I smelt the blood immediately. Vampire blood and a lot of it too. It floated through the corridors of the asylum, carried on the cold night air as it flowed through the open door and was accompanied by the sound of pained cries and loud voices. I jumped up from the corner of the study, where I had sat with my knees pulled in tight to my chest, watching Lucius with wild-eyes and a terror that draped itself around my shoulders and back like the coldest of angel wings. I’d felt almost in stasis since I had thrown myself away from the little boy and crushed my body against the bookcase. As seemed to be Lucius’ way, he had simply shrugged as if my reaction were completely normal and gone back to reading the next book in the pile. Only this time, he hummed a tune, almost under his breath, his vo
