I approached and peered into one of the jars.
Through the cloudiness, I made out a familiar shape. “Bloody hell!” A floating severed hand, pallid and wrinkled. For a split second, I thought that the middle finger twitched. On the small finger, a gold band with an ornate crest was embossed into the metal. I pressed my nose up against the jar.
The hand jerked.
“Fuck!” I leaped back.
The clang of the door echoed as I slammed it shut.
A sob startled me. Using caution, I followed the noise and peered into the end jail. Two young men and a girl, wearing rags, were shackled to the wall. Studying their faces, hoping for a sign that would indicate sanity, I stepped inside and tried to mouth breathe to avoid the stench.
“Take me,” the redheaded man muttered. Tatty spectacles balanced on the bridge of his nose, his right lens smashed.
I shook my head.
“Did Evan send you?” the girl asked.
She looked about fifteen, but her dimpled cheeks, button nose, and pony tails were misleading. I wondered if it had been Evan’s corpse that had floated past me.
“Have you seen a woman, twenty-ish,” I asked, “raven hair, the bluest eyes?”
“She’s gone missing, as well?” said the redheaded man.
“Others have gone missing?” I asked.
He answered with a nod. “Her brother and my sister.”
“She has red hair, like you?” I stepped closer.
“Have you seen her?” He shuffled uncomfortably. “Her name’s Rachel.”
“She’s with Benjamin.” I peeked down the corridor.
“Who’s Benjamin?” His voice was tinged with fear.
I hid my surprise and knelt beside him.
“She’s safe,” he said. “That’s all I needed to hear.”
I wondered if there could be another Rachel, but their similarities went beyond just their hair color.
“Who’s this Benjamin?” he asked again.
“A friend of your sister’s.”
He squinted at me. “Where did you see her?”
“In the cathedral.”
“She disappeared two nights ago.” He sounded miserable.
I tried to take my thoughts off Benjamin and why he’d lied. Perhaps he’d tried to protect her.
“Did you talk with her?” he asked.
“Not really.” I glanced at the sickly, young man in the corner.
Stress and sleep deprivation had aged them. The redheaded man looked thirty, but he could have been younger.
“What’s your story?” I pointed to the chains.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Daumia.”
“You’re not from around here, are you?”
“No,” I replied, half-distracted.
“We thought the house was empty,” he continued, weakly.
“You were trespassing?”
He held up the shackle’s chain. “Our punishment.”
“How long have you been down here?”
“About three days.” He gestured to himself, “I’m Marcus,” then pointed, “Lilly and Ted.” He fiddled with his shackle. “Take off your jacket. You’ll catch your death.”
Though the cold didn’t affect me, I removed it nonetheless. Lilly needed it more, so I laid it by her side. When it dried, it would provide some well needed warmth, but I hoped we’d be out of here by then.
“We promise we’ll leave quietly,” Ted’s voice wavered.
“I’m not the one you need to convince.” I gave a comforting smile.
“Can you reason with him?” Marcus asked.
“Delacroix?”
Marcus fidgeted. “Is that his name?”
I nodded. “I don’t think that’s an option.”
Marcus slumped in despair.
Lilly leaned back against the brick and wrapped her arms around her legs and rocked.
“When did you last see your friend?” Marcus asked.
“Last night,” I said.
“What makes you think she’s here?”
“How can you even see out of those glasses?” I asked Marcus.
He nudged them up the bridge of his nose. “Well, do you know anywhere down here where I can purchase a new pair?”
“Will you talk to them for us?” Lilly asked.
I nodded, though knew it would be useless.
Marcus leaned. “Can you help us?”
“Evan must have made it,” Lilly said. “I knew he would.”
While examining Marcus’ shackle, I marveled at my actions. I’d spent the last few months feeding off mortals, and here, now, as though compelled to heroism, I wanted to aid an escape. The thought of anyone in that torture chair motivated my valor. I grabbed Marcus’ slim wrist and eased it through the shackle.
