Kite
My escort threw me ungracefully into a dingy room at the base of the boat – I was sure it was a cupboard – where Mercy was changing into an overly-large tracksuit.
The door slammed shut and the single bulb above us swung in time with the boat's swaying.
“Great,” I sighed, wiping the blood from my mouth. Why the hell did Selena taste so good? I'd had zero control once she'd gotten close. Even the scent of Mercy's blood paled in comparison. Speaking of which...
I grinned down at her, stalking closer.
“Stay. Away,” she snarled, raising her small manicured hands to fend me off.
“I'm not going to do that, puppy. And I'm definitely not going to be gentle.” I launched at her, pinning her against the wall. She didn't scream which kind of pissed me off, but still, her blood tasted heavenly.
Revenge. Was. Sweet.
The more I drank, the more my heart beat and the more clear my memories became. Soon, I was swamped with them. The rage. The guilt. The loss. Oh Poppy...I'm sorry.
Five Years Ago
There were two black cars in our driveway. Poppy and I were placed in the boot of one. She curled up in my arms, suddenly so small, I felt I was holding the whole of her body against me. It was dark and the car rocked, jostling us from side to side. I didn't have the energy to try and escape. Shock was making me numb, frozen. Poppy kept crying and begging me to soothe her but no words came. All I could do was hold my little sister and pray we'd live another day.
It could have been hours, could have been minutes, but at some point we stopped. The sharp click of a car door; heavy footfalls moving around the vehicle.
Were we about to die?
I'd never thought about death much. I'd always felt immortal. Like the rules of humanity would break - just for me. How stupid that seemed now.
The boot popped and a whoosh sounded as it lifted automatically. Above us was one of the two men who'd abducted us. I didn't know which. They all looked the same. Dressed in black, only eye holes in their balaclavas to see us with.
“Out!” he barked and Poppy wailed, clutching me tighter.
I clung to her, glaring up at the faceless man. His hands surrounded her and I held on to her with all my might. But he was too strong, dragging her away kicking and screaming. His hand came over her mouth and silence fell. I finally found my voice, for her sake.
“Let her go!” I roared as another man appeared. I launched myself at him, suddenly fearless, fuelled by adrenaline. I clawed at his mask and he pushed me back, but the material came with me and I was suddenly staring into the face of my attacker. I committed him to memory at once. Bearded, tall, young, dark eyes, golden brown like barley.
I see you.
“Christ.” He snatched the mask from me, spinning to face the man who had hold of Poppy. I couldn't run, not while they had her.
I took in my surroundings, the red lights on the back of the car illuminating the woodland in an eerie glow. We could have been anywhere.
I threw my head back and screamed for help. The unmasked man collided with me, his hand slamming down over my mouth.
“Shit, what now?” he barked at the other guy.
“You know what now,” he snarled, taking a large knife from his belt.
I fought, as hard and ferociously as a skinny thirteen year old girl could possibly fight. But the man holding me was too strong, taking mere moments to restrain me fully.
Shamefully, tears came. I wanted to be strong for Poppy. But watching her die wasn't something I was able to be strong for.
“N-no,” I sobbed into the man's glove.
“They're just kids,” my captive snapped at the other.
“They're loose ends, Cade.”
“Don't use my name!” Cade barked. His glove against my mouth smelt like moss and earth, the last scent I might ever experience.
“What does it matter? They'll be dead in a minute.” The other one took hold of Poppy's dark locks, bringing the blade up to her throat.
In seconds, I was on the floor, having been thrown forward by Cade. He had a gun, pointing it in his colleague's face. “Let her go,” he growled.
“Are you shitting me, Cade?” The knife came dangerously close to Poppy's throat once more. I crawled toward her, gripping her leg, trying to tug her away. A sharp boot to my side sent me sprawling.
A shot was fired.
I screamed, throwing my hands to my ears, unable to face what had just happened. Two bodies lay beside me, one was Poppy's, the other her captive's.
I rocked back and forth, choking down air, praying to god she wasn't dead.
Fingers curled around mine and I glanced up, finding Poppy's deep, dark eyes gazing into mine. “I'm alright,” she breathed and my whole body deflated in relief. I clung to her, looking up through watery eyes at Cade. He was running a hand through his unruly hair over and over, pacing up and down, the smoking gun still in his grip.
His phone was buzzing in his pocket. He snatched it out, taking a deep breath before pressing his finger to his lips, warning me and Poppy to stay quiet.
“Boss, we have a problem,” he answered, impressively calm after what he'd just done. After a beat he continued, “The kids got away. Snatched the gun off of Pike and fled into the trees. I tried to follow but...well, the cold will get them out here anyways. Not a town for miles.” He ran a hand through his hair again, his hay-field eyes continually sweeping over us.
He'd saved us. Incredibly, miraculously, he'd actually saved us.
“I know, I know,” he said through gritted teeth, evidently getting a reprimanding. “It weren't my fault. That half-wit, Pike, practically handed them the gun, got himself shot-” he cut off, nodding, running his hand down the back of his neck. “Yeah...got it. I'll head back to HQ. Gimme an hour.”
He pocketed his phone, gazing down at us, his breath lighting up in a red fog. “I ain't askin' you to trust me, kids. No – shit - scrap that. You're gonna have to pissin' trust me.”
He pointed to the car and I made the decision to follow his order. We'd be dead if it weren't for him. Like Dad...Mum. My heart weighed a thousand tonnes as I rose to my feet, pulling Poppy after me.
“No, Kitty, we can't.”
“It's alright, Puppy,” I said softly, laying an arm around her shoulders. “He's not going to hurt us.” I looked to Cade, summoning my strength. “Are you?”
