Hidden (Marchwood Vampire Series #1) (32 page)

The lid still
lay on the ground and Maddy breathed in with apprehension and
pleasure as she saw him lying there. She sat too close, terrified
he would attack her again, but terrified he would not.

Madison
reached out her hand. The same hand that ached from the last time
she came down here. She touched his face with her fingertips and
marvelled at its hardness, like granite or marble. It seemed
impossible it could be alive, in any sense of the word. Had she
imagined it? Looking at her wrist, she shook her head, not knowing
what to believe. Maddy sat there for a while, staring at his
unmoving face.

*

Madison
recovered and Esther and Morris returned to their cottage on the
edge of the estate. Maddy awkwardly thanked them for looking after
her, and Morris stated it was no trouble. Esther said that they
were the caretakers and it was part of their job. Life continued as
before, with Ben enjoying his new school and Maddy receiving
intermittent visits from Travis. She spent large chunks of her time
down in the cellar, but nothing else untoward occurred.

The days and
weeks sped past and Maddy’s wrist healed up completely, with only
two faint scars to remind her of what had happened.

The week
before Christmas, Maddy sat in the kitchen warming her hands around
a mug of tea, when the doorbell rang. She heard Esther banging
around upstairs somewhere, so she answered the door herself, taking
sips of her tea. Morris and one of the gardeners stood on the
doorstep in the rain, with a ten foot Christmas tree resting on
their shoulders.

‘
Where d’you want him?’ Morris asked. ‘Chopped him down this
morning.’

‘
Wow!’ Maddy gasped. ‘Is that for us? For the
house?’

‘
Well it ain’t for the Wizard of Oz. You gonna tell us where
you want him before our backs break?’

‘
Oh, sorry. Umm, in the hall? No. In the lounge in front
of the big window.’

‘
Right. Move out the way then. Come on, Charlie. Into the
drawing room.’

Christmas had
always been a haphazard affair for Ben and Maddy. It had usually
started off okay at Trevor and Angie’s, but too much drink was
always consumed, the day ending in shouting or sulking, with much
slamming of doors and storming out. Before Trevor and Angie, it had
just been completely depressing, with forced fun in care homes from
well-meaning volunteers.

This year
would be different. She would create a wonderful traditional day,
like her mum used to. A proper celebration with a tree, presents, a
Christmas dinner, chocolates and crappy TV - Perfect.

Maddy and Ben
watched as Morris and Charlie wrestled the wet Christmas tree into
place in front of the floor-to-ceiling drawing room windows. It was
like a story book tree, perfectly shaped and tapering to a point
which almost touched the ceiling. Maddy inhaled the sharp citrus
scent of pine needles.

‘
Thank you,’ she said as the men stepped back to admire their
efforts.

‘
You got any decorations?’ Morris asked.

‘
Huh?’

‘
Christmas decorations – You got any?’

‘
Oh. No we haven’t.’ Maddy realised she’d have to get
some.

‘
Thanks, Charlie,’ Morris said. ‘I’ll be out shortly. You can
carry on with the wood.’

‘
Oh. Alright.’

‘
Yeah, thanks, Charlie,’ Madison said as he left the
room.

‘
Just going upstairs,’ Morris said. ‘Be back in a
minute.’

Ten minutes
later, he returned to the lounge carrying a large box.

‘
What’s that?’ asked Ben.

‘
You said you didn’t have any decorations. Here’s a box full
of them.’

‘
For us?’

Morris nodded.
‘They’re years old. Belonged to the original owner didn’t they.’ He
put the box down on the coffee table.

‘
Cool.’ Ben knelt on the floor and opened the lid.

Madison
crouched next to him and peered in to see parcels of scrunched up
tissue and newspaper. She reached into the box at the same time as
Ben and they giggled as they clashed hands. Maddy picked out one of
the packages and carefully unwrapped the tissue paper. A small
figure dropped into her palm. It was a tiny old-fashioned girl
wearing ice skates – an exquisite Christmas decoration.

‘
It’s beautiful.’

Ben opened
another of the small parcels. His was a silver reindeer pulling a
dog on a sleigh.

