Page 132 of The Last Vampire
I suck in a mouthful of air—
“Scream, and Salma dies, too,” warns Nate.
I blow out a hard breath instead. “What makes you think he even cares?”
“You’re his Familiar. When he senses your death, he’ll feel compelled by his outdated code of honor to avenge you.” Nate moves so close that I try jabbing him with my elbow, but Cisco moves even faster, capturing my other arm, too.
Now both my hands are behind my back, and Nate tucks a curl around my ear, trailing his finger down my neck. His mouth twists into a crooked smirk, and he undoes the golden buttons of my blazer. Then he pulls it off my shoulders.
“Thisis your plan?” I ask, desperately trying to distract him until someone sees what’s happening.Where’s the post-breakfast cleanup crew?
He doesn’t answer. His fingers are now at my throat, and he unbuttons the collar of my shirt.
“Your goal is to lure William back just to turn him into your enemy?”
Nate’s fingers move lower, undoing another button.
“What’s the point of that?” My heart is accelerating like it’s about to take flight, and while Nate’s sickening grin doesn’t wither, I feel Cisco’s grip loosening by the tiniest bit.
“Natalio, she has a point.” Cisco sounds almost worried. “I mean, if he is—”
“Enough!”
Nate’s hand clamps over my mouth, and my heart vaults to my throat as he lowers his fangs to my neck. Tears blur my vision as I squeeze my eyes shut, anticipating the searing pain of his bite—
“He has until classes end today.”
Nate’s voice is a murmur in my ear.
“If he’s not here by then, you die. We will be watching and listening, so if you say a word to anyone—if you write it down, if you whisper it, if you mime it—we will know. Then we will kill all your friends.”
“The history club will be history!” says Cisco when they let me go, and I hear Nate’s low groan as I sprint away.
SALMA STARESat me as I walk into first period, and I shake my head so she’ll know not to ask.
I avoid looking her way when I sit down, and when she tries to pass me a note, I push it away. She crumples the paper, understanding at once, and tosses it into her bag.
I spend all my morning classes trying to think of a way out of this. Last time Nate attempted to kill me, William showed up—and now Nate seems to think that threatening my life will lure William again. That means a vampire must feel when their Familiar is in danger.
But will he come?
When we get to lunch, I barely have any space in my stomach for food. I’m too full of nerves. Salma isn’t eating, either.
“Aren’t you two hungry?” asks Tiffany, scrutinizing us.
I shake my head. Maybe I can tell Salma to come to the bathroom with me and write her a note in a stall. It’s not like Nate and Cisco will follow us in there, right?
“Sal, would you—?”
My voice dies when I see the vampires stroll into the dining hall and walk toward the staff table. Nate’s eyes are already on me, as if he can tell what I’m about to do.
“Um, can I have one of your fries?” I ask instead.
“Have as many as you want,” she says.
“Nate keeps looking this way,” says Tiffany, wriggling her eyebrows at me. “I think he’s into you.”
“He’s gross,” blurts Salma. “Seems kind of full of himself.”
