Saving Mitchell
Chapter 4 – "Standing Your Ground"
George comes in around dawn, his body looking beyond tired. I make him some tea before he heads upstairs. He tells me Kala is doing fine and they may release her from the hospital today. I wait till he's in his room before I throw on some clothes and head out the door.
I had to find Herrick without Mitchell and have a word with him. This attack on my friend wouldn't go unchallenged. Herrick wanted to get Mitchell's attention but all he did was wake the sleeping beast inside me.
Taking a cab I arrive at the police station, Herrick talking with some others by the front door. He sees me, waving me to come to him. "I thought last night might have gotten your attention. Let's me and you have a little chat."
We walk to the roof of the building, Herrick all smiles. I smile back at him as I grip the talisman in my pocket. "Don't come after me or my friends, I don't think you'll like what happens if you do."
"Do you think you're the first witch I've dealt with, you're not? In the end you're all food. You need to understand Mitchell is mine, I made him. You need to give up this little fantasy you're living and let him come back where he belongs." Herrick tries to straddle me by giving me the black eyed fang treatment.
I rub the talisman in my pocket a few more times, silently saying the words of protection over and over. "If Mitchell wants to come back to you I won't stop him but I promise to help him stay dry and that's what I'm going to do. Do you think you're the first vampire I've dealt with, you're not?" Walking closer to him I whisper a name in his ear. "Augustus Cole."
"What do you know of Augustus? You shouldn't even know that name. Tell me now, what do you know?" Herrick is in my face, his hands reaching for me. I feel my protection spell hold his hands back from me, his body leaning forward.
"I know he was an Old One, the elite of vampire royalty, was." I give him the same dark smile he gave me earlier.
Herrick pushes at me again, the wall of energy around me stopping him. "Augustus has been missing for over 100 years. Most vampires think another Old One killed while others think he's still in South America living in solitude. Are you here to tell me you know where he is?"
"If I tell you where he is will you leave Mitchell alone?" The question seems to intrigue him as he stands back from me.
"Go on." He stands with his arms across his chest.
"Listen carefully, Bristol Cathedral, in the tombs, find the bust of the Abbot of St. Augustine's and you'll find him. Must say I was pleasantly surprised the method about consecrated ground was real. Good luck retrieving his remains." I try not to sound too pleased with myself; I still have to leave the roof top in one piece.
Herrick walks towards the roof door and never glances back at me. I wait for a moment, looking over the edge to make sure he's gone. Once I see Herrick get in his car and drive off I run for the door.
As I'm walking out of the police station Mitchell is waiting for me, his brown eyes dark and menacing. "You want to tell me what the fuck you're going with Herrick. He could have killed you."
I walk past him trying to avoid this argument. Mitchell takes me by my arm as I pass by the car. With my green eyes going dark I look up at him. "I did what I had to Mitchell. I was never in any danger, trust me."
"Trust you, you must be completely mental. I know Herrick better than anyone and trust me when I say if he had the mine to you'd be dead right now." I feel his hand go around the top of my arm tight, his face only inches from mine.
"There are things you don't know, you wouldn't understand. I have Herrick's word he'll leave you alone, leave all of us alone." Mitchell opens the car door pushing me inside.
The car rattles as he climbs in slamming the door shut. "You keep telling me there's more I should know about you but you never tell me. When are you going to let me in Cara?"
I look away from him, still not ready to give up my biggest secret. He puts the car and drive, both of us silent all the way home.
Getting out of the car I don't wait for him. I open the door, George in the kitchen tidying up. Mitchell is right on my heels, yelling at me to talk to him.
George comes to the living room, rubber washing gloves on his hands. "What in bloody hell are you two yelling about?"
"It would seem Cara thinks herself indestructible just because she's older than England. I don't care if you're a hundred or a thousand years old Cara, until you've faced the darkness that is Herrick you don't understand what danger you put yourself in." Mitchell paces the living room, his hand combing through his hair.
Not really feeling like a fight I storm up the stairs, slamming my bedroom door behind me. As I sit on the bed I hear the front door slam, George yelling at Mitchell. "Where are you going?"
After I dress for work I come downstairs to see Mitchell sitting on the sofa with a cigarette in hand. "You don't have to worry for me Mitchell, really."
He crosses the room to me, his hands sliding around my waist. "I'll take your word on that, for now. You going to work?"
Tying my hair back in a ponytail, I nod to him, his hand still around my waist. "Where's George?"
