Page 131 of The Last Vampire
CHAPTER 38lorena
Nate and Cisco approach our table with Director Minaro, and she makes each of us introduce ourselves.
“Hello, Lorena,” says Nate, pausing after my name, and my heart pounds in alarm. “Salma, Tiffany, Trevor, and Zach, it’s great to meet you all.”
Nate and Cisco must have been watching me in Hanover. They followed me back to school.
I led them here.
“What does someone do with a history degree?” asks Tiffany. “Become a teacher or a museum curator?”
“What every liberal arts major does—go to law school,” says Nate, and both Tiffany and Zach chuckle.
Salma was right. I never should have kept the existence of vampires to myself.
Now the lives of everyone at Huntington are at risk because of me.
She squeezes my thigh, like she knows exactly what I’m thinking. But I can’t look at her because I can’t risk the vampires realizing she knows anything about them.
Why are they bothering to go through this whole performance? Why not just kill or kidnap me?
The bell rings.
“Nate and Cisco are going to be exploring the manor today as part of the research for their theses,” Minaro informs our table as the dining hall empties around us. “When my class ends, they will meet with you to offer their insights and answer your questions.”
We all stand up to leave, and Nate says, “Lorena.”
I grudgingly look at him.
“If you would be adearand spare us a moment, we would love to get a quick orientation of this place.” He turns to Minaro, and I think he is silently compelling her.
“I’ll stay, too,” offers Salma.
“No, you tell Ms. Floreville that Lorena will be late to class and explain why,” insists the director.
Salma looks like she’s not going to budge, so I say, “I’ll be there soon.”
Tiffany pulls her by the arm, and then it’s just Minaro and the vampires and me. “Don’t keep her too long,” she says to Nate before taking off, my pulse echoing every step of her heels.
Nate can clearly hear my heart, and his grin grows with each beat.
“What are you doing here?” I demand, trying to drown out the gong-like sound of my pulse.
“Youcame looking forus,” says Nate, moving in until he’s too close.
“ForWilliam,” I say, edging back. My bag hits the table.
“Then you don’t know where he is?” Nate manages to keep close, like a magnet, barely giving me any breathing room.
“Nor do you, apparently.”
His eye contact is so intense that I think he’s forgotten I can’t be compelled. “Don’t worry,” he says. “I have a way to lure him here.”
“How?” I ask, dreading his answer.
“I’m going to kill you.”
I sidestep him and break into a sprint, but Cisco’s hand clamps around my arm, reeling me back. I wrestle against his grip, but it’s inescapable.
