Wounded Soul Read online

  Cate wrinkled her nose. “Jesus, Blake, you’re thirty-one, not nineteen.”

  Blake laughed, waving away her concerns, and settled back into the cushions. “He had to go somewhere after, and I was horny.”

  “What if the police had come by?” Cate was like a dog with a bone. But Ian agreed with her. Blake could be needlessly reckless at times, not something you’d expect given his job.

  “I’d already checked who was on patrol, and they never tour the clubs until kicking-out time.” He suddenly sat forward, an excited glint to his eyes. “And talking of work . . .” He clapped his hands together and grinned. “I got promoted.”

  “Congratulations!” Cate leaned over to give him a hug.

  “Yeah, congrats, mate.” Ian slapped him on the shoulder. “That’s great.” He returned Blake’s grin, happy for him and also relieved to be off the topic of last night. “What does that make you now?”

  Blake shifted in his seat, looking oddly uneasy for someone who’d just announced a promotion. “I didn’t go up in rank as such. I mean my job title’s changed, and I get more money . . .”

  Cate frowned and shot a glance at Ian. “What does that mean exactly, then? What’s your new title?”

  Blake clasped his hands together and bit at his bottom lip. Ian recognised the signs. Blake was nervous. “It’s a different department. I’m not supposed to tell anyone—”

  “Oh my God, have you joined the VLCD? Is that really a thing?” Ian was almost off his seat.

  “Keep your voice down, for fuck’s sake.”

  “Why?” Ian looked at the door, then the windows. “Is someone listening?”

  “No, but—”

  “What the hell is the VLCD?” Cate butted in, and they both turned to look at her. “And how do you two know about it and I don’t?” She looked a mix of confused and put out.

  Bollocks. Ian wanted to quiz Blake some more, find out if it was all true, but he turned to face Cate. “You remember when Blake’s uncle came to stay with him?” At her blank expression he added, “The hot one who came over from London, who spoke a bit like Michael Caine.” They’d both had a crush on him.

  “That was about fifteen years ago!” When Ian continued to stare expectantly at her, she huffed. “Yes, fine, I remember him.”

  “Ian.” The warning tone in Blake’s voice stopped him.

  “So it is true?” His mouth fell open as he struggled to comprehend the fucking magnitude of it all. “Fuck me.”

  “Oh my God, you two!” Cate hissed. “Will someone please tell me what the fuck’s going on?”

  “I can’t.” Blake looked torn, and Ian kind of felt bad for him. But they were his best friends, for fuck’s sake, and besides, Ian already knew. It wasn’t like he had anyone telling him to keep quiet.

  Except Blake, who was now staring daggers at him, but he didn’t count.

  Purposely facing Cate and turning his back on Blake, he said, “We overheard Blake’s dad and his uncle talking one night. They’d gone in his dad’s office, closed the door and everything, but we could still hear if we got close enough. They got loud after a few whiskies.”

  Blake groaned and dropped his head into his hands. “You’re gonna get me in so much trouble if they find out.”

  “How are they going to find out?”

  Blake didn’t answer, but he didn’t try to stop him again either.

  “Anyway, we heard them mention something about a new secret police branch, the VLCD.” He winced as he remembered what happened after that. “After hearing the word secret, of course we googled it on his dad’s laptop but found nothing. Unfortunately we were stupid and didn’t clear the browser history. His dad went mental. Told us to leave it alone and forget we’d ever heard the term.”

  Cate raised her eyebrows. “So what did you do?”

  “Naturally we agreed to do as we were told.”

  She smirked, knowing them both far too well. “And then?”

  “We waited for them to go out the next day, skipped PE, and raced back to Blake’s house to search his uncle’s room.”

  “God, you were so bad at school.” She motioned for Ian to go on. “What did you find?”

  Ian spared Blake another glance, but he was still sat with his head in hands. Fuck. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. Blake’s dad had been so angry at them when he’d found out about the laptop . . .

  “You might as well tell her the rest,” Blake said, sitting up and sighing. “But for the love of God, you can’t tell a single soul, or we’ll all be in trouble.”

