“I have a car waiting for us. I’ll get the driver to pick up your boyfriend from over there.” Leandro said waving in a vague direction.
A sleek black Rolls Royce pulled up outside the gate and a large driver who resembled Lurch ambled out. The passenger door flew open and a sharply dressed man in a suit appeared. He looked around thirty and had the same blue eyes that I had. Leandro gave him a scathing look,
“I told you to stay in the car.” He said.
The man pouted and whined, “I wanted to meet the girl.”
“Not now Patrick!” Leandro snapped.
The man named Patrick ignores Leandro and delivers me an ice cold smile,
“Hello Lorna, I’m your Uncle Patrick.” Patrick smiled.
I was surprised by his warmth and cool demure. He caught my hand and kissed it lightly saying something in French that I could not understand. Out the corner of my eye could see the chauffer throwing Michael’s unconscious body over his shoulder. Leandro like Magda was strong- a trait that I did not inherit- that coupled with being a very old vampire meant that even Michael with all his hybrid genetic engineering was no match against mother nature. Leandro had knocked him clean out. Patrick tucked my hand underneath his arm he led me to the car saw me in. I got in waited for Michael to be gently laid on the back seat next to me but to my horror, Lurch, slung Michael in the trunk. I opened my mouth to protest but Patrick reading my mind scoffed,
“Goodness Lorna, I can’t have him rolling on to the floor every time the car goes round a bend. He’s far safer with the luggage then here.”
Leandro got into the car and we pulled away. Leandro opened a compartment in the side door and pulled out a decanter of blood and a couple of glasses. He poured a drink and handed it to me saying,
“Careful not to chip the glass when you drink.” Fangs made drinking from cups and mugs a nightmare. Normal adult vampires can control their fangs but I had yet to master this vampire skill. My fangs worked on the principle of smell. If I smelt blood then they would appear which has overtime proved very inconvenient.
Patrick leaned forward examining my fangs, “I see you haven’t quite got the hang of those rascals yet,” He said referring to my inability to control my own fangs. “Never mind my dear, it shall all come in good time.”
The way Patrick spoke reminded me of an era that had long passed. He was polite, elegant, sophisticated, the complete opposite of the modern male species of today. The way he dressed was like a Hollywood star straight out of black and white movie. Leandro on the other hand was completely different. He wore a simple black shirt that was tucked in to designer jeans and a leather belt and felt far more cold and icy. I struggled to see him as my Great Grandfather because I looked so ridiculously young. I had to keep mentally reminding myself that this child was in fact a very powerful and scary vampire, even Magda held a deep respect for him despite their estrangement. I suppose I should admire him or at least be grateful that he had rescued me from sleeping in that derelict graveyard but I couldn’t get passed the simple fact that he did not approve of my parents relationship. He was homophobic and that was a very bitter pill to swallow.
“Do you like London, Lorna?” Patrick asked pleasantly.
“I do although I wish I could see more of it.” I confessed.
Leandro who had been quietly staring out the window up until this point abruptly joined the conversation, “Are you allowed to leave the hotel alone?”
“No. I have to be chaperoned.” I admitted.
“I’m surprised your parents let you out considering current events.” Leandro said making a subtle malicious jab at Magda’s and Francesca’s parenting style.
“I can count the number of times I have been outside on one hand.” I added, trying to defend my parents.
“Yes, Magda told me about your little excursions like breaking into a government facility.”
I winced, there was no coming back from that. Patrick intervened changing the subject,
“Isn’t Lorna’s eyes beautiful! As we past that kebab shop with the neon sign, the light really set the blue off in there.”
Leandro didn’t reply, he turned his head and continued to stare out the window. Inside I was seething. My bad choices did not reflect Magda’s and Francesca’s parenting ability. A chain of unlikely, unfortunate and tragic circumstances forced me into making those choices. If I had known what I know now I would have done things a little differently. Guilt swept over me as Michael’s angry words floated into my mind. He had accused me of inadvertently killing Skull’s gang.
“I’m glad we found you when we did.” Leandro said breaking the silence.
“Leandro killed five of those things that were following you.” Patrick said.
“What?” I said numbly.
“That boy, that Micah, wants you really bad.” Leandro replied.
“What makes you think that?” I asked.
“An educated guess, plus we have two of those monsters following us right now.” Leandro said nonchalantly.
“Oh my god.” I whispered peering out the window.
Patrick pulled me back against the seat, “Relax, we’ll lose them when we hit the motorway.”
Relax? How could I relax when those things had literally massacred an entire gang of vampires. Michael’s words echoed in my head again and felt my appetite draining away. Had my carelessness led to those vampires death? Was it my fault for invoking Micah’s wrath? I was nothing but politeness personified when I had coffee with him. I guess my mistake was that I thought I was having coffee with my ex not a psychotic serial killer. Weakly swirling the blood around the cup I did not feel like eating.
“Have we put you off your food with this talk of monsters?” Patrick asked watching me stare at the blood.
“No.” I replied.
“But my dear, you are not eating.” Patrick said bluntly.
Leandro waved his hand at Patrick, “Leave her alone.”
Patrick narrowed his eyes and said, “Magda ordered me to make sure she fed.”
“Magda’s not here.”
“And whose fault is that? I didn’t partition the family.” Patrick snapped.
“Thank you for reminding me.” Leandro replied.
The car was plunged back into awkward silence with Leonardo and Patrick staring out opposite windows. I sat in the middle holding my glass of blood taking the occasional sip. The car hit the motorway and we headed out of London into the countryside.