“Yes. Our job is to feed them and clean their cages.”
“Clean their cages?” I gawked, disbelief jolting through me. “Are you serious?”
Cloe shrugged. “You wouldn’t think so but humans can be rather messy.”
“No. I mean… I can’t believe they are kept in cages. That’s… horrible.”
“How else are we to keep them?” Cloe asked honestly. “Otherwise they would run away.”
I held back my shock, realizing just how different Cloe and I were. I thought I’d sensed a shred of humanity in her before, but I must’ve been mistaken. We hurriedly moved down Allen Street and turned down a dark side road. We stopped in front of a seemingly abandoned building and Cloe pulled a key from her skirt pocket, unlocking the door. I held it open for her as she wheeled the cart through and followed her inside to a dark front room.
“This used to be an old boarding house,” Cloe explained. “It was nearly destroyed during the cave-in, but the vampires turned it into The Shelter.”
Though I saw no humans, I sensed them, the smell of their earthy blood quickly filtering into my nostrils. Still, the thought of drinking human blood made me ill, but I knew my body craved sustenance. I was growing weaker from not feeding for so long.
Cloe gestured with her head. “It’s back here.”
I followed her through another door, suddenly realizing I could’ve never prepared myself for what I saw next. At seeing the rows of cages and the filth within them, my breath caught in my chest, and despair bled through me like poison.
“Dear God,” I whispered, thinking I hadn’t seen the worst of Tombstone yet.
FOURTEEN: RUBY
I stood in the middle of The Shelter in complete shock, thinking that humans kept as slaves was terrible in itself, but this… this was horrifying.
Concrete floors made a long path down the center of the narrow room reaching the far end. Floor-to-ceiling metal cages lined the walls to either side and looked to be animal cages. I heard groans and murmurs at our arrival. My body went cold.
Cloe stopped at the first cage. She slid a plate of mush into a narrow slit near the floor to a man inside. His filthy clothes hung loose on his rail-thin body, his face and cheeks hollow. Cloe took a metal cup and dipped it into a pail of water. She reached through the slit and poured it into a bowl on the floor of the man’s cage. Without so much as a hint of eye contact, the man slowly crawled to the bowl and slurped up the water like a broken animal. I thought I might throw up.
Cloe looked at me and must’ve seen the disgust and sadness written all over my face. But she handed me a stack of plates as though my reaction had no effect on her. “Why don’t you start on the far end and we’ll meet in the middle? Okay?”
I begrudgingly went about my duty, sliding plates into cages and watching the poor humans crawl to their food. Once finished, we went about cleaning out their cages. I had to momentarily stop and ask myself what the heck I was doing, and how the heck I could let myself be a part of this monstrosity. But I knew my answer, I had no other choice.
“You’ll get used to it,” Cloe said after we finally finished our job, and I couldn’t help but think she was wrong. I’d never get used to humans being treated this way.
I shrugged in response, words escaping me, my mind spinning with the effect of these sad humans living this way. But regardless of my horror, days passed and time went by. Cloe and I grew closer, spending hours upon hours together while working, talking about everything under the moon, and I began to consider her one of my closest friends— my only friend if I was to be quite honest. Despite our blossoming friendship, my blood slave duty grew no easier in the coming weeks, and my pining heartache for Guy only grew stronger. But I somehow found small ways to distract myself and make light of what I had to do.
Jax frequently sent me to Big Nose Kate’s to get food to bring home for him and Orie. I would request a little extra, slipping pieces of bread and fresh fruit into my pockets to surprise the humans with. Their eyes lit up when they saw me and, if only slightly, I’d raised their spirits.
Little by little, I started learning their names and listening to their stories about how their lives used to be before coming to this place. If Cloe noticed my sly deeds and my interest in the humans she said nothing of it. The humans never escaped my mind, the need to help them, to do something more. I was determined to find a way to make life easier on them, or change the way vampires sustained themselves. I made a note to bring it up to Pandora the next time I saw her. But for now, I kept up the hope I would be able to make a difference in small ways.
