PREFACE
1844
Southam. Warwickshire
Adam and the woman stood alone in the darkened veranda of her homestead. Uncertain fear had long since taken his will to speak and she seemed satisfied to allow the silence to extend.
He followed her gaze out beyond the land of the homestead and across the valley where the village lay at the turn of the river. He thought he could see the lamplights from the distant houses, but knew that in truth, all was obscured by the thick forest between them. He wondered what exactly had captivated her attention, but saw nothing but the darkness which surrounded them.
In all his fifteen years he had never once felt scared. He dared a glance to study the woman's features, but the dragging shadows disguised her expression and walled her thoughts. Only the flicker of the burning wood on the hearth served to illustrate the beauty he so adored. Was it also fear he saw in those eyes? Could it be that she was actually afraid? The thought alone caused him to tremble and his to flicker as the damp wood on the fire heart. Despite the deeds they had committed, acts of both evil and forgiveness, she had never once shown fear or apprehension. But now their acts had been discovered, what horror would this night bring?
For an hour they had stood there watching and now his own fear had gripped him with the certainty of a noose. His desire to be away from her was matched only by his desire to be at her side. She had always protected him from those who do him harm, and those who she did harm to. And she had laid down with him. He wanted to tell her that she protected him from fear, but to talk seemed to disturb her, so he had remained quiet. Yet the silence only gave voice to the multitude of fears whhich overcame him; fear of the night ahead, fear of the villagers he had known all of his life, and also, fear of this woman who had given him so much but still part of him wished that he had not answered her call all those months ago, that he had stayed in the village. But he knew he could not return.
At the moment when he felt most compelled to search for a way out she turned from the doorway, reading his thoughts as always, and said, "There be no call to be afraid Adam.” She raised her chin as she spoke, her beauty now displayed to perfection. "Show no fear!” she demanded, “Let those who mean us harm be the ones to cower.”
Adam held his breath, listened to it, felt it in his chest, savoured it.
Regret was all it tasted of. Regret was all it spoke.
"Show no fear," she cooed, and lent toward him.
She kissed his lips, caressed his arms. “Do you remember what you have to do?”
He nodded.
“Tell me,” she whispered.
“Travel north to Nuneaton, moving by night, across field and woodland. Take shelter in the day. I am to find the farmland to the east of the town, and the man Staines. He will see no harm will come to me and feed and protect me until I am strong enough to live and feed by myself.”
“Well done,” she purred close to his ear, “you are magnificent Adam. I am so pleased I chose you.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“And remember how you will feed?” she said and glanced to the body of the girl on the table.
Adam followed her gaze and nodded. Trembled. “I remember,” he assured her.
"What will happen to you?” he managed to ask, choking on each and every word.
"They will take my body," she said, "put it to the stake and it will burn for them.” Then she added, "But in your veins you carry me, we will be together in you. In time, I will share everything with you, but you must protect me until I am able.” She smiled and kissed him again. He kissed her, he held her close.
Her body swayed with his for a few moments then she pulled away slightly. “You must remember this - Talk to no one, not one living soul. Let those who talk do the talking.”
Adam nodded. He understood.
"The time is now," she told him.
Adam looked once more at the body of the girl on the table her torn flesh turning black in the dim light.
“It wont be like that,” she said.
Their eyes met and his feared diminished immediately. Her voice became a whisper when she spoke next, "You are magnificent. Fear nothing. In time, you will understand all there is to know.
Without turning to him, she said, “Tie me now. They are near.”
The boy looked across the vale and saw in the darkness a line of torches. The torches which would engulf her body and make ash of it.
“We could go together,” he offered.
“No!” she snapped, “They won’t rest until I have burnt. I told you!” She handed him the rope. “Tie me now.”
He tied her left hand to the veranda post with the long rope and then she pressed her self to it with her arm trapped behind her. Adam then wound the rope around her waist and the post and tied double and triple knots. As he did she held him close, her right hand on the back of his neck.
“Is it tight?” she asked.
“It is,” he whispered.
He felt her hand drop to his shoulder, then her fingers on his neck. When she lowered her mouth to him he felt her lips brush his flesh before he felt her teeth caress him and then the only pain was the draining of the life force which restricted him so much. Adam fell to his knees, then fell towards the floor.
When he came to he felt only a second had passed. He was able to get to his feet, wipe drops of blood from his neck.
“What have you done?” the woman moaned.
She reached out to but didn’t realise she was tied.
“What-”
Although he was safely out of reach, Adam backed away, not taking his eyes from her.
“What happened to me?” she demanded from him.
Adam didn’t answer. His eyes turned to the line torches, less than a furlong away now.
She craned her neck to follow his gaze and began thrashing at the rope with her right hand. Then she saw the body on the table and wailed, “Mary!”
“You must burn,” Adam told her.
“Let me go!” she begged, “It wasn’t I! I beg you, it wasn’t I. You know it to be so.”
Adam fled.
From the safety of the hillside Adam watched as the villagers descended on the homestead. Above the roar of the crowd he could hear her screamed protests turn to pleas for mercy, but there was to be none. Not for a murderer of innocent children.
Within minutes the stake was erected and the fire at her lit up her body in the darkness. He could see the stones fly at her in the firelight and her screams were now simply the death-throes of agony.
Adam turned away and moved into the night.