I followed his stare and peeled back his trouser leg. His calf was badly deformed, the skin mottled and bruised.
“I’ve lost weight so it was easy to pull my wrist out.” Marcus gazed off. “Last night, I headed down the middle tunnel.”
I cringed.
Marcus nodded.
“It’s sealed with some kind of clay,” I said.
“Wasn’t last night. They must have done it after they snapped my leg.”
“I’ll carry you.”
“You’re going to have to carry him.” Marcus nodded toward Ted.
I locked gazes with Marcus. “I’ll come back for you.”
“Why are you helping us?” Lilly mumbled.
“Why not?” I glanced at Ted. “What happened to him?”
“He thinks that one of them bit him,” Marcus whispered. “He thinks the man drank his blood.”
Ted stirred. “He did fucking drink my blood.”
“He’s been in and out all night.” Lilly’s voice was low.
Marcus gave me a pointed look. “You didn’t answer her question.”
“I’m a victim too,” I said. “I’m not leaving you down here.”
Lilly’s brow furrowed. “You could be saving yourself.”
“I fully intend to.”
“Can you get us out?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Do you promise?” she said.
“Yes.” I headed for the door.
Marcus grabbed my ankle and whispered, “Who are you really?”
“I told you.” I pulled away.
Marcus ran his soiled fingers through his hair. “Why should we trust you?”
“Do you have another option?”
He swallowed hard. “What’s your plan?”
“I’m going to prize open your shackles.”
“We’re as good as dead.” Marcus slouched back against the wall.
“Thank you for saving us,” Lilly said.
Ripping the shackles from the wall would be easy to explain away as corrosion, but the clanging of the chains would alert our enemy. They’d have to come off.
“These things are so rusty.” I grabbed hold of Lilly’s cuff.
Masonry sprayed, splattering me with dust, and the chain hung from Lilly’s wrist. She gawped her surprise.
“Why look at that.” I shook my head in fake amazement. “Turns out I’m stronger than I thought.” I yanked open the metal cuff.
“How the hell did you do that?” Ted sat up.
With a snap, the metal gave on his cuff, too.
They rubbed their wrists. I considered Marcus’ leg. A sip of blood would do the trick, but Lilly and Ted would probably freak out. Ted was so weak, I doubted he’d last long. He clambered to his feet, leaned on me, and I took his weight.
Marcus shook his head. “I’ll slow you down. Just get them out.”
“I’ll come back,” I said.
“If your chance comes, take it and don’t look back.”
“A promise is a promise.” I flashed a smile, though it was out of place.
Lilly, Ted, and I headed down the corridor and soon made it to the door that was now open. We passed the statue that some
one had pushed back into its original position, and ascended the stairs, then crept our way through the empty foyer. With a turn of the door handle came the cool breeze of freedom. I shoved Lilly and Ted out and slammed the door shut.
Delacroix came out of nowhere and threw me at the foot of the stairs. My head bashed against the banister. Not since I’d taken Felipe on had I felt such fury. Delacroix’s servants reappeared, dragging Lilly and Ted in with them.
A wave of despair hit me hard.
Lilly and Ted cowered with fear. Fumbling hands behind me tied my wrists together with fine rope, so tight that my hands grew numb. I struggled to get free, but they overpowered me. Delacroix’s iron-glad grip crushed my throat and his gaze bore into mine.
Lilly and Ted were hauled away.
I glanced up at the ceiling. Even with my hands bound, I believed I could rise, but if I escaped, it would seal their fate.
Delacroix struck my face and my jaw cracked. He leaned in and his tongue lapped at my neck.
I jolted when he bit hard.
He stormed on into my psyche. I struggled to stay conscious as he pillaged the farthest recesses. He was draining me.
I sank to my knees and my face struck the floor. Delacroix’s shoes were the last thing I saw.
* * * *
I was back in the cell.
