Chapter Four

Nicodemus

I went to see Fiona, 'bout a month ago. 'Course, I didn't let her see me. She's a fucking vampire hunter now. Couldn't believe it when I first heard.

She's got herself a nice little flat. Her nephew was over, when I went, and the two of them looked tight. I stood outside and watched through the window and kept real still. Think the nephew heard me, though. He's got all that Pitch in him along with the vampire blood (so to speak), so he's gotta have hearing like a bat. When he turned to the window, I just ran.

I shouldn'ta gone back at all. But sometimes I still miss her-Fi. She's like the last link to Ebb I've got.

Ebb. They buried her west of Watford, somewhere deep in the Wavering Wood. I find it all kinds of creepy that she's got dryads wandering over her body, but that's what she asked for. She really cared 'bout that wood, those grounds. Probably more than anything 'cept me and her goats and the Snow boy.

I wasn't at her funeral, obviously. I wanted to be. Oh, hell, I wanted to be. Bought myself this real nice suit for it, and found a bunch of roses for her grave. (Ebb's always loved roses.) I guess I just forgot. What I am. What I chose.

But Fi's nephew was there, I know. Tasha's kid. When I rescued him from the numpties' cave, he didn't even thank me. Just rushed right off to Watford without a backwards glance. "I'll be damned to hell twice over before I let a vampire into Watford," he spat. "Even a gelded one." And yeah, I'll admit that stung. But that's beside the point. The point is, he never gave a thought to Ebb. He was protecting Snow. Saving Snow. And look-Snow's alive and kicking. So he's got no magic, and those ugly wings to boot, but he's alive. What about Ebb, yeah? What about Ebb?

If Pitch had taken me, let me in, I would've saved her. Somehow. Somehow. I'd've been faster than the wind and stronger than a thousand mages, and I'd've lifted her up and taken her away, and I would have been in time.

But he didn't. He didn't take me.

And then he's the one who goes to her funeral, and he's the one who leaves flowers on her grave, and he's the one who cries with Snow, and through that all, he doesn't give a fuck about me. He doesn't even remember me.

I saved his life, and in return, I lost Ebb's.

Look, I had no choice. I'm generally a nice guy-I never go for children. I feed as sparingly as I can. But Ebb is (was) my sister. And sure, she could be a pain, all goody-two-shoes when Fi and I just wanted to have a little fun, but she was my blood. And I loved her. And I still love her. Even now that she's gone.

Even now that the Pitch boy's killed her.

He had it coming. That's all I'll say.

I knew he'd show up, sooner or later. He's crazy in love with Snow, sure, and he might think that makes him all pure or something ("like Princess Di," Fi would chortle), but at the core, he's just the same as all of us. He's an outcast. He's a monster. He doesn't belong in Snow's normal, easy life.

I knew where to wait for him. I knew where he'd go.

Same as every other vampire who thought they could stick it out.

I'd almost feel sorry for him, really, if I didn't hate him.