He raised his palms in innocence then looked to his dead comrade on the floor. Stepping sideways, he concealed the body from sight just as Poppy looked up.
“In the car,” I encouraged, opening the back door for her. She slid in and I followed, not looking back. Mist swirled ahead of us, the headlights brightening the haze between the trees.
Cade didn't join us and I swivelled in the leather seat to try and catch a glimpse of him manoeuvring the body of Pike further into the trees.
“Kite, the keys,” Poppy hissed, pointing into the front of the car.
I shifted forward, leaning past the driver's seat, spotting the keys in the ignition. I didn't have the slightest clue of how to drive, but I was definitely going to try.
Quiet as I could, I climbed through to the front seat. I dropped into it, bracing myself on the wheel. Without another thought, I slammed my foot to the pedals, revving the engine loudly.
Poppy screeched and I took hold of the stick, trying to force it into the right slot.
“No no no.” My heart rate shot upwards.
The door ripped open and Cade's hands were on me, pushing me forcefully into the passenger seat. He dropped into the driver's seat, panting as if he'd just done something extra strenuous out in the woods and slammed the car door.
“Next time you wanna steal a car, kid. Try puttin' it in gear.”
◐ ☼ ◐
I yanked my teeth free of Mercy's neck, not wanting to think about my past any longer. I didn't want to go there. Didn't want to think of Poppy's big eyes and little round features. I fell to the floor, dragging my legs up to my chest, wiping the blood from my mouth.
I wish you were here, puppy.
Mercy was still in place against the wall, looking partly like I'd slapped her and partly like she'd just won the lottery. Freak.
She sank to the floor, her eyes pinned on me. “Varick always felt better after he'd drank,” she said quietly. “That's why we keep you starved. You'll do awful things without question when you have no emotions...”
I nodded, rubbing my head which was pounding with blood. Everything was too bright, too vivid. I didn't want the memories back. The thirst was welcome to them.
“But I always liked when he'd drank...just afterwards he had this look about him.” She was gazing at me, exploring my features. “Like you do now. Like you've just woken up.”
I scowled, shifting so my back was to her.
After a beat, Mercy muttered, “Did you see the way Varick looked at me? Like he despised me. Like the only reason he didn't kill me was because of her.”
“That was the only reason,” I snipped.
“Maybe,” she said quietly. “Maybe not.”
I glanced over my shoulder, frowning. “What do you care? You kept him prisoner, of course he despises you.”
She fell quiet and the sloshing of water against the hull was the only noise between us. But if I strained my ears, I could hear the others talking, seeming merry, free. Dammit, why hadn't I been able to control my hunger? I could be wandering around up there enjoying life, not still trapped within inches of Mercy.
“Do you hate me?” Her voice made me flinch with annoyance. Would she ever shut up?
“Of course I hate you,” I snapped, shaking my head. Idiot. Girl like her would have lasted all of five seconds in prison with me.
“Oh,” she breathed as if this was news to her.
“Yeah oh. You do realise the whole Vampire population would like to have your head served to them with a straw in it?” I glanced around to catch her reaction, sniggering at her wrinkled nose.
“What did I ever do to you?” she asked innocently.
I snorted my disbelief. “Er- one: you kept me as your little slave, two: your father used me as a punching bag, and three: you made me watch another V Games after making me compete in it as if I wouldn't give a damn!”
“Well I-” Mercy looked stumped, brushing wet strands of hair behind her ears. Much to my satisfaction, her mascara had leaked all down her face. “Those things weren't my doing.”
“Wow...” I shook my head, gazing at her in disbelief. Was she really that dumb?
“What?” she demanded, looking indignant.
“You're really going to shirk all responsibility? After what your family did? After what you've been a part of since you were a kid?”
“I never-I didn't-” She started shaking her head, lost for words.
“Right,” I said vaguely, turning away again.
“I was made to do those things,” she insisted.
I tutted in answer.
At last, she fell silent and I drank in the peace. It kind of sickened me how innocent Mercy really believed she was. How long had she spent convincing herself she wasn't a part of her family's circus? Maybe she'd been so wrapped up in buying dresses and painting makeup on her face that she'd stopped noticing how many people were dying under her nose.
“I'm sorry,” Mercy whispered, so quiet I was sure I wouldn't have heard it if I hadn't been a V. But those words deserved my full attention. I swivelled around, bemused. “You're sorry? Wow, Blondie... well I absolve you of all your sins.”
“Don't mock me,” she said in what she must have thought was a threatening tone.
I held up my hands, faking innocence. “No, I mean, shit if you're sorry for what you did then that's alright, isn't it? No need to hold a grudge over the girl who made my life and afterlife hell.”
She growled like a tiger, springing to her feet, looking like she wanted to smack me.
She swung her palm in my direction and I grabbed her wrist in a bruising hold, slowly rising to my feet. “That's the problem with you Helsings, you think you're so above everyone else that you don't even make excuses for the way you act, don't have to apologise or own up to anything you do.” I twisted her arm and she let out a yelp, trying to bat me off.
I shifted closer to her, expecting to smell lavender but all I sensed was sea salt and the vague smell of gunpowder. “You want me to accept your apology? You want Varick to?” I raised a single brow and her cheeks touched with colour at his name, confirming what I'd already guessed. The girl was in to him. Which probably made her the most useless Hunter in the history of Hunters.
“Then start making up for what you did. Every word, every act, every thing you do from this day forward should be in payment for the massive debt your family owes.”
She nodded, screwing up her eyes in pain as she tried to prise my fingers from her skin. I released her and she clutched her wrist to her chest, red and purple bruises already blossoming across it.
“Good.” I smiled one of my don't-screw-with-me, prison smiles. I knew how to drive a message home to a girl. She was no different. I was back on top. And damn, did it feel good.