The Blood Contract

Chapter 5

"Ms Austen." Elizabeth bowed, still dressed in her frilly black maid's dress.

Gem nodded absent-mindedly. Elizabeth must have seen her forlorn face because she instantly asked concernedly, "Ms Austen, has something bad happened?"

"Yes, no, maybe," Gem hesitated. "I've received word that my mother is still alive."

"Mrs Austen?" Elizabeth sounded shocked. "This is good news. Congratulations, Ms Austen," she added warmly.

"No, it isn't." Gem shook her head. "She's apparently now a vampire working for the Monets."

She heard Elizabeth suck in her breath. "Impossible..." Elizabeth trailed off. "Mrs Austen would never do such a thing. No mother would betray her own daughter. Are you sure the news is completely reliable?"

"That's what I'm about to find out." Gem took out her sleek, silver cell phone and dialled the Monets' personal hotline. Of course, the Monets hadn't exactly willing given her their number. She had obtained it through her own personal network of spies.

"Hello," a crackly voice sounded out. "Pierre Monet."

"Hello, Pierre," Gem said coolly. "Gem Austen here."

If Pierre Monet was surprised, he certainly didn't show it. "Why, Ms Austen, how pleasant it is to hear from you." His voice was dripping with honey but sarcasam was laced underneath it.

Everyone knew she was bitter rivals with Monets. Pierre Monet was the patriarch of the family, the one who masterminded the entire business.

"Is it possible if I can secure an appointment with you ASAP?" Gem continued.

"I'm afraid, Gem dearest," Pierre Monet continued in his honey-sugar voice. "I'm rather booked up lately. Perhaps you can come see him in a few years."

That did it.

"Pierre," she said in a steely voice. "I. Demand. An. Appointment. Now."

"What if I say no?" Pierre Monet continued cheerily.

"Then I will tear you to shreds, burn your hourse and torture your grandchildren until they are left screaming for death," Gem hissed. "I did not build up my blood-sucking business from nothing, Mr Monet."

There was a pause. "Alright, come into my office within an hour. If you're late, the appointment's off." Pierre Monet then slammed down the phone.

"Ms Austen?" Elizabeth frowned. "Is it true? Are we really going to go see that infamous Pierre Monet."

"Yes." Gem closed her eyes. It was not a choice of hers to infuriate the Monets. She was a one-woman business and she had no means to deal with them. But this concerned her mother, the one person she idolized her entire life.

"Elizabeth?"

"Yes?"

"Bring my gun and whip."

******

As Gem pulled her car up infront of the Monets' HQ which was a big, imposing black building , she turned to Elizabeth. "If you don't want to get involved, you don't have to."

"Ms Austen." Elizabeth sounded exasperated. She had ditched her frilly, old-fashioned maids' clothes for a black vest and pants. "I owe my life to you and I will sacrifice myself if it's necessary to save you."

"Please, Elizabeth." Gem resisted rolling her eyes. She didn't doubt Elizabeth's loyalty but she wasn't worth sacrificing for to be honest. She had killed and murdered before. She didn't deserve such kindness from someone.