“I’ll see you tomorrow Earl,” I called out to a nice older man I’d taken quite the liking to. I rolled the cart to the door and turned back. “And take care of that foot. Keep it bandaged like I showed you.”
The humans bid me goodbye and I passed through the door that led to the front room. But to my horror, I ran right smack into Horus, his tall form looming over me. I struggled to take a breath, my startled lungs constricting.
I had been lucky enough since starting my training with Cloe not to come across Death Breath, knowing the legion leaders were pre-occupied with the call for heightened security in Tombstone. I figured I’d gotten off Scott free. But as it was, my luck had just run out. It was my first night by myself and, of course, Horus was checking in on me. My body stiffened as Horus’ face leaned into mine.
“I hope I am wrong in assuming you are making friends with the humans,” he hissed. I gasped at his icy rank breath on my face and tried to make my way to the front door but he stopped me with his body. “Because that is against the rules, and I’d hate to inform the legion you have broken your probation so early on.”
I frowned, knowing what he’d meant to say was he’d love to inform the legion of my wrongdoings and get me in trouble. But I couldn’t be taken back to jail. I couldn’t stand another hour locked in that cell. I opened my mouth to explain, but the words did not come easy.
“No… I just… Earl has a badly twisted ankle and I…”
“Earl?” Horus snarled. “Earl?” Apparently, Horus hated humans as well as everyone else. Shocker.
“Yes,” I replied. “He was helping me clean out his cage and…”
“You’re on a first name basis with these… transients?”
Fear gripped me. Crap. I should’ve been more careful when being friendly with the humans, but now I was stuck and needed to come up with something quick. “Not usually, it’s just under the circumstance that—”
Horus raised his hand and threw it across the top of the cart, dishes flying and shattering to the ground. I flinched. “I am growing impatient with you baby vamp. You will follow the rules or you will have consequences.”
My fangs throbbed in anger and the smell of Horus’ blood made my gut flutter. I suddenly realized my hunger for vampire blood was heightened by intense emotion— in this case, rage. I wanted to sink my fangs into him, but not before breaking his neck and killing him. I wanted to punch him in his smug face. I wanted to hurt him and make him pay for what he did to Cloe, for what these humans had to endure. But instead of those actions that would surely be my death sentence, I kept silent, knowing I needed to tread lightly.
Horus’ black eyes bored into me, his dark hair glistening in the dim moon light against a backdrop of the dark empty street. He finally backed up, giving me some reprieve from his tall form and I inwardly sighed. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
“You already know I wish you dead,” he said as though merely commenting on the weather. “But for some unknown reason, Pandora has taken a liking to you.” His gaze traveled my body as he inhaled through his nostrils, sucking in my scent. He grimaced as if I were the one who smelled bad. “Though I cannot see why.”
Belying the concern that crept up my spine like a cold chill, I kept my head level with his, my eyes fixed hard on his gaze. I was starting to understand Horus and I knew the minute I showed a spec of weakness would be the minute h
e crushed me. I stood stock still, putting on a brave face.
“What is that?” he asked, his gaze narrowing in on my neck. Fear suddenly jolted through me when I realized what he was looking at—my rosary. I held back the urge to touch the necklace, feeling it peeking above the neck of my dress. My pulse quickened.
Horus closed in on me and I held my breath. He brought up a finger and slid it beneath the chain, pulling it from my dress, the crucifix swinging from his slender appendage. After a long moment of tension-filled silence, Horus exploded into laughter. I kept my expression placid as the vampire chortled maniacally.
“You wear the beads of prayer,” he finally said through hissing giggles, holding the cross firmly in his fist. His inky eyes, void of any light, burned into my flesh. “You think your soul can be saved? You think by wearing this symbol of forgiveness you will be taken into sanctity?”
Another bought of laughter rolled from his mouth causing my veins to run hot with fury and my fangs to descend within my mouth. But I kept my lips sealed tightly in defiance.