‘
Don’t go dropping them. They’ll be quite valuable I should
think.’

Madison and
Ben looked up to see Esther standing in the doorway. Her mouth
turned up into an unfamiliar smile.

Exquisitely
made from glass or porcelain, there were little snowmen, a polar
bear, a silver pig in a cart and many others. Some of the ornaments
lay in broken pieces, or crumbled as they touched them, but most
were still in decent condition and she and Ben spent a magical
afternoon on the stepladder, decorating the magnificent Norway
Spruce and eating most of the tree chocolates that Esther had
bought with the weekly shop.

*

On Christmas
Eve, Travis called round to ask if Maddy wanted to come to the pub.
Kerri and Taff would be there, along with a whole group of their
mates.

‘
Thanks, Trav, but me and Ben are getting all Christmassy –
slobbing out and watching a film. Maybe another night?’

‘
Well, it’ll have to be after New Year. I’m going up to
Cheltenham tomorrow to stay with my dad for the week.’

‘
Oh. Wait there.’ Maddy left him standing on the doorstep
while she went to get his present from under the Christmas tree.
She and Ben had got him a couple of rare import twelve-inch
records. ‘Don’t open it till tomorrow,’ she said as she handed it
to him.

‘
Thanks, Mads. I can’t believe you got me
something.’

‘
It’s from Ben too.’

‘
Here. This is for you.’ He handed her a small square
parcel.

‘
Thanks, Trav.’

‘
You’ve got to open it now.’

‘
Really?’ she said. ‘I’d rather open it on Christmas Day. I’m
not going to have many others ...’

‘
Open it now. Go on.’

‘
Okay,’ she smiled and suddenly felt about five years old. The
parcel had been beautifully wrapped in gold paper with twirly bits
of red ribbon. She pulled the ribbon off and ripped open the
paper.

‘
It’s an ipod,’ Travis said, watching her face. ‘But I loaded
it with tons of tracks I know you like. There’s speakers in with it
and I’ve also put a load of cheesy Christmas tunes on there, so you
can get your groove on to Mariah and Boney M.’

‘
Trav, you are such a sweetheart. I love it.’ She leant in to
kiss his cheek, but he turned his face slightly and her mouth
brushed his lips instead. He stared at her, but she ignored the
moment he was trying to create. She pulled back.

‘
Ben!’ she called into the lounge. ‘Look what Travis got me
for Christmas!’

Ben didn’t
hear her though and she was left standing uncomfortably on the
doorstep, with an expectant Travis.

‘
He’s got the telly turned up too loud,’ she said, talking
inanely to try and cover the awkward moment. ‘So, come round after
New Year, if you’re free ... and … have a good night tonight. Say
hi to Kerri and Taff for me …’

She felt
Travis trying to make eye-contact, but she wouldn’t look at him
properly. She didn’t want to see the feelings she knew he had for
her.

‘
Yeah. Happy Christmas, Mads.’

She heard
disappointment in his voice. He trudged back to his van and Maddy
felt bad. But she liked him as a friend and that was it. She knew
she could never feel about Travis, the way she felt about … She
stopped herself short. Could she really have feelings for ... it?
For a statue.

She shook away
the thought. She and Ben were going to relax and enjoy their first
Christmas as a family with no outsiders, no social workers or
foster parents. They were wealthy with their own house and their
lives stretched out before them. Anything was possible now. They
could do whatever they wanted. Maybe they could go away on holiday
after Christmas. Maybe that’s what she needed. Time away to get
some perspective. Away from them ... from him.

*

Was it morning yet? Maddy turned over and looked at the red
glowing numbers on her alarm clock. Five forty three. Much too
early to get up. She thought she heard something, a creaking
floorboard.
Father Christmas?
She laughed to herself and pulled the quilt up to
her chin.
Go back to sleep,
Maddy.

*

When she awoke
again, it was past eight o’clock and she was surprised Ben hadn’t
rushed in to wake her yet. He’d been so excited the night before.
He’d tried to be all grown-up and cynical, saying that Christmas
was manufactured and commercial, but he’d been in such a good mood,
like a springy puppy dog, laughing and teasing, he’d barely been
able to sit still.