  Cate mimed zipping her lips, almost vibrating in her seat.

  “There wasn’t much. We reckoned he must’ve locked everything in his briefcase after they found out about us overhearing. And we couldn’t get in that.” Ian paused for effect, caught up in the moment. “But I found a business card in one of his suit pockets. I reckon he must have left it in there after their night on the booze.”

  “Can’t believe you searched his clothes too.” Cate shook her head.

  Ian shrugged. “You telling me you wouldn’t have done the same after hearing about a secret new police branch?”

  She hummed, non-committal, and waved for him to continue.

  “On the card it had his uncle’s name, rank, and the letters, VLCD, and underneath it said Vampire Liaison and Crime Division.” It felt like a Ta da! moment, but silence filled the room.

  Blake’s expression was hard to read, but Cate sat there with her mouth open and face screwed up in disbelief until she finally barked out a laugh. “You’re fucking with me, right?” She looked from Ian to Blake, then back to Ian. “Ha-ha. Very good. You had me totally hooked until the end there.”

  “I’m telling the truth,” Ian tried, but Cate rolled her eyes.

  “How gullible do you think I am?”

  Ian met Blake’s gaze. He knew from that one look that it was the absolute truth. But Cate didn’t. And why would she? They could either try to get her to believe them—maybe Blake had proof, maybe he didn’t—or they could play it off as an elaborate joke and keep Blake’s secret between the two of them. “Blake?” He hoped Blake knew he was letting him take the lead on this.

  No one spoke for what seemed like an age.

  “Guys?” Cate looked between them again, face pinched.

  With a huge sigh, Blake shuffled back into the corner of the sofa until he could face both Ian and Cate. “Fuck.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and in that instance seemed so much older than his years.

  Shit. Guilt began to creep in, and Ian realised maybe he should have kept his big mouth shut. “I’m sorry, I should never have—”

  “It’s fine.” Blake offered him a tight smile. “In hindsight I should’ve anticipated your mind would go there and told you first. It was so long ago, I just never thought—” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter now. You just can’t repeat this to anyone—and I mean anyone—and we have to convince Cate that we’re telling the truth.”

  Despite the gravity of Blake’s expression, Ian couldn’t help but grin. “So it is a thing then?”

  Blake’s lips twitched. “Oh yeah.”

  “And vampires are real?” He should probably be terrified by this thought, but Ian was so ridiculously excited he could barely sit still.

  Blake nodded. “It would appear so.”

  “Fucking hell.” His mind raced; he didn’t know what questions to ask first. “Have you seen one? What are they like? Do they—”

  “Hey!”

  They both turned to look at Cate. In his excitement, Ian had almost forgotten she was there.

  She eyed them both like they were crazy. “Will one of you please explain what the fuck is going on?”

  Ian gestured to Blake. “I think you’d better take this one.” Ian wanted to hear all about it too.

  Fucking hell! Vampires are real!

  Reaching into his jacket pocket, Blake pulled out a business card and flipped it over for them both to see. In bold black l
etters were the words, Detective Sergeant Blake Jones, VLCD. A telephone number was printed underneath, and that was all. “They don’t add the words for the abbreviations these days. Thankfully someone decided it was a bad idea.”

  Ian snorted. “No shit.”

  Cate narrowed her eyes and gestured to the business card. “That doesn’t prove anything. What do you tell people it stands for? I’m assuming you must have to tell them something if you’ve got cards?”

  “I’ve got one card that I put in the back of my warrant card. Only to be used if I get in trouble with the regular police, and then I’m only to hand it over to the highest ranking officer. The number goes direct to my boss. I don’t go handing them out to anybody and everybody.”

  “Still though, you have to have some explanation for it if they ask?”

  “I’ll say I’m part of the VLCD. If they look it up, they’ll see there’s no information available and know not to ask questions.” He shrugged as though it was all cut and dried as far as he was concerned. Ian had so many questions, but not one part of him thought Blake was telling anything but the truth.

  Cate however, looked far from convinced.