I’d been shackled to the wall. I resisted the weight of the chain and ran my fingers along my neck. My shirt was stained in blood. Marcus stared back. His shackle had been refitted around his left wrist. Lilly and Ted had also been re-secured.
“What happened?” Marcus appeared even more worn down.
Sunaria, where are you? I didn’t even sense her, and hated the thought that she may be in danger. “I’m getting us out of here.”
Marcus glanced uneasily at the others. “Yeah, we can see that.”
I stretched out.
“So this is all part of your master plan?” Marcus asked.
“So far, so good.” I ran my fingers through my matted hair and scratched my itchy scalp.
Marcus shook his head. “We’re as good as dead.”
I raised an eyebrow. “That’s one option, yes.” I lifted my shirt collar to hide Delacroix’s fang marks, unsure if they’d dissipated.
Marcus leaned back. “What do they have over you?”
I shoveled into a more comfortable position.
“Perhaps I shouldn’t ask.” Marcus threw my jacket at me. “Here, you look like you need it.”
I wrapped it around my shoulders.
“Where are you from?” Marcus’ tone was laden with suspicion.
“Spain.”
“Near Scotland?” Lilly said.
I laughed and then realized she wasn’t joking.
“It’s across the sea, Lilly,” Marcus frowned. “He’s a foreigner.”
“What’s it like?” Lilly asked.
Examining my metal cuff, I tracked the links up and along to where it met the brick.
“How far away is it?” Lilly asked.
I tugged the chain and dust sprayed as the bolts loosened. Somewhere within the house, a violin struck up.
“Like things can’t get any creepier.” Marcus stared at the wall.
“I run errands for Mr. Simons.” Lilly sat up. “He owns the bakery.”
With my fingers wrapped around the chain, I prepared to give it another tug.
“I deliver groceries,” she continued. “One time, I went to the wrong door of the great house in Greenwich, not the servants’, but the main one.”
With an incredulous expression, I asked. “What’s your point, exactly?”
“Well, I got into trouble and Mr. Simons refused to read to me.”
“Lilly loves books,” Marcus explained. “Mr. Simons reads to her.”
“It’s just that you’re a man of education,” Lilly said.
I gazed off.
Lilly leaned forward.”Perhaps you could read to me?”
“Sure.”
“I’m sorry,” Lilly sighed. “You’re worried about your friend and I’m talking about—”
“Books are a good distraction.” I rubbed my temples.
“What’s a distaction?”
“Distraction,” I corrected her. “Well, say you’re trying to think that you’re not in here, for example. You could read a good book and forget that you’re . . .”
“In here.” Lilly’s tears streamed.
I hugged her. “I’ll read to you, Lilly.”
She softened into me.
I looked at each one of them. “I will get us out.”
Lilly’s mortal scent arose. I suppressed all desire and ignored the carnal drag. Lilly calmed, full of trust. I did for a moment feel like my old self again, the man who’d acted with integrity. I covered her with my half-dry jacket, providing some warmth. With a rusty, grinding clang, I opened my metal cuff and slowly rose to my feet.
A key turned in the lock and the door swung open. Delacroix greeted me with that crazed, half smile of his, and just behind him lingered three of his minions.
“I was promised a room with a view,” I said.
Delacroix’s servants dragged me out, pulling me along the corridor. I fought against them, digging my heels in. They forced me into the torture chamber and shoved me into the chair, strapping me in.
Delacroix loomed over me.
“Maybe it’s just me,” I said, “but I think I’ve pissed you off?”
The chair flew back, tilted in such a way that I now lay flat staring up at the ceiling. From an upside-down perspective, I viewed the jars on the back wall.
Benjamin stood quietly in the corner. Delacroix turned and walked out of the room, leaving us alone.
“I came here looking for you.” Benjamin swallowed, hard.
“Untie me,” I said.
Benjamin hesitated.
“I told you to wait for me.” I tried to squirm free.
Benjamin shrugged.
“Does he have Rachel?” I asked.
