As much as watching him drink disgusted her, she couldn’t help but feel for him. He couldn’t change who he was. She knew how that felt, even if her situation wasn’t quite as tragic. But deep down, she knew it was more than that. She had feelings for him that were stronger than pity or empathy. She was attracted to him unlike any other person she’d ever known.
She tried to think of an excuse she could use to go into the police station on her day off so she could see him, but based on the way he’d acted towards her after she gave him the blood, he wouldn’t want to see her, anyway. He’d turned cold and pushed her away like he was done with her now that she’d met his needs. But she didn’t want to accept that he really felt that way towards her. She had to believe that it was just an act to scare her away. He was convinced he was a monster.
She grabbed her phone and pulled up the videos of him so she could see his face and hear his voice again. He looked so sad, so desperate. She watched them both several times, her tears soaking into her pillow. The dash cam video made him look like an animal, for sure, but the second video was the Rowan she knew — gentle, intelligent, caring. How could anyone watch that video and not see the human inside?
She couldn’t stop herself from scrolling through the comments, even though it upset her to read all the cruel and terrible things people said about him. One comment caught her eye, a viewer who claimed to have interviewed Rowan. He posted a link to an anonymous blog post. Zoë sat up and tapped on it, curious to see if it was all made up or if the man actually knew Rowan.
Her whole body tensed, and she gnawed on a hangnail as she read the post. It was obviously written by one of the police officers. He’d mentioned the station by name and said he’d witnessed an interrogation. The blogger claimed that vampires were turning humans against their will and taking them as mates because Rowan said he was once a human who was infected by a female vampire.
He also said that Rowan was overcome with bloodlust when he saw the accident victim, warning that vampires couldn’t control themselves and would take blood wherever they could get it, even if it meant killing humans.
Zoë cringed at the lies that dotted the lengthy post. None of that was true! She was positive the man was twisting Rowan’s words and making things up. But the article told people what they wanted to hear, if the comments were any indication. It was like they wanted to think that vampires were dangerous animals who’d steal their children and drink them dry to feed their own inhuman desires.
She tossed the phone to the end of the bed in disgust then got up and headed for the kitchen to make a snack. She heard the TV on in the living room and took a detour to check on her mom. Lizette slumped in her usual spot on the recliner, looking half dead after a night spent partying at her favorite bar.
Zoë was tempted to check her pulse. Instead, she gave her mother’s shoulder a gentle shake. “Hey Mom, I’m gonna make some food. You want something?”
Lizette grumbled something that sounded like a yes, and Zoë was just about to go back to the kitchen when the headline “ARE VAMPIRES REAL?” scrolled across the television, catching her attention. She grabbed the remote off the TV tray and turned up the volume as the newscaster spoke.
“Two YouTube videos released this week have gone viral and brought speculation about the existence of vampires. A recording allegedly taken from a Sherfield Police dash cam video shows a man drinking blood from an accident victim. The second video appears to be an interview with the same man, now in police custody, during which he explains his need for blood, his superhuman abilities, and a life-threatening reaction to sunlight. These claims were reiterated in a blog post published late yesterday by an anonymous man who claims he witness a police interrogation where the subject described how he’d been turned into a vampire after being attacked by one. According to the blogger, the suspect stated that extreme bloodlust had compelled him to drink from the accident victim.”
Zoë scowled and was tempted to throw the remote at the TV. Now the whole world would know about Rowan! And the way the news was portraying him, they’d all think he was a dangerous animal.
“Public reaction has run the gamut from mockery to full blown panic as thousands of citizens report witnessing vampire activity and others claim to be vampires, themselves. This has prompted protesters by the thousands to demand the extermination of vampires and led to a rash of self-proclaimed vampire hunters patrolling neighborhoods in search of suspicious activity. The Sherfield Police Department has addressed these concerns, stating that the subject is being considered extremely dangerous and they intend to investigate the situation fully. Police Chief Mitchell states that any behavior considered threatening will be met with swift action.”
Lizette sat up and shook her head at the TV, more alert than Zoë had seen her all day. “Well, I’ll be damned. Vampires. Is this the news or Ripley’s Believe It Or Not? Good thing they caught that bloodsucker. I wonder how many more of them are running around free?”
Zoë turned away from the TV and stomped towards the kitchen. She rummaged around in the fridge, grumbling to herself as she looked for something to eat. They were turning this into a witch hunt! At this rate, Rowan would never be released.
She grabbed a pizza from the freezer and slapped it on the counter then jabbed at the buttons on the oven. Daphne wandered out in a rumpled dress, looking like she’d partied all night and slept all day, just like their mother. Zoë didn’t understand how she could be related to those two; she was nothing like them.
Daphne pulled a soda from the fridge. “Are you making that pizza? Save some for me. I’m starving.”
Zoë tore open the box and scowled at her sister, wishing for once that Daphne would take the initiative to make food instead of waiting for her to do it then claiming a share. Both Daphne and their mother were constantly taking advantage of her because she was the only one who acted like a responsible adult.
Zoë opened her mouth to tell Daphne off when the bullet sounds of a breaking news report punctuated the air. Zoë abandoned the pizza and went back to the living room. Daphne trailed along behind her. Her mom had fallen back asleep, but Zoë was too engrossed to wake her.
The anchorwoman’s calm facade cracked, and her face showed a hint of real fear as she spoke. “This just in. A group of seven men, claiming to be members of a vampire council, have responded to the allegations concerning the man in custody who is suspected to be a vampire.”
Zoë’s mouth fell open, and she dropped to her knees on the matted carpet as the camera switched from the anchorwoman to footage of the men claiming to be vampires. They were all similar in their pale skin, piercing gaze, and unusual poise, all dressed in fine suits and stunningly attractive. They reminded her of Rowan.
