Page 12 of Wicked Thirst
A blur of movement shot between the two of us and my eyes widened. The breath caught in my throat. The very air around us changed. A dark figure reached through the smoke and in between the bars. He grabbed onto the other vampire’s shirt and jerked him toward the bars, slamming his head into them with a loud banging sound. He jerked him back and forth three more times in rapid succession, slamming him into the bars with a loud bang each time. He did it until blood trailed down the vampire’s face and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. When he went limp, the black smoke stopped, and the vampire fell in a heap at the dark shadow’s feet.
He flicked his hand and blood splashed across the floor. When he turned to the side to look at his hand, I glimpsed his profile. His face was all sharp planes and pale, smooth skin. His eyes nearly glowed in the darkness. They were an odd coloring with dark brown around his pupils that faded to the most vivid blue. He lifted his hand and let his tongue dart over his fingertips, tasting the blood. He spat on the floor and wiped the back of his hand over his lips. I didn’t dare move or breathe, and yet his eyes locked onto me.
“I didn’t do anything.” The words tumbled from my mouth before he even moved to fully face me. When he did, I sucked in a sharp breath. Atlas Savage. There was no mistaking who this was. I’d heard stories of him, with his white hair with black streaks and raven tattoo across his chest. His black shirt hung open just enough for me to spy the dark ink over his skin.
His face was covered in sweat and spatters of blood. Steaks of dirt covered his cheeks, giving them an even sharper effect. His voice was deep and gravely as he spoke, “Didn’t you?”
“No.” I wanted out of here and away from him now. This vampire was absolutely terrifying. That was when I heard the distinct sound of a drip, and another. In his other hand he held a sword with blood dripping from the tip onto the floor, creating a small pool. I hadn’t noticed it before with him slamming that guy’s face into the bars. But now that I had noticed, goosebumps broke out on my skin. “I swear I didn’t do anything.”
He ran his eyes over me from head to toe. “And the sickness?”
“Wh-what about it?”
He stepped in closer to the bars. “I don’t have time for daftness . . . Do you have it?”
“N-no?”
He arched his eyebrow, and it made him look more sinister. “You don’t sound so sure.”
“I was just here with my sister and my friends. The Prince invited us personally. I had no idea any of this would happen, or that I would be dragged down here.” I glanced around the cell, suddenly feeling like the walls were closing in on me. “All I wanted was to hang out with Piper and my sister.”
“Piper?” His eyes snapped to mine. His whole demeanor changed. I didn’t think it was possible, but now he was even more terrifying, with fine red mist seeping from his skin. The tattoo on his chest rippled as though it was going to leap right off his body. “Where is she?”
“I-I don’t know. Don’t you know?”
“I find your panicked reasoning tedious. Why would I ask if I already knew?” He sighed and then bellowed down the hall. “Jester!”
A moment later, the vampire who brought me here was at his side. “Sav.”
He waved his hand toward me like I was nothing at all. “Release her. She’s of no use to us.”
The tight knots in my chest started to loosen. Jester glanced in my direction. “We found her in the tunnel in the wake of Marius’ retreat.”
“What were you doing there?” Atlas snapped in my direction.
“I got grabbed in the chaos, and they dragged me with them. I tried to get away, but it wasn’t until your soldiers started to chase after them that Marius let me go.”
He waved his hand and the cell bars slid open. There was nothing between the two of us. This close he could take my head before I even realized his blade had moved. The scent of blood and death lingered on him, and a chill ran down my spine. His gaze never wavered from mine. “Let you go?”
“I didn’t believe in his cause.” It sounded stupid even coming from my own lips.
He narrowed his eyes. “He just killed countless vampires on this night, and you expect me to believe he just let you go?”
“I’m telling you the truth. Please, if I could just speak to Piper, she’ll tell you. I would never do anything to hurt The House of Shade.”
“She has disappeared,” he said through gritted teeth. “Last seen with Theon, a devout follower of Marius.”
“He wouldn’t hurt her.” I didn’t know why I sounded so sure of this. Theon annoyed me for all his devotion to Marius and his views, but I couldn’t see him doing anything to actually hurt Piper. That said, I never thought Marius would take his ramblings this far.
“Take me to him,” Atlas demanded.
“I-I’m not sure where he is.” My eyes darted around like I’d find the answers here in this cell.
He reached out and snagged my arm and jerked me toward him. “Then you will sit in here until your memory returns.”
Bloody hell, this was going to be the death of me. Atlas Savage was going to cut off my head, or burn me alive, or turn me to ash just from looking at me. How was I going to say goodbye to Prisha? I turned to look at Jester. “If I die here, tell my sister I said goodbye and I love her.”
Atlas gave a humorless chuckle. “So sure you’re not going to remember.”
