Page 24 of Bishop's Flight
“Thanks. What’s your name?”
“Zasha. Do you like being called Lucas or Luke?”
Lucas blinked. He hadn’t expected them to answer. “Lucas.”
“Why not Luke?”
“When I was little, there was this really obnoxious kid on my soccer team who was named Luke. I hated him. My name is Lucas.”
“Very good. My name is Zasha, and that is my real name. I think it’s silly to hide who you are. Many vampires do, but that’s because they think secrets make them look impressive.”
“I don’t think secrets are impressive.” Secrets were onerous, which was one of his favorite words. Secrets were heavy and intruded on life and friendship.
Lucas hated secrets.
“I agree.” They leaned forward. “Keeping secrets about yourself makes it look like you want to be impressive.”
“Which automatically makes you less impressive.”
“Correct.” The vampire smiled a little. “You’re a very clever young man.”
How the hell do I accept compliments from my kidnapper?
“I’m not going to be friends with you or have Stockholm syndrome or any of that shit.” Lucas sniffed. “I don’t want to be here, and you’re keeping me against my will.”
“Do you know why?”
“I’m assuming it has something to do with my mothers.”
“They’re not your mothers.”
It was something Lucas thought about a lot, especially because Agnes and Rose had never asked or expected Anna and him to call them mother. Sometimes he was resentful of that. Sometimes he was grateful.
“They’re my mothers,” Lucas said. “Isn’t that why you took me? Because they love me and you can use me for leverage?”
Zasha’s smile was indulgent. “Pets are loved and pampered, but they’re still pets.”
“What kind of vampire are you?” Another taboo question, but this Zasha person was making Lucas mad.
Don’t reveal your thoughts to an enemy.He kept hearing Agnes’s voice in his mind.Don’t give them the gift of insight.
“I’m a fire vampire.” They snapped their fingers, and a ball of yellow fire floated in their palm. “Have you met a fire vampire before?”
“No.” Lucas was trying to hide his fear, but he knew Zasha could sense the minute changes in his body scent and his heartbeat. They were a predator.
“I’m not going to burn you,” Zasha said. “None of this is your fault.”
“So let me go.”
Zasha sighed. “I didn’t want to take you, but my partners thought it was the best way to get what they wanted, and I admit that they’re probably correct. I can be somewhat sentimental.”
Oh yeah,the sentimentality was dripping off the redheaded crazy. Lucas thought it but he didn’t say it. “What do your partners want?”
“They want something from your guardians.”
“Obviously. What doyouwant?”
“To spend more time with an enemy who intrigues me.”
