Page 40 of Demons and Debts
Vic ignores me. ‘Take her back to your room.’ He looks at his watch. ‘The fight starts at ten. Get her some food, make sure she’s settled, and then join us at the warehouse. Maddox is supposed to be there tonight to watch Callaghan and Kor, so we all need to be there for this one.’
Theo nods and goes to pick me up. I get out of the chair with a scowl in his general direction, wondering who Maddox is and what these guys are into besides kidnapping and imprisoning humans.
‘I can walk,’ I say, and he throws up his hands in supplication with a dumb little smile on his face.
He takes me back upstairs in silence and, again, I skirt past Sie’s room.
‘Somethinghappened,’ Theo insists. ‘I know you’re not telling the truth and so does Vic.’
I shake my head, saying nothing.
‘Sie isn't himself,’ Theo continues. ‘If he's done something, I need to know what.’
We enter his room, and he shuts the door, closing us in.
I sit on the bed, hoping he’s not about to begin another inquisition.
‘I'm tired,’ I say. My stomach rumbles.
‘And hungry,’ he observes. ‘Stay here. I'll be back.’
He leaves me to myself, and the silence is just what I need. Although I'm hungry, I sink down into the bed, cover myself with the blanket, and close my eyes.
I'll be stronger tomorrow, I promise myself. I won't let Sie do what he did today ever again. I just hope it's not too late. I don't like everyone knowing what happens when I can't mask anymore. I’ve learned to hide it because I don't like the way people look at me; like I'm a freak. I don't like the way they talk to me; like I'm dumb. I don't like the way they treat me; like I'm less than them. But I guess the supes are already going to since I'm human and all, so maybe nothing will change if they find out. Theo and Vic suspect something, though, and I don't know why that upsets me. But it does.
* * *
Vic
I watchTheo escort her out and my mouth morphs into a thin line. I call Sie.
‘Get the fuck back in here,’ I growl into the phone and end the call without waiting for his answer. He comes striding in a minute later, looking like he just doesn't give a shit about anything. Maybe he doesn’t anymore.
‘The fuck did you do to that girl?’
My fist comes down hard on the desk to punctuate my question. The asshole doesn't even flinch.
Fuck it.
I let my power out and I watch him tense, then grimace.
‘Sit the fuck down.’
He sits, folding himself into the chair that looks too small for him.
‘I'm going to ask you again,’ I say. ‘What did you do to theuncontracted human femalethat has been in our house for less than 24 hours?’
‘She shouldn't be here,’ he snarls low. ‘You told me she would be gone by today.’ He gestures at the door. ‘Why the fuck haven’t you thrown her out on her ass?’
‘She's here because I want her here. It's my decision, Sie, not yours! You want to be in charge? You know what to do!’
Sie scoffs. ‘I don’t and if you want her here, you deal with the consequences of having a sheep amongst the wolves.’
‘Well, I sure as fuck can't let her go now, can I?’ I mutter, sitting back down in my seat hard. ‘We have the contracted girls so that we aren't tempted to feed off humans that haven't consented. That's the way it is now. You don’t like it? You can thank the Council. I’m just trying to stick to the laws they actually care about.’ I rub my temples. ‘She’ll leave here and go straight to those supe cops she spoke to in the diner with stories of assaults taking place in this house by members of the Iron I’s. Those assholes have been just waiting for a reason. They'll come down on us faster than you can say ‘Twenty girls found dead in club’. Fuck,’ I mutter, throwing my pen down on the desk. ‘Why now?’
‘I'll fix it,’ Sie says, almost looking contrite.
‘You can't fucking fix it! You saw her. The damage is done. There is no fucking way she's gonna leave this house and not take us down.’
