that well. I knew we were in Camden and I recognised Regent’s Park as we passed that but that was the limit of my geography. After that we passed through estates and industrial sites until we came to a massive graveyard.