Battle Lines. Will Hill

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СКАЧАТЬ and stretching his arms over his head.

      “Those newly-turned vampires aren’t going to destroy themselves, are they?”

      “I doubt it,” replied Jamie, a smile rising on to his face.

      “That’s a real shame,” said Valentin, and stood up. “It’s been a pleasure to see you, Jamie, as always.” The vampire extended his hand and he shook it with a thick band of confusion rippling through his head. It was how he always felt when he left Valentin’s cell, as though he had somehow only heard half of the conversation, that what was actually important had taken place without him noticing.

      “You too,” he said.

      Valentin smiled a final time, then floated back on to the chaise longue and opened the battered paperback copy of The Count of Monte Cristo that had been lying on the coffee table.

      Jamie watched him for a second or two, then walked through the UV wall, feeling the familiar tingle on his skin. He turned to his right and walked quickly towards the cell at the end of the block.

      It was always a strange moment for Jamie when he stepped out in front of the UV wall that enclosed the square room his mother now called home.

      The warm, comfortable space she had made was in such stark contrast to the austere grey concrete of the other cells that it always made him want to laugh. Marie Carpenter was standing in the middle of the spotlessly neat room, smiling nervously at him as he appeared. He walked through the ultraviolet barrier, hugged her, and felt her reach carefully around him and link her arms at his back. This too made him want to laugh; his mother was so worried about accidentally hurting him with her vampire strength that she held him as though he was made of glass.

      “How are you, Mum?” he said, pulling back. “Everything OK?”

      “Everything’s fine,” she said. As they always did, her eyes flicked to the scar on his neck. “How are you, love?”

      “Surviving,” replied Jamie, smiling at her. She frowned, and he instantly regretted the small joke. “I’m fine, Mum,” he said. “I’m all right.”

      “Good,” she said. “That’s good.”

      They stood, looking at each other, for a long moment.

      “I might sit down, Mum,” said Jamie, eventually. “What do you think?”

      “Yes,” she said. “Yes, sit down. Definitely. Would you like tea?”

      “I’m fine, thanks,” he replied, and flopped down on to the brown leather sofa that had stood for years in the living room of their house in Kent.

      “Sorry,” said Marie. “I forgot you just had one.”

      Jamie looked confused for a moment, then laughed. “You heard me talking to Valentin.”

      “I wasn’t listening,” she said, quickly. “Not on purpose. I couldn’t help overhearing.”

      “It’s OK, Mum,” he said. “It’s not your fault.”

      “Do you want something else?” she asked, eagerly. “I’ve got some biscuits.”

      “I’m fine, Mum, honestly. I can’t stay long.”

      Her face fell. “Are you going on a mission?” she asked.

      Yet again, Jamie fought back the urge to laugh. It was ludicrous to hear his mother talking about missions, although no more ludicrous than the fact that she was now a vampire, the result of Alexandru Rusmanov’s last attempt to hurt the Carpenter family, or the fact that she had fought against Valeri’s army during the attack on the Loop, committing acts of violence that were so out of keeping with her gentle nature.

      “I am,” he replied. “I can’t tell you what it is, though.”

      “Is it dangerous?” she asked, nervously, holding a packet of Rich Tea biscuits in her hand.

      “They all are, Mum,” he replied. “Forget the biscuits. Come and sit down.”

      She nodded, replaced the packet on the table that had once stood in their kitchen, and sat down next to him on the sofa.

      “Are you OK?” he asked. “Have you got everything you need?”

      She nodded.

      “I’m sorry I can’t stay,” he said. “I’ll come down and see you tomorrow, OK? I promise.”

      “You said that two days ago,” she replied. “And the day before that too.”

      Jamie felt heat rise in his cheeks. But this was not the anger that had filled him as he talked to Frankenstein; this was the dull bloom of shame. He had promised his mum he would come and see her two days ago, and the day before that, and a great many days before that as well. Somehow it always slipped his mind; things happened, and he forgot. She never complained, or made him feel bad about it; she had never even mentioned it, until now.

      “I know,” he said, softly. “And I’m sorry. It just… gets a bit crazy up there sometimes.”

      There was a long moment of silence. The expression on his mother’s face made Jamie want to cry; it was so full of unconditional love.

      No matter how often I let her down, he thought. She always forgives me. I don’t deserve her.

      “Do you ever get scared?” asked Marie, her tone gentle. “It’s OK if you don’t want to tell me.”

      The question cut right through him. He considered lying to his mother, but quickly decided against it; he had promised himself that he wouldn’t, regardless of what it might mean he had to tell her.

      “Sometimes,” he said. “Not usually. But right now…”

      Marie frowned. “I heard you and Valentin talking about some new vampires. Are they worse than the usual ones?”

      “I haven’t seen them in the flesh,” replied Jamie. “But yes, it sounds like they’re pretty bad.”

      “Do you have to go?” she asked.

      Jamie nodded.

      “Can’t somebody else deal with them? Why does it always have to be you?”

      “It’s not just me, Mum. Everybody is going out.”

      “It really must be serious,” said Marie. “Promise me you’ll be extra careful?”

      Jamie smiled. “Don’t worry, Mum. I’ll come down tomorrow so you can see I’m OK. I promise.”

      She smiled at him, and he suddenly felt as though his heart might break. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, love,” she said. “I’m not trying to make your life harder, I’m honestly not. It would just be nice to see you now and again. That’s all.”

      “I’m sorry, Mum,” he repeated. “I really am. I’ll come down tomorrow.”

      “OK,” СКАЧАТЬ