Dark Experiments

by Lana Campbell

  I know that. I’ll be careful.

  “First of all, I’m no one’s whore. Sure, I want to go home and be with the people I care about and so does everyone else here. Katie let me ask you a question. Would you have been on board with this project if you were in my shoes or any of these other vampires? Imagine being yanked away from home, family your job? Isn’t that the same thing that vampire did to you when he stole your humanity?”

  There was a pregnant pause after her speech. The only taker of shame and humility was Terry. He uncrossed his arms and stared at the floor, shaking his head. Both Charla and Katie glared at her as if she were a lab rat running around loose from its’ cage.

  Charla gapped the distance between them, grabbed her arm and shoved her toward the bed. “I’ve heard about enough out of you, you ungrateful little bitch. You have no idea what Katie went through. How dare you compare her horror to my noble cause. To think I actually thought you’d thank me for giving you back your humanity. Well, you’ll get no more sympathy from me. Get back in that bed now! Katie restrain her please.”

  Tiffany crawled onto the bed without a fuss and allowed Katie to strap her down because she had no other options currently. But she did have Christian who now had a host of clues to work with thanks to the fact none of the three realized she and Christian were using their blood bond to communicate.

  Christian was coming for her. Tiffany had hope finally.

  Chapter 24

  Fortunately, the squabbling siblings left after Katie put her into the restraints. She hated the dang things, but at least now she could talk to Christian unhindered.

  They’re gone finally.

  Good. You’re sure you’re okay? Christian asked.

  Yeah. I’m fine. I’m not loving these restraints though.

  God, I’m so sorry for what they’ve put you through. How do you feel?

  Weak and I’m still very foggy headed from the drugs.

  He cursed again. I’m going to kill that woman for this.

  You’ll have to stand in line.

  She heard him let loose a single sad laugh.

  We do have a secret weapon against these crazy people, you know. Apparently, they have no idea we can mind speak to one another or they would have never talked so freely in front of me. You heard everything they said?

  I did. Tiffany I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I should have never left you at that damned restaurant.

  Can the guilt trip, Christian. This is not your fault. I know what happened at the mother’s retreat and I understand now why you were afraid to take me. Neither one of us could have foreseen Katie kidnapping me. By the way, the real Katie, not Charla shot all those people. She’s a feral vampire to the core, Christian. Psychotic and homicidal. I don’t think she’d try to hurt me though. As you heard, Charla keeps her and their brother Terry in check. She needs her test subjects breathing, so I think I’m going to be safe at least for now.

  He remained silent for a few moments and she could feel fear and worry pummeling his soul.

  I still have so many questions, but I need to get started on this information so I can find you. That Chomps guy is a good lead, but it’s a damned shame they didn’t mention the name of the little town nearby.

  I may have made an ally of sorts with Terry. Let me see if I can get him to cough up some more information. I have so many questions too. I can’t figure out how Katie rather, Charla got ahold of Nathan’s SUV.

  She shot David, that’s how.

  Oh God! Is he?

  No, Darlin. Luckily it was just a flesh wound. He’ll be fine.

  Whoa. Thank goodness. But how the heck did she know where I was that day?

  Betty told her and I told Betty if you recall. David never did leave the clinic to go out to lunch. So, when you called David and he was on his way out of the building to go get you, Katie asked him for a ride. She shot him when he opened the door to get into the SUV. The whole incident was an unfortunate misstep of fate.

  Hell, I’ll say.

  What have they done to you, Tiffany? Why couldn’t I reach you these last three days?

  Tiffany started from the beginning and conveyed to Christian everything regarding Charla’s mission to turn vampires into humans and her experimentations on the V clinic patients. He told her he already knew Teresa delivered her baby because Jesse her life mate had been telling Asa and Noah Teresa’s blow by blow experience from hell. Christian told her she was very much alive, which flooded Tiffany with relief.

