by Holly Hook
I'd ask about that later. No one was here, and I smelled no trace of any patients. Trish would carry no smell.
“Maybe she's taking a nap?” I asked. “It's the middle of the day.” I felt sleepy myself and almost wanted to curl up on that metal table.
But more than that, I wanted what was in that fridge.
“She could be,” Xavier said. “She's always up all night, but she naps in the morning.”
“Will she mind if I look in the fridge?” I asked. I hated that I had to ask, but at least I knew what it would be like this time.
“She won't,” Xavier said. “It's there for emergencies like this.” He stepped out into the hall to look for Trish, and I walked around the table towards the back of the room.
Alyssa followed. "I might need a top-up myself."
I shoved the thought of what I was about to do away. I'd just done this less than twenty-four hours ago. How would I get through a day at school? A week? If I had to do this every time I got hungry, it would take up homework, friend, and practice time. It would also mean a lot of sneaking out once Mom and I settled into our new apartment. It wasn't as if I could set up a fridge in my bedroom for this stuff.
I could only hope it got better.
I opened the walk-in. Trish had three refrigerators, tall ones, that hummed. She had wired electricity down here and had avoided getting caught by the power company.
I opened the first one, and then the second, before it sunk in.
“Um, Alyssa?”
“I don't like that tone of voice,” she said behind me.
“You had better look. This might mean nothing, but--”
She pushed past me before I could finish.
Inside the first two refrigerators were nothing but empty blood bags, with only residue left inside each one. It looked as if someone had been here, stolen most of the inventory, and enjoyed the rest.
“Someone was a pig,” Alyssa said, but she couldn't mask the worry in her voice. “Or they stole all of it.”
I opened the third fridge, but found nothing but the same. Empty bags, and nothing else.
“Or,” I said, “Bathory's people came by and kidnapped Trish, and they took off with everything else while they were at it.”
As I finished my sentence, my stomach roared with hunger, and a wave of starving desperation washed over me.
Chapter Five
Alyssa called Xavier in, and one glance into the refrigerators got him cursing.
“Do you know anyone in the Underground who would hog so many blood bags?” Alyssa asked.
“No,” Xavier said. “People are great about sharing down here. They must have taken dozens of bags with them, whoever they were.”
"And Trish went missing," Alyssa said. “She wouldn't have been any match for those guys we ran into last night.”
“But one of them should be road pizza,” I said.
“We don't know if he is,” Alyssa said. “He might have healed, especially if he's an old vampire.”
“I saw nothing on the news about a guy who got run over or even found on the freeway,” Xavier said. “I checked, believe me. It looks like that idiot survived.”
“That's great,” Alyssa said. “He's walking around, healed, and now he might have taken Trish. Do you see any signs of a struggle?”
“No,” Xavier said. “Her office looks normal except for this. I'm surprised they took none of her equipment.”
“It looks like Victorian era equipment,” I said. "They must want something newer."
“It is Victorian era equipment,” Xavier said. “Trish could never get training beyond that. It's not like she's had access to seminars or major hospitals. It was the more modern stuff that Bathory wanted.”
“Blood farm,” Alyssa said.
“But why kidnap other vampires?” Xavier asked. “That's what I don't understand. Maybe she wasn't only after the two of you.”
“I don't get it,” was all I had to add to the conversation. My stomach roared with hunger. Throwing up last night hadn't helped me at all. I had lost much of what I'd ingested, thanks to the brownie trap.
And now there was nothing down here that would help that.
Xavier's scent intensified. His wood smoke smell mixed with the same brownies, which made a horrible and intoxicating combination at the same time.
Alyssa used to have to stop herself from biting him, but since she'd done it, her hunger had decreased and she could function easier than before. Was a god's blood on the menu? All I knew was that vampire blood was scentless and useless, and werewolf blood would have a gross doggy taste. Demon blood was way off. That smell was revolting.
I didn't want to find out, but I was already having thoughts of attacking Alyssa's boyfriend. That would be a great way to continue our friendship. Not.
“Now what?” I asked, meaning a lot more.
I was getting into trouble.
Alyssa appeared to think. “If Thorne's here, he might let you have blood.”
“He reserves that for students right before a test fight,” Xavier said. “He doesn't like to do it often, and he has to make sure he has a big meal beforehand.”
“So that's a no,” Alyssa said. She spoke as if she could feel my predicament. “Crap. Getting bitten hurts as we all know.”
Xavier grinned at Alyssa. “You can bite me whenever you want.”
“Get a room,” I said. “I need something now, or I'll end up attacking my mom as soon as I get home. That will kind of blow my cover.”
I was shaking. My body was not happy.
“And we need to find Trish,” Xavier said. “I have to tell Primrose about this. Maybe she'll listen then if Bathory's snatching people out of the Underground. Janine, you can bite her. You have my permission.”
“Xavier!” Alyssa said.
“I will not bite anyone,” I said, hoping that it was true.
“And that would get us in trouble,” Alyssa said. “She's not kicking you out of your home, so that's something. We have to keep it that way.”
