Page 62 of Even Vampires Bleed
Those heists were so small there’s no way we even ended up on their radar. Right?
Seeing my cell, I’m not so sure anymore.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get out of this,” I tell the butterfly-shifter as I try to get my hands through the bars again.
I don’t scream this time, but it still hurts like hell, and I can bear the electrical field only for a few seconds.
Would it be worse in shifted form?
I shift my leg, roll up my pants and try again.
I don’t even last a second this time.
Yes, no, I’m not sure it’s doable in shifted form.
My leg shakes for almost a minute before regaining feeling.
It takes me another minute to gather my wits back and be able to shift to full human form again.
Can I pass the field in human form and only when my leg is completely on the other side, shift it so I can open that damn lock?
It’s going to have to be it.
It’s the only solution.
I can’t give up.
So, I keep trying.
31
Cassiopé
I’ve been trying for what feels like an eternity.
And so far, I’ve managed to get my entire leg outside of the cell before I can’t feel it anymore.
I’m still not at the point to feel like I can shift my leg.
I’m not even talking about the extra seconds I’d need to pick the lock.
They both feel like they’re at the tip of my fingers, yet so many kilometers away.
That’s when I hear the sound of steps coming my way.
I have half a mind to shift so that the soldier—yes, because I can hear only one person coming—can’t catch me so easily.
I must take too long to decide because I can already see the shadow of the person coming.
I’m stuck here anyway, so might as well face whoever is coming head first.
I still go to the far end of the cell, where there’s more shadow than light, since there are no windows in this little box of mine.
I feel wings flutter against my throat, and I try to be as careful as I can with the tiny shapeshifter who decided to turn to me for protection.
I’m probably not your best bet, tiny one.
Except it’s not a soldier who comes into view when the person reveals himself.
