a moment, but Richard already knew enough to doubt the effect would be the same here. In seconds he was up on his feet, pushing Honoré’s body off him, and confirming as he did so that the creature was not dead.
‘Quick!’ he snapped at Charles. ‘Drag him back in there.’
Whatever presence of mind had allowed Charles to find the chunk of stone and bring it down on Honoré’s head had now deserted him. He stood shaking, his arms dangling loosely by his sides, tears welling in his eyes.
‘Now!’ shouted Richard, moving to grab Honoré’s feet and haul him back into the crypt. His action spurred Charles into movement and soon they had dragged the vampire’s inert body through the open gate. Richard bent down close to examine the wound at the back of his head, and saw that it was already healing. As he peered, Honoré emitted a groan.
‘Jesus Christ!’ whispered Charles.
Richard looked up at him. ‘Thank you,’ he said. It seemed the natural thing to do, but there was no sincerity to it.
‘How could he …?’ mumbled Charles. Then, with greater conviction, ‘We should get out of here.’
‘No!’ snapped Richard. He saw in the moment an opportunity, but not one that would be available to him for long. He dashed through the gate again and back towards the stairs, Charles in tow, but he did not ascend. In an alcove he found what he had left there, the chains he had wanted to use on Honoré. Back in the crypt the creature was beginning to stir, but Richard acted swiftly. Soon the chain dug tightly into the vampire’s throat, fastened with a padlock, its other end secured to the bars at the window through which he had first been thrust into his prison.
Charles had been of no further help, and was eager to leave. ‘He’s waking up. Let’s go.’
Richard was calmer. ‘It’s safe now – now that he’s bound. Let’s watch.’
Richard stood by the gate and did as he’d suggested, Charles beside him. He knew perfectly well that it wasn’t a safe place to be. He’d made sure that the chain was long enough for Honoré to reach every corner of the crypt. He also made sure that Charles was a little further into the crypt than he was. The two boys stood, watching with different mixtures of terror and fascination as the vampire came to. His eyes fell upon Richard and he leapt to his feet, then stopped and raised his hand to the chain at his neck, sensing it for the first time.
‘You’re wise to chain me, Cain,’ he said. ‘But you’d have been wiser to kill me.’
‘Perhaps one day I shall,’ replied Richard. ‘Or perhaps one day I’ll free you. For now I want you alive. And for that you must feed. Bon appétit.’
Charles didn’t even notice that Richard had stepped to the other side of the gate. It was only when he heard the lock turn that he understood what was happening. He had proved a useful ally – an indispensable one – when Honoré had attacked Richard, but there was no chance that he would keep what he had seen to himself.
Richard at least did his friend the courtesy of not staying to watch his end. Even after he’d locked the wooden door and begun ascending the steps he could hear Charles’s muffled voice shouting after him.
‘Richard! Richard! Richard!’
It didn’t last long.
Honoré never attempted to escape again, and their previous routine resumed. Richard fed the vampire and questioned him, and received the answers he sought. It was during their conversations that Richard first came to know of Zmyeevich, though that was not the name by which Honoré referred to him. It was thrilling enough to know that vampires were not rare, certainly not in Europe, but more fascinating still to learn of one so old and so powerful that he struck terror and obedience into every one of his kind. Honoré spoke of Zmyeevich’s hatred for the Romanov family, but knew nothing of its origins.
When Richard was sixteen his father summoned him to his study. Richard guessed what the conversation was to be about and was excited by the prospect. At last he would be free.
‘Sit down, young man,’ his father began. ‘As I’m sure you’re aware, you’ve reached the age in life when a gentleman of a certain status and intellect should be looking forward to going to varsity. We haven’t spoken of it recently, but we both know that it’s always been