The Vampire and the Scorpion (Blood and Venom Saga #1)

8. Eight

Eight

I van leant down close, his face mere inches from mine. The heat from the end of his cigar burnt my cheek, but I stood my ground, clenching my fists, refusing to let the sharp, blistering pain defeat me. His exhalation smelt oddly metallic, mixed with the usual scent of smoker’s breath. I locked my eyes onto his, unblinking, until they watered.

“I hope Dominic Chase is mistaken. He thinks you ran away from the coven after being offered a position with us?” Ivan removed his spectacles, cleaned them with a cloth from his breast pocket, and replaced them on his nose before scrutinising me.

I hated lying, but what choice did I have?

“He was definitely mistaken.” I threw Dominic a filthy look. “Madigan told me to collect some belongings, but Dominic interrupted me. He damn well nearly broke my neck. I mean no disrespect, Master Ivan, but I think that dog needs a leash.”

Ivan’s eyes widened and nostrils flared. For a horrible moment, I thought I’d overstepped the mark, but he let out a short laugh, turning his head towards Dominic.

“Ha! She doesn’t like you.”

“Like I give a shit what she thinks,” Dominic said, just audible over the crackling fire, but Ivan ignored him.

“I’m surprised Leonard Madigan allows you to call him by his last name only, and not Master Leonard or Mister Madigan. It’s highly unusual, and the sort of disrespect I enjoy stamping out of my familiars.”

Someone who refers to people by their full names probably shouldn’t lecture about what’s unusual... I clenched my jaw until my teeth ached, scared my thoughts might come tumbling out.

Ivan glared at Madigan over his shoulder, before returning his gaze to me, looking up and down, head tilted to one side. “He’s always been too affectionate, but perhaps that’s why he has chosen a girl as his familiar, if you know what I mean.”

Madigan shifted his weight from one foot to the other, tugging at the cuffs of his tailcoat, shooting me a warning glance not to rise to the taunt.

“Still,” Ivan said, “I’m glad he has broken his self-imposed isolation. Perhaps you might survive long enough to be converted. I hope you won’t cling to your mortality for long. I like familiars to undertake their trial and join the ranks of the supernaturals swiftly. We should wash away the stench of humanity, do you concur?”

“Absolutely!” Though unsure of what he was talking about, I figured it would be smart to agree with him.

His smile widened, revealing yellowing, tombstone-shaped teeth biting down on his cigar. It was anything but reassuring. A bead of cold sweat ran down the back of my neck and trickled down my spine, sending a shudder up my back that I tried to conceal.

“We usually give vampire familiars a month to complete their trial. Only then are they officially recruited into the coven. But given your eagerness, I think a fortnight should suffice.”

“Master Ivan.” Madigan stepped forward. “I must protest. We give new recruits a month so that they have adequate time to prepare. A fortnight isn’t long enough for Miss Monroe to receive the proper training.”

“Ha! I disagree,” Ivan said with a mocking laugh. “She has two weeks. One week to train. One week to complete the task. If she’s as keen as you say, two weeks is perfectly sufficient. Perhaps this time, you will fulfil your duty properly and we won’t need to execute this one! I was foolish to have left my familiar in your care.”

Madigan stepped back. Although only illuminated by the campfire, I could see that his already pale face was whiter than usual. It was disconcerting to see the calm and collected Madigan rattled. I tried to swallow, but found my mouth had become dry, in contrast to my body that was now slick with sweat, causing my t-shirt to stick to my back.

Ivan paused, exhaled smoke from his cigar through his nostrils, and slowly cracked his thick neck to one side. He turned back to me, his insincere smile in place. “Speaking of which, I think you should witness what happens to recruits that fail their trial within the allotted time. I assume you know what your task will be?”

“I have to harvest blood from a human?” I guessed, recalling the conversation between Madigan and Austin.

“Correct. There are rules to be followed, but I’m certain that won’t be trouble for you. It would be a pity if you broke them.”

Ivan turned to Dominic and nodded. Dominic must have understood what this gesture meant. He walked away, taking Jacob with him, presumably to carry out the silent order. Within a few minutes, their orders became apparent as high-pitched screams of terror reached us before they came back into view. They returned, dragging Austin between them, who was digging the heels of his feet into the ground in a vain attempt to pull himself from their grip.

He looked dreadful; his hair was limp and scraggly, soaked with sweat, eyes puffy and bloodshot, one encircled with a large, purple bruise, and his lower lip split. When he screamed, I noticed gaps of missing teeth. The noises issuing from Austin churned my stomach, similar to the sounds of a tortured animal. I’d never heard such fear. They brought him before Ivan and threw him to the ground.

“Master Ivan.” Austin’s voice was high, strangled by terror. “Please have mercy on me.”

Ivan knelt down to his level and pinched his cheeks in one hand, puffing smoke into the boy’s bloodied face, the false smile teetering on the edge of a wild, sadistic grin.

