AN: Thanks to anyone who is still reading and reviewing and so it's taken so long! We hope you enjoy our latest offering! x
Ste woke up in a very uncomfortable position. His knees were tucked up, his head at a weird angle and his whole body leaning against a solid object. He groaned a bit before he opened his eyes, taking a glance around his surroundings.
The solid object turned out to be Brendan. They were sat on the sofa in Ste's living room, where they'd been sat and all night.
Ste had been overwhelmed by seeing Brendan singing to Leah. The cold-hearted vampire had been wrapped around the finger of Ste's five-year-old daughter and there was something heartbreakingly adorable about that, something that made Ste want to squeal in delight. And Brendan had followed it up with that moment of genuine honesty and Ste had failed to control his own desires.
The kiss hadn't gone anywhere. It wasn't that sort of kiss. It was a kiss of understanding, of caring, and when Ste had pulled away, it had been enough to smile at each other. Then they'd sat on the sofa and talked. Not about the stuff that was changing their lives right now, just pleasant things like Leah, Lucas and Brendan's children, Padraig and Declan. They didn't mention what had happened between them and neither apologised, but they lapsed into gentle silence soon enough as both grew drowsy. They must have fallen asleep before Ste could try to find Brendan any bedding.
He sat up and checked Brendan was alright. It was very strange to see that he wasn't breathing, knowing that if he put his hand on that chest again he would feel no heartbeat. He couldn't resist putting a hand out to try it. The chest was not as cold as he'd expected, but he supposed that was because he'd been leaning against it for a while. He wondered if the rest of Brendan would be cold. He traced his hand up, and stroked Brendan's face.
Brendan sighed.
Ste wondered if that was like breathing or not.
Then he wondered if Brendan wanted breakfast. The sky was lightening through the thin curtains of the flat and the kids would be running around soon. He didn't suppose coco pops would cut it. Maybe they had some bacon. Could vampires eat bacon?
He got up and made his way towards the kitchen, yawning and stretching as he went. Maybe Amy had already started cooking; he thought he could smell something, but there was no one in there when he looked. He opened the fridge. What was the most like blood they had?
"Jesus!" shouted a voice from the living room, making Ste jump. He dropped the fridge door and sprinted back the way he came.
"What is it? What's wrong?" he cried.
Brendan was trying desperately to pull the cushions up from the sofa. He held them in front of him like a shield, like they were his only protection from a dangerous, unseen enemy. There was smoke rising slowly from his body.
"Steven!" he cried.
Cursing himself for his stupidity, Ste had to think hard. Where was the safest, darkest place in the house? Where did the sun never shine?
"Quick!" he cried, "under mi bed!"
He threw open the door to his bedroom and Brendan followed and dived under the untidy frame. Ste stared for a moment in shock.
"Bren? Brendan?" he tried, "are you alright?"
"Yeah," he heard Brendan reply, "I'm fine. I'm… fine."
Ste bent down, nervously, dreading what he might see. Would Brendan be scarred? Burned somehow?
It was very dark under the bed, so Ste picked up his bedside light and brought it down with him. Brendan was lying flat on his back the floor, looking exhausted. "Am I still on fire, Steven?" he asked.
"I don't think so," Ste replied. "I'm sorry, I forgot…"
"Yeah," Brendan replied, "it's ok. Err..."
Ste knew why he was erring. The bed was under the window and would always be in shadow, but the rest of the room was clearly swimming in the early morning sunlight. Ste's curtains were closed but thin, emmitting a glow that Ste suspected would set Brendan on fire again if he tried to cross it. The living room would be no better and then there was a whole village now bathed in sunshine. There was no way Brendan could cross it all if he caught fire from sunlight through a curtain.
"You're stuck here, aren't ya?" Ste said.
"Yeah," Brendan replied.
"Right..." said Ste. "Well, we can't let Amy find you 'ere. So you'll have to be quiet, at least 'til she goes out, right?"
Brendan made a face, "You want me to hide under your bed all day?"
The face annoyed Ste more than the words, "Have you got any better ideas?" he snapped.
"No," replied Brendan, sulkily.
"Well, then," Ste said, and tried to think what they had on today. "It's a Saturday, isn't it?"
"Is it?" asked Brendan, "you kind of forget to care after a few hundred years."
Deciding Brendan was just sulking, Ste ignored the comment, "So, the kids are gonna be at home, right?"
