Goosebumps rise on my skin, but I push the thought away. Besides, I might be mistaken, but it seems that Finn has something of a thing for me. Perhaps he has a secret penchant for arty Goth chicks. Or maybe it’s just that he likes my skin. Either way, I’m going to take my chances. I’m so lonely that I’m actually prepared to risk death just for a bit of human interaction. Misadventurous indeed. I grimace as I shut over my bedroom door.
I make my final preparations and about fifteen minutes later Finn knocks on the door before coming inside. He plonks himself onto the bed, shoving his mobile phone into his pocket. I zip up my suitcase and put it down on the floor.
“So, you’re all packed and ready to go then?” he asks. I nod. “Come on, we’d better go pay your boss a visit and see if he’ll give you the time off.”
I lock up my apartment, while Finn carries my suitcase down the stairs. Out on the street I follow him for about five minutes before we get to his rental car. He puts the suitcase in the back and I hop into the passenger seat beside him. As it happens, Jeff doesn’t seem too bothered about giving me the time off. Perhaps because business hasn’t exactly been booming in the world of independent art galleries recently.
I tell him I need to go home to see my dad because he’s ill. He tells me to take all the time I need. I tell him I’ll be back in two weeks. He agrees. I need to have something to come back to, otherwise I’ll get complacent and become all entangled with the vampires again.
I make one final stop off at the bank to make sure I’m up to date on my rent and then we set off for Manchester Airport. After we’ve checked our bags and gone through security I go to buy a coffee, while Finn makes his way to the bathroom. I watch him walk away as I stand in the queue at the café, trying not to admire his bottom. I smirk to myself, but as I do I notice a tall, dark haired fellow trailing behind Finn, with some kind of determination in his gait. Uh oh.
Suspicion propels me to leave the queue and see if this character really is following Finn. It couldn’t be a vampire, could it? I look outside, it’s a dull December day and the sky is getting dark. It’s only four o’clock, but it tends to get dark more quickly at this time of year. Maybe it is a vampire.
The tall man slips into the bathroom just a few seconds after Finn. I know that as a woman I shouldn’t be setting foot in the men’s, but I have to make sure that Finn isn’t in any trouble. He might be a sarcastic bastard at times, but he’s a good person deep down. I think.
I peek my head in the door, and lo and behold, Finn and the man are at a stand-off in the empty bathroom.
“Well, well, well, Finn Roe, I never thought I’d see you over on this side of the pond again. A friend of mine called the other night, said a fella fitting your description had been spotted up north. I couldn’t believe my luck after all these years, my brother’s murderer finally back on these shores.” The tall man has a London accent, and his skin is sort of pale and marble-like, so I assume he’s an old vampire enemy of Finn’s.
“Very nice to see you again, Travis,” says Finn, his words laced with hatred. “I’d probably feel bad for what I did to your dear brother Thomas, if it weren’t for the fact that he slaughtered my mother and sister. He was a nothing but a parasite,” Finn stops and looks Travis up and down, “just like yourself I suppose.”
Oh. My. God. This Travis person is the brother of the vampire who killed Finn’s family. I feel like I’m watching some sort of fucked-up version of a soap opera.
“You’ll regret that,” says Travis, in a low, threat-filled voice. Then he lunges for Finn who swiftly dodges him and grabs a hold of the door of one of the toilet cubicles, before swinging his legs forward and kicking into Travis’ chest. Travis falls back against the sink and I frantically try to think of a way to help Finn. This vampire is huge, I can’t see it being easy for Finn to kill him, especially since we’re in a public airport bathroom and somebody could walk in any minute now.
I have absolutely nothing on me that even resembles a weapon, the two men continue their fight, knocking a sink off the wall while I fumble in my handbag for something. All I’ve got is a hairbrush, make-up, tissues, and a tiny bottle of perfume. Aha. The perfume might be useful, I pull it out and try to approach the scuffle. Travis has both of his hands around Finn’s neck, he’s so concentrated on suffocating the slayer that he doesn’t see me approach and spray him right in the eyes.
He grunts and releases his hold on Finn, who takes the opportunity to grab a very sharp pointed stick from the inside pocket of his jacket. It takes a moment for me to realise that it’s a stake. How the hell did he get that one through customs? I’m impressed. Travis seems to be gaining his composure as he rubs the spray from his eyes. I step close to him again and spray him a second time for good measure. He calls me a bitch and grabs me by the arm, scary fast, his grip is like steel and I yelp in pain.
It only takes a split second, while Travis is focused on me, for Finn to lunge forward and plunge the stake directly into his chest. The burly vampire’s eyes widen in shock just before he falls crashing to the floor. A floor that is now becoming increasingly flooded with dark, almost black coloured blood. Finn and I stare at him as the life leaves his features, then we make eye contact.
How on earth are we going to get rid of the body, especially in such a public place where there are security cameras everywhere? Thinking about it, an airport is perhaps one of the worst places to decide to murder someone, even if it is in self-defence.
Finn steps back and leans against the wall, while my heart is beating like a rabbit’s and I keep glancing at the door and praying that no one comes inside. Finn pulls his phone from his pocket and dials a number.
“Who the hell are you calling?” I ask in panic.
“The local DOH branch,” he answers, “they’ll be able to clean up this mess. Get out of here and wait for me by our flight gate, I’ll meet you there once this has all been taken care of.”
I nod in a daze and dash out of the bathroom as quick as my legs will carry me. Shakily I go into the café and buy that coffee I was supposed to get earlier, requesting that the barista make it extra strong since I need something to calm my nerves. I don’t normally like strong coffee, but the occasion calls for it. Passing by the duty free, I spot a vodka display and decide to hell with the strong coffee. I buy a small bottle and pour some into the paper cup. I sit down at the gate just like Finn told me to and sip on my drink. Which is absolutely disgusting, but I crave the numbness of alcohol.
Sticking to his word, Finn comes along about a half an hour later and sits in beside me silently, our flight is just about to start boarding. Without saying a word, I pass him the bottle of vodka and he takes a long swig before handing it back to me.
A minute later he turns to me and says, “Let me see your arm, Travis grabbed you in there, I’m sorry about that, does it hurt?” He pulls up my sleeve and examines the bruise.
“Not at the moment, but then again, that’s probably just because I’m a little bit tipsy right now.”
A small smile passes over Finn’s lips. “Yeah well, I suppose we both deserve a drink after that. I can’t believe Travis had still been watching out for me after all these years.”
“Some people never let go of revenge,” I answer, and then they start calling our flight and we begin to board.
Finn lets me take the window seat, and I fall asleep before the flight has even taken off. I wake up halfway through, and find I’ve been cuddling into him, resting my head on his shoulder.
He grins at me and asks, “Did you have a nice
nap?”
I straighten and sit up. “Um, yeah, sorry for, um, leaning into you.”