  “Vampires,” she said, the disbelief clear as day. “You expect me to believe you’ve joined a super-secret task force that what? Hunts vampires? Should I be calling you Van Helsing now?”

  Ian laughed, but Blake’s expression remained neutral.

  “I can’t make you believe me—it’s not like I can offer you proof—but Cate, I need you to understand how important it is that you don’t repeat this. Any of it.” His gaze flicked between them. “That goes for both of you. Do you understand?”

  Cate nodded. “Who would believe me anyway?”

  “You’d be surprised who might be listening without you realising.”

  It took a moment or two for Ian to realise what Blake was implying. Cate was only a second behind him.

  “Are you talking about your buddies from the VLCD?” She asked, and Blake sighed. “Or suggesting that vampires might be hanging around the supermarket when I’m gossiping to my mum?”

  “Both.”

  Cate scoffed.

  “Assuming you do your shopping at night because, you know, sunlight and vampires don’t mix all that well.” Blake reached for her hand, and Ian was surprised she didn’t snatch it back going by the look on her face. “But for fuck’s sake, do not tell your bloody mother any of this.”

  Instead of laughing at him, she squeezed his fingers and leaned close, looking into his eyes the whole time. “You’re totally serious about this whole thing, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  She let go of his hand and covered her face with both of hers. Blake glanced over at him, eyebrows raised, and Ian shrugged. He had no idea what she was thinking either.

  “Fine,” she said after what seemed forever. “I’m not saying I believe you, even if you two idiots seem to believe it all. But I won’t say anything to anyone. I promise.”

  Blake relaxed a little, shoulders losing some of their tension. “Thank you. That’s more important than you believing me, to be honest.” He stood up as though preparing to leave.

  “Where are you going?” Ian reached out to grab his sleeve, only noticing now how dressed up he was. Which was a surprise because normally it would’ve been the first thing he noticed. “I have all the fucking questions.”

  Blake laughed. “Yeah, I bet you do.” Then his expression turned serious. “But I have to go. That’s why I came over here now. I’m gonna be away for the next two weeks, training. Because despite what you might think, I know jack shit about anything other than what I’ve watched in horror films.”

  “So you’re gonna learn all about vampire shit?” Cate still sounded sarcastic when she said it, and Ian supposed he didn’t blame her. He wasn’t sure why he was so quick to believe it was all true, but he just was.

  “Yep. Vampire shit and other stuff.” He pointed at Ian’s mobile sat on the coffee table. “I’ll be out of touch for the whole time I’m away. If you need me urgently, you can leave a message with my old boss. He’ll know who to give it to. But only if it’s life or death, guys. I mean it.”

  Both Ian and Cate nodded.

  “Right.” He patted his pockets, probably making sure he hadn’t left the card anywhere. “I’ll let you know when I’m back.” He turned to leave when Cate snatched hold of his sleeve.

  She looked a little pale all of a sudden. “Say I did believe you and vampires are real.” She glanced at the window where the sun shone brightly in an almost clear blue sky. “Should we be worried?” Her hand went to her neck. “I mean, are we in danger?”

  Fucking hell. I never thought of it like that.

  Ian was suddenly a lot more interested in Blake’s answer than he would’ve been a moment ago.

  Blake smiled and patted his pocket. “That’s what the VLCD is for. To keep you safe.” Ian and Cate must have been wearing the same unimpressed expression because Blake let out a sigh. “Please try and pretend I haven’t told you any of this. Try and just do . . .” He waved a hand about. “Normal things.”

  “Mhmm.” Cate grumbled and Ian could feel her eye-roll; he didn’t need to look at her. “Because that’ll be easy.”

  Blake put his hands out. “I thought you didn’t believe me anyway?”

  “I don’t. That’s beside the point.”

  He shook his head, clearly exasperated. “Just keep this to yourselves, and we’ll talk when I get back.”

  “You’re fucking right we will, Mister.”

  “Be careful,” Ian offered, because they had no idea what this training might involve.

  “Shit, yeah.” Cate looked upset that she’d not said it first. “I expect you back here in one piece.”