  God, I’m so sorry, Tiffany. I swear to you I’m going to get you out of there and our patients too. While you were mind speaking the three’s conversation I wrote down a few things which I’m going to start working on immediately. I can’t believe I fell asleep. It makes me so mad I wasn’t there for you the moment you woke up.

  Stop it, Christian. You’re here now. That’s all that matters. Charla won’t hurt me. Right now, she needs me alive in order to prove her serum works. Looks like I may end up human again after all. Apparently, the serum has destroyed most of my vampire blood cells. Charla claims I have around eighty percent human red blood and I’ll be completely human in a few weeks.

  Tiffany heard him snort and she sensed derision. What’s wrong?

  Charla’s a fool. That serum will never work on any vampire, infant, fledglings, it doesn’t matter. You may not feel vampire right now because of the drug’s side effects, but you are and always will be a vampire. Her serum is killing off your vampire red blood cells alright, but it could never kill them all. You’re constantly regenerating them just at a slower pace than a human regenerates theirs.

  I want to believe that, Christian, but didn’t it work the other way around when you turned me? She could very well have the fountain of humanity in that cursed drug.

  No, she hasn’t. It’s impossible for a vampire to become human again because of the way our bodies process human blood. It’s complicated, Darlin’ and I don’t have time to get into a scientific dissertation right now.

  Well that’s good news I guess. I never wanted to be a vampire, but I’ve made my peace.

  Listen, Darlin’. As much as I long to stay connected to you this way, I have to break off for a while. I’m with Nathan and Dominic. We need to put our heads together and see if we can use the information you gave me to find you.

  Okay. No argument there. Good luck and I love you.

  I love you too. I’ll be in touch as soon as I can. Stay strong. I will find you.

  I know.

  Christian tuned out and a feeling of hopelessness swept over her, but it was an emotion she couldn’t afford. She needed to keep the faith and believe something one of those three had said would lead Christian and her family to this facility of horrors.

  ***

  “I may have some leads,” Christian said as he picked up the legal pad he’d used to jot down notes while mentally connected to Tiffany.

  Mia bolted from the sofa in Nathan’s office and rushed to Christian’s side, scanning his scribbles. “Is she okay? What did she say to you? Do you have any idea where she is?”

  Tiffany’s sisters followed suit, both also pummeling him with similar questions.

  He stepped out of the little circle they’d made around him. “She’s okay, but has no idea where she’s being held.” He went on to tell them the story she’d told him, then what he’d learned from the sibling’s conversation.

  Dominic took a seat in front of Nathan’s desk and brought his holotop to life. “The best lead sounds like this alligator hunter named Chomps. I’m sure that’s a nickname, but I have a few ideas. Hang on.”

  Anxiety and hope built in Christian’s gut as he watched him work, swiping the hologram repeatedly, then he would type and swipe some more. Meanwhile the entire Davenport family remained silent watching Dominic and waiting. All had gathered here a short while ago after Asa arrived with the news Tiffany was awake.

  Finally, Dominic stopped what he was doing and glanced over the anxious faces in the
room, his attention settling on Christian. “I found a site that has a fairly comprehensive list of alligator buyers in Louisiana. There are several dozen on this particular site. We call them all, starting with the ones closest to the New Orleans area and ask them if they deal with this Chomps person. I’m figuring Katie, or rather Charla wouldn’t be staying too far from New Orleans since she worked for the V clinic.”

  Nathan seated behind his huge mahogany desk, tapped his fingers on the wood next to the printer. “Make multiple copies, Dominic and let’s get to work. A man with a name like that would be memorable. I do know a little bit about alligator hunters. They generally have a personal relationship with their preferred buyers. Alligator hunters are required to tag their kills and buyers keep certain records. With any luck, Tiffany will be home before the end of this day.”

  That last comment made Christian’s spirits soar. “Let’s get this done so we can go get her.”

  Dominic tapped the hologram screen a few times and the printer came to life.