“You are mistaken baby vampire,” he went on. “For the God you pray to has let you become this monster. The deity you hold in your heart hates you and wishes you damned for all eternity.”
After all I’d been through over the past weeks, after facing death itself, I had finally come to accept the unknown. Yes, my faith had recently been tested, and yes, there were things of this world I would never comprehend. But his hateful words grated at my very soul, his voice like sand paper in my ears. Not only was the rosary a symbol of hope to me, it was a symbol of love. A love he would never understand.
“You can leave now,” I said in a dangerously low voice as I eyed the necklace in his hand mere inches from my face. I could feel myself losing control, but knew I had to keep it together if only for a few more minutes.
Horus’ eyes shot to mine, and for a minute I thought he might explode over the fact that I’d dismissed him like a mere schoolchild at recess time. Yet, instead of him losing his temper as I suspected he would, he did something worse.
The sting of metal nearly sliced the back of my neck indicating he’d ripped the chain right off me. He held the now broken rosary in his hand and offered me an amused smile.
“Give it back,” I demanded, wondering if Horus would like me to kill him before I drank his blood, or after. But I gritted my teeth against the urge to rip his face off and pushed against the wall of rage building inside of me, knowing I needed to keep my cool if I wished to keep my life.
Horus stared at me for one long moment before dropping the necklace to the ground. His gaze never left mine as he proceeded to spit on it and then crushed it beneath his boot. Angry tears threatened to spring to my eyes but I would not give this beast the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I fisted my hands at my sides as if that might help me stay in control.
“Just remember this,” he said, his tone low and acerbic. “You are an Unfortunate Soul now. You have no higher power to call upon. I am your higher power, and don’t think for one minute that you are in any way safe. Even if we can keep the FUSE hunters at bay, you still have me to answer to. And like the almighty God you pray to, I have eyes everywhere. But unlike him, I am not forgiving nor gracious.”
Horus gave me one last vicious glare before flying out into the night. A growl welled up inside of me and, after a long moment, my legs gave way beneath my body. I crumpled to the ground and lowered my eyes to the dirt below.
Though bent now, the cross still held its form, but the broken chain allowed the beads to roll free. I scooped up the broken pieces of the rosary into my hands and pushed them into my skirt pockets. I took in a deep, calming breath and retracted my fangs as Wilson had taught me, knowing I was finally becoming slightly better at controlling my anger. But if Horus ever did something like this again, I wasn’t so sure I’d be able to hold back. Horus may be the vampire’s leader but he would never have power over me and I’d be damned before I’d ever let that asshole break me.
FIFTEEN: CLOE
Things were changing, I could feel it like a shift in the air. Our underworld community which had been stagnant for so long was growing more tension-filled and anxious by the moment. The arrival of Ruby Carter, the vampire who smelled of life, had caused a rift. I wasn’t sure if it was good or bad, but I knew in my soul there would be blood.
The way Ruby smiled, the way her eyes sparkled, I hadn’t seen in many years. It made my heart grow lighter, but scared me as well. Though the memories of my human life were hazy at best, Ruby made me remember the purity I once encompassed. She made me remember that I used to have dreams and wishes, aspiring to be something bigger and better. It was plain to see Ruby had a way about her that made people remember the good, making them want to be around her.
The blood slaves who were normally lethargic and despondent, now smiled and chatted, reminiscing about better days. Not only did the humans want to be around the young vampire, but I enjoyed her company as well, though I could not let Horus know. The only reason Horus allowed me to train Ruby was so I could keep an eye on her for him, reporting any wrong moves she might make.
“Tell me,” Horus paced in front of the large window of our room, candlelight illuminating his sharp face. Thick curtains covered the inside wall, blocking out the sun. “Has the baby vampire been consorting with the humans?”
I swallowed hard and braced myself for the lie I was about to tell.
