Thicker Than Blood

  ‘But now you’ve found this exit, surely you can leave?’

  ‘Look, Maddy. Don’t start lecturing me again, please.’

  ‘Sorry. I’m so sorry. I should be thanking you, not having a go. I just want you to be happy.’

  Zoe touched her arm and smiled. ‘Thank you, honey.’

  ‘No, thank you.’

  ‘Sun’s coming up. I gotta go. Here …’ She handed Maddy the rucksack she’d been carrying. ‘Food, cash and other useful stuff. Keep heading east, towards the rising sun. That should lead you to civilisation and away from the underground city. Go as fast as you can. They can’t follow until nightfall, but they might send others. Scratch that – they will send others.’

  ‘Won’t you … be in danger? Now you’ve helped me?’

  ‘I’ll make something up.’

  ‘Please be careful, Zoe. You should leave too. Escape with me. We can help each other. And then, when we’re safe from them, I can help you get back to your family. Me and Alex and the others …’

  ‘I’ve got to go. It’s almost dawn …’ Zoe looked scared. The sun’s blush was spreading across the horizon.

  ‘Did you say to go east?’ Maddy asked, panicking for a moment.

  ‘East. You’ll be fine.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Maddy said. But Zoe was gone, just her white hand pulling the boulder back across the entrance with a scrape and clang.

  Maddy stared into the deep red glow of the eastern sky. It was barren and cold out here. She hoped the sun would be up soon to give a little warmth. She’d better get moving.

  Chapter Twenty Five

  Cappadocia, 575 AD

  *

  As they walked towards the cave entrance, Aelia realised she was clutching her bag so tightly her hands hurt. She relaxed her grip a little and tried to breathe normally. The man, Mislav, smelt of vanilla and moonlight – a warm fresh scent that made her a little woozy. She shook herself lightly. She was just tired from the journey, that was all.

  Five natural columns of pale stone rose up before them – three at the cave entrance and two on its roof, like sentries on duty. They were way over head height, cone-shaped, with pointed tips. Aelia had seen the cave several times in her life. As children, she and her friends had dared each other to enter, but none had been brave enough. They had always ended up squealing and running away. The cave was said to be the home of a wicked god who had been banished to live underground for all eternity. The pillars were supposedly the god’s chimneys. Now they were someone else’s chimneys – but human or demon? That was the question.

  ‘Do you have family below? Friends?’ Mislav asked.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Where are you from?’

  ‘Here. Selmea.’ She wished he would stop asking questions. She didn’t want to tell him about her expulsion from the village and she couldn’t think straight. She just wanted to concentrate on the task ahead.

  ‘Is it … safe down there?’

  ‘Safe?’ he replied. ‘Safe from the invaders you mean? Of course. No one would ever guess a single person was below the ground, let alone a whole city.’

  That’s not what Aelia meant, but she couldn’t very well ask him if there were demons underground. ‘Is it really the size of a city?’

  ‘Yes. It’s enormous. Larger than you can imagine. But you’ll see for yourself in just a short while.’

  They reached the pillars and Aelia reached out a hand to touch one of them, its chalky surface rough against her palm. Mislav gestured for her to go in.

  ‘Wait,’ she said, a feeling of panic sweeping through her body. Aelia turned and looked out at the night sky, at the stars and the moon and the dark shapes of the trees and rocks. She breathed in deeply through her nose, a final breath of freedom that might have to last her forever. ‘Alright,’ she said. ‘I’m ready.’

  Mislav gave a nod and she entered the cave. It was wide and low and cool. No one stood guard. He took a torch from a bracket on the wall and walked to the back of the cave. Aelia followed him as he slipped through a small crevice, again it was unguarded. The silence was eerie. If a city’s worth of people lived here, she certainly couldn’t hear them. The torchlight flickered across the narrow passageway walls and her breaths echoed like a thousand whispers. She patted the place below her ribcage where she had tied the box in place against her skin, relieved to feel its shape beneath her fingers.