  “I’ll do my best.” With a wave, Blake turned towards the door, and both Ian and Cate were quiet as they watched him leave.

  As soon as the front door closed, Ian felt Cate’s eyes on him. She stood and pointed to the kitchen. “Don’t move. I’ll be back in a sec.”

  Ian stayed where he was, not moving a muscle.

  Cate returned with a bottle of Glenfiddich and two glasses. When Ian raised his eyebrows, she huffed. “I think this is entirely acceptable under the circumstances.”

  Pouring them each a measure, she passed Ian his glass and then downed hers in one, wincing at the burn. “Sooo,” she said, drawing her knees up and resting her chin on them. “Vampires, eh?”

  Ian sighed and took a sip of his drink.

  Fucking Blake.

  Drop a bombshell and then run.

  Thanks for that.

  “Yeah. I know it’s a lot to take in—”

  “A lot to take in?” Her voice rose alarmingly, and Ian reached across to give her knee a squeeze. “Jesus, Ian. The two of you sat there talking about it as though it’s an everyday occurrence. That there’s nothing weird about our best friend telling us he now works for some sort of vampire hunting task force.” She shuffled around to face him. “Aren’t you the least bit weirded out? Or you know, terrified?” She stared at him, waiting for him to answer, but Ian didn’t know what to say.

  He shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know how I feel, other than really fucking excited, because Oh my God! Vampires!”

  “So you def believe him? I know I asked before, but he’s gone now, so you can tell me the truth.”

  Ian nodded, trying to look serious instead of like a grinning idiot. “Yeah, I believe him.”

  “But why? He’s offered you no proof other than his word. I mean, I love Blake as much as you do—not in the same way, obviously—but I’m still struggling to accept it. Why are you so sure?” She reached for his hand. “Please. Because I want to believe him, I do. It’s just . . . vampires?”

  Her voice seemed to get more incredulous each time she said the word.

  Taking her hand in both of his, he gave it a squeeze. “It’s got nothing to do with my feelings for Blake.” In fact, up until that moment
, he hadn’t thought of Blake that way since he mentioned his promotion. “I remember when Blake’s uncle visited. Vividly. And we might not have dared search for anything related to the VLCD again, but we did keep an eye on the news and searched for suspicious deaths.” He let out a low whistle. “You wouldn’t believe how many there are. Not round here anymore, thank fuck, but nationwide there’s loads.”

  She huffed. “People can be vile dicks. But that doesn’t mean supernatural forces are at work.”

  “No, but some of the deaths . . . the ones that were never solved. There was just something about them that didn’t feel right.”

  “If it were true, though, wouldn’t more people know? Wouldn’t it be a thing? I can’t imagine a bunch of the undead swanning around Bristol, or wherever, and no one noticing. Can you?”

  Ian ran a hand through his hair and tried to remember everything he and Blake had researched when they were sixteen. “From what we read they can be lightning fast, though. Strong too. And I’ve no idea how long they live for, but I’m pretty sure they must have money after being around for so many years. If you’ve got money, then most things are possible.” He paused, thinking it all over, suddenly struggling to accept it all himself, let alone convince Cate. “And some people do know by the sounds of it. If there’s a special police division set up, then some of the government must know.”

  “Mm, I guess.” She poured herself another shot of whisky, holding up the bottle for Ian, but he shook his head. “Say it’s all true then. Say I believe that vampires are roaming the streets.” She took a long sip, closing her eyes for a second. “What does that mean for us?”

  “In what way?”

  “You’ve just told me that vampires are real. Creatures that want to drink my blood until I’m just an empty sack of skin are actually a thing that exists. Forgive me if I’m suddenly a tad concerned for my safety.”

  He pulled a face. “Yeah, okay. When you put it like that.”

  “I know Blake said that the VLCD, or whatever they’re called, keep things in check, but we’ve no way of knowing if that’s true? Or how they keep track of them. What if one slips through the net? It’s not like sharks getting close to a beach: there’s no proximity alarm to sound if a vampire is on the loose. Is there?”