“Shush now.” Ivan’s voice remained calm, but the pleasant facade that he had reserved for me had disappeared, the monster within rearing its head. “As poor a mentor as Leonard Madigan was, accept that your fate is your own responsibility.”

“No, please! You’re right—he was a terrible mentor. I am your familiar. I want to be trained by you .”

“You do not deserve my tutelage. Perhaps if you had simply failed to harvest in time, I would show you the mercy of a quick, clean death. But you broke our rules—a betrayal—and for that, you need a sufficient punishment.”

They looked into each other’s faces. Austin’s was filthy, streaked with tears and sweat, whereas Ivan’s was verging on gleeful.

“I think death by pressing would be suitable.”

“NO!” Austin screeched and tried to get to his feet, but Dominic and Jacob immediately seized him. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please, not that!”

Ivan simply waved a hand. “Take him away and prepare him for his execution. Leonard Madigan, Sebastian Lawrence.”

Madigan and the smartly-dressed vampire stood to attention.

“Summon together all the vampire familiars and get the execution site ready. You know what’s required.” They nodded, but Madigan kept his head bowed, unable to meet my eye.

“Latisha Abara.” Ivan turned to the witches around the campfire. “Gather everyone else—the werewolves, shifters, and their familiars—to witness the execution. This coven is getting lax, and I think I need to send a message.”

“Yes, Master Ivan.” Latisha nodded. She, too, seemed to avoid eye contact with me. “Witches, we have our orders.”

All the women gave a small bow to Latisha and then Ivan before dispersing, leaving me alone with the giant.

“Have you heard of pressing?” he asked. “It’s an ancient method of execution with a fascinating history.”

I shook my head, not sure I wanted to know. The firelight danced in his eyes as his excitement bubbled beneath the surface of his otherwise relaxed expression.

“Don’t worry. This isn’t something you’ll forget. It’s exactly what I want you to think about next time you have any ideas of running away.”

“But I didn’t—”

“Do you take me for a fool?” His smile vanished, fixing me with a look that made my bladder feel weak. “I know you tried to run. I feel it in my blood. Let’s get one thing clear, Ava Monroe. There is only one way out of this coven, and it is a slow, painful exit. I’ve been ruling over this coven for decades. The coven of Kinwich. One of the most significant cities for supernatural beings in the human world, with a long, bloody history. And if you think I’m going to let you—an infinitesimal pustule upon the Earth—mess that up by exposing our existence to the humans, you’re dead wrong. And perhaps, this little demonstration will be a reminder of that next time you get itchy feet.”

I was alone with Ivan beside the campfire for over an hour, obsessively checking my watch only to discover a few minutes had passed. On the couple of occasions I tried to speak, Ivan raised a dinner plate sized hand as I drew breath, shooting me a dark look that plainly said, ‘ Do not speak’ . He returned his gaze to the fire, the blaze reflected in the lenses of his spectacles.

Without warning, his head snapped upward, and he looked behind him. Following his gaze, at first, all I saw was darkness, but soon identified the dim outline of Madigan’s unmistakable coattails.

“Everything is prepared, Master Ivan,” Madigan said when he reached us, his eyebrows knitted together in a grim expression. “Everyone has assembled and we await your presence.”

“Very good.” Ivan stood, drawing himself up to his impressive height. “Let’s not keep them waiting. Keep your familiar close.” His lips twisted into a sickening grin. “Newcomers usually faint when witnessing their first execution.”

Ivan shoved past Madigan, who nearly lost his balance.

“Are you ready?” he asked, rubbing his shoulder where the giant had knocked into him.

I opened my mouth to answer, but my voice had disappeared. I wanted to tell him the truth, that I wasn’t ready, but I was still wearing the mask of someone braver than myself. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but Madigan’s expression appeared to soften, lips parted as though he wished to offer words of comfort but didn’t know how.

“Come on,” he said after a pause. “Stay close.”

I accompanied him to a part of the yard I’d not yet been, beyond the campers, lorries, and containers. Once past them, we came upon another locked gate and climbed over it to find woodland. I almost tripped as I navigated a narrow, muddy path in the darkness. Vampires, and perhaps all supernatural beings, must have better eyesight than humans. I shadowed Madigan, stepping where he stepped. It wasn’t long before mud and dead leaves caked my trainers and my mind drifted back to my Doc Martens sitting in the cupboard backstage, and the old life I’d abandoned—for now, at least. But I couldn’t dwell on it for long, concentrating as I manoeuvred over rotten, fallen trees, the damp moss slimy beneath my hands, adding to the grime that already coated them. Among the musty smell of earth and decaying wood, there was a smoky scent on the wind that grew stronger the further we walked. Soon enough, I made out an orange glow ahead—a fire that lit a small clearing within the woods.

The scene that lay before me stopped me in my tracks. Wooden boards upon the ground. A gathering of people stood in a circle around them. The shadows cast by the dancing flames warped their faces into demonic grimaces. Jacob and Sebastian held Austin, who was shirtless, kneeling in the mud. His head was bent downward so I couldn’t see his face, but from the way his body shook, I knew he must be sobbing.