  After a few moments, the passageway ended and Aelia stepped out into a huge cavern. The flaming torch was the only light, so it was hard to see the scale of the place. Aelia shivered. It was chilly in here after the warmth of the summer night outside.

  ‘We’re nearly there,’ he said.

  ‘I hope my family is safe,’ she replied.

  Mislav smiled. ‘Come.’

  She followed him across the cavern. As they approached the far side, Aelia saw three sets of stone steps leading up into the wall. But there were no doorways – just a blank rock face. Mislav ascended the set of steps on the left and, as he did so, there was a rumbling sound and the wall seemed to slide open before him. Was it some kind of magic? She hesitated behind him. He walked through and waited for her to follow.

  Aelia stepped through the entrance. They were in another narrow passageway. A man stood to her left, middle-aged and thickset. She caught his eye and he immediately looked down at his feet. He looked scared, terrified. Aelia looked up at Mislav, but his back was towards her. He was continuing on down the passageway. As she looked back at the middle-aged man, she saw he was turning some kind of rod attached to a huge rock-wheel which rolled back over the entranceway. She hurried after Mislav who did not appear to be waiting for her.

  It was strange to think she was finally here after all those months of thinking about it. Mislav didn’t seem scared or worried about demons. Perhaps the widow had been wrong after all. Aelia hoped so with all her heart and soul. It would be wonderful to be reunited with her family and not to have to worry about plagues and demons. She would be a model daughter and marry whoever her parents chose for her. She would be helpful and kind and would suffer the cruel comments of the other villagers with good grace. She would avoid Lysus and forget any thoughts of revenge. It would be a clean slate, a new start. She only wished Widow Maleina had not been so set on her idea that would now end with her death. The poor widow - to suffer alone after she had helped so many in their hour of need. What had she said about the blood plague? That its symptoms were brutal. Aelia prayed for a merciful end for her.

  ‘Do you have need of food?’ Mislav’s voice floated back down the passageway.

  Aelia hadn’t eaten since she’d stopped at the stream with her horse. She hadn’t even thought about food, but now he mentioned it, she realised she was starving and more than a little light-headed.

  ‘I am a bit hungry. If you could spare some bread …’

  ‘I think we can do better than that,’ he replied.

  He had stopped up ahead, waiting for her to catch up. As she approached, he continued walking, a fast smooth pace that she struggled to keep up with. The passageway forked left and then right. They came to a crossroads and he went straight on. Aelia looked down the passageways to her left and right, but all she saw was unending darkness. She shuddered. How would she ever find her way out of here if she needed to? As they continued, she tried to concentrate on the route, but it all jumbled in her mind. It was hopeless and she gave up. Everything was so quiet. Where was everyone? They descended a staircase, narrow and winding. The steps were narrow and uneven and Aelia had to put her hands against the walls to steady herself.

  When they reached the bottom, the faint sound of music reached her ears. Her heart quickened in anticipation – people! They walked along more dark corridors until Aelia felt dizzy with walking. She worried she might faint. The music was getting louder and she heard laughter and chatter. Happy sounds. She couldn’t wait to fall into her parents’ arms. She thought she might cry.

  Suddenly, the passage opened out
into a huge hall. Mislav stopped and put his arm around her shoulders. She gaped in astonishment. The hall was strung about with lanterns and draped with rich tapestries. Enormous carpets woven with golden threads adorned the floor. The tables were covered with platters piled high with fruits and sweetbreads, meat, fish and vegetables. The aromas were mouth-watering. In one corner, musicians played and in another, dancers swayed to the hypnotic tune. And the people … there were so many people, all dressed in sumptuous clothing and happier than she’d ever seen anyone in her life. They were all smiling and laughing. Even though it was late, children also sat and ate, or else played with abandon, chasing each other around the tables and nobody minded or chided them for their boisterousness.

  ‘So how do you like our underground city?’ Mislav’s voice sounded low and clear in her ears, despite the raucous chatter.

  ‘It’s beautiful. So … unexpected. May I eat something?’ she asked.

  He laughed and directed her to a table. ‘Sit, eat.’