"Are they?" said Brendan, but with obvious lack of caring for that fact.
"Well, yeah," said Ste. "So, right, you've got to be really quiet."
"So, I'm gonna lie here, in silence, all day, am I sSteven?"
"Well, what do you usually do during the daytime?" Ste snapped, now annoyed. This was not his fault.
"Sleep, obviously," Brendan replied with a sneer.
"Well, you can do that here!" Ste protested.
"What, with two brats wondering around the place?"
"Hey!" Ste cried, "my kids aren't brats!"
"Yeah, yeah," said Brendan.
"Oi!" snapped Ste, "just 'cause our Leah manipulated yer."
Brendan snorted, "Too clever for her own good, that one," he muttered, but Ste recognised the tone of fondness in his voice.
"Yeah, she's dead clever is our Leah," Ste said, proudly, "Are you hungry?"
He saw the look Brendan gave him; a longing desperation but awesome fear too, and added "Not from me! I just meant, like, raw meat or something?"
"Raw meat?" Brendan repeated, "I ain't a bear, Steven."
"Or black pudding or something?" Ste tried, rolling his eyes.
Brendan frowned, "I haven't tried black pudding since I was alive."
Ste made a face, "What, so, you only drink like proper blood?"
Brendan looked at him like he was mental, "They line up at the door, Steven, why would I turn them down for some dried up mess?"
Ste rolled his eyes, tried not to let the stab of jealousy or the strange sickening feeling overwhelm him. "Do you want some black pudding or not?" he snapped.
Brendan thought about it. Then he said "Yes."
"Alright," said Ste, "I'll go and get some."
Brendan was still sulky, and failed to thank him, so Ste felt no guilt at not explaining he would have to go to the supermarket to buy some. He hoped he could be less than two hours, but the buses to Chester weren't very good.
Brendan had heard the door open and close quite a while ago. "Steven?" he'd called quietly as soon as he recognised the sound. There was no answer from anywhere in the flat, so he tried again, "Steven?"
He cursed. He couldn't even shuffle out from under the bed for fear of the sunlight, surely Steven hadn't just abandoned him alone in the flat? He listened hard. He could hear Amy's gentle breathing, shuffling children, soft footsteps heading his way.
Too small to be Steven's.
The door to the bedroom opened and a pair of tiny feet appeared in the doorway.
"Daddy?" said a tiny voice.
Brendan tried to be silent. The last thing he needed was Leah shoving her nose into his business again. Who knows what she'd blackmail out of him this time, when there was no simple explanation for being under her father's bed.
A face peered down at him. It wasn't hers, but this wasn't going to be good either.
"What are you doing under my Daddy's bed?" asked the tiny boy, slowly and carefully.
Brendan thought before he answered. "I'm just waiting for him to come back," he said.
"My Daddy?" asked the little boy.
"Yep," Brendan replied, looking up at the bed springs, hoping the kid would understand that as the end of the conversation.
"Where is Daddy?" the little boy asked, ignoring Brendan's body language and crawling under the bed with him.
"He's gone to get some breakfast," Brendan replied, "Why don't you go play with your sister?"
"OK," said the little boy, wriggling out again, without complaint, and disappearing out of the room again. Brendan sighed in relief. At least Ste's children weren't both manipulative little brats.
He heard the boy go to one of the other rooms, then call "Leah, the man said you should come and play with us!"
"That is not what I said!" Brendan snapped at no one.
"Which man?" he heard Leah reply.
"The man under Daddy's bed," said the little boy, "come and see."
Two pairs of feet came back to him and Brendan groaned again. The door opened and he saw both pairs of feet come his way, and two heads appeared as both Steven's children investigated the man under their Daddy's bed.
"Hello Mr vampire," greeted Leah with a smile. "Why are you under Daddy's bed?"
"Because I like it under here," Brendan replied with a gentle growl, refusing to look at them in hopes that they would take the suggestion, "go find something to do."
"Are you going to play with us?" Leah asked.
"No!" Brendan snapped.
There was silence from the kids and Brendan couldn't resist looking. The little boy had wide, surprised eyes. Leah's looked wet.
"Why are you shouting at me?" the little girl asked in a quavering, tiny voice.
"I'm not…" But he never finished. The little girl let out a sob. Seeing his older sister react like that set the little boy off too. "Jesus," Brendan mumbled, if they carried on, their mother would find him probably ask him to leave, or at least go into the living room and then his secret would be out. Or he would burn. Neither were good.
