The roads were pretty much deserted as he drove into the centre, and Jesse headed to one of the twenty-four-hour car parks. His phone chimed with a text as soon as he turned off the engine.
Peter’s name displayed on the screen, and dread settled in the pit of his stomach.
Nothing good would be in that text.
Jesse knew it, but he had to look.
I found something of yours. I think it broke. Sorry.
The phone slipped from his fingers, the photo accompanying the text burnt into Jesse brain.
“No!” he roared, the sound deafening inside the car, but he didn’t give a fuck about anything right then. His phone chimed again. Jesse steeled himself and bent to pick it up. Ian’s pale, lifeless body stared back at him, lying on the dirty ground looking unharmed, but Jesse knew he’d find puncture wounds on his neck or wherever Peter had drunk from him. Ian was dead, or very close to it.
Jesse recognised the signs.
That motherfucking bastard.
He was going to burn for this. If Raph didn’t report him to the VLCD, Jesse would do it for him.
Forcing himself to read the words in the latest text message, Jesse tore his eyes from Ian’s photo.
He’s not dead yet. Come get him before I finish him off.
Where?Jesse typed back, already out of the car.
Peter sent him an address and Jesse was off, running through the city streets at full speed, nothing but a dark, shadowy blur to anyone that saw him.
At the entrance to the alleyway, Jesse ground to a halt, Ian’s scent all around him, along with Peter’s. He hissed under his breath. “I’m going to kill you for this. Fuck handing you over to the police.”
Peter appeared out of the shadows, and two figures dropped down from the roof of a nearby shop to stand beside him.
Jesse cursed under his breath. Peter alone he could handle. But not three of them.
“What?” Peter’s amused voiced raised his hackles. “You didn’t think I’d come alone did you?”
“No.” Jesse walked towards him, gaze flicking to Ian’s body, trying to see if he was still breathing. “You like an audience.”
Peter laughed. “That I do.”
Jesse’s foot hit something as he walked, sending it skittering across the ground. He glanced over to see a phone come to a stop a few feet away.
“Oh, you might want to pick that up. It’s Ian’s and we don’t want any evidence lying around, now do we?”
Jesse stayed where he was. “The more evidence there is against you, the better.”
“I don’t think it’s me they’ll be looking for when they find poor Ian’s body.” He poked Ian with his foot, and Jesse heard the faintest of groans.
He was over there like a shot, fingers searching for a pulse.
“I told you he was still alive.” Peter leaned in close over Jesse’s shoulder. “Barely.”
“Fuck off.” Jesse glared at him, teeth bared. He put his hands gently underneath Ian and started to lift him up. He’d carry him to a hospital if he had to.
“It’s too late,” Peter murmured. “Listen to how slow his heart beats, how it struggles to pump what little blood he has left. It wasn’t supposed to go like this, but...” For a second Jesse thought he heard a hint of regret in Peter’s voice. “Better say your goodbyes quickly, Jesse. You have a body to dispose of.”
He felt the life drain out of Ian as he held him in his arms, heard the moment his heart gave up.
No!