“No. She does her job as she is told.” I’d seen the way Ruby acted with the humans, slipping them bits of bread and fruit, and laughing at their stories. I’d turned a blind eye, not wanting to get caught in the middle, but that’s exactly where I found myself, stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Thinking of how I’d wiggle my way out of this dilemma, I sat down on the edge of our large double coffin which was made to look like a bed during the nighttime hours while we were away. Our room was the nicest in the city, being held on the top floor of Vampire Hall. Though the furniture dated back from more than a century ago, it was well taken care of and the wood glistened with polish.
Without warning, Horus flew on top of me, slamming me down onto the coffin, my back pressing painfully into the wooden lid. His breath was cold on my throat and I gasped, knowing he was about to sink his fangs into my skin. But he paused at my neck, causing a chill to run through my body.
“Don’t lie to me, Cloe. Remember I am your maker and can sense when you are not being fully truthful.”
My heart beat furiously and I tensed my shoulders, knowing his moods were as fickle as the wind. I didn’t want to be hurt again like when Ruby first arrived. Horus made sure I was injected daily with a suppressant that promoted slow healing, and any injuries I had stayed with me long after they were inflicted.
“She can’t help it,” I breathed, remembering that I was about to be made into Horus’ lunch. “I wasn’t lying when I said she does what she is told. But the humans… they… they like her.”
“Bah!” Horus shot to his feet, leaving me lying on the coffin, heaving. I exhaled my relief over narrowly escaping any more physical punishment.
“Of course they like her,” he continued. “She isn’t like us. She smells more like them. More like a human than a vampire. It is… disgusting.”
I kept silent and didn’t move, afraid to anger him even more. He paced rampantly, his long fingers curling into fists at his sides. His face contorted strangely.
“There’s more to her than meets the eye, and I will not stop until I find what it is.” He spun to me, pointing a finger. “You will find out more. You will report to me every single word she speaks. Leave nothing out.”
I nodded, wishing he would just leave already.
“Good.” After a few moments, he sat next to me on the coffin and gazed down at me, running a sharp fingernail down the side of my face. I trembled inwardly with disgust.
He spoke to me, his voice quickly changing from its earlier cadence of anger to an eerily calm and
serene tone. “I have some work to attend to, my love. I will be back by sunrise.”
I watched him rush from the room, the door slamming behind him, and thanked my lucky stars he was finally gone.
I didn’t like the predicament I had been put in. In the short time I’d known Ruby Carter, she’d become a friend to me, yet now I was ordered to spy on her. It didn’t feel right, but I also couldn’t fool Horus. Between my maker and my friend, I was balancing on a sharp sword’s edge, hoping I wouldn’t get cut.
SIXTEEN: RUBY
His strong arms lifted me from the ground, my body convulsing in pain. I writhed and groaned, feeling as though I were dying, but that didn’t seem right. I somehow knew I’d already died, yet couldn’t recall exactly what’d happened. Fire exploded all around me, buildings consumed by flame.
“I’m going to regret this,” his deep voice rang through my core, causing a feeling of familiarity, a striking awareness.
It suddenly dawned on me that I’d been here before, seen these burning warehouses before, and lived this moment before. I’d been saved by the man with the storm-cloud eyes wearing combat gear. And then it struck me like a bolt of lightning— I was dreaming, and Guy Stone, my savior, was carrying me away from flaming debris and the threat his FUSE brothers posed upon me.
Though now aware I was dreaming, I didn’t want to wake up. I was safe and warm in his arms, and the smell of him— God, that smell of him was intoxicating. Not in a sustenance type way, but in a strong man way. He smelled of leather and musk and life. My sleeping eyes brimmed with tears as I faded into wakefulness, clutching the place on my chest where the rosary had been. My heart sank when I realized it was gone. Broken.
My lashes fluttered open to see the same cellar, the same damp brick walls I’d been living within for the last couple of weeks. I breathed in deeply, wondering if I would ever be relieved of the lovesick pain Guy brought upon me. I recalled the saying ‘time heals all wounds,’ but realized as time moved on, my pain only grew stronger. But I needed to be strong and not let Guy’s actions be left in vain. He had done so much for me, not only putting his lifelong career on the line, but his life as well. I needed to do as he did and move on, get over it.
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