"Alright!" he hissed, "but I can't come out."
Leah grinned, "Will you read us a story?" she chimed, and Brendan got the distinct impression he'd been played again.
"Whatever," he said, stroppily and she cheered and ran off, presumably to find a story. The little boy stopped crying too and crawled back under the bed with him. Then he clambered over Brendan and lay on the other side, right next to him, watching him with curiosity. Brendan wondered if he'd ever been that trusting. He should warn the boy, show him you couldn't trust anyone, that he should never put himself in the position he just did. Some people would pray on that trust, turn it into a weakness, break it into a thousand ugly pieces.
"You alright?" he asked instead.
The little boy nodded. "It's dark under here," he said.
"Are you scared?" Brendan asked. The little boy nodded. Maybe he wasn't old enough to be ashamed of his fear. "There's nothing to be scared of under Daddy's bed, though," Brendan told him, "and I'm here to look after you."
He hadn't meant to add the last bit. It felt like it was true though.
The little boy nodded again.
"What's your name?" Brendan asked.
"Lucas," Lucas muttered, as his sister scrambled in with them, a bundle of books in tow.
"These are my books, but Mummy says they're a bit hard for Lucas, so I think you should read us this one."
Leah spoke with certainty. Brendan admired her confidence. But couldn't help admiring Steven for making her that way. These were children who knew they were loved and protected, no matter what.
Leah shoved a bright pink book under Brendan's nose, and mirrored Lucas so Brendan had a small child on each side, and no escape. Brendan looked at it with a frown. "Vampirina Ballerina?"
"Yep," said Leah, "It's about a vampire that does ballet."
Brendan's lip curled, "Vampires don't do ballet," he said.
"Yes they do," said Leah, "just 'cause you don't doesn't mean that no vampires do."
"I think you'll find…" Brendan started, ready to contradict her, but she gave him a smile.
"You've got to read this to us now," she said, factually.
Brendan looked at Lucas. He didn't think this was a 'got to' situation. But the little boy just nodded solemnly.
He sighed, "Oh, come on!" he cried to the little boy, "you don't want me to read this?"
The little boy nodded solemnly, and Brendan rolled his eyes. "Oh, fine, whatever!" he snapped, and opened the book.
"Vampirina ballerina," he started.
Ste had taken ages to find black pudding. The woman in Price Slice gave him a look of mild disgust, but the supermarket had a packet of slices. They didn't look tempting to Ste, but maybe it would keep Brendan happy until he could get some of the club's special brew after dark.
He travelled home on the bus, trying not to imagine Brendan asleep under his bed. Or what Amy would say if she found him there. Surely there was no reason for Amy to look under Ste's bed.
Ste's leg started to twitch with a need to get there.
He tried desperately to stop his brain trying to come up with ways to have sex in the small space Brendan was hidden in. Two snogs did not mean they were together. They hadn't even tried to talk about Walker. Or what being 'with' a vampire might mean.
And he'd left a vampire alone with his children. Was he mad? He had no reason to trust Brendan. There was no doubt in his mind that he did trust Brendan, but he could imagine Amy's voice if she worked it out. Except of course Brendan could have hypnotised her into being his slave by now. Actually, that was probably the most likely thing he'd imagined all morning.
He hurried off the bus and ran the rest of the way home, shopping bag flapping about around him, his feet slamming into the street, his breathing getting ragged. He ran and ran, fumbled for the key, stumbled down the path, slammed into the door, threw it open. Revealed a quiet, calm flat.
"Er, hello?" he called into the quiet.
He got no response. Maybe Amy had taken the kids out and Brendan was asleep. He stepped cautiously into towards his bedroom, opened the door as quietly as possible.
There was a quiet mumbling from under his bed. He stepped cautiously across the room and ducked his under to check if Brendan was sleep talking.
Last night had been ridiculous. Brendan singing to Leah had made his stomach swim in a gorgeous gooey mess of happiness. This was worse.
He had Lucas on one side, Leah on the other. He was reading them a story.
Ste had to hold in a squeak of adoration at the sight. Then crawled in next to Leah. If Brendan had noticed he showed no sign, as he finished the book with a satisfied nod.
"Again!" said Leah straight away.
"Er, Leah, please and thank yous!" Ste said.
