CHAPTER FIVE

"Would you please sit down? I'm sure Mattie would have given many questions for me to answer." Iain said. He was behind the desk having stood up when we entered.

I felt Mattie's hand at the small of my back to push me in the room.

As the door closed, a red light was turned on. It ran along these four walls.

I took a deep breath and put on my professional face as I walked the short distance to the black sofa. Professional Alice isn't like normal Alice who had no answers for God knows how long. She took no bullshit fast talking.

"You're not with the Metropolitan Police, are you?" I asked I couldn't stop the sarcasm and confusion from entering my voice.

Iain shook his head. "Would you like me to talk about what this place is first or would you like to ask the questions?" Iain said. I hadn't realised Mattie sat on the other sofa.

Straight to the point. But…

"Hold on. Mattie said this is really confidential and top secret so shouldn't you be sticking me with an NDA or something?"

Iain laughed a really hearty laugh. I was starting to like him. "It will come later."

"So the things you're going to tell me… I can just talk about them to other people?"

"If you mean people who aren't with Rose, no."

I don't get it. Anyway...

"I'd rather you talk about it first." I kept my voice steady.

Iain clasped his hands in front of him.

"Right now you're in Bloody Rose. It's one of three organisations aimed at dealing with the interaction between vampires and humans. The other sister organisations are called Bloody Paper and Bloody Gold." Iain paused as if to give me time to digest this piece of information. "Each Bloody is aimed at different angles. Paper is aimed at research and development, Gold is…" He faltered "It's based on company management and as for Rose, we deal with community management."

Mattie laughed. "That's a strange way of putting it!"

For an answer he got the evil eyes from Iain. I didn't realise I was also giving him the evil eyes too until Iain cleared his throat to catch my attention.

"Where does Caim fit into this?" I asked.

"Caim was under my care." He frowned and ran his fingers through his hair. "He was part of the assassination division here at Rose… He was on a mission with Mattie…"

My head shot to the man next to me. He looked smaller bowled over with his head in his hands. "You were there?" I couldn't emphasis it anymore. My shock of this man being with my brother when he died nauseated me. Repulsed me. I think I might have flew halfway across the room away from this man but my legs failed me.

"I can't go into any detail in it, Alice but yes, Mattie was there… but don't hate him. He did what he could for Caim."

I didn't want to look at him. It was a good thing I was sitting down. I felt so damn tired and dizzy like I could sleep right here and right now for a month or so.

"Bloody has a policy that when you get accepted you inadvertently sign your siblings up. Which is why you're here and the majority of cases that you saw when you came in here today," Iain pointed to the door, "came here with a death in the family like you or they wanted to be here."

"Wait a minute." I sat up a look of disgust on my face. It sounded stupid but I needed confirmation because I thought I misheard. "You're telling me that half the humans there are those that want to be here and those that have no choice?"

He sighed whispering, "Yes. It's a complicated issue but it's to do with your blood. Mattie, do you want to explain?"

For the first time I heard him groan. He hadn't moved an inch.

So Iain continued looking awkward but keeping a close eye on Mattie's condition. "When a vampire takes blood the taste is dependent on in a number of factors such as blood type, relationship status… so say a vampire takes a stranger's blood it won't taste nice, in fact from all the talk that goes on around here regarding blood, the taste of a stranger's blood is similar to say… something you hate but you're really hungry so you have to eat it." He flinched. "It's a different story if you know the person in question - The blood becomes more palatable. If you love that person then… I suppose the thirst gets too much and the danger is heightened."

"Danger as in… being turned or dying?"

"Of death."

Silence hit the air. Nothing came to mind. All I could do was blink, breathe and make sure I didn't fall off the sofa. Iain, on the other hand, glanced a few times at Mattie who had finally moved. He laid back against the chair with his eyes closed and an arm draped over them.

Iain cleared his throat. "Do you know how a vampire changes someone?" To which I shook my head. "As everyone knows, it's to do with the exchange of blood. Right now if Mattie had given you any of his blood-" His eyes narrowed at Mattie who flinched like a kid you caught playing with a toy outside when you told him not to bring it out, "-you're one hundred percent human. However if he has given you his own blood you'll be how ever many percent human and vampire. Society will consider you a vampire when you have fifty one percent vampire blood and over. Anything under and you're still human but you'll be described as having 'tainted' blood."

I swallowed as I stared at Mattie praying to God that flinch wasn't saying he gave me his blood without my knowledge.

He sighed. "I haven't done anything to her, Iain." He got a nod in response.

"Also at Rose, a human here is called a feeder." What. I guess my emotions were on my face because Iain sighed muttering, "Damn it's always hard to do this no matter how many I've explained to." In a louder voice he said, "Feeders are people like you Alice. They're predominantly human and allow their vampire-" he motioned at Mattie, "-to take their and only their blood. The majority of people here are feeders." He said that last part as if it was going to make me feel better.

"Is there anything else you would like to say?"

"Why do you recruit the siblings too?"

Iain looked awkward. "It's a bit easier for the vampire having to adjust dealing with the taste of blood."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. It felt like I need to lay down for a few days.

"If you have anything else, you can ask Mattie and I." He stood up and I followed him to the door.

"Hold on." I said, I pointed to the red light around the room. "What's that?"

"It's a security feature called Ted. All the offices at Rose have soundproof walls as well as other stuff." He gave me a face that said, 'please don't ask me why we call it Ted and I don't know what the other stuff is' face. "When Ted is in use everything in the room stays in the room. Its light is a visual reminder."

"Okay."

Mattie and I left Iain to head off to the other building where Iain had saved us a room. Mattie didn't talk that much while we walked there.

The ceiling lights casted an orange glow on everything it touched. I didn't realise how long I had been here. Nor did I realise there was a mimic of the wind as it tugged my hair and my clothes back.

"Mattie?" When he didn't reply I continued. "Thank you."

He froze. I had taken a few steps without knowing he wasn't beside me. "For what, Alice?"

Turning to see his face a mixture of shock, distress and confusion, I felt content saying it. If Alice before Caim's death thought she'd be saying the same thing, my bet would be that she needed more time. My bet would be she would still cry. But after seeing Mattie like that… I had never saw him like that - so tortured, it just didn't suit him.

He must have wanted to leave the room so badly.

"For doing what you could to save my brother."

Mattie's emerald eyes stared at mine. I think he was trying to read my face because after what felt like a few long minutes, he gave me a small grin before walking the short distance to bear hug me.

We didn't say anything. Didn't think any words were needed. I just stayed in Mattie's arms (because he hadn't released me), until I shivered and we continued our walk to this apartment.