  While papers spit into the tray, Christian closed his eyes, tuned out the chatter in the room and slipped back into Tiffany’s mind.

  We’re going to find you, Darlin’ and soon.

  I have no doubt of it, Christian.

  ***

  But she did have doubts. Oh, she knew Christian with Nathan and Dominic’s help would find her eventually, but how would they find her when they arrived and stormed this hell hole?

  Tiffany was again alone with her thoughts because Christian was on the phone calling alligator buyers. She was glad for the momentary reprieve because she felt awful and didn’t want Christian to pick up on some emotion that would unveil her misery and worry him more than he already was. Of course she’d been weak and miserable feeling since the moment she woke up, but her symptoms were getting worse. Her stomach felt like she’d swallowed glass shards. Her head pounded and reeled with dizziness at the same time.

  It no longer mattered they’d tied her down. She barely had the strength to move, let alone get out of the bed. Even with all the fear and chaos that followed waking up in this place, later the joy and excitement she’d felt when Christian reached out, sleep threatened to swallow her whole. She fought it because she feared she might never wake.

  She knew instinctively she was experiencing a bad reaction to the serum. Some vampires had deadly reactions. Christian lost a patient. Mothers lost babies. Terry claimed the test subjects here were sickly. Charla claimed her so called turning was to the point she shouldn’t experience any pain and the weakness would subside. Well she was wrong. Just like she’d been wrong about her precious serum being the cure all for vampirism. Maybe someday a person would find a cure to help people like Katie, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of innocent people.

  Footsteps coming down the hall shot up her blood pressure a few notches if her thundering heart was any indication. She waited with baited breath to see if the person passed by or came for her. Moments later the curtain slid back and Terry entered holding a plastic wrapped sandwich of some sort. She relaxed a bit because it was Terry, not Charla or Katie.

  He walked over to the bed, unstrapped her right hand and pulled the wrapper off the sandwich. “Here. Eat this.” He handed it to her.

  The kind offering disgusted her roiling belly, but she took a bite anyway, hoping food would stave off some of these miserable symptoms. It was turkey and cheddar with mayo and once she consumed that first bite she knew her stomach would accept it. She ate the rest of it so fast she nearly choked once.

  When her mouth was clear, she asked, “Why the kindness, vampire hater?”

  He snorted, but it came out more like a laugh. “Let’s just say I was bored. Plus you haven’t eaten in days and I’m sick and tired of digging graves.”

  She wasn’t buying that, but she recognized his dry humor for what it was. After all, she was the queen of it. Unfortunately, there was probably some truth in that comment. “So I’m that bad, huh? What do I look like? Death warmed over I’ll bet, which makes me glad I’m fresh out of mirrors.” She’d felt like it for sure, but the sandwich had given her a slight boost of energy and settled her stomach somewhat.

  He hunched a shoulder. “Right now, you look like the rest of them around here. Skin the color of a zombie’s and dark circles under your eyes. From what I’ve seen it’s normal.

  She looked at her arms and cringed. “Will you shoot straight with me?”

  He appeared uncomfortable with the question. Probably because he knew what she was going to ask. “Yeah, if I can. What do you want to know?”

  “What percentage don’t make it?”

  “Recently, since Charla changed the formula, just one out of four bit it. I doubt you have anything to worry about. You’re a fighter.”

  “True, but I’m fighting a demon I don’t understand or have control over.”

  He ducked his head. “I know. What you said outside earlier about the bad stuff inside of a person, well some things have been bothering me for a long time. I don’t like what’s going on here and I’m furious Charla gave Katie the serum without testing it further. So, I did something about it.”

  Tiffany quirked a brow. “What did you do?”

  “This goes no further.”

  She harrumphed. “Like I would say anything to either Charla or Katie. No offense but you got short changed when they handed out siblings.”