“We might have to find Janine someone,” Xavier said. He was all serious.
I felt like a burden. It wasn't what I imagined when I first realized I might be Turning. But hadn't Alyssa gone through this, too?
“My dad's still working out things with his old friend at the hospital,” Alyssa said. “We won't have anything until tomorrow night at the earliest.”
My knees trembled. “I can't wait that long.”
“I know you can't,” Alyssa said. “Come on. One of the bars might serve something you can drink.”
“They don't let in people under the drinking age,” Xavier said. “It doesn't matter what species.”
Alyssa swore. “Then what is Janine supposed to do?”
I knew the answer to that, and that might mean venturing back onto the surface. In the sun. Not only would I feel horrible, I would expose my new nature and get in even bigger trouble. And then my mom would kill me.
“I don't know,” Xavier said. He reached over to roll up his shirt sleeve.
Alyssa stood between him and me. “That's not happening.”
“I won't bite your boyfriend,” I said.
The thought sounded good, and not just because Xavier oozed hotness. I needed something. Anything. The person didn't matter.
I hadn't realized this would be this hard. I almost felt as if I were getting flushed out.
But why?
“Come on,” Xavier said, waving us out of the room. “I don't like this one bit. We need to look around and see if anyone else has gone missing. Man, I've had enough of this.”
“But Janine,” Alyssa reminded. “Remember when I went hungry?”
Xavier's frustration seemed to grow. He turned in a full circle. “I know!” he shouted. “We've got about nine thousand things to deal with right now. I'll look around, and you two figure out how to get Janine something. What else do we do?"
“I like that idea,” I said as my stomach roared again.
Xavier hurried out of the room, leaving us alone.
“He'll know where to check,” Alyssa said. “We need to find you something, and fast.”
I was glad that Xavier had gone. I wouldn't do something awkward in front of Alyssa and jeopardize our friendship. There was no one to attack. “I'm so hungry,” I managed.
“You're shaking again,” she said. “Come on. We might convince someone at the bar to let us in for an emergency. I'm sure they've dealt with it before.”
“You don't sound sure.”
“We have to try. Maybe we can pay someone to go in for us. Someone older.”
Alyssa had the best plan I'd heard so far. I followed her through the poor part of the Underground and back towards the underground mall. Faint smells of other beings rode on drafts. I feared that I would try to attack the first eligible person I saw, and that scared me.
What if I was like this all the time?
We reached the taverns and saw no one in the corridor. My mom and I had stayed down here for a few days once, right after the apartment fire and the rescue from the ATC building, and Mom hated it. The Underground was more active at night. According to Alyssa, that was because a lot of Abnormals were nocturnal, and even the Mages' rites took place at night more often than the daytime.
The taverns were empty except for one: a small place with lanterns hanging from the ceiling and a door in the back. A single guy who had the familiar doggy smell of a werewolf washed the counter, prepping for later customers. He was an older man with a scowl. I was ninety percent certain he would not let us in.
“Excuse me, sir,” Alyssa asked. She sounded nervous.
He looked up at us and the scent got stronger. “You're not allowed in here.” He narrowed his gaze at Alyssa. “The last time you came in, my inventory got destroyed.”
“That was Leon's fault,” Alyssa explained, facing me. “He chased me and Xavier into the wine cellar down below and tried to use his War Magic on us, and then it ruined this guy's collection--”
“Get lost!” he shouted, a real growl in his voice. Hair sprouted on the guy's face.
I cleared my throat. “We'll pay you extra if you give me a drink. I'm about to attack someone.” I reached into my pocket and drew one of Xavier's hundred dollar bills.
That changed the guy's mind. “Come on in,” he said. “I'll see if we have any blood left. We've been low the past few days. Someone outside of the Underground has been raiding the local blood supplies.”
I entered the bar, stomach rumbling. To drink, I'd have to look at what he was serving me in a glass, but I'd deal with it. I didn't care even though a part of me still hated this part.
Alyssa followed, but the bartender faced her and let a growl emerge from his throat. “You're not invited.”
I wanted to tell the bartender to leave Alyssa alone, but didn't dare. I had seen my second cousin shift before, and werewolves were scary. The older ones could shift whenever they wanted.
I watched the bartender open a cabinet underneath the counter where he rummaged through some plastic things I couldn't see. “I have a little left,” he said. “I'm serving it chilled, and with no alcohol, and then you need to leave before someone sees you and reports you to the Elder.”
He meant Primrose. “We know the Lovellis,” I said.
“I know that she does,” the guy said, glaring at Alyssa out of the corner of his eye. He drew out a large blood bag, and this one was only a quarter full and had a straw attached. Why hadn't we thought of that in the basement?
I couldn't stop staring at the substance inside. I gripped the counter, feeling like an animal. My hunger overrode my disgust.
The bartender fished down a small glass and squeezed the remaining blood from the bag and into the glass. He slid it across the table at me. “Drink and get out. And where's that hundred?”
