Page 54 of Night of the Vampire
"Maybe just a soda? Or whatever you're having to drink."
I studied him a moment. "So vampires just drink stuff, but don't eat."
The room I'd gotten had a small seating area when you first walked in. There was a loveseat, a second television, and a small table and chairs. Jamal pulled out one of the chairs and took a seat. "Pretty much."
I acknowledged his answer with a "Hmm" and looked through the flyers lying on the dresser back by the king-sized bed. I found one for a pizza place nearby and called in an order. "Sorry," I told Jamal when I hung up. "I'm starving."
"No worries, Lizzy. You gotta feed yourself."
After I made sure Wiggles had food and water in his new bowls, I joined him at the table. "So, what did you want to talk about?"
He looked down at his hands, laced together on top of the table. After a moment of thought, he looked up. "I wanted to tell you about Killian. Maybe help you understand him."
Leaning back in my chair, I crossed my legs and arms. "What's there to understand? He's an overbearing vampire. He's 'claimed' me," I made air quotes. "And now he thinks I'm just going to change my whole life to live in his."
"Well, hell, girl. Maybe you do know him." Humor made Jamal's dark eyes twinkle.
I shrugged. "What else is there?"
"I hate him," he blurted. The pain in his voice was obvious. Then he sighed. "And I love him."
"I don't understand."
"Killian saved my life. Twice, as a matter of fact. The first time when he was just a kid. Around eighteen, I think? Maybe a little older."
"What happened?"
He stared at me a moment, something ugly and haunting darkening his expression. "I was a slave, Lizzy."
I stared at him with my heart in my throat, not knowing what to say as horror filled my bones. "I'm so sorry," I finally whispered.
"I'm not telling you so you can feel sorry for me. It was fucked up," he gritted through his teeth. "But I think you know that."
"Yeah," I said. "It was."
He studied me for a few seconds before he continued his story. "I grew up in that life. But unlike my parents, I never accepted it. When I was fourteen, I managed to escape. I mean, back then, you were considered a man at that age. And I thought of myself as one. You've heard of the Underground Railroad, right?"
"Of course."
"Killian was one of the people who helped me. He met me at a farm, what they called a 'station' back then, in New Jersey, I think it was. And he guided me to New York."
"That's a long way for a kid."
"It was, but he was a scrappy little shit." He paused. "The second time I saw him he was much as he is now."
There was a knock on the door, and I jumped.
"Delivery!" a girl's voice called.
Visions of the horrible life Jamal must have had running through my head, I got up and opened the door, giving Wiggles the sign to stay. He did his duty and barked anyway, but only until he smelled the food.
Taking the pizza and the bottles of soda, I signed the receipt and with a "Thanks so much!" I closed and locked the door.
Jamal got up and retrieved the glasses from the tray with the ice bucket, unwrapped the protective plastic wrapping, and put some ice in them for us before coming back to the table.
"Thank you," I told him.
He poured some soda for both of us and sat back down. "You eat. I'll talk."
