Tea, Lycanthropy and Other Virtues

Chapter Forty-Seven

Constance and Owen stood outside the hollow church. It was unnaturally quiet and dark, the moon ominous as clouds drifted over its surface.

"Wait here," Constance said, inexplicably out of breath. "They might need help. You can get them back to the town house."

"I can't let you go in there alone. Hugh would have my head."

"No, Baines expects me to come alone. We can't risk it."

"But surely,"

"If they aren't out here in thirty minutes, go get the police. I'm not sure what he's planning, but if I can't stop him, it's going to be bad." She took a steadying breath. "The only thing that matters is keeping Hannah and Gran and my mother safe. That is what we can give Hugh."

He nodded uncertainly. She nodded back and then told her feet to take her across the street.

Her fingertips were numb as she pushed open the rotting doors. She flinched at the screech of hinges. Surprise was no longer in her favor. The smell of dust and age filled her nose. The chapel was empty, moonlight creating ghostly shadows on the altar. She rubbed her arms. Hugh is not here, she told herself as nightmares of him bleeding to death pressed in on her.

She looked around. The chapel was empty. Surely they didn't have the wrong abandoned church.

There was a flickering glow coming from behind the chancel, where rotting steps led up into the bell tower. She took them, her legs shaking as she stepped over broken and missing steps.

Hugh will find you, she reminded herself when she got to the top. Slowly, she pushed the door open and stood there blinking as her eyes adjusted to the lamplight.

A ramp led around the tower, and where the bell should have hung, there was a cage.

Adrenaline spiked through her as her first thought was that they were going to hang her in there. But someone already occupied it.

"Emile?" She breathed.

"Miss Allen," the vampire said politely.

It would have been exceedingly difficult to capture the lady vampire, and this sent new shivers of foreboding through her. She swallowed.

"Ah, Constance, you made it," Baines said as Edward materialized from beside the door.

She struck out toward him without thinking, her palm ramming into her cousin's nose. He grunted in pain, stumbling back, and she thought distantly that Carlson would be proud. She prepared to drive her fist into his gut.

"Constance," Emile said, her voice tight.

The sound of a gun cocking froze Constance, her fist drawn back. Baines was pointing it at the vampire. "Silver tipped bullets." He said calmly. "Behave."

She forced herself to hold still, adrenaline pumping through her veins. Edward clapped her in irons, blood trickling from his nose.

Hugh will come.

Edward led her around the platform, the wooden planks bowing beneath their weight. Baines was staring out over London, his hands clasped behind his back. Behind him, Gran and Hannah sat huddled in the corner, Gran's arm around Hannah protectively. They were in shadow, so she couldn't be sure if they were unharmed.

"I don't see Mother." her stomach tied itself tighter and tighter.

"She was more difficult to remove than I'd expected."

Constance glanced at Gran for clarification.

"She's at home, luv," the old woman said. "She was too strong for them."

"Yes," Baines said flatly. "But you'll do as you're told anyway, won't you, Constance?"

"Let them go first," she said. Bide your time, wait for an opening. Hugh will come.

"I don't think so."

"I did what you asked. I came alone. Let. Them. Go."

"What do you see out there?" He asked, taking her arm and steering her so that she had to look out at the overgrown churchyard and beyond to St. James' castle, glinting weakly in the moonlight, candles in the many windows.

"The palace," she said, worry sinking its claws into her.

"The royal family is there right now. The Queen, their daughters, the mad king himself."

Constance couldn't swallow.

"Call the supernaturals, Constance. Call the London trash to you."

Her heart was hammering through her, but she stood her ground.

The back of his hand connected with her face. She stumbled into Edward but kept on her feet.

Emile hissed from the cage.

"I will do nothing until you release Lady Connor and my grandmother," Constance said, blinking the stars out of her vision.

"And once they're free, what will motivate you, then?"

"I guess we are at an impasse."

"I don't think so." Baines stalked to the women and pulled Hannah up to her feet.

They had tied the lady's hands in front of her, and she must have put up a fight because she had a cracked and swollen lip. Baines dragged her to the edge of the platform, her shoes scrambling in the dust in an effort to stop herself.

"Call them or I push her over the ledge."

Constance's chest squeezed. "Please let them go. I promise I'll do whatever you ask."

"You turned Mary on me. Do you think I'd listen to any of your promises?"

Constance's head spun. "Mary?"

"Call them!"

Hannah bit back a cry of alarm as he pushed her closer to the edge, the tips of her shoes out over the drop.

"Alright," Constance's voice shook.

He pulled Hannah back a step.

"Constance don't," Hannah said.

But Constance had already closed her eyes. Your people are my people.

She wasn't entirely sure she could actually call them to her. She hadn't practiced that particular skill while at Carnsley. But then she remembered how Hugh had come out of the forest when Baines had come to the estate to claim her.

"Make sure they stay in the street. If I so much as think any of them are coming up here, I will kill the vampire."

She breathed as deep as her lungs would allow and then she sent her heart out into the London streets

Come, come to me.