Blood Rebel [COMPLETED]

Chapter Forty Four - A Showman's Trick

"You have been accused of failing to comply with your duties as owner, and failing to initiate one of your girls. The list of your crimes goes on, Hector. And these are crimes against the state, for which the only punishment is final death."

Selene's blood gushed in her ears, roaring so loudly that it almost deadened the sound of the speaker's voice. Marianne. She had stepped from one of the helicopters only a moment before and now stood beside Jackie and Diana.

"She must have had Jackie on the list all along," whispered Virgil.

Selene barely acknowledged him, irritated that he was diverting her attention from the scene before her. One of the spotlights from the helicopters pointed down, and Hector and Professor Andrews knelt in the pool of light.

"You know, the nomination list, for turning."

Selene ignored him. She wasn't interested in Jackie right now; apart from being shocked that Jackie was alive in any form whatsoever, it somehow seemed inevitable that she should have ended up like this, joining the ranks of the undead.

"Shhh," she hissed, when she heard the saliva in his mouth crack as though he were about to speak again.

"I really do wish," Marianne paused to bend down and rip the blindfold from Hector's eyes, "that you had not reduced me to this Hector. You were always my favourite. I have never yet had to destroy my own progeny. But this girl here -" she pointed at Jackie - "has given evidence to confirm your guilt. There are also several of the dancers from Stanley Hall who will confirm that Selene confessed she was never initiated. And there are the guards who were working for you and the Professor, who have confessed to aiding the two of you in the murder of hundreds of Vampires and the preservation of a youth who killed a Bleeder."

Selene watched as Professor Andrews' blindfolded head drooped and a pitiable wailing emanated from his gaping, drooling mouth. Hector, by contrast, remained upright as he knelt, staring at Marianne as she paced before him.

Surrounding them were, Selene estimated, about fifty guards from Central Control, their uniforms so dark that, had their skin not been so pale, they would have been almost invisible.

Jackie wobbled beside Diana, but on her face a wicked grin was sculpted. Selene felt powerless as she watched, but suddenly she had an idea: if she were to rush out of the woods it would be enough of a distraction to give Hector a chance to run. She moved, her muscles flexing, ready to run when Xander put a hand on her shoulder, gripping it tight.

"Don't even think about it," he whispered.

"Given the strength of the evidence that Diana has gathered against you, we have no choice but to issue the death sentence. And, so as to expedite this process, we have brought Valmont, the world famous Vampire executioner, with us here to the borders of the Epershand Estate, to carry out the sentence." Marianne leant towards Hector, teetering on high heels, her expensive suit fitted to the curves of her body. "Only the best for you, my son."

Selene watched as the largest Vampire she had ever seen descended from one of the nearby helicopters. He wore thick soled black leather boots that ran up to his knees, and a floor length black leather coat. His girth was as thick as that of an ancient tree, and pure muscle. He could have fitted Hector's whole skull into the palm of one enormous hand.

Professor Andrews continued to weep, no doubt tormented by his blindness. No one paid him any attention, least of all Hector.

"Do you have anything to say in your defence, Hector?" Marianne asked.

"Is there any point?" The words were sullen, churlish. Marianna struck him across the cheek, her diamond ring leaving a welt across his face that drew blood, but healed in moments.