Page 16 of Kept 4
“Indeed,” he scowled, putting his glass down once more too sharply, but this time, not breaking it, “and who might you be planning to destroy, old boy?”
“Elsbeth.”
I turned and left then, not waiting for his reply. There will be plenty of time to plan our hunt and assassination when I am fully prepared.
Strangely, Gerald, despite his complaints about Josephine leaving without saying goodbye, left that very evening also without a by-your-leave, and I have not heard from him since.
I stop reading and snarl at the phone.
“Fucking Gerald!”
Kill me? What the? Why? I was out of the picture. Why would he possibly want me dead? Unless…unless he really was protecting Elsbeth. Unless….unlesshewas the original vampire….
‘Had Nicholas told him about the weapon? Had he discussed everything I had told him with his snake-bastard friend? Oh shit. What if…what if… no. It can’t be. Nicholas would not be so blind. Would he?’
My mind whizzing, shaking with rage, I re-read the part about him leaving.
“I’ll bet he did leave in a hurry.. what to do, what to do…” I whisper out loud.
“Perhaps I can help,” a familiar voice says, as I look up into the eyes of the priest, Monsieur Levac, and my two captors.
PIERRE’S CHICKEN MOAMBE
Ingredients:1kg chicken breast fillets, one teaspoon each of: ground cumin, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, allspice, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper, cardamom, star anise, salt, pepper, 1cup palm oil, 4 large green bananas, 1 large brown onion, 2 bunches fresh baby carrots, 1 ½ cups chicken stock, ¼ cup white vinegar, 2 tbsp honey, 250g pearl couscous, 100g raisins, 150g chickpeas, bunch of baby spinach, 1 egg, ½ cup fine breadcrumbs, 4 cups water.
Method:
Marinate chicken overnight in vinegar, spices and¼ cup ofoil.
Soak dried chickpeas and raisins in water.
Sear and seal the meat in the hot oil, place on low heat until cooked.
Remove chicken and star anise (discard latter) add another¼ cup ofoil, sliced carrots and onions, stir until onion is soft.
Pour in stock and honey, bring to boil, stir in couscous and swelled raisins and chickpeas.
Cook until couscous has swelled and then addspinach.
Cover pan, turn off heat, allow spinach to wilt, stir through.
Coat peeled bananas in egg and breadcrumbs.
Deep fry bananas until golden brown and stand to drain.
Serve chicken on a bed of the couscous mixture, alongside a fried banana.
Note: You can substitute fine couscous for breadcrumbs to coat the banana.
Note: If you want the dish more full of flavour, double the spices. The spinach is my addition, but not necessary.
7
“So, Nicholas was right. You can’t even trust a priest,” I spit, as I look up into the eyes of Monsieur Levac.
“Nicholas?” the old man says, as though tasting the word on his tongue, “ah, yes, the vampire who stole your soul. I met him, you know, some months past. He might say something like that.”
“You met him?”