"Again, please!" the little girl insisted straight away.
"Steven," said Brendan, "your children seem to have invaded my space."
"Well, it is their home, Brendan," Ste replied, with a teasing grin.
"Steven..." Brendan growled, and Ste grinned at him.
"But I haven't heard the beginning of Vampirina Ballerina!"
Brendan looked at him with dark eyes, "Maybe if I get some sleep I'll be able to tell you a grown up version later, Steven," he said in a voice that stroked Steven with sexual need. Ste almost forgot to breath.
Brendan put his head in his hands, "Right kids, Daddy's going to play with you now, so get lost, right?"
"Oh!" moaned Leah.
"Oh!" Lucas copied.
Ste recognised a plea to escape when he saw one. "Come on kids, Brendan needs to sleep now."
"Oh!" the kids repeated.
"Come on!" he repeated, "go find something to do!"
The kids scrambled out from under the bed, and plodded off into the living room, finding some of the noisiest toys in the house in moments. Brendan groaned. He seemed to be just starting to fall asleep, when Ste slid back into the space next to him. He stared at Brendan for a moment, before tentatively reaching out and tracing the line of Brendan's moustache. Brendan reached up and caught Ste's hand, pressing it to his face. Ste's hand felt deliciously warm and Brendan was almost sure he could smell the sunlight on his skin.
"I brought you some black pudding.' Ste almost whispered, unable to take his eyes off Brendan. He pulled a open the packet and grabbed a piece of black pudding from it. He slowly raised it to Brendan's lips and slid it through the gap.
Brendan let out a shudder as Ste slid the dried blood into his mouth, it was one of the most sensual things that had ever been apart of. It didn't seem to matter to Brendan that the black pudding was disgusting, he seemed content with staring straight into Ste's eyes as he slowly chewed on his food. As Ste slid another piece into Brendan's mouth his finger brushed against one of his sharp fangs. Immediately Ste could tell that the disgusting taste of dried animal blood had been replaced by the taste of his own blood, Brendan's pupil's were huge and his eyes almost looked black Brendan let out an animalistic growl and grabbed Ste's shoulders, pulling him flush against his own body. Ste's heart began to beat erratically and he let out a gasp of pleasure as Brendan began to suck on his bleeding finger even harder.
"Daddy!" cried a child's voice.
The two men sprang away from each other; Ste was pleased to see that Brendan's eyes were heavy with desire.
"I better go see what she wants." said Ste, he slid out from under the bed and his feet padded across the room. As he joined the kids in the living room he could still hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.
When Brendan woke up later the room was bathed in darkness. He could already sense that sundown had occurred over half an hour ago and that there now only seemed to be two heartbeats in the flat. He slid out from under the bed with a grace that only a vampire was capable. Brendan sneered in disgust at the sleeves of his suit that were covered in dust, didn't Steven ever clean under his bed? He smoothly exited the room so quickly and silently that he caused Steven to jump as he appeared behind him.
"I was just coming to wake you." said Steven nervously. "Just took the kids to a friend's house, Amy hasn't been feeling that well today."
Brendan stepped forward and buried his face into the pulse point in Steven's neck. He was hungry and Steven's racing heart wasn't doing anything to calm his hunger or desire for the boy. Steven smelled of his desire, and shivered with need, but tried to hide it.
"We're running a bit late, so I was thinking we could get the bus."
Brendan let out a humorous snort. 'Brendan Brady doesn't do buses Steven."
Steven looked adorably confused for a moment. "Then we're going to be proper late."
"Hello, vampire." Brendan pointed to himself and with relish noticed Steven was eyeing him up. "I'll get us there on time."
Steven rolled his eyes and went to get his coat. Brendan paused suddenly on his way to the front door, when his nose picked up on the faintest trace of a familiar smell. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was a scent he hadn't encountered in a number of years. He inhaled again, noticing it was coming from Amy's room...he stepped towards the door, but was distracted when Steven suddenly appeared in front of him. All he could smell now was the wonderful scent of his boy.
"Come on then, Brendan Brady," said Steven, smiling at him in a way that would send any man wild. "Show me how a vampire gets to work."
Brendan pulled the boy into his chest as they reached the front door. "Hold on tight, Steven. And whatever you do, don't close your eyes."