“No.”
“Why did you tell me that Rachel’s your sister?”
“I didn’t think you’d help us otherwise.”
“Hurry up and get these straps untied.”
He gazed at me.
“I’m not angry with you,” I said. “You need to get out of here.”
“Not without you.” He loomed over me.
“I can look after myself.” I tugged. “Famous last words.”
Benjamin fiddled with my right strap.
“Have you seen Sunaria?” I asked.
“No.”
“Stupid question.” I shook my head. “You don’t even know what she looks like. Has he hurt you?”
“He’s been kind to me.”
“I can imagine.” I raised an eyebrow.
“What’s in those jars?” Benjamin asked.
“It’s probably best if you don’t know.”
He stared at me with hungry eyes.
“That’s tighter,” I suppressed my annoyance. “You’ve pulled it the wrong way.”
Benjamin glanced at my neck and then checked the strap.
“Don’t even think about it.” I bit into my lower lip in frustration.
He licked his lips.
“I’m serious,” I said.
With shocking speed, he flung himself at me and I felt the sharp sting of his fangs in my neck and his full weight on me. He let out a muffled groan, gulping loudly.
* * * *
Delacroix loomed over me.
My tongue cleaved to the roof of my mouth and I tried to hold my head up, looking for Benjamin. Delacroix held his wrist over me. He’d made a small incision there and blood promised to drip. My tongue gratefully received the red droplets. They stung my taste buds. I wanted more, needed more.
“What do you want?” I rasped.
The wrist straps were painfully tight, and I felt a surge of panic when I saw two men holding Lilly. She looked terrified. My sobs escaped through my clenched jaw. De
lacroix waved the saw in my face and then rested the blades against my right wrist, sending blinding pain into my hand and back up my arm, as the blades ran along. The warmth and stickiness of spurting blood caused my head to spin.
Lilly’s screams were deafening.
“Shut your eyes, Lilly,” I yelled as the saw gnawed back and forth.
Delacroix stopped and ran his fingertips over the bloody blades. Lilly was close to fainting. Her eyelids flickered.
The pain receded. “Let her go.”
Delacroix studied the blades.
My left arm broke free but was quickly restrained. They shoved Lilly forward, leaned so close that her neck came within reach, her scent a mixture of fear and sweat. The blade came down upon my right wrist again and pressed into my flesh.
Delacroix pointed at Lilly.
“This is not who I am.” Terror washed over me. “This is barbaric.” I turned my head away.
Agony, the serrated edge sawed and scraped through muscle. I screamed again and again, sucking in air as the blades reached the bone and continued on through.
Morality dissipated.
Numbness now where my hand had been, and a phantom pain reached my fingertips. I dared not look. The blade rested against my left wrist now. A cruel tease as it sliced. I sprang forward and buried my fangs into Lilly’s neck. “Forgive me . . . forgive me . . .”
She didn’t even flinch, too terrified to move, as I absorbed her fears, unfolding memories stolen by the unworthy. This perfect child with her dimpled cheeks and button nose, her trust betrayed. I shared her thoughts as they faded.
My lips trembled as I felt her go. “Don’t forgive me.”
They carried her body out.
“No . . . no . . . no!” I sobbed.
Grasping onto thoughts of her, I buried them deep within, refusing to let her fade. I clutched at the remnants of her memory. Something inside snapped, a realization of the monstrosity of what I was. My excuses had no foundation and denial was impossible. Thrashing, unable to suppress my rage, I felt the right strap give.
Groping hands held me down and, with a shove, Delacroix pressed my severed hand back against my blood soaked stump. I surrendered to the vertigo caused by the excruciating sensation of nerve endings realigning.
* * * *
“Lilly, is she all right?” Marcus’ lips quivered.
This time, they’d not chained me. The prison walls closed in. Relieved that my hands were still attached, I opened and closed my fingers instinctively. No evidence of what Delacroix had done to me, I massaged my wrists anyway.
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