The kitchen was all cleaned and the vacuum was sitting by the door. Looking back up to Mitchell I see his charming smile had returned. He pulls me into a hug, his hands resting on my back. "Cara, you can't go near Herrick again, promise me."
"I promise Mitchell." He kisses the top of my head, his hand gliding over my ponytail.
George comes back in with a shopping bag. "Just popped out for a bit. I see you two have made up. We good here?"
Mitchell and I say it at the same time. "We're good."
Before I can head out the door Mitchell takes my hand. "You promised me. Even if you see him at the hospital you walk away. Herrick won't keep his word, he never does."
Cupping his face I rub the stubble on his cheek. "I promise Mitchell."
On the walk to work I see three vampires coming at me, one of my left, to my right and one directly behind me. Rounding the corner to the hospital steps I see Herrick waiting for me. "I found him just where you said but you're going to have to tell me why he's dead and still has a body."
I stroll up the steps, Herrick following me in. We walk to the locker room, Herrick taking a seat on a bench. I put my things away, closing the locker door. "All I can tell you is Augustus come across a very powerful witch."
"That's all you're going to tell me. Very well then, I will haunt your every step till you give me the name of this witch." He takes his hat from under his arm smiling at me as he places it back on.
"I gave you his body back, isn't that enough?" I watch at the locker room door closes, Herrick gone.
Leaving the locker room I'm immediately thrown across the room, my head hitting the wall hard. I slump to the ground, Herrick on top of me with his fangs bared. I push at him, holding him from my neck. He grabs my hands as I kick at him, his fangs getting closer to my neck.
I knew the only way I was going to get out of this was to fight fire with fire. I close my eyes, letting the vampire in me come out. Keeping my eyes closed I grip his wrists tossing him off of me.
Herrick is quickly to his feet as I get to my knees. "You will give me the name witch. I want the name!" He runs at me as I lean back, his body sailing over top of me.
Jumping to my feet I begin to run, the back of my head throbbing. I can feel the blood trickling down my neck and knew I'd have to drink blood soon to heal.
The pain in my head really starts to hurt as I run down the street towards my flat. I see Mitchell's car parked outside, my feet running towards it. My only thought is to get inside, inside I'll be safe.
With my key in my hand I start to slide it in the lock when the door opens and Mitchell pulls me inside. I see the fear in his eyes, as he helps me to the couch. He runs his hand over my head, his fingerless glove becoming soaked with my blood. I watch as he brings his fingers to his mouth and I jump on top of him. "No, don't!"
Mitchell cradles me in his arms as Herrick screams for me to come outside. I start to get up but Mitchell holds me closer. "Don't go."
"If I don't he'll never leave and George is at work. He'll hurt him to get to me." I leave Mitchell's arms to go to the door. I write down the only name I can think of to appease him and slide it under the door.
Herrick reads it out loud, his voice in more of a questioning tone. "Romanoff … she was a Romanoff witch? Even I'm not that stupid, that is suicide to go after a member of that dark clan. I will have to deliver this name to the Old Ones, what happens then is out of my hands."
We wait a few minutes, the vampires all but gone. Mitchell takes me upstairs to the bathroom, examining my scalp. "What name did you give him?" He sits me on the edge of the tub, bending my head down. I feel his fingers part my hair as he holds a towel to my bleeding wound.
"It was my mother's maiden name, I'm a Romanoff witch. I knew even vampires fear that clan, the clan that became the first hunters. My mother's death was what lead to her family hunting down vampires. They blamed me and my father for her death and they weren't completely wrong. They all think I'm dead and I want to keep it that way." Mitchell takes off his gloves, tossing them in the trash. I hear the water run in the sink as he washes my blood off of his hands.
"Do you need anything, will you be okay?" I feel myself getting weaker as I reach for his hand.
"I need to lie down and Mitchell, I'm going to need blood." He helps me to my bed, his eyes never leaving mine. "Don't worry; I have some donor blood ready. Go to the hospital and ask Emily for my package, she'll give it to you."
"Emily knows what you are?" He sits on the bed beside me.
"I saved her life from what we are so yes she knows. She also knows we aren't all blood thirsty animals." Before I have time to react, Mitchell's lips are on mine. He kisses me slowly, his lips linger briefly.
"I'll be right back." He's gone too soon, leaving me craving more of his touch, more of his kiss.
As I lay there waiting for Mitchell I try to put any thought of being with him out of my mind. I knew his track record all ready and I couldn't risk him tasting my blood.