As soon as the door opened Brendan shot ten metres into the air, still clutching Steven to his chest. Steven screamed at first as they flew over a number of houses, but that soon turned into cries of delight. Brendan was always surprised by everything the boy did and how he reacted, for the first time in centuries he was fascinated by a human. He flew slower, enjoying the feel of the boy's warm body and heartbeat pressed to his chest. For the first time in his vampire life, not wanting a feeling to end.
They landed on the steps of DOA, Steven laughing giddily at the whole experience. Brendan placed Steven down, instantly missing the contact. Their eyes met and they both became silent for a moment, until Steven stepped forward and closed the gap between them. Their lips met and Brendan felt a familiar and pleasurable rush that he only got when he was in close contact with Steven. Brendan pressed him into the stair railings, pressing their bodies flush against each other. It still wasn't enough, he needed more. He wanted to taste and be inside Steven. Steven clung onto Brendan, as if he could sense his desire and need. Their lips moved and fitted perfectly together, as if they were made for each other.
The two pulled apart and Steven looked almost mesmerised. Brendan wondered why he hadn't tried this technique before. It seemed kissing the boy until he was breathless was a lot more affective than hypnotism.
"My office, now." said Brendan in a low voice. If they didn't go inside soon Brendan was going to take Steven right on this balcony and that wouldn't do anything for human-vampire relations.
"Okay." Steven agreed, smiling almost too trustingly at Brendan.
Brendan practically pulled Steven inside, pulling him gently across the empty club and towards the office. He felt a smug smile form on his lips when he realised he'd managed to avoid two major roadblocks: Mitzeee and Cheryl. The two were almost at the office when Theresa McQueen stepped in front of them, a strange expression on her face.
"Brendan." said Theresa, her voice not sounding as chirpy as usual.
Brendan resisted the urge to put his fist through a wall. Why did everyone insist on getting in the way each time he decided to take Ste as his own?
"Not now Theresa." growled Brendan through gritted teeth. His patience was beginning to wain.
"It's important." she said, her eyes wide with an unknown emotion.
"Last time you told me it was important, you'd broke a nail. So excuse me if I don't give you my full attention." Brendan glanced at the office door, he was so close but so far.
"Listen Theresa," said Steven in an important voice that saved the blonde from being thrown across the room. "We're busy, yeah?"
Brendan felt his veins run colder than usual. "Don't do that." he said shaking his head, Steven was making them sound like some loved up partnership. Brendan wasn't Ken and Steven certainly wasn't Barbie.
Theresa looked at them both, her little brain obviously working overtime. "You two are...Oh! I'll leave you too it." Her momentary problem seemed to have been forgotten by this new piece of gossip.
Brendan pulled Steven into the office and slammed the door in Theresa's face. Nothing was going to stop what he had planned for the boy. He pushed Steven up against the desk and shoved his top over his head before he had any time to protest. Steven let out a delicious groan as Brendan began to grind his hips into his. Brendan buried his face into Steven's delicious and warm neck and kissed every inch of his skin. He wanted to taste Steven, devour his golden skin that smelled of sunshine and touch every part of him, and if Steven's attack on his jacket and shirt were anything to go by, the boy felt the same. Brendan's hands began to slowly trace their way down to the waistband of Steven's trousers, tugging the fabric down. He was going to make the boy scream so loud that the whole club would hear him over the music.
"Well this is delicious." said Anne's sing-song voice.
Brendan reluctantly pulled himself away from Steven and shot Mitzeee a deadly glare.
"What do you want?" he asked darkly, turning around and stepping in front of Steven so he was concealed from Anne's curious gaze.
"I see you two made up, that didn't take long." she continued, enjoying Brendan's annoyance. "Though I guess you can be very persuasive when you want to be Brendan."
"Get to the point Anne, before I throw you through the wall." said Brendan. He added getting a lock for the office door to the list of jobs he needed to do, it came right after murdering Anne.
"Cheryl's locked herself in the toilets...again." said Anne, pulling a disgusted face.
"And I need too know this, because?" asked Brendan, his eyes hungrily glancing back at Steven.
Anne's face screwed up, as if she was remembering something horrible. "She's scaring off the customer's with her awful wailing. She won't come out for anyone but you."
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Can't this club function without me for ten minutes?" asked Brendan, feeling completely frustrated.
Anne let out a snort. "Ten minutes, Brendan? More like two at the most. Don't give young Ste any illusions."
"Anne." he growled with warning.
"Are you coming or not?" asked Anne, hovering by the door.
