off, sending him flying into a nearby wall. He looks stunned.
‘What’s going on?’ I mutter. ‘What the fuck is going on?’
Michael moves towards me again. I feel my fangs growing, jutting out from my mouth and I snarl at him. He grabs something from the desk and hurls it in my direction. I throw up my hands in alarm, attempting to shield myself, but I’m too late. I’m drenched in water and spluttering. I rub my eyes with the back of my hand.
‘What…?’ I say again.
Michael’s arms reach round me again and he pulls me to his chest. ‘Shhh,’ he says. ‘It’s alright, Bo. You’re alright.’
My body is shaking. He smoothes my hair, continuing to murmur. I feel like I’m going to throw up. I pull away and stare at him, wide-eyed.
‘I have to go to the bathroom.’
‘Bo…’
‘I have to go now .’
I turn, yanking opening his office door. Outside I see Nell, looking alarmed. I want to smile at her reassuringly but I can’t. I push past her and dash to the toilet, locking the door behind me then bending over the bowl and retching over and over again. Nothing but bile comes up.
I lean my hot forehead against the wall and screw my eyes shut. I feel the panic of claustrophobia seeping out of every pore. It’s not because of the bathroom – it’s this whole goddamn place. Arzo was right when he said this wasn’t working for me. I can’t do it; I can’t stay here any more. I pull out my phone and search for directory inquiries. There’s a knock and I hear Michael ask if I’m alright. He sounds concerned. I know he could break down the door with his little finger if he so desired, so I tell him I just need a few minutes. Then I get the number I need and call it.
* * *
It takes less time than I thought it would. I’m sitting outside again in the garden with Nell on one side and Beth on the other. I know that Michael is hovering around as well, but I avoid his gaze. I’m terrified about how he’s going to react.
It’s Ria who appears to make the announcement. She looks at me nervously and turns to Michael. She is trying to avoid his eyes as well. ‘Uh, Lord Montserrat, there’s someone here to see Bo.’
‘What?’ His brows snap together. ‘Tell them to get lost.’
She licks her lips. ‘He wants to see you too.’
I stand up. ‘I asked him to come.’ My voice rings out with surprising clarity.
Michael looks at me for a second, his expression unfathomable. Then he focuses back on Ria. ‘Who is it?’
‘He’s a barrister. A human barrister. We’ve had a few dealings with him in the past.’
Michael looks at me again, this time for much longer. I wish I knew what he was thinking.
‘His name is Harry D’Argneau,’ Ria adds helpfully.
A shadow passes across Michael’s face. ‘What does he want, Bo?’ His voice is soft but there’s an underlying steel that makes me shiver.
‘I’m sorry,’ I say for about the umpteenth time today. ‘I have to get out of here.’
A muscle jerks in his cheek, then he strides away. Next to me, Beth is tense. ‘What have you smegging done, Bo?’ she breathes.
I swallow and give her a tremulous smile. ‘What I have to.’ Then I get up and follow the Head of the Montserrat vampires.
I have to hand it to D’Argneau. At this time of night and based on what I already know about him, I’d expected to see him looking somewhat more dishevelled. But he’s immaculately dressed – every inch the professional. This is probably a very dangerous thing for him to do but I guess the allure of knowing more about the inner workings of the Families is too great. He hands some papers to Michael, who looms over him.
‘I’m here to secure the release of Bo Blackman,’ D’Argneau says, as if he’s cheerfully announcing the start of a holiday. If Butlin’s are recruiting any time soon, I reckon he’d be a shoo-in.
There are several
‘What’s going on?’ I mutter. ‘What the fuck is going on?’
Michael moves towards me again. I feel my fangs growing, jutting out from my mouth and I snarl at him. He grabs something from the desk and hurls it in my direction. I throw up my hands in alarm, attempting to shield myself, but I’m too late. I’m drenched in water and spluttering. I rub my eyes with the back of my hand.
‘What…?’ I say again.
Michael’s arms reach round me again and he pulls me to his chest. ‘Shhh,’ he says. ‘It’s alright, Bo. You’re alright.’
My body is shaking. He smoothes my hair, continuing to murmur. I feel like I’m going to throw up. I pull away and stare at him, wide-eyed.
‘I have to go to the bathroom.’
‘Bo…’
‘I have to go now .’
I turn, yanking opening his office door. Outside I see Nell, looking alarmed. I want to smile at her reassuringly but I can’t. I push past her and dash to the toilet, locking the door behind me then bending over the bowl and retching over and over again. Nothing but bile comes up.
I lean my hot forehead against the wall and screw my eyes shut. I feel the panic of claustrophobia seeping out of every pore. It’s not because of the bathroom – it’s this whole goddamn place. Arzo was right when he said this wasn’t working for me. I can’t do it; I can’t stay here any more. I pull out my phone and search for directory inquiries. There’s a knock and I hear Michael ask if I’m alright. He sounds concerned. I know he could break down the door with his little finger if he so desired, so I tell him I just need a few minutes. Then I get the number I need and call it.
* * *
It takes less time than I thought it would. I’m sitting outside again in the garden with Nell on one side and Beth on the other. I know that Michael is hovering around as well, but I avoid his gaze. I’m terrified about how he’s going to react.
It’s Ria who appears to make the announcement. She looks at me nervously and turns to Michael. She is trying to avoid his eyes as well. ‘Uh, Lord Montserrat, there’s someone here to see Bo.’
‘What?’ His brows snap together. ‘Tell them to get lost.’
She licks her lips. ‘He wants to see you too.’
I stand up. ‘I asked him to come.’ My voice rings out with surprising clarity.
Michael looks at me for a second, his expression unfathomable. Then he focuses back on Ria. ‘Who is it?’
‘He’s a barrister. A human barrister. We’ve had a few dealings with him in the past.’
Michael looks at me again, this time for much longer. I wish I knew what he was thinking.
‘His name is Harry D’Argneau,’ Ria adds helpfully.
A shadow passes across Michael’s face. ‘What does he want, Bo?’ His voice is soft but there’s an underlying steel that makes me shiver.
‘I’m sorry,’ I say for about the umpteenth time today. ‘I have to get out of here.’
A muscle jerks in his cheek, then he strides away. Next to me, Beth is tense. ‘What have you smegging done, Bo?’ she breathes.
I swallow and give her a tremulous smile. ‘What I have to.’ Then I get up and follow the Head of the Montserrat vampires.
I have to hand it to D’Argneau. At this time of night and based on what I already know about him, I’d expected to see him looking somewhat more dishevelled. But he’s immaculately dressed – every inch the professional. This is probably a very dangerous thing for him to do but I guess the allure of knowing more about the inner workings of the Families is too great. He hands some papers to Michael, who looms over him.
‘I’m here to secure the release of Bo Blackman,’ D’Argneau says, as if he’s cheerfully announcing the start of a holiday. If Butlin’s are recruiting any time soon, I reckon he’d be a shoo-in.
There are several
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