I slid it across the table at him, hoping that Xavier wouldn't mind. Considering he had a swimming pool in his house complete with dolphin statues, he wouldn't.
I sucked the drink down in record time, and relief coursed through my stomach and strength flowed into my limbs. But it wasn't enough to make it all go away. This might have bought me less than an hour. Why was this such a small glass and why was the mug so thick? Were they trying to serve less for more money?
“Out,” the bartender ordered.
“Do you have any more?” I asked. I'd freak out about this later.
“You saw what I had left,” he said. He snatched the now-empty glass from me and turned his back to us. It was a silent signal to beat it.
I left the tavern to join Alyssa.
“Better?” she asked. “That wasn't much that he gave you. But you could look this time.”
Maybe I was adjusting. “I'm still hungry,” I admitted. “I might have dropped a defcon level for now.”
She forced a laugh. "Do you think you'll be okay for a little while?"
“Maybe.” I wasn't having thoughts of attacking the first unlucky soul I came across. The residents of the Underground wouldn't appreciate that.
And besides, the place was empty. People still hadn't felt safe enough to return after the recent events. Having the ATC come in and snatch everyone would unnerve anybody.
“For a hundred, he could have given you more,” Alyssa said.
“That was all he had,” I said.
“Then there's a bigger problem going on,” Alyssa said. “And Bathory has something to do with it.”
She picked up her pace. Without talking, I knew what it meant. Meeting back up with Xavier couldn't wait.
I followed Alyssa down one of the underground streets, the one named after an incense that started with an F. The street got wider and more lavish the further we ran down it, which meant we were getting closer to the wealthy district of the Underground.
My stomach rumbled, and the shakiness returned. The drink had made me even hungrier, the same way a small snack used to get me ready for the next meal. The bartender had served me an appetizer.
But I didn't want to bother Alyssa and be a burden again. I'd done that enough before.
At last, we reached the area with tile decorations on the floor and balconies on apartments. Xavier's street was where the War Mage families lived, and we passed a guy in a magenta robe heading in the opposite direction. These were people you didn't want to anger. I had seen little War Magic in action, but I knew it could kill. Above, glamoured clouds floated across a fake sky, but the light did nothing to bother me. It wasn't real. Fake sunlight didn't count.
I had to get out of here.
Xavier's underground manse was at the end of the street. I had been here before, so I knew what to expect. Twin lion statues flanked the steps that led to the double doors of the mansion. You couldn't see anything but the house's front face as you approached, since it was all embedded in the earth, but those doors promised something amazing inside.
Alyssa knocked, and the door swung open. Nora, the Lovellis' Normal maid, stood there and smiled at us.
She didn't realize the danger.
“Where's Xavier?” Alyssa asked.
“Come on in,” the maid said. “He is speaking to his aunt again.” She made a little frown to show that it wasn't going well.
We stepped into the main room, a circular chamber with a purple carpet and doorways leading off into the rest of the house. A chandelier hung from the ceiling. Since the world had almost ended, the Lovellis had taken down all the paintings of Leon and his battle partner, Allunna. That wasn't fair because Leon and Allunna had turned around and helped stop the mayor from completing his plan. Instead, paintings of Primrose hung in the room, showing her at varying ages.
“And his aunt isn't listening,” Alyssa supplied.
Nora nodded. “If the Underground's vampires are going missing, she needs to know. Primrose isn't one to care if things aren't affecting her.” The maid had stress lines around her eyes.
And she smelled like coffee and bagels with cream cheese. My stomach gr
umbled, audible this time, because Nora faced me and paled. Alyssa stepped between me and her, much to my relief.
The drink in the tavern had done little. It might have bought me an hour at the most. Maybe? I had only been this way less than a week. Comparing this to anything was impossible.
I listened and heard shouting from another part of the house. Xavier and Primrose had retreated to another room, far away from us, but my new hearing could pick up some words.
“They're getting down here. Blood is going missing, too. We will have a crisis.”
“Vampires can find their own food. We provide as a courtesy. I'll see if I can get someone to investigate after my trip to Italy next week.”
“Some of them try not to bite people!”
“The one you know doesn't.”
“She had to bite me. You know that. All battle partners have to cement their bond. And Alyssa has gone back to trying not to feed on people. It's an emergency only thing.”
Alyssa winced. She had gone years without hurting a soul, and now Xavier was bringing up her deeds as they were trying to kick demon butt. She'd had to bite a few people while in battle.
Nora left the room as if sensing the danger. She couldn't hear the argument, but she could hear my stomach. I wasn't wearing my sunglasses, so there were no secrets.
“Do you want starving, desperate vampires to attack the other residents down here?” Xavier asked. “The last thing we need is civil war.”
“He'd make a better leader than his aunt,” Alyssa said, leaning against the wall.
“Why did they elect her?” I asked.
“The other Elders decided. They want fellow ego-heads in power,” Alyssa said. “Xavier will tell you all about it.”
“Even Xavier's parents would have been the better choice,” I said, trying not to focus on my hunger. My throat had dried again. “Was he serious about giving me permission to bite his aunt?”