"I'll be there in a minute." said Brendan coldly, not wanting to look back at Steven's disappointed face. "Put some clothes on." He didn't mean to take his fast declining mood out on Steven, but he couldn't help feel frustrated. He followed Anne out of the office without looking back.
When he entered the bathroom, the first thing Brendan heard was awful high pitched wailing. He flinched at the noise, half tempted to turn back and go the other way. When Cheryl was in a state it wasn't pretty. He glanced door at the floor and noticed a ball of fluff on the floor: Nate the dog was staring woefully at the locked bathroom door where the wailing was coming from. For a moment the two looked at each other lost, united by the fact they were male, with little knowledge on how to comfort a crying female. There was something strange about that dog!
Brendan stepped towards the door and knocked on it gently. "Chez?"
"Leave me alone Brendan." cried a voice. "I don't want to see you or Mitzeee. I just want you all to leave me alone!"
Mitzeee slipped into the bathroom and stood next to Brendan. "You can hear her wailing from the dance floor, you know? Customers are leaving because of it. Talk about dramatic." she rolled her eyes.
"Shut your gob Mitzeee!" cried Cheryl.
"What is this even about?" asked Brendan, feeling the urge to punch a hole in the bathroom wall rising. He wasn't prepared to listen to the two of them bicker, not when he'd had Steven half naked in his office not minutes before.
"Cheryl was chatting to some bloke, Mal I think his name was. And that tarty vampire Mercedes swooped in and took him off her. Now the two of them are upstairs and Mercedes is using him like one of those boxed drinks, amongst other things. Cheryl didn't take it very well." Mitzeee sounded as if the whole thing amused her.
"Shut up Mitzeee, that's not how it happened at all!"
"Yes it is and don't talk to me like that. It's not my fault you're a rubbish vampire." answered Anne.
"Well not every vampire can be a tart like you!" Cheryl cried back through the toilet door.
"If I hear one more word from either of you, I swear you both will be cleaning the toilets for the next hundred years!" growled Brendan.
Mitzeee stuck her chin in the air. "I'm only trying to help. Next time I won't bother. I'll be in the bar trying stop customers from leaving if you need me.' she flicked her hair behind her shoulder and strolled straight out the bathroom door.
As the door slammed shut, Cheryl's high pitched whining began again. "Why am I so hideous Brendan? Why doesn't any man want me?"
Nate the dog on the floor began to whine, as if he was trying to argue with her it wasn't true. Brendan shot the dog a look and it was once again silent.
"Chez I'm not talking to a door. Come out."
Cheryl sniffed loudly and after a moment the bathroom lock clicked. She stepped out of the cubicle, her eyes lined with trails of blood and eye shadow. She flung herself into his arms as Brendan awkwardly patted his sister, she began to sob loudly. He didn't have the heart to tell her she was ruining a five hundred pound suit.
"Will you stake Mercedes for me?" asked Cheryl through the tears.
"You know I can't to do that."
"Not even a little? If you loved me, you'd do it."
"No Chez," answered Brendan.
Ste angrily wiped the bar, trying to take out his anger out on it. He and Brendan had been getting on so well during the last twenty four hours; but it seemed Brendan had gone cold on him again. Ste watched as Brendan crossed the dance floor and began an angry conversation with Mitzeee by the stairs. Ste couldn't help but stare at the vampire, unable to believe that a man like Brendan would want someone like him. Brendan was beautiful and so mysterious and Ste was...just... well Ste. Just being around Brendan did funny things to both his heart and body. He'd never wanted anyone so much in his entire life. Brendan glanced up and noticed Ste staring at him, for a moment the two shared a smile like they were the only people in the room. Then something hard fell onto Ste's head and caused the spell to be broken. He touched the top of his head wincing with pain, and then looked around for any sign of what had fallen on him. Down on the floor lay a red stiletto shoe, which for some reason looked familiar to Ste. For a moment he glanced around, looking around him.
"Who threw that?" he asked the room in general.
Ste sensed that the object had came from above him before his eyes even found its source. It was a mass of red and yellow, almost floating like a Christmas decoration above the crowd. Ste's mind finally switched back on, realising the thing hanging in the air wasn't an object but a human woman slowly swinging round in a circle. Hanging by her neck from a rope tied to the rafters on the ceiling was Theresa McQueen, her face forever fixed with an expression of horror. She was dead.