“You’re pregnant with a vampire abomination,” she said, while tiny flecks of magic dripped from her fingertips like water.
“You and your daddy really are fond of that word, aren’t you?”
She turned her head and looked off into the distance like she was pondering something. “I should cut the thing out of you.”
“Why bother?” I retorted, even though my gut churned at the thought of it. “The birth will more than likely kill the both of us.”
“Hmm, that’s true.”
“Look, Rita, I know a vampire killed Noreen, but things don’t need to be this way. You can come back to us.”
“Don’t you dare say her name. You have no right!”
“Alvie really misses you,” I went on, and I might’ve been mistaken, but I thought I saw her hard façade waver a little. “Everybody misses you. Come on, it must be awful living with old clown face in there.”
I startled in fright when she lashed her magic at me again. It missed by the barest fraction of an inch, and it singed the grass where I’d landed flat on my arse just moments ago. My hands shook as I lifted them in front of me.
“Please, just calm down, okay? I’m sorry I called your dad a clown face. If anything, he’s more like one of those marionette dolls.”
The old Rita would have laughed at this, but not this Rita. This Rita simply stared at me without emotion. She started to pace, muttering to herself. I took the opportunity to summon my sparks and have them ready to attack if needed.
I was determined to find some trace of her old humanity, so I continued talking. “What’s it like living with him anyway? Must be kind of weird. Does he use the bathroom like normal people, or does he just magic that stuff away? I mean, I’ve often wondered if sorcerers even have to sleep. Like, they’re immortal and all, so maybe they don’t.”
Rita’s eyes cut to me. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t seem too happy about me prattling on about Theodore either.
“These are important questions, you see, because Roman’s going to train me to become a sorceress, so I should probably know this stuff before I really commit. I think it might be weird not going to the bathroom anymore. And I really like to sleep. Finn says it’s my favourite pastime.”
“You, a sorceress?” Rita scoffed, and I felt a rush of triumph that I got her to react. “Don’t make me laugh. You’re so clueless about even the basics of magic.”
Well, that was nice and bitchy. Still, I’d take ‘bitchy Rita’ over ‘I’m going to kill you and cut out your baby Rita’ any day of the week.
“I might be clueless, but I have power. That’s the most important thing. The other bits I can learn as I go along.”
“Your only power is the ability to spread your legs for vampires and let them feed on you,” she replied derisively.
“I only let that happen once,” I pointed out. “Once doesn’t make me a slut. Well, the feeding thing happened once. The spreading of the legs happened a few times. But you should try it, you know. It’s a lot of fun.”
Purple started to swirl in her eyes now. “You’re vile.”
“Am I? Don’t say I said anything, but I think Roman might have a bit of a thing for you. Pretty sure I saw you blush when he gave you his come-to-bed eyes, too. You should take the opportunity to get some action. You do seem very tense these days.”
“I did not blush!” she shouted, and I dove out of the way when she flung her magic at me again. I didn’t emerge entirely unscathed this time. The sleeve of my jacket got singed.
“Whoa, you must like him back, considering how much you’re lashing out,” I quipped, raising my hand as she was about to throw more magic at me. “Now, now, let’s not be so hasty, Rita. I let you get in a couple of shots for free. The next time I’m going to have to retaliate.”
At this, there was a loud smashing sound from the mansion, and purple magic began to swirl out of the large chimney. Rita hurried to investigate, and I followed her, making sure to keep a good distance behind. In the foyer, a gigantic crystal chandelier had crashed to the floor, but there was no sign of Theodore or Roman anywhere.
“Where are they?” I asked.
Rita didn’t reply. Instead, she closed her eyes, and a light started to shimmer from her body.
“They’re gone,” she answered flatly. “I guess it’s time for me to kill you now.”
Roman was gone? I swallowed hard and considered the ramifications of him abandoning me like this. It was one thing to go inside and leave me alone with Rita, but it was another entirely for him to just disappear.