Chapter Six

Lisa's eyes glistened in the darkness as she waited for me to continue. I leant my head against the stone wall of the cell, eyes closed, devoid of words.
            "I didn't believe her at first," I explained slowly, struggling to keep my voice calm, "you probably won't believe me now." Opening my eyes and looking at her once more, I made my oath, "Everything I say is the truth, you have my word."
            "Go on..." she whispered, encouraging me to continue, despite an obvious hesitancy.
            I chose my words carefully as I spoke. "The Book was written by my biological Fathers' Great, Great Grandfather, almost two hundred years ago." Wordlessly, I picked it up and flipped to the back page. "That's him." I said, handing it to her. "Charles Jordan, he was a great man by all accounts. He travelled the world, mostly the Far East, teaching 'The Balance'. He believed it was his way of atoning for his sins...for what he was."
            She looked at the drawing for a moment and then back at me. "And, what was that?" She asked, her voice quiet, as though the slightest rise in volume would spark an explosion, powder keg beckoning. Her eyes reluctantly remaining on mine.
            I made sure they stayed that way as I whispered, "Nosferatu - a Vampire."
            We had already shared far too much for her not to be convinced about what I was saying, there  was no mockery or sarcasm in her voice as she swallowed hard, nodded and said," Okay, I'm listening."
            "The place Gabrielle took me to is known as 'The Sanctuary', it's deep in the Highlands. I didn't realise how far North we were until we left." I told her. "Gabrielle has no idea how we came to be there."
            "Didn't your family ever mention this Charles fellow?" Lisa asked reasonably.
            I felt an old, familiar stab of pain and my guts wrench as I said; "I didn't know my family. They had me adopted because of, well - their heritage." I sighed, "According to the letter Gabrielle gave me, my mother was aware of my father's family history and was afraid I'd become....like them." There was a heavy silence and then Lisa struggled with the words, "And are you? Like them? "
            I laughed, "I'm not a vampire if that's what you're asking." I replied, "At least not completely."
            She smiled briefly but it didn't quite reach her eyes, "So that's not the reason you killed all those people then?" She asked.
            "No, not directly anyway. I did it for my sisters, my real family, if I hadn't, none of them would have survived." I swung my legs off the bed and stood to indicate that our conversation was over. "Take The Book, read it. It will explain everything you need to know."
            She did so. "Is there anything I can do for you?" She asked kindly, "You only have a few days before your case is heard."
            "Actually, there is. Not that it matters what the public think - it won't have any bearing on the outcome of the trial - but I wonder if you could arrange an interview with the press for me? Find me some high profile hack and tell them I'm ready to sell my story." I opened the door for her once she had turned the lock. "I don't think you'll have any trouble finding someone willing to interview the world's most notorious female serial killer." I finished with a tired smile.

Chapter Seven

            It had been almost eleven weeks since I had seen Gabrielle and my heart ached when she arrived at the courts late in the afternoon, looking radiant. Our eyes met as she took her seat and I knew then, that everything was going to be alright.
     She smiled her reassurance and mouthed, "We're with you." She placed a hand where her heart had once beaten as she did so.
            I felt my strength returning. It wasn't that I was afraid of being locked up or the outcome of the trial, I could leave whenever I wanted, Gabrielle would make sure of that. We had decided between us that should I get caught, I'd do some time to make it look more convincing. No, it wasn't that, what I was struggling to cope with, was being away from her. I felt as if part of me was missing, that I wasn't complete. We hadn't been apart from the day we met three years ago, until I had been arrested on the last day of November the previous year. We had been together in every sense, every hour of every day and endless night. We had walked, talked and shared an obsessive passion that consumed me like a fire, filling the void that had been present all my life. Now that she wasn't by my side, I mourned constantly.
            "Miss Jordan, please rise," the judge requested. I felt Gabrielle's eyes on me as I stood. "You're not represented?