  She needed no further prompting and positioned herself at the end of a long trestle table. In front of her sat a gleaming dish piled high with spiced meat and figs. She took a piece of the succulent flesh and closed her eyes as she chewed. Roasted goat. Delicious. Mislav poured her a cup of sparkling wine. She took it from his outstretched hand and gulped at the liquid which fizzed on her tongue.

  ‘I need to find my family,’ she said with her mouth full.

  ‘Food first, family later,’ he replied.

  She didn’t protest. Mislav took an empty platter and walked the length of the trestle, heaping it with delicacies before setting it down in front of Aelia. She smiled up at him and nodded her thanks. He sat next to her and watched as she ate, the amused expression back on his face.

  No one else paid any attention to her. They were too busy enjoying themselves, celebrating. It must be the relief of finally completing the city. After years of hard work, they were finally able to relax. Aelia took another sip of wine. She felt tired but relieved and strangely euphoric. The food and drink had satisfied her body. Now she had to find her family. She stood and as she did so she realised the room had quietened down considerably. The music still played, but the chatter and the laughter had stopped. Mislav got to his feet and she looked up at him. He smiled at her, but this time his smile was different. It was sharp and terrifying.

  Aelia dropped her cup and stumbled backwards against her chair. Mislav gripped her shoulder to stop her falling, bent towards her and pierced the soft flesh of her throat with his teeth. In the instant before she swooned, Aelia realised the widow had been right all along. And Aelia hadn’t acted quickly enough. It was too late. Too late.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Present Day

  *

  The call went straight through to Alexandre’s voicemail.

  ‘Alex, it’s Ben. Can you call me back? I’ve got something I need to talk to you about. I hope things are going well. Okay, so call me when you get a chance. Thanks.’

  Ben ended the call. Angry rain streamed down his windows and he closed the curtains against the unfriendly night. He had eventually returned home and avoided talking to Esther by running straight upstairs to his room and shutting the door. He wished she’d leave the house, but she was staying here while the others were away. He could hear her clattering around downstairs and he felt simultaneously annoyed with her, scared of her and sorry for her.

  Ben hoped Alex would hurry up and return his call. Maybe he should try Freddie. He called the number, but again it went to voicemail. He didn’t bother to leave a message. Ben stood and looked out of the window into the darkness outside. He didn’t know what to do. His mind buzzed with unwelcome thoughts and he needed to share them with someone. Maybe Jacques would pick up … he called the number. No luck. Perhaps they were in the middle of a rescue … saving Maddy.

  Isobel’s phone just rang and rang. There probably wasn’t any point even trying Leonora, but he had nothing to lose.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘Leonora, is that you?’

  ‘Hello, Ben. How are you?’

  ‘Alright. Is Freddie around?’

  ‘No, he and the others have gone hunting.’

  ‘Is there any news? Is Alex out too?’

  ‘Yes, Alex is out and I’m afraid there’s no news yet. We’re going to wait until tomorrow night to go to the underground city and then I’m sure it will all be sorted out.’

  ‘I hope so. Freddie said you’d had a run-in with some of the vampires.’

  ‘Did he. Well there was no need for him to worry you like that. It wasn’t a run-in as such, it was more … a conversation.’

  ‘Well, take care.’

  ‘We will, Ben. You too.’

  Ben had been about to hang up, but at the last second he changed his mind and decided to tell Leonora what he’d discovered. She wasn’t his first choice of confidante, but they all needed to know about the possible threat to their safety.

  ‘Leonora …’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘I think there might be a problem.’ He paused.

  She waited for him to continue.

  ‘I think there might be a problem with Morris.’ Then Ben proceeded to tell Leonora what he knew.

  ‘And you are sure of this?’ she asked.

  ‘No. I’m not sure of anything,’ Ben replied, the phone hot against his ear.

  ‘But Morris? It hardly seems likely …’

  ‘I’m only telling you what I know. It might all be just a big load of coincidences. I hope it is. I thought I could trust Morris. He’s always been …’

  ‘This is most unsettling,’ Leonora said.

