I shook my head, ridding my head of the thought as a familiar frown encased his stunning features, unsure why a second bubble that had been swelling a few seconds before had popped even more painfully than the one before.

THIRTY-EIGHT

Kaspar

You told her too much, Kaspar, Fabian cautioned in my head, clearly displeased.

You sound like my father, I retorted.

More you tell her, more you hurt her. And I am pretty sure neither of us want that.

I don’t know what I want, Fabian. But she asked a question, and I gave her the answer. It’s not as though I told her about the Sage, is it? I just said Athenea.

Fabian sighed. Just don’t hurt her. She’s fragile. And I don’t just mean physically.

Anger flared in my veins. You think I don’t know that? You think I would hurt her?

Through our connection, I could feel him considering what to say next. When he did speak, it was with sorrow. There was a time when I wouldn’t even have considered it, but these past couple of years, I can’t be so sure.

Grief immediately washed through me. Thoughts of my mother came to light and her joyous laughter echoed in my head.

Don’t bring my mother’s death into this. And besides, it’s not as though you can talk. You hurt Violet just by going after her!

You say that as though not guilty yourself, he scoffed.

I’m not, I replied, puzzled.

Then perhaps you should examine your own feelings, Fabian spat, abruptly. Don’t go thinking I haven’t seen the way you are with her. You flirt, you seduce and you spend more time with her than any of us, he fumed.

I don’t! I protested. I don’t know what you are on about. So get the hell out of my mind!

Her tiny, frail body turned towards me, matching my frown, looking down at my hands as they clenched tighter and tighter around the wheel. I didn’t know what he was on about. I didn’t feel the way Fabian did for her. But I knew one thing for sure. I didn’t see her the same way as I had done three months ago.

You told her too much, Kaspar.

A familiar expression of subtle concern took over her features as she noticed the scowl on my face that could only mean I was otherwise occupied, as a fresh wave of self-doubt washed over me; the self-doubt only my father’s words could bring.

I answered her questions, nothing more.

I sighed as I said it, not doubting that more than he could hear my words.

You did more than answer her questions, young one, a third voice said, which I recognized as belonging to none other than Ll’iriad Alya Athenea, King of Athenea.

Great. Just great. My suspicion of my father allowing eavesdroppers was confirmed and only out of begrudging respect did I reply with a ‘Your Majesty’.

Prince Kaspar, he replied with the same patronizing tone. May I ask if you know the consequences of your actions?

I sighed, exasperated, wondering how Fallon could hold such radically different views from his own father concerning keeping Violet in the dark. Of course.

Another unrecognizable voice interrupted and I was forced to believe every person at the meeting could hear me. Almost instinctively, my mind began shutting down, locking every secret deep within my subconscious.

Then, tell me, Your Highness, if you were aware of the consequences, why did you reveal what you did?

The anger flared within my veins. I revealed nothing of the dimensions. But I’d tell her if I could. She deserves to know.

A separate, powerful thread worked its way into my mind and I recognized my father’s presence. Kaspar, he growled.

Smirking, I continued. I had no patience for them and their petty politics. You can’t hide everything from her forever. She is naturally curious and you can’t change that either. If you deny her the truth, she will only learn to hate us and we need her on side, especially if the Prophecy does come true and Lee gets his excuse.

I felt my father seething, beginning to boil. Kaspar, how dare you? Apologize.

No. I will not apologize for the truth. I would not apologize for simply going against the cosy status quo the inter-dimensional council had decided upon.

Take that back, or else, he hissed.

I knew I was tugging at an already taut string, but I didn’t seem to be able to stop myself. Or else what? You know I’m talking sense, you just can’t accept it. Mother would be ashamed of you.

My father growled, a growl that would not be confined to just our two minds, but a growl that would be heard in every mind in Varnley and for miles around, until he closed his mind off, speaking only to me.

From noon tomorrow, you won’t touch that girl again, Kaspar. Not a bite; not a finger; nothing.

I opened up my mind, ensuring everybody at the meeting would hear. Fuck off!