  He frowned but nodded. “Katie hasn’t had the serum in over a week. She’s supposed to have two doses a day in a drink at mealtimes. Everyone here drinks it after the first three days or so. I’ve been tossing the shit down the sink and giving her plain tea, soda whatever. I help out in the kitchen with meals because, well I’m sort of an amateur wanna-be chef.”

  Tiffany gawked at him. She didn’t know whether to applaud his stance against Charla or disdain him for it, not until she asked her next question anyway. “What about the others? Do you toss their serum laced drinks too?”

  A sly smile crept across his homely features. “Yeah, for the last week anyway. When I saw Katie getting weaker and sicker, I’d had enough. I should have done it earlier with those young girls Charla was testing, but at the time I just didn’t give a shit about anything or anyone. I’ve been angry with Charla since this whole kidnapping vampires thing started. Anger doesn’t even begin to express the way I feel about the bastard who ruined Katie’s life. You called me a vampire hater and that’s true. If I saw one laying in the street bleeding to death I’d probably just step over it and move on. But I’d rather have a sister who’s a vampire than a sick or dead one.”

  His rage explained a lot of his deplorable actions. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around his part in what happened at the mothers’ retreat. “Why did you kidnap those pregnant women? You knew what Charla would do to them.”

  His frown was marginally repentant, but mostly irritated. Obviously, she picked at a very sore wound.

  “There was no way around that. I’ve had to do things I didn’t want to do because of Katie. Giving in to Charla is sometimes the only way to protect Katie. I’m not proud of myself for many things I did, but my only other choice would have been to leave. I’ve talked to Katie about it. She won’t go. She believes in Charla. She thinks the serum will make her the way she was before that vampire got ahold of her. It won’t. It can’t because the real damage is inside of her. I can only protect her if I’m here and only as much as she’ll let me.”

  Tiffany tried to put herself in his shoes. What if the only way to save Christian or one of her family members was to commit a crime? Loathe to admit it she would. She’d do anything for those she loved. She hadn’t batted an eye when she’d killed Isabella to protect her sister. She understood the guy a lot better now and genuinely felt sorry for Terry’s rock and a hard place position.

  “Will you keep the serum out of my drinks too?”

  “If Charla decides to give it to you orally, you won’t have to worry about any food or drinks I bring you.”
<
br />   Tiffany breathed a small sigh of relief. As bad as she felt right now, one more dose of that deadly potion might be her last.

  “Well, I’d better go. I need to start lunch.”

  “Can I ask you something else?”

  He nodded.

  “What do you think would happen if you were to just let us all go? You could put Charla in restraints like earlier, give us a vehicle and just let us all go home.”

  He snorted. “I like you and I feel sorry for you, those others too, but I’m not a fan of suicide. You don’t cross Charla with something that big and live to tell about it. If I let you go I’d have to leave. And Katie comes first. I’m not leaving this place without her.”

  He took hold of her right wrist then wrapped the restraint around it. She hated it, but she knew he had no choice. Charla wouldn’t let him get away with leaving her unrestrained twice. She watched his face as he fastened the straps wondering if this good will transpiring between them might gain her the answer to the ultimate question—where was she?

  She decided to take the chance. “Will you satisfy my curiosity about something.”

  He arced a brow. “Maybe. What?”

  “Where are we? When you were talking with Charla and Katie earlier you mentioned a nearly town.”

  He snorted again and gave her an arched look. “I figured you to be smarter than to ask that. No one gets in or out of this place without one of the three of us. Even if you could get out you’d never find your way there before you fell out from exhaustion. I know you’re sick. I can tell by looking at you it’s hitting you harder than it did Katie and some of the others in the beginning.”

  “You’re right and I know my limits. I was just curious. I have no plans to run off. Like I could anyway.” She pulled at the band on her right wrist.

  “Yo, girl. Get some rest and quit worrying. No one’s going to snuff you. Charla needs you alive. Katie wouldn’t dare cross Charla and attack you unless you provoke her, which you can’t do as long as you’re tied to this bed.”