Page 135 of The Diary of the Vam'pir Jacques

“Ana is my sire,” Amelia replied quickly.

“And? You claim you know my past. Do you really think I wouldn’t kill you if I wanted to? London, which includes Dagenham, is off-limits. My reputation for killing is not exaggerated,” I responded.

That got her. Amelia froze and studied me again, this time seeing the real killer looking at her. She flicked her hair out of her face.

“I killed one of my own; don’t tempt me, little girl,” I hissed.

Amelia paled. “James Hamilton needs your help.”

“Why didn’t James come himself?”

“He’s unable to. James is trapped somewhere, and I cannot find him.”

Interested, I sat up straight and looked deep into Amelia’s eyes.

“Where? Who the hell could capture a Vam’pir?”

“I don’t know. Can’t you hear James calling?”

I searched for James’s presence and found nothing. Relaxing, I focused my search even further, still nothing.

“How can you detect James and I cannot? Is this a setup? There is no reason for me to help James,” I asked suspiciously.

There was more to this than what Amelia was saying.

“I love James. Maybe that’s why I can hear him. James is in great pain and near to Dagenham, but I can’t find him. I need assistance. James was meant to meet me in Sheffield three weeks ago but never arrived.”

“James may have fallen out of love with you.”

“No!” Amelia said in instant denial, and I sensed she was telling the truth.

Amelia had wanted to get the measure of me before requesting help. Her initial coldness stemmed from this. Now I saw Amelia’s real feelings in her eyes.

“What happened when James didn’t show up?”

“Well, I searched all of Sheffield and found no trace of him. Then I sensed him weakly and followed the direction I sensed James sending from. As I got closer and closer to London, I began to sense James faintly. James is injured, and something’s hurting him, but I can’t tell what.”

I cursed under my breath. Shit.

“What else?”

“That’s it. Only I think that James is somewhere in Epping Forest. In one of the large houses, but I dare not go there alone, and Ana is out of my reach. I was hoping that maybe you could contact Vam’pirs for help.”

“Wrong person. They’ll not help me. Hell, the assholes won’t talk to me.”

“But they surely would not deny James help?” Amelia asked, desperation in her voice.

“No. The thing is, Amelia, the Vam’pirs have shut themselves off to me. Assholes won’t answer my call. Contacting them is impossible.”

“What do I do? James hasn’t got long before something terrible happens.”

“You’ve got me, and that is sufficient. James is strong, as are you, but neither of you is a pure Vam’pir. The strength and skills we have were developed by millennia of learning and gaining. No one is a match for me, not even another Vam’pir, as I’m too strong. Those who we bless with our blood are strong, but never as strong as one of us. That is a proven fact.”

“What will you do? Why do you do this, there is no love lost between James and you?”

“Because I owe James big time. I owe James too much to allow people to torture him. And because I see love shining out of your eyes whenever you speak his name. James deserves such adoration. I’m pleased that James has found someone who could love him as much as…”

“Elizabeth. I’m aware of her, and I think Elizabeth was a wise and good-hearted woman. She never judged James or you, and I would endeavour to be like her.”

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