Reality Bites by Nicola Rhodes Read Free Book Online Page A

unless?’  He glanced at the empty whisky bottle.  She shifted uncomfortably, but Stiles did not notice.
    ‘You weren’t exactly on foot,’ she said. 
    And he vaguely remembered the flying. ‘Oh,’ he said and then he shook his head.  ‘But you …?’
    ‘Hmm let’s just say it’s a good job they stopped when they did.  I’d just about had it.’
    ‘Are you saying that you followed me from London – on foot in …’ He checked his watch.  ‘Three days?’
    ‘Um.’
    ‘No wonder you were knackered.’
    There was a silence; she waited for the inevitable next question, and it came.
    ‘So, who the hell are you?’
    There was a further silence, so he began again. ‘Let’s start simple.  What’s your name?’  He was in good cop mode now, feeling more like himself again.
    The girl hesitated for a moment; she was never supposed to have met him face to face; he was not supposed to know about her at all.  ‘Kitty,’ she said.
     Stiles saw her glance at a small cat that had wandered in out of the snow. ‘Kitty … Winter.’
    He looked at her shrewdly.  ‘Kitty – the vampire slayer?’  He indicated the sharp stakes poking out of her backpack.
    She smiled.  ‘If you like – that’s one way of putting it.’
    ‘Surely that’s a myth – syndicated.’
    Kitty shrugged.  ‘Put it this way,’ she said, ‘most people think that vampires are a myth.  I did myself until recently. But now I know different and so do you.’ 
    Stiles docketed this information.  ‘And why did they kidnap me?’
    ‘I don’t know. I – we – the men who sent me to protect you, they only know that they’re trying to kill you.  But they don’t know why.  I’m sorry – I know they’re working on it.’
    Stiles thought about this.  ‘So, hang on if they’re trying to kill me and you’re here to stop them – no wait. Why did they bring me all the way out here, and risk you catching up with them?  They must know about you.  Don’t they?  And if they got past you long enough to grab me, then why didn’t they just kill me in London when they had the chance?  You don’t have to be a criminal mastermind to see that it doesn’t make sense.’
    She looked uncomfortable.  ‘You certainly know how to ask the awkward questions.’
    ‘I’m a copper.’
    ‘I know.  I won’t forget it. You’re a lot shrewder than …’
    ‘Than what, than I look?’
    ‘No, I just meant …’
    ‘Look, do you know why?  It’s okay if you don’t.’
    ‘No, I do – I think.  It’s just – well it’s embarrassing.  You see those were female vampires and vampires tend to be – lascivious.’  She went pink. ‘And you’re a man and you’re not bad looking you know for …’
    Stiles held up his hands, revolted.  ‘Okay, okay, I get it, don’t say anymore – I feel sick.’
    ‘If it makes you feel any better, I’m sure I was in time. I mean you were still fully dressed when I found you. I was right behind them; I don’t think anything happ …’
    ‘It doesn’t really; it’s just the idea that they wanted to …’
    ‘Be glad they did,’ she admonished, ‘otherwise you’d be dead.  I got careless; I was distracted – deliberately I think.  And then I left you alone with some muscle-bound idiot – when I think what could have happened.’
    ‘Well it didn’t. Good job I’m so handsome eh?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘I was joking.’
    ‘Oh.’
    Stiles was surprised at how easily he had accepted all this, despite the fact that he had seen it with his own eyes.  He suspected that it was because he was treating the whole thing like a bad dream.  With its good points too of course, he thought, looking at Kitty.  For some reason – and not turpitude either – he kept envisioning her in a short skirt and ankle socks waving pom-poms.
    ‘So, what do we do now?’ he asked.
    ‘We have to get moving. We’ll go to my place; I know somebody who might know what to do.  It’s time to find out