I felt shock ripple through the meeting. Even Violet, human and powerless, stood up straight, her eyes wide and alert.

Pulling into the driveway of Charlie’s townhouse we had agreed to meet at, I cut the engine. I turned to her as she glanced out the windows and reached out for her hand, pulling her into an embrace.

‘Welcome back to London, Violet.’

THIRTY-NINE

Violet

Cold arms closed themselves around my stomach and before I could protest, I was sitting in Kaspar’s lap, side pressed to the steering wheel. He held me in an embrace for a second, forcing me against his chest. I could feel a vein throbbing in his neck, yet could not feel the beating heart that marked humanity; the heart in my chest that right now, was working overtime.

My words came out muffled as I cursed into his chest. ‘What the hell are you doing?’

He pushed me away, pressing a single finger to my lips. ‘For once, be quiet, Girly.’

I shook my head, meaning to say no, but failing. His enthralling eyes had caught mine and with a pained, creased brow, he took my hand in his and gently began rubbing his thumb across my skin, tracing the raised veins.

‘I can’t promise you everything will be okay, because I know it won’t. I can’t promise that you will make it out of this human, because chances are you won’t. Time is running out and soon you’ll have to make the decision. You have to choose.’

‘Do I even get a choice?’ I murmured, still lost within the piercing eyes. He shrugged his shoulders half-heartedly.

‘Maybe.’

I closed my eyes, nodding solemnly. His cool breath tickled my ear, as his icy hands reached up and touched my burning, scarlet cheeks. He turned my head to face him, resting his forehead against mine. Outside the wind whistled and the permanently grey clouds of England rolled past. Inside there was deathly silence, shadows moving across us.

‘Girly … Violet,’ Kaspar whispered, choking on his own words. ‘I should have killed you in Trafalgar Square. I didn’t. And now you face the consequences and I-I’m sorry … so sorry,’ he breathed, a single fang biting at his lower lip.

I sucked in a breath, instinctively leaning in to the hand cradling my cheek. ‘You wish I was dead? Because I don’t.’

‘No.’

I exhaled sharply, pulling his hand away from my cheek, placing it again at his side. Fighting back tears I spoke. ‘Why are you like this? Why do you hate me one second, and then the next it seems like you care? For God’s sake, why?’

His fang broke through the skin of his lips and blood erupted from the wound, trickling across his lips. It coated his skin in a glossy layer, a salty stench making my nostrils flare, part in disgust, part in intrigue.

Leaning in, my hands worked their way towards his neck, tracing his collar, entwining themselves within his dark hair. I licked my lips in anticipation as forbidden emotions gushed within my system and my voice screamed.

Don’t do it! You’re not a bloody vampire yet!

But I didn’t stop. All I had was the desire to be wanted; to be cared about, and I had found that in Kaspar, just for a second.

We weren’t even an inch apart when I paused, my heart racing and leaping as I looked up to meet his eyes, which I thought for a moment, a single, brief moment had flashed to red, yet they were their usual emerald as his hands reached for my waist.

Leaning in, he murmured as his lips met mine. ‘I’m like this because I am just as torn up as you.’

With that he was gone, leaving me with his blood trickling from my lips.

I felt a cold breeze on my face and opening my eyes, I realized I was actually not in the car. A bitter wind whipped at my face, blowing my hair like it did the stormy clouds. I rested against the door, breathing deeply.

I slid my fingers across my chin, feeling the blood smear across my skin. Gagging, my legs lost their strength as horrific feelings filled my heart. What on earth just happened? I couldn’t believe I had just tried to kiss him. Kiss him!

Moreover, I was alone, cast off in the middle of nowhere – the car was parked at the side of an immaculately maintained drive surrounded by a long, low box hedge.

I didn’t have time to notice much more as several cars pulled up behind. I jerked my head towards the sound of dying engines and recognized the cars of the others, which Kaspar had overtaken on the motorway. Fabian jumped out of his Audi and darted towards me, pulling me into a tight hug. I collapsed into his arms, glad of the comfort they brought. He tugged me closer, until my face was buried in his jacket, muttering into my ear.

