54. Winnie

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

WINNIE

“ I guess we didn’t find the murderer, after all,” Komal says forlornly.

The Nevermore Murder Club and Smutty Book Coven crowd around the body. Mina holds Oscar back so he doesn’t accidentally mess up the scene. Maisie bends over and inspects the neck wound.

“We were right. There are fang marks here,” she declares. “They’re hard to see with all of the other wounds. Unlike the other two victims, this man fought back. Look at the mess this bastard made of his neck, and those scratches on his arms.”

“Do any of us recognise him?”

“I think I do.” Komal swallows. “His name is Scott something or other. He came into the tour office today, looking for a map of the hiking trails around the old mill. He said that he was in the village to visit his estranged family.”

“Th-th-the old mill?” Celeste tugs on her torn sleeves. She looks terrified . “Why would he go up there?”

“That’s where you run, isn’t it?” Dora looks at Celeste funny. “You said you just came from the old mill track, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but that’s only because no one else uses it. It’s completely deserted, which is how I prefer my running tracks. I don’t want an audience while I wobble about and fall on my arse.” Celeste rubs the cuts on her arm. “I didn’t see anything strange up there and I would have noticed fresh footprints on the path. There’s no need for us to look around up there. None whatsoever.”

Komal hugs Celeste against her. “It’s okay, doll. We’re all freaked out.”

“I don’t understand.” Maisie shakes her head. “We caught the murderer. He’s currently in Alaric’s basement, being chopped into bits by our vampiric bartender which, who knew? Did he do this before making his way to Black Crag last night?”

“I don’t think so,” Dora says. “I put my bins out in the lane before Komal picked me up and I didn’t see him. Besides, the blood looks fresh.”

“I-I-I don’t understand. Who could have done this?” Beth looks as pale as a vampire right now. “I mean, this is just an innocent guy. He’s not even from around here! He hasn’t hurt anyone!”

“Don’t be so sure,” Celeste mutters into Komal’s shoulder.

“Could this be a copycat, like in Mina’s vampire case?” I ask.

“You read my books?” Mina beams. “What did you think?”

“I think it’s probably not time for smutty book reviews.” Maisie stands. “Baylor said something strange when he was on trial. Do you all remember?”

We all shake our heads.

“I was too busy trying to not wet myself,” Komal says truthfully.

I’d been trying to avoid looking at Alaric, and failing miserably.

“He said, ‘You all wish you had the stomach for what I did, for what this other has done…’ He might have had an accomplice. We need to call the police.”

“Not the police,” Dora says firmly. “If these bodies keep stacking up, they will eventually figure out that real vampires are involved. It’s better to keep this in the community. Call Gideon. He’ll know what to do.”

While Maisie dials, Beth collapses against me, pulling me into a fruity-scented embrace. She fumbles in her pocket and pulls out a couple of pretty purple stones. She drops one into my hand and cups the other against her forehead. “Amethyst, for protection, healing, and purifying. We could all use a little amethyst magic right now.”

“Have you called your mother yet, Winnie?” Dora asks.

“I’ll do that now.” I juggle Beth and the amethyst as I fumble for my phone. Mum’s number goes straight to voicemail. I call Ken, but he’s not answering either. I call Mum again and leave a message for her to call me back. My stomach twists. I hope everything’s okay. I can’t bear it if ? —

The phone buzzes in my hand.

“Mum? Are you okay? What’s happened?”

“Winifred, this is Alaric Valerian.”

“Alaric?” I’m surprised he’s calling me. He’s never got the hang of mobile phones. That’s probably why he sounds absurdly formal. “Are you on your way? We found this guy and it’s horrible and my mother?—”

“I’m not coming.”

The words hit me like a stone in the gut.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m with my mother and Perdita. Reginald is driving us to the airport. I’ll be joining Perdita at her Tuscany villa.”

“But…”

“Perdita has accepted my offer of marriage.”

Nothing he says sounds real. I hear the words but I don’t understand them.

“Alaric, is this a joke, because it’s not a good one?—”

“I am not jesting. I am leaving Black Crag. You must go back to London and live your human life.”

He can’t mean that.

I didn’t realise until that moment that I’d been waiting for him to fight for me. Alaric the warrior, who swore that he would never let anything hurt me again, would come swooping in, sword swinging, lips plump with pretty words, and make it all better.

“Alaric, we can figure this out. I was angry before, and I shouldn’t have said those things. I got a little freaked out about the secret cupboard, and Isis being hurt, but I know we can work this out. I…I love you.”

My heart hollows around the words, making room for him. My skin flushes with warmth. I can’t believe I haven’t realised it until now. I love him. I love Alaric Valerian, grumpy vampire, and we can conquer anything together…

“How you feel is of no concern of mine,” he says tersely, his cruel voice driving a stake into the place I made in my soul for him. “There isn’t a neat system that can fix what’s broken between us.”

My skin goes from burning to clammy and cold. “You don’t mean this.”

“I am showing you who I truly am. I’m the monster, Winifred. I have no pretty words or chivalrous deeds that will change that. You were right – you shouldn’t spend the few days allotted to you hiding away from the world and cleaning up my mess.”

“But, but… why?” My rib cage is tearing open. “I was safe with you. I was finally safe… ”

“The only way you’ll ever be safe is getting far away from me.” His voice cracks. “Goodbye, Winifred.”

He hangs up the phone.

No.

Even though I know better, I still wished .

I’m still that same lost little girl wishing that her mother would wake up and see her.

That her father would walk in the door again.

That her fiancé thought she was as fun as her best friend.

That her monster, her betrothed, her vampire knight would mount his noble steed one final time and ride to her rescue.

And now that final hope is gone .

He’s gone .

I collapse, my body folding in on itself like an accordion being sucked into a black hole. My chest is a raw wound, flayed and bleeding out alongside a murder victim because that’s how cruel my fucking life is.

After everything we’ve been through together, after all I’d done to become part of his world and convince his mother that we should be together, he doesn’t want to fight for me.

“Winnie, we’ve got you,” a kind voice says. My friends wrap their arms around me. “It’s okay to cry. Let it out. We’re here for you.”

Through the fog of tears, I’m dimly aware of my phone ringing again. I fumble for it, but Dora takes it from my hand and answers for me.

I shake my head. “I don’t want to talk to him.”

“It’s not Alaric. It’s someone named Ken.”

A surge of adrenaline hits me, almost knocking me to the ground. I think of all those missed calls. I press the phone to my ear and try to keep the sadness out of my voice. “Hi, Ken, I’m sorry that I?—”

“Winnie, you’d better come home, love.” Ken’s voice cracks. “There’s been a fire.”