Page 163 of The Last Vampire
He can see the rage swirling in Fabiana’s tigereye gaze, and he knows this is a true test of his power as the sole Stoker. If she does not fall in line now, the others will not later.
When her lips stay sealed, he says, “Lorena is my Familiar.”
Fabiana shakes her head. “We’re not allowed—”
“A lot of things,yet all our rules do not seem to apply toLeonardo the Bloody,” he says. “Lorena’s blood awoke me from death-sleep. At first, as I tried to understand this new world and what happened to our kind, she was my source of blood and information. Yet over time, when it became clear I no longer needed her and she posed a potential threat, I still could not kill her or let her be killed. Nor could I stand to be apart from her. I…”
“Youloveher,” says Fabiana, awe softening her voice.
“I do.”
Fabiana looks at Lorena again, and though her expression does notlighten, she is no longer frowning or curling her lip. She might disapprove, but she is not intolerant.
“Hi, Lorena,” she says at last. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m fond of humans and hold nothing against your kind. I’m only sorry you got pulled into this, and I hope it doesn’t get you killed.”
Her words hit William unexpectedly hard, which is probably why he sounds so menacing when he asks her, “Why did you come here?”
Fabiana stares at him, and he has grown so used to humans’ blinking that her fixed gaze strikes him as particularly focused.
“What did you do to Nate and Cisco?”
He hopes this is all her visit is about: Two vampires vanished, and others are asking questions. “I put them to sleep and hid them,” he says matter-of-factly.
Shock jolts across Fabiana’s face. “But—why?”
“They found me here and threatened to kill Lorena.”
If Fabiana was wondering how serious he is about his human girlfriend, she should have a clear sense now. “I cannot tell you where they are,” he goes on, “because I cannot risk them awakening and telling Lenny about this school.”
“Too late for that,” says Fabiana, and something deep inside William breaks. “They told Lenny before coming here.”
He hears Lorena’s gasp, and even though he pulls her in to his side, this is the first time her sunny warmth does not penetrate his skin.
Fabiana moves in until William cannot look anywhere but her eyes. He feels a plunging sensation in his chest, like a boat dropping anchor and chaining him to his dark destiny.
“Every single vampire will be here before dawn on Friday.Including Leonardo the Bloody.”
CHAPTER 48lorena
This is the worst moment of my life.
I sold out my classmates to the vampires. I’m the real monster. And most monstrous of all is that beyond my guilt, I’m more heartbroken over losing William.
He and Fabiana left to patrol, but I can’t move. My pulse seems to be ricocheting through the chambers of my heart like it’s a pinball machine, unable to settle down. The first-period bell rings, and I suck in a deep breath, trying to swallow my emotions.
“Where’d he go?”
I look up at the sound of Salma’s voice. Blinking away the blurriness of my vision, I see she’s not alone; Tiffany, Zach, and Trevor are with her.
“Um, his aunt came to—”
“Cut the crap, Navarro.” Tiffany crosses her arms. “Tell the truth.”
My gut tightens in alarm. “What are you talking about?”
“Zach already knows,” she says. “I told him.”
“What’s wrong with you?”I snap, and I feel like an idiot for having ever defended her to William. I should’ve known she couldn’t keep a secret. “What if he’d heard you—?”