‘It’s okay. He shouldn’t have left you …’

I nodded obediently, deciding it would be better to not mention that that was not the source of my distress.

‘Where’s he gone?’ I murmured, looking up at him

His eyes flashed red. ‘You’re bleeding!’ he exclaimed.

My eyes widened as I remembered the sticky red liquid coating my lips and quickly reached up to wipe it away. But before I could get to it, Fabian had caught my wrist, holding it in midair. My fingers brushed his lips involuntarily as he sniffed at the air.

‘I-it’s not your blood, is it?’

I looked guiltily at the floor, unable to hide the truth, let alone meet his eyes.

‘Violet?’

I shook my head. ‘I’m sorry.’

There was the shifting of feet, the whispers of the wind and two heart-rending words. ‘Don’t be.’

I wrenched my head up. His face had fallen and his eyes were grey. He nodded. He nodded because he knew even before I did, that I had made one of my many decisions.

I’ve chosen Kaspar. Not even Fabian’s look of betrayal could change that. I didn’t even know what choosing one or the other meant, but it had to be done.

As I thought that, he turned away, walking back over to Lyla.

FORTY

Violet

‘Vampires take the tube? Seriously?’

‘Keep your voice down,’ Cain hissed, tugging me towards the ticket office. I tried to point out that we could use the machines, but he was having none of it. Reaching the glass of the office, we were faced with the accusing glare of a ticket woman, who I knew from experience was wondering why we hadn’t just gone to a machine.

‘Hi.’ Cain turned around and silently began counting everyone, then puzzling over the ticket types. ‘Could we have seven adult day anytime travelcards for Zone 1 and the same for a child, please.’

The woman peered cynically through the glass. ‘Who’s the child?’

Cain looked puzzled for a moment. ‘I am.’

I peered sideways at Cain. He was sixteen and should be paying an adult fare. He’s a millionaire vampire Prince and he is seriously trying to save a couple of quid on the tube?

‘ID, please,’ she droned. I frowned; I didn’t know many sixteen-year-olds that carried ID around. But sure enough, Cain pulled his wallet from his jeans pocket, flipped it open and revealed some sort of ID with a fake date of birth in the top corner. She didn’t hang around: taking the note Cain was offering her and printing off the tickets.

‘Sucker,’ Cain chuckled, allowing the ticket barrier to swallow his ticket. Sidestepping a hurried business woman, I followed.

‘You have fake ID that makes you younger?’ I quizzed, slightly shocked as we descended the elevator, keeping to the right to allow rushed commuters to pass.

He smirked. ‘Not only that makes me younger.’ He flipped the card over and there, on the back, was another ID pro-claiming that he was eighteen.

I shook my head in wonderment at what money could buy as I felt a familiar gust of cold air. Sure enough, a second later a tube emerged from the dark tunnel. Almost elbowing a man out of the way, I pulled Cain through the open doors, trusting the others to get on themselves.

As more and more people got on we were both thrust against a bin. In just seconds every inch of space was occupied and the sound of the racket of wheels in motion took over, save for the thumping bass of some inconsiderate soul who refused to turn their music down.

‘Man, it’s like being surrounded by a hundred-course dinner.’ Cain’s face was twisted slightly and he bit down hard on his lip, just like Kaspar did when he tried to resist temptation. I frowned and took a fairy step closer towards him. By this time we were accelerating, and out of practice using the tube I teetered off balance, almost crashing into Cathy, Lyla’s friend.

‘It’s okay,’ I murmured. ‘Oxford Circus is only three stops along.’

‘Suppose,’ he replied, clearly trying to control himself. He didn’t say another word for two stops, until we were just pulling away with a jolt from Warren Street.

A minute or two later we came to a halt and, grabbing Cain by the wrist, I pulled him out onto the platform of Oxford Circus. Buffeted by hundreds of rushing commuters and tourists we headed towards the escalator, slipping up the left side this time. I tugged him through the ticket barrier behind me before he even had a chance to get his own ticket from his pocket, earning myself a disapproving look from one of the men supervising. Spotting an alcove, I headed for it.