The Immunity Key

The small girl sat on the stair next to the bottom, her hands resting on the pile of the heavily patterned Axminister carpet. She listened intently, curious to know what the adults were talking about. She knew it was wrong, Mummy always warned her that those that listen behind closed doors rarely hear good of themselves, but she was hungry and had come down hoping Auntie Carole would be ready to leave so Mummy could make dinner. Leaning on the wooden spindles she tuned into what they were saying. “So she’s still talking about this imaginary Holly Man?” Auntie Carole said.

“Yes,” her mother gave an audible sigh, “She’s insisting he’s real, even saying he picked her up!”

“Do you think it’s because of her dad? Maybe she saw one of the dads at school with his daughter and she’s made it up because she’s missing him?”

“Ummm, maybe,” her mother paused and from the click Amy knew she was using a lighter for a cigarette, “Thing is Carole, this is just the latest thing that makes me think she’s odd.” Amy felt a sting of hurt across the awkward pause and waited to hear what would come next. “There’s the smell thing. She won’t use the bathroom if I’ve used bleach, even though I’ve rinsed it all away, and you know what she’s like with my mother.”

“Does she still make a scene?” Carole asked

“Oh and some! Throws a big fit if I make her go and sit next to Grandma. Keeps saying she smells like the meat I accidently left in the shed for three days last summer.”

Carole laughed, “Putrid meat! Sorry, I know it’s not funny Audrey. Kids do say bizarre things though.”

“I don’t know,” Amy felt blood draining from her face and fear grip her stomach as she heard what her mother said next, “You can’t help wonder what I’ve taken on. I mean we never got much background on who the birth parents were. God only knows what kind of people they were. I don’t think she’s normal.”

Unable to withstand any more Amy scrambled as noiselessly as possible back upstairs to her small bedroom and buried her hot tears into the pillow. She knew it was her own fault for listening in to the adults’ conversation. She couldn’t help but indulge in remembering the big, kind man, and how safe she felt snuggled into his neck before he unleashed his horrific teeth. Curling into a foetal position and wiping her tears on her small brown bear, she made a silent promise that she would never mention the Holly Man again.

“Amy, Amy darling.”

She shook her head and smiled, taking the steaming cup from his outstretched hand, “Sorry Will, I was miles away.”

“Penny for ’em?” he said with a half-smile.

“I was just thinking about something my Mum said when I was little. I used to hate going to my grandma’s. She had a skin cancer and I could smell rotting flesh. I couldn’t bear going near her. Of course, no one else could smell it so they just thought I was a brat.” she shook the memory away, “Doesn’t matter.”

He dropped a gentle kiss on her head, “Are you ready?”

Amy nodded, “Remember, just the tiniest spot.” With a deep, shaky breath she picked up the lancet and held eye contact for a second before letting it click. The small red bead glistened on her finger and she watched in wonder as Will’s eyes turned into black pools. He dipped his head and licked the blood. He sat back and closed his eyes allowing them to return to their natural state. Amy grabbed his arm, “Are you okay Will?”

“Yes, fine,” he said quickly to reassure her.

“Thank God.” Amy’s shoulders slumped in relief, “If it poisoned you, I’d never forgive myself. As long as there’s no effect, we’ll do double tomorrow.”

“If it was going to affect me, I believe we’d know already.” He took his own cup from the small table, “From what Nancy told me, jägerin blood for vampires is like cyanide for humans. Drinking from the vein leads to death within minutes.” Amy shuddered and he bit his lip, “Don’t worry, this is going to work.”

“I’m just worried about the risk to you.”

“I’m absolutely fine,” he said reaching for her free hand, “and the alternative is that they use you to infiltrate the Agostini. That’s a risk I can’t bear to put you in and there’s no chance we can refuse. This is our only chance to satisfy the Herskers without you having to enter the lion’s den completely unprotected.”