Page 111 of Vampire So Vengeful
Cally awoke in a bed, in a sterile room with white walls and too-bright lights overhead.
Eve sat curled up in a nearby chair, eyes closed, breathing softly.
An IV drip ran fluids of some kind into Cally’s arm, and the bed had starched sheets and a metal frame. She plucked distastefully at the hospital gown she wore. But it wasn’t a hospital, despite her gown: there were no windows for starters, no clock or pictures on the walls, and the door looked too heavy. It was probably locked.
“Hey.” Eve’s eyes were open. “Welcome back. How are you feeling?”
“Drained. Like I was on an all-night—” Cally broke off with a cough, her throat too raspy. She accepted the glass of water Eve handed her, and took a sip. “What happened? Did we get him? The vampire?”
Eve nodded, unsmiling. “We got him. You passed out just before they carried Nico from the house. They put these high-tech metal bracelets on his wrists and ankles, and a muzzle around his head.” She gestured with her hands, imitating a mask. “He was awake by then, and his red…” She broke off with a shudder. “‘I have looked into the eyes of hate, and seen there the face of evil.’”
Cally didn’t recognize the quote. “They brought him out alive? A prisoner?”
“Yes.”
“I thought they were going to kill him.”
“So did I.”
“Where are we?”
“The basement of an Order building, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, about an hour southwest of Milton. They hooded me again, but I saw enough to know it’s a big place, like the house in upstate New York.”
Cally lifted her arm with the drip. “What’s this?”
“Just saline.” Eve winced. “They took some of your blood, and I couldn’t stop them.”
Bastards.“I wouldn’t expect you to try. Let’s just… play it safe, right?”
“Well, to their credit, they also had an Order doctor check you out. He couldn’t find anything wrong with you. You just didn’t wake up.”
“How long?”
“A few hours.” Eve gave a strained smile. “You scared the crap out of me, by the way.”
“I’m sorry,” Cally said, reaching out her other hand. Eve leaned forward and gripped it tightly. “Why are we here? Why didn’t Darian drop us back at our car?”
“Because you were unconscious. He kept talking about ‘keeping the asset safe.’” Her nose wrinkled. “You’re an asset. Congratulations.”
“Great.” That was consistent for Darian—oscillating between treating her like property and trying to date her.
“He was pretty enamored with you, though. The witch who paralyzed a vampire with magic. I heard him on the phone, talking to someone high up. Mr. Alexander himself, perhaps. Lots of glowing language.”
“Where is he?”
“No idea. Haven’t seen anyone since they put us in here.”
Cally nodded toward the door. “That locked?”
“Yep.”
“So prisoners, huh?”
“Basically.”
“Charming.” Cally sighed. “What time is it?”
“No idea, but it’s late. They took our phones again.” She grimaced. “You’ve been out all day.”