  ‘Well, I thought I’d better tell you. Just in case. I mean … he’s there with you. Maybe you need to … I dunno … keep an eye on him. See if he does anything suspicious or weird.’

  ‘Yes. Yes, you’re right of course. Thank you for letting me know. And well done. That was very resourceful.’

  ‘Thanks.’ He blushed, glad she couldn’t see him.

  ‘You know, Ben, we are doing everything we can to get her back. You must believe that.’

  ‘I know you are. Thanks, Leonora.’

  ‘Take care, Ben. We’ll see you soon.’

  ‘Bye.’

  *

  Maddy began to walk. She could have jogged, but she didn’t think she’d be able to keep that up for long. Thank goodness there were gloves in her coat pocket – Zoe must have put them in there. She had no hat, but the hood to her parka was fleecy and warm protecting her ears from the gusting wind. It really was freezing out here. Now that the sun was rising, hopefully it might throw a little warmth her way. This place looked like the middle of nowhere. Nothing but rocks and stones in freaky shapes. And the sky was massive; a great billowing grey blanket pushing down like it might smother her at any moment.

  Heading due east meant walking towards a distant towering wall of cliffs. Did that mean she’d have to climb over the top? She’d try not to think about it until she got there. Hopefully help would show up long before that. Here at least the terrain was pretty flat except for a few rocky outcrops and stunted trees. As much as she was scared and cold, Maddy found she liked the noise of her boots crunching on the textured earth, the uneven ground pebbly with large patches of frost. This was the sound of her escape.

  She’d checked the rucksack before setting off. In it was bread, cheese, fruit, raisins, a bottle of water, a box of matches and some unfamiliar bank notes – the local currency she guessed. Hopefully, she’d soon find somewhere to spend it. A nice warm hotel room and a phone call home would be her favourite option right now. There had been no mobile phone in the bag. That would’ve been too much to hope for, but Zoe probably hadn’t been able to get hold of one.

  When Maddy had unzipped the front pocket of the rucksack, she had found a knife. A proper glinting sharp knife you could do damage with. It had a serrated edge and measured about the length of her foot. Knowing she possessed such a thing h
ad scared her and comforted her at the same time. She had run her finger along the cold flat metal and then quickly zipped it back up into its pocket. Maddy hoped she wouldn’t have to take it out again.

  Casting glances over her shoulder, she squinted into the distance to see if she was being followed. No sign yet, but they could come at any moment. She knew she shouldn’t waste time stopping to check behind her, but she just couldn’t help it. Occasionally, she broke into a little jog, but it was too tiring to keep it up and each time she did she had to stop to recover her breath. If only it wasn’t so cold. Each breath felt like ice stabbing at her lungs. Maybe she should have some food. She didn’t like to stop, but eating something might give her more energy. Up ahead she spied a smooth-ish rock she could sit on.

  It was properly light now and the top half of the sun was peeking above the cliffs, diamond bright but barely warm enough to feel. Maddy sat on the rock, closed her eyes and tilted her face up towards it, willing some heat to thaw her body out a little. After a moment, she gave up and unzipped the rucksack. She reached in, tore off a piece of bread, stuffed it in her mouth and began chewing. Her stomach gurgled in appreciation. She followed that with a few bites of deliciously salty cheese and a couple of swigs of water. It would be so tempting to gather up some dead wood and light a fire to warm up by, but there was no time and anyway the smoke would give her away to anyone chasing her. She’d have to be content with this chilly breakfast.

  No time to hang about, she needed to get moving. Shoving a handful of raisins into her mouth, she stood, swung the rucksack onto her back and began walking again. It felt good to put her gloves back on and the food had definitely warmed her up a bit. To her right, the wintry sun glowed. Without it, she didn’t think she would be able to bear the cold. The cliffs up ahead still looked as far away as they had when she’d first started walking. Maddy bent her head into the wind and pushed on.

  Hopefully, they wouldn’t come for her until at least nightfall. With any luck she might have the whole day to get as far away as possible. Maybe they wouldn’t have any humans to send after her during daylight hours. Anyway, Zoe would put them off long enough for her to reach safety. That girl was a legend.