Falling Once

Chapter II

When Effy had first woken up in the stark, white walled room, she'd screamed. She was in a strange place, and had the feeling that the nightmare from the night before wasn't really a nightmare at all. As that realisation kicked in, she sat up and started to panic, her body shaking, her breath coming faster and faster and a sharp pain shooting across her chest. Tears filled her eyes and she screwed them shut, so when something touched her arm she screamed in shock.

"It's OK, calm down. I know it's hard but breathe slowly. That's it, deep breaths." The feminine voice was slow and measured, a clipped accent that spoke of money.

As she struggled to regulate her breathing and stop shaking, she opened her eyes. Stood by her left side, a soft, neatly manicured hand on Elizabeth's arm, was a pale middle aged woman wearing a loosely tailored black suit and a crisp grey blouse. Her black hair was tied in a smooth bun at the nap of her neck, a few silvery strands at her temples. Her eyes were bright, with fine lines radiating out from the corners. "You need to calm down. I need to talk to you and you need to be able to understand everything I'm going to tell you."

Elizabeth nodded, feeling that she could trust this woman. She closed her eyes, took a slow, deep breath and let it out, trying to dispel the last of her panic. A slightly absurd thought entered her mind. This woman sounds like a registrar, like she should be reading the vows at a wedding. "Who... Wh-what..?"

"My name is Portia and I am here to explain to you what happened. But first, I think a cup of tea and a slice of toast is in order. You've been asleep for about eighteen hours and will need the fuel." Portia raised her right hand and snapped her fingers loudly. Effy was amazed when a strong-looking girl, dressed in black and pale skinned with short blonde hair, entered the room carrying a tray with a full tea set and a toast rack, and set it down on the table at the bedside. The girl looked at her, curiosity evident on her face, and Elizabeth gasped when she saw the bruises and abrasions covering the right side of the girl's face.

Catching sight of the look of horror on Elizabeth's face, Portia squeezed her arm. "Cassandra here will help me explain everything. No need to look so alarmed, there is an explanation for her injuries too."

Cassandra, having poured out three cups of tea, looked Elizabeth dead in the eye.

"Milk?" Her voice was sullen, her tone almost petulant.

Elizabeth nodded. With the milk in the cup, Cassandra handed it over, cradled in its saucer. She sat the hot drink in her lap, staring at her own reflection, as Cassandra moved her black clad body a few steps back from the bed, standing with her feet shoulder distance apart and her hands clasped behind her back. Elizabeth studied her for a moment, taking in the form fitting clothes, sturdy boots, and toned physique. Cassandra looked like a girl who could handle herself. Someone who shouldn't have bruises and cuts across the side of her face.

"Elizabeth," Portia started, in her soothing tones. "I am going to get straight to the point, because you need to know about this. You need to know everything. You have always known that your father died when you were still in your mother's belly. You have always known that he loved you very much. And now you must know that he died in circumstances far removed from those of which you were told."

Elizabeth nodded, her thoughts flashing back to her last conversation with her mother. More than anything she wished that she hadn't turned away, that she hadn't let her eyes drift to focus on the pale pink blossoms on the tree. Tears filled her eyes and she felt her lips tremble. She sniffed.

"Everyone has always worked so hard to protect you, to protect all innocents, from the knowledge which I am about to impart to you. You have to keep this secret, and you will understand why as you learn more."

Elizabeth nodded again, feeling like a nodding dog. That one from the insurance advert. Oh, Yes. She wanted to laugh yet she knew it was drastically inappropriate, and she had to force herself not to move her head any more. She had to force herself to croak a reply to the stern woman. "Okay."

"Put down your tea, Elizabeth," Portia motion to the side table and Elizabeth moved her hands, the cup and saucer rattling loudly in the silence as she complied. Portia took a deep breath. "Vampires are real."

Unable to stop herself, Elizabeth burst out into hysterical laughter, shaking and gasping, her head thrown back, holding her sides as her muscles started to ache. She laughed for a long time. Portia waited patiently for her to calm down with an unwavering gaze, Cassandra quirked her left eyebrow up, a smirk forming on her lips. But she could not stop. Portia, with her authoritative yet calm voice, had voiced a truth that Elizabeth had witnessed only the day before. And that truth was still rattling around her mind. Because vampires weren't real. No matter what she had seen and what she was being told, Effy knew that vampires weren't real. They belonged in nightmares. They were fictional characters, they belonged between the pages of fantasy novels, with werewolves and true love and special-snowflake characters with perfect looks and secret powers.

Cassandra rolled her eyes and tutted quietly. That noise, that click of the tongue, snapped Elizabeth out of her hysterical state. She stopped laughing and kneaded her eyes with the backs of her hands to wipe away the tears of laughter before they turned to tears of sorrow.  She was suddenly calm and knew beyond doubt what had happened the night before.

"That's what happened to mum. One of them killed her, didn't it? A vampire?" She looked at Portia who stared back.

"Yes. A vampire killed your mother. Just as one killed your father sixteen years ago." If Portia had thought her reaction weird or unnecessary or inappropriate, she didn't show it. Nothing in her mannerisms changed. Everything she said was straight to the point.

Registrars speak at funerals as well as weddings, Elizabeth thought. And they speak at christenings.

"How can I kill them?" Her voice had stopped shaking and a new purpose was evident in the tone. She knew what she had to do.

"You won't. You'll stay here and you'll stay safe. There's no way you could kill a vampire." Portia was almost dismissive and started to rise.

"No! Don't you go!" Elizabeth sat up and shouted, reaching out to grab the sleeve of Portia's black suit. "Tell me how. I want to know. I want to stop them all before they can destroy anyone else."

Elizabeth broke down, huge sobs racking her body.

"Alright," said Portia, motioning for Cassandra to come forwards. "Cassandra is going to help you."

With that, the woman left the room, not making a sound as her feet touched the floor with each step.

"Well," Cassandra still sounded like a spoiled child being asked to do something she didn't want to. "We'll have to start now. You have a lot of work to do before you even think of learning to kill a vampire."