It filled
Maddy with love and contentment to see him so happy. She felt
excited herself. It was Christmas morning and here she was waking
up in this beautiful room, in their picture-book house with no one
to tell them what to do. She’d go and see if he was awake.

She pulled a
jumper over the top of her pyjamas, slipped her feet into some cosy
Uggs, drew back the curtains and looked outside. No snow, but a
white frost glittered over the ornamental garden in the weak
morning light. It looked beautiful but freezing out there. Maddy
stared for a minute or two, watching a bird perched on the side of
the lake, pecking in vain at the frozen water.

She remembered
Ben and almost skipped to his room, ready to wake him up with a
Merry Christmas, but his covers were pulled back and there was no
sign of him. She hoped he hadn’t had his breakfast yet. She wanted
them to eat together in the lounge and open their presents, like
she remembered doing with their mum.

She had bought
Ben a small trail bike which she knew he would go crazy over. He
had no idea and she couldn’t wait to see his face when he saw it.
She’d wheeled it into the dining room last night after he’d gone to
bed. Morris wouldn’t be too happy to have a motorbike tearing up
the grounds, but hey.

Maddy looked
in the lounge … not there. She walked into the kitchen and stared
in dread. An icy hand curled around her heart, squeezing it
tight.

‘
No!’ She could barely get the word out. ‘Ben!’ she screamed
and ran to the cellar door, which was unlocked and wide open,
throwing out a cold blast into the usually-warm kitchen. She almost
fell down the steps, into the dungeon-like depths. It was dark,
except for few ribbons of pale morning light filtering in through
frosty windows.

Maddy felt
even sicker as she saw the entrance to the hidden room was exposed,
the crates pushed aside. Ben lay there on his side, on the cold
stone floor in his pyjamas. The torch emitted a dying beam on the
ground next to him. She ran across to her baby brother and gathered
his icy body to her. She ripped off her boots and put them on his
bare feet. Then she took off her jumper and, with shaking fingers,
pulled it over his head and arms. His wrist was a mess of blood and
she screamed again.

‘
No! No, no, no!’ Her frantic thoughts were all
self-recrimination -
Why did I leave those
things here? I should’ve destroyed them! Ben! My Ben, my
brother!
‘Please!’ she sobbed and held
him, kissing his cold face. Staring at him, willing something ...
anything. A faint gurgling sound came from his throat. ‘Ben!’ Maddy
stopped crying and her tone became urgent. ‘Ben, wake up. Wake up!
Can you hear me, Ben?’

He moaned.

‘
That’s it. Come on, we have to get you out of here. You have
to come upstairs, into the warm, where it’s safe. Come on, Benny
boy, wake up!’

Ben was small for his age, but so was Maddy. She heaved him
up, over her shoulder and swayed to steady herself. She briefly
glanced at the open crate and saw that
thing
lying there as if butter
wouldn’t melt in its blood-sucking mouth. Its hours were numbered.
She was going to come back down here later and impale it. But right
now, she had to fix her brother.

She made it to
the bottom of the cellar steps before she had to stop. The stone
floor was so cold, like blades going into the bare soles of her
feet. She sat on the bottom step for a few seconds, gathering her
strength, with Ben still draped over her shoulder. Then she heaved
herself up again, her legs buckling with the weight and the
fear.

Maddy climbed
out of the cellar, one slow step at a time, talking to Ben
constantly. Telling him to listen to her voice, telling him about
the motorbike she had got him for Christmas, that he was going to
be fine and that she loved him more than anything in the world.

*

Everything happened to him in pretty much the same way it had
happened to her. The sweats, the hallucinations and delirium.
Madison called Dr Wilson herself, telling him she thought Ben had
got what
she
had
had and could he come and give him whatever he had given her to
make her better.

Dr Wilson took
one look at Ben’s lacerated wrist and glanced up sharply at
Madison. She said they’d been doing some renovation work and he’d
cut himself, like her, that they both came from the same clumsy
gene pool. She knew the doctor didn’t believe any of it. But he
didn’t comment.