Free The Violet Line by Bilinda Ni Siodacain

phone but there is no answer. It’s not like him, and he knew last night before he left that I was really worried; I told him that it felt wrong. And with my power feelings like that usually mean something. Last night felt as though I was saying goodbye to our normal life together, that my Sam was going and not coming back.
    “ Annie, what will I do if he never comes home? I don’t think I could bear it. All his stuff is here; everywhere I turn there is something reminding me that he’s missing. I have to find him!” My voice had grown more hysterical but Annie sat there simply listening to me.
    “ Well, you can’t allow yourself to get worked up,” she began. “Now just saying, for argument’s sake – I’m not saying anything has happened – but what if it did and he couldn’t get to a phone right now? Knowing Sam he would find a way back to you.
    “ I think you need to give him some time. It’s a few hours to night fall. If he doesn’t come back tonight then I agree we can have a full on panic, but until then I think you need to sit tight and wait. Jade; you two are like homing beacons for each other. It’s like you both know where the other one is at all times, even when you’re in different rooms. He’ll come back. So relax; you don’t want him to panic about you if he comes back and you’re a mess. Come on, we’ll sit and watch some silly soppy movie. You still have your collection of Elizabeth Taylor stuff, don’t you?”
    “ Yup, over in the press.” I pointed at the cupboard under the telly.
    “ Good. You make some more tea and if you have tissues, I’d bring them with you; I think we could both do with a bit of a cry.” A wry smile curved her lips. I nodded and headed back into the kitchen. What she said made sense but the feeling of something being terribly wrong still wouldn’t leave me. I switched on the kettle and leaned my head against the press door.
    “ Please, please God, if you can hear me, send my Sam back to me! Anyone who can hear me, send him back safe. Please.” I closed my eyes and waited for the kettle to boil.
     
    Chapter Seven
    Sam felt the dawn as it arrived. It had been the longest night he had ever had to endure. After the revenants had finished with Sarah, some of the other partygoers had thought it might be a fun idea to throw some of their human play things to them. He had tried as much as possible to avoid watching but Oskaar had not allowed him to move away. The only thing he could do successfully to blot it out was to think about Jade; he knew that she would be out of her mind with worry at this stage.
    The party ended and Sam stood stock still as if super glued to the floor. Most of the guests had retreated downstairs for other pursuits before they left.
    The council sickened Sam. He had grown discontent with their ways many years before he finally built up enough courage to leave them. The memory of those dark days he spent at their side in the Carpathian Mountains sent a shudder of revulsion through him; so many innocents had been lost. Sam knew deep down that he was not truly to blame he did it to survive. He had made it as easy as possible for his victims; insuring that they never felt anything. Sam had always taken more pleasure in spoiling the fun for vampires such as Marianne and Raphael than in joining the blood sports they dabbled in.
    A rustle like wind on autumn leaves prompted him to open his eyes. Oskaar moved towards him from his perch on the stage. His feet seemed not to touch the ground and his cloak whispered along the stage as he moved. Sam knew Oskaar liked to impress and intimidate and this was just one of his many parlour tricks that he had learned to perfect over the years. Oskaar was one of the most powerful vampires in existence, second only to the powers Reuben and Omega enjoyed as brothers. Many legends had sprung up about the twin brother vampires; many of the legends based on horrible truths about cutting great swathes of death