Playing Dead: Book One of The Whitechapel Chronicles

Chapter 29

I reached forward and grabbed the posts of the banister with both hands, peering between them at Harper and Garrick.

"You're brothers?" I gasped.

"Not in the human sense," hissed Harper. "We were made by the same vampire. In Garrick's mind, that makes us family."

Garrick glanced at me over Harper's shoulder. "We share the same blood. That makes us brothers whether he likes it or not."

Harper cursed and pulled away, the blade still clenched in his hand. His chest heaved in great gasps and I could feel the anger still burning, radiating like a furnace and threatening to explode again at any moment.

"You and I are done. I told you. One last deal. That was it and then we were done," he said emphatically.

"A deal which you renegaded on when you decided to break the terms of your contract by turning the....by turning dear Megan here. You still owe me, brother. In fact, after this spectacular stunt, I think you will find we are very much not done, not by a long shot."

He sniffed, smoothing back his tied-back Mohawk with one hand, before looking around, studying his surroundings with a repulsed sneer.

"I think it's safe to say that we won't be continuing this discussion here. This place reeks of you Harper. I'm surprised the Varúlfur haven't sniffed you out by now. So many risks, I'm starting to think you might be losing it," he shook his head disdainfully. "We're leaving. Go get your things."

Harper didn't move for a few seconds, before turning quickly on his heels and mounting the stairs. As he moved past me, I noticed that he wouldn't look my way as if I were not there at all. I went as if to follow him, but Garrick stepped forward, reaching through the banister posts and clutching at my wrist. Gasping, I tried to pull away but he held me firm.

"You stay where you are, Megan. He's a big boy and quite capable of packing what little belongings he has." His eyes flitted over my face and came to rest on the small wound clearly still visible on my neck. "I'm so sorry if we interrupted anything by the way."

"Fuck you," I snapped, yanking my hand out of his grasp and standing up abruptly, I backed against the wall as I rubbed at my wrist where he had left red imprints on my skin.

Garrick smirked and the others snickered behind him in that horrible way when you know you are the butt of everyone's joke. I glowered at them and felt the anger stirring inside me. Garrick looked back at me, his eyes narrowing shrewdly as I stood there wondering how it would taste to rip out his throat but my fantasy was soon stopped when Harper appeared at the top of the staircase, his backpack slung over his shoulder and his face stony and hard. I looked at him as he drew closer, my eyebrows raised in question, but he just shook his head and left me staring after him as he walked past, leaving me standing on the staircase.

"Right let's go," sniffed Garrick and moved towards the door with the tousled haired blonde behind him, followed by Harper. The dreadlocked one motioned for me to move and I did so reluctantly, feeling the hair on my neck prickle with the knowledge that the other three vampires were right behind me.

Outside the house, two cars were parked by the kerb, both were old BMW's, mildly patched with rust marks here and there and the paintwork had definitely seen better days. Much to my dismay, Garrick motioned for me to get in the second car, whilst Harper went with him in the first, together with the blonde and the stocky guy. I was left with the other two and I glanced warily at them before accepting that I didn't really have a choice.

Getting in the back, I sniffed, detecting the faint smell of old blood and my eyes automatically snapped to the dried, dark stains on the door upholstery. I shrank back in the seat, my body tense and alert.