Hidden (Marchwood Vampire Series #1) (48 page)

‘
Madison, if it were your
brother, what would you have done?’ he asked, willing her to
understand.

‘
I know what
I
wouldn’t
have done. I wouldn’t have told a nosy old git my
business.’

‘
You are being
obtuse.’

‘
Dunno what that means,
but please don’t call me it again. All I’m doing is worrying about
you. If that’s a crime then shoot me.’

‘
I appreciate your worry
and your concern, but it is unnecessary. You did not meet this man.
His great grandfather is a vampire, which makes him sympathetic to
us. Do you not see? This is my opportunity to try to revive them. I
have to at least try. This is the safest option. The only
option.’

‘
Alex, I
dunno what it was like when you were human, but nowadays, you can’t
trust people. There are so many nutters and con merchants around,
real scum, you know? People doing stuff you wouldn’t believe if you
read about it. This bloke could be anyone. Even if he is who he
says he is and he owns Hamilton Blythe, still doesn’t mean
he’s
straight up. Those rich blokes, they’re the biggest
arseholes of the lot.’

‘
Madison, stop. I know
what you are saying and I love you for it, but I am doing
this.’

‘
Fine.’

*

Madison had
gone to bed in the worst mood. She couldn’t believe Alexandre had
trusted a stranger with his secrets. She had dozed on and off,
feeling exhausted and slightly delirious from so many broken nights
sleep. She now sat up in bed - knees bent, pillows propped up
behind her - looking across at the open French windows and the
stone balcony. She would have to close the shutters soon before the
morning sun cast its rays into the room.

She saw the
outline of the trees and thin wisps of pale clouds against a black
sky. Thank goodness Ben didn’t know about all this. He was happy in
summer-holiday mode, unaware of any drama or tension. That was the
benefit of living at different ends of the day.

And what about
her and Alex? Only days ago, they’d been so close and now they were
at completely opposite ends of the spectrum. Why couldn’t he see
how dangerous this was? For all of them. She wondered if
Vasey-Smith was involved. She had half a mind to call him, but what
would she even say?

And then she
suddenly realised something that outraged her – Hamilton Blythe had
known about the vampires in the house but they’d still allowed a
sixteen-year-old girl and a twelve-year-old boy to move in here by
themselves! Didn’t that say something about the type of people they
were? I mean, who in their right mind would let that happen? It
made no difference that the vampires were unconscious; it was just
an outrageous thing to do.

Madison was
also troubled by something else. She didn’t like to admit it, but
as well as being concerned for Alexandre’s safety, she was also
scared at the prospect of meeting his family and friends - her
ancestors. She was terrified in fact. What if they woke up and
didn’t like her? What if they didn’t get along and they wanted to
leave and take Alexandre with them? Or if they kicked her and Ben
out? Everything would change and she could very well lose him.

She didn’t know what she’d do if he left her. She wouldn’t be
able to carry on with her life. It would have no meaning. Any which
way she looked at things, it could all turn to shit. Yes, she was
scared of a lot of things, but losing Alexandre was the worst. She
tried to rationalise it all in her mind but there was so much going
on in there, she thought her brain might melt.
Well, that would solve everything
.
Then at least I wouldn’t have to
think about anything anymore.

Would her life
ever follow a steady pattern? She had been allowed a glimpse of
heaven for a few precious days. She and Alex were in love, were
still in love, but their bliss had been stolen by bloody Winston
effing Blythe. She kicked at her covers like a child and folded her
arms.

Please God let
her be wrong about everything. Let Blythe be the kindest, nicest
man on earth. Let him restore Alexandre’s family to him and revive
her relatives. Let the other vampires be as wonderful as Alexandre
and then they could all live happily ever after. But Madison no
longer believed in fairytales. She only believed in promises
broken, dreams shattered and shit hitting fans. She could see her
life disintegrating like a wet tissue. Please let her be wrong. She
slid down under the covers, closed her eyes and tried again to
sleep.

*

He would allow
her to calm down. He would leave her to sleep tonight and maybe
tomorrow she would see he was following the only course of action
he could. He needed her to be on his side, to understand why he had
trusted this stranger.

Sitting outside on a cane chair with his feet up on a low
glass-topped table, Alexandre was on the back terrace below
Madison’s bedroom. He looked up at her balcony and smiled as he
thought of Romeo and Juliet. The smile left his lips as he
remembered how
that
tale had ended.

Alexandre
remained there for the rest of the night, letting his mind drift
over everything without really touching upon the details. He had
already made up his mind and so there was no point in thinking too
deeply. And now sunrise was almost here and the darkness would
scatter. He looked out across the ornamental garden to the woods
beyond, where a faint glow could be anticipated.

He always felt
melancholy as night ended and dawn approached, like he was clinging
desperately onto the remnants of something he didn’t even want.

Chapter
Twenty Eight

*

The following
morning, Alexandre inched opened Madison’s door. Good, the shutters
were closed and all lay in darkness. He climbed into bed without a
noise and stared at her; his fiery modern girl. He loved her spirit
even though it sometimes exasperated him. At least he knew exactly
what she thought. She did not play silly games or make him guess at
what she wanted from him. She told him in a straightforward manner.
She was his equal. And yet here, asleep, she looked so sweet and
mild-mannered, so ...

‘
Are you staring at me again while I’m asleep, Alex?’ she
asked, her eyes still closed.

‘
And if I am?’

She opened her
eyes and smiled sleepily.

‘
I apologise,’ he said. ‘I did not mean to wake you. You must
be tired.’