I’ve walked into Hell...

Madigan noticed I’d frozen and took me by the elbow, leading me towards the crowd. I recognised the witches and their familiars, as well as Trevor, Billy, and Alfred among them. Latisha spotted us and left her group.

Putting an arm around my shoulder, she whispered, “I’ll stay with you until this is over.”

Ivan stood upon the wooden boards and placed something small in the centre before advancing on Austin. Straining my eyes, I realised it was a small rock, perhaps the size of a clenched fist.

“It’s time,” Ivan said, and his minions pulled Austin to his feet. Weak as he was from his struggles with the vampires, Austin continued to writhe in their grip, grunting with the effort of trying to free himself.

“Looks like you will have to force him into position.” Ivan couldn’t keep the amusement from his voice.

The vampires wrestled with Austin, forcing him to lie with his spine pressed against the rock, before Ivan seized another wooden board and lay it on top of the terrified boy, so that only his head and feet were now visible. I squinted, mind racing. Yes, it appeared uncomfortable. But fatal? I didn’t understand.

“Keep him in place,” Ivan said as Austin thrashed beneath the board. Jacob and Sebastian kept him pinned while Ivan turned his back to retrieve something nearby, obscured by onlookers. When he returned, my stomach twisted, vomit pushing up my throat, but I forced it back down. In one hand he held a metal, trapezium-shaped weight with a ring handle—the kind you usually saw in cartoons.

“No! Please don’t do it!” Austin’s face was glistening in the firelight with sweat, tears, and mucus streaming from his nose.

His cries turned into ear-splitting screams as Ivan lowered the weight onto the board with a heavy THUNK . The weight expelled the air from Austin’s lungs and escaped his mouth in a choking gasp. Screaming between shallow wheezes, he fought for breath.

I clamped my hands around my mouth, stifling a cry as the realisation of what I was witnessing hit me. Ivan looked from Austin, to me, grinning, a wicked glint in his eye, before retrieving another weight. I couldn’t stop the shakes that vibrated through my entire body. Every instinct told me to run, but the grip of fear paralysed me to the spot, my legs unresponsive, heavy as the weights Ivan was lifting. Latisha’s grip around my shoulder tightened.

Jacob and Sebastian stepped away; Austin had no chance of escaping now.

THUNK. Ivan added another weight. Austin’s screams turned into shrieks that could have shattered glass.

THUNK .

Ivan let out a bark of laughter. “Ha! This one is a fighter! Don’t give up now, Austin Blane. We have a long way to go!”

“I c-can’t watch.” My body was shaking so violently that my teeth chattered. Even my bones were quivering. My stomach felt like it was trying to force itself up into my throat. I looked away, instead watching the coven. Most had their sights set on the grotesque spectacle before them with unwavering determination. Billy had a white-knuckled grip on a curly-haired youth’s shoulder, who, like me, was trembling, his eyes wide and face pale.

“I’ll tell you when it’s over,” Latisha said in a hushed voice, “but look up when I tell you. Ivan will be watching.”

I lowered my head and screwed my eyes tight shut, but there was nothing I could do about the sounds that assaulted my ears.

THUNK .

The shrieks that continued to issue from Austin penetrated my soul.

Make it stop... Please make it stop!

THUNK

Ivan’s mirthful voice was just audible over Austin’s bloodcurdling howls. “What’s wrong? Didn’t think you were the type to crack under pressure?”

THUNK—SNAP!

“Look up!” Latisha hissed in my ear.

I jolted my head upward, just as terrified of being caught out by Ivan as I was the scene before me that burned into my retinas.

The board had lowered considerably, and there was something dark oozing from beneath it. Austin’s mouth opened and closed as he gasped, his screams growing quieter, but the wet gurgles in his throat went on, and on... and on...

He’d turned his head to the side, his wide, haunting eyes pinned on me . The dark liquid was now bubbling in his throat, trickling out of the corner of his mouth.

Please, just die. This has gone on too long. Please, Austin, just die...

My ribcage felt too tight. I clutched at my chest, gasping for breath, my head swimming. I felt another hand—Madigan’s—seize my arm and steady me.

“Hang in there,” he said. “It should be over soon.”

But it wasn’t soon enough. It was a long wait—perhaps fifteen minutes—until Austin went quiet and still. The only remaining sounds were the crackling fire and my pounding heart. Austin’s unfocused, glassy eyes were still fixed on me, his slack mouth open from his last silent scream.

Ivan snapped his fingers and immediately Jacob and Sebastian began removing the weights, and finally the wooden board. I retched. Austin’s torso was a bloody mess, broken ribs bursting from his sides, his flesh ripped and pulpy.

“So then, Ava Monroe,” Ivan said at last, stretching, his shoulders clicking. Now it wasn’t just Austin, but the entire coven with their eyes on me. “I think you’d better get training. You wouldn’t want to end up like this”—he nudged Austin’s head with his foot, a sickening smirk on his thick lips—“would you?”