‘
I’m okay. Still a bit mad at you though.’ She launched
straight into what was on her mind. ‘You do realise that Blythe
geezer let me and Ben move in here, knowing you vampires were down
in the cellar.’ She propped herself up on one elbow.

‘
But we were hidden away and unconscious.’

‘
Yeah, but so what? You’re still vampires. He didn’t know you
weren’t like those other ones.’

‘
Madison, I thought that was all in the past. Are you not glad
we found each other? Do you wish I were not here?’

‘
Of course not! I love you, Alex. All I’m saying is he’s the
type of bloke who doesn’t care about me or Ben or you. He just
thinks about what
he
wants and you better hope it don’t clash with what
you
want.’

‘
I see you are still as much against this idea as you were
last night.’

‘
What? Did you think I’d sleep on it and come round to your
way of thinking in the morning? Sorry to disappoint.’

‘
Oh, I cannot talk to you. This is impossible.’ He stood up
and strode towards the door.

‘
So you’re leaving now are you?’ She sat up. ‘Just because you
don’t want to hear what I’ve got to say.’

He turned to
look at her and Madison thought for the millionth time how his face
could make her weak with wanting. Why on earth was she fighting
with him?

‘
It is not your decision, Madison. It is mine and it was not
an easy one to make. I just want your support.’

‘
You have got my support. You’ll always have my support. It’s
because I support you that I don’t want you to make the biggest
mistake of your life. If I didn’t care, I’d just say, ‘do what you
want’.’ She took a breath and continued speaking, trying to calm
down. ‘What is it you’re actually going to do next anyway? What
does Blythe want you to do?’

Alexandre
turned back from the door and came and sat on the end of the bed.
He put his fingers to the bridge of his nose and closed his
eyes.

‘
I do not yet know. I told him how I was accidentally revived
and he said he would take this information back with him. They will
consider the best way to proceed and contact me when they have a
safe way to awaken the others.’

‘
So we’re just waiting then?’ She suddenly wanted to end their
disagreement.

‘
Yes, just waiting.’

‘
So,’ she smiled and tilted her head to one side. What on
earth could we do while we’re waiting?’

He looked at
her, puzzled.

‘
I mean,’ she continued. ‘We could just sit here twiddling our
thumbs or ...’

Alexandre
smiled. He stood up and came round to where she sat up in bed. He
slipped down the strap to her vest top and kissed her bare
shoulder. Then he lifted her onto his lap while she wrapped herself
around him. They smiled a truce and kissed, and for a short while
they forgot about everything else.

Later that
morning Alexandre received a telephone call from Winston
Blythe.

‘
We have decided how it shall be done,’ Blythe said to
Alexandre without preamble.

‘
Go on.’

‘
We can revive your family with ultraviolet light. We can
control the exact quantities they are exposed to and can instantly
switch it off if it appears to be harming them in any
way.’

‘
Ultraviolet?’ Alexandre had never heard of it.

‘
In your time you may have known it as
Chemical Rays
emitted by the sun.
Nowadays we are able to recreate them using a black light otherwise
known as a UV light or ultraviolet.’

‘
So this will have the same effect as daylight?’

‘
Yes.’

‘
And when can we do this?’

‘
Whenever you are ready.’

‘
I am ready. I miss my family. I want them back.’

‘
Perfect. You and the others must come to our laboratories in
London. We can arrange safe transportation for you.’

‘
Yes. Good. Tonight.’

There was a
short pause on the other end of the line before Blythe spoke again.
‘Very well. I will send someone to collect you just after
sundown.’

‘
Good. Mr Blythe, I am trusting you with their lives and they
are more precious to me than all the treasure in the world. Please
only do this if you are confident of a successful
outcome.’

‘
Do not worry, Alexandre. I am more than
confident.’

Alexandre put
the receiver back in its cradle and walked into the lounge where
Madison sat in a deep armchair looking worried. Her face told him
she had heard at least part, if not all of his conversation. She
felt sick when he confirmed it was going to happen that night.

‘
I’m coming with you.’

‘
You most certainly are not.’

‘
I am. I’ll be going out of my head if I have to wait
here.’

‘
I do not think Winston Blythe will be ...’

‘
Stuff Winston Blythe. I have to come.’

‘
If you come, I shall be too worried about you. I will not be
able to properly concentrate on what is happening.’

‘
Why would you have to worry about me? I thought you said it
would be safe, that you could trust him.’

‘
I do trust him, but if anything goes wrong I need to be fully
focused so I can act quickly if necessary.’

‘
Exactly! And I can help you. I could ...’

‘
Madison, no. I am sorry, but no.’

‘
Alex …’

‘
No.’

‘
Fine.’ She hugged her knees to her chest and stared into the
middle distance. She angrily wiped a tear from her cheek and tried
to stop thinking of all the things that could go wrong.

‘
Please, do not cry.’ Alexandre knelt in front of her and
brushed away a second tear that had dripped onto her other cheek.
‘This time tomorrow I will be home and you can meet Isobel,
Jacques, Leonora and Freddie. It will be wonderful, Madison.
Please, just try not to worry.’

‘
How many times do I have to listen to you say that to
me?’

‘
This will be the last. After this, our families will be
reunited. We will be together and there will be no need to involve
anyone from outside. We will be able to relax and to enjoy each
other’s company.’

‘
Well I’m not happy about it.’

At this last
statement, Alexandre gave her a look designed to make her laugh,
but she wouldn’t be drawn.

‘
It’s not funny, Alex. I’m not laughing.’

‘
I know it is not funny, Madison, but I am just trying to make
you feel better.