“Can you believe this nonsense? People are so stupid.” Daphne snorted, tipping back her soda can to drain it.
“Shush. I want to hear this.” Zoë scowled at her and pinched Daphne’s leg, then leaned forward till she was inches from the old, picture tube TV.
She watched in astonishment as the men spoke, admitting that vampires were indeed real, numbered in the thousands, and had coexisted with humans for generations.
“Vampires are not a threat to your kind. In many ways, we’re just like you. We live and work among you, passing for human, and our biology is quite similar. Consider us a different race of human, if you will. We do require blood to survive, but we drink from each other, not humans. Only in times of extreme duress would a vampire consume human blood, such as the vampire in custody. The vampire council was created over a hundred years ago to police our kind. We have laws in place that govern our behavior, and any vampire found to be in opposition of these laws is dealt with judiciously.”
The man went on to talk about their abilities and limitations and how vampires can’t turn humans against their will. He was a little vague on that, and Zoë suspected there was more to it than he was willing to admit, but his charming smile, smooth, deep voice, and the calming way he spoke made him
sound like a respected gentleman, not the terrifying creature of legends.
The news anchor cut in before the end of his speech, stating that the council was requesting an audience with the President to discuss a treaty between humans and vampires. Then she switched to a live video of a protest. People swarmed the streets, chanting and waving signs, demanding that vampires be hunted and killed like they were wild animals that had suddenly escaped from the zoo.
Daphne crumpled her soda can and laughed. “What a freak show! Do you think that guy is really a vampire? I can’t believe you’ve been in the same building as him! Have you seen him? What’s he like? I’d be scared to death.” She shivered and made an ugly face.
Zoë frowned and stood up, her knees sore and pocked from kneeling on the rough carpet for so long. He did scare her sometimes, but she didn’t want to admit that to Daphne. “He’s a lot like those councilmen. He’s handsome, intelligent, calm. He seems… nice.”
Daphne grabbed her hand and pulled her down on the couch then sat next to her, turning so their knees touched. “No way! You’ve talked to him? Spill. What did he say to you?”
Zoë shrugged, her cheeks warming as she thought back on their conversations. “He told me about his wife who died and his job at the hospital.”
Daphne rolled her eyes and bounced up and down on the sagging couch cushion. “Who cares about that? Did he tell you about his abilities? Can they really do all that stuff?”
“He says he can, but he’s weak from lack of blood. The officers bribed him with blood to get him to talk, but then they wouldn’t give it to him, so I found it and snuck it to him.”
Daphne’s bright blue eyes got as big as swimming pools. “Did you see him drink it?”
Zoë nodded, her body trembling at the graphic image burned in her mind. He’d never looked more savage than in that moment, but at the same time, there was a natural beauty in it, like watching a lion take down a gazelle.
Daphne squirmed like she was being electrocuted. “Weren’t you freaked out? I would’ve been screaming. What else happened?”
“I don’t know, we’ve talked about a lot of stuff. I go to visit him a lot. He heard me singing one time and liked it, so I told him about my songwriting. He asked me to sing for him.” Zoë smiled and tugged on the hem of her shirt.
Daphne’s body went dead still, and her mouth fell open as she stared at Zoë. Then she jumped up. “OH MY GOD. You have a crush on him! Are you insane? I can’t believe you!”
Daphne’s screeching woke their mother, and Lizette jerked awake and grumbled, “What’s going on?”
Daphne rolled her eyes then glanced at Lizette. “Your crazy daughter is in love with a vampire, that’s what’s going on.”
It was crazy, but Zoë realized nothing had ever felt more right. Vampires were real, and she was falling for one.
Chapter 11
He’d been alive for over 200 years, but time had never gone more slowly than it did that weekend. He counted every second, waiting for something to happen. Waiting to hear how the world was reacting to the videos of him, waiting for the guards to give him an opportunity to escape, and waiting for Zoë to come back.
That was the hardest of all. He’d purposely pushed her away, wanting her to understand he had nothing to offer her, but now that she was gone, every moment was spent in darkness. He hadn’t realized how much light she brought to his dull world.
He laid on the coarse, charcoal-colored blanket and stared at the gray, concrete walls of the tiny cell, counting the blocks for the thousandth time. The only thing else to look at was the metal toilet and sink, also gray, but at least they had a bit of shine to them. Outside his cell was nothing but another cement wall.
When Zoë turned the corner and approached his cell on Monday, her presence was like the sunrise, illuminating the sky with a burst of brightness, shining life and warmth on him. He sucked in a long breath like he’d been underwater and his head had finally breached the surface.
“Zoë.” He said her name like a prayer, a blessing, a sacred oath, and rushed to the bars to greet her. “I didn’t think you were coming back.”
Her expression faltered. “I was off for the weekend.”
Relief flooded his body and relaxed the muscles he didn’t realize were wound in tight knots. “I thought I scared you off. I’m sorry about that.”
“Maybe a little, but it’s okay. You were just hungry. I get that way sometimes, too, when I haven’t eaten in a while. You should see me attack a cheeseburger. I’m like a wild animal.” She giggled, and the sound bubbled through his body, lifting his spirits.
She wore blue jeans and a light pink tee shirt, her honey-colored hair pulled up in a ponytail that exposed her long, elegant neck. And she had a tentative smile that warmed his cold, hard heart and saddened him at the same time. She looked even younger than her 20-odd years, and his heart sank at the reminder of her innocence. It was wrong of him to want her, but he couldn’t stop himself.
“You shouldn’t be here. They’re going to suspect it was you who posted those videos.” It was a legitimate reason, but he had to force it from his lips. It didn’t sound very convincing. He needed her to go, but he desperately wanted her to stay.
She waved it off. “I’m not too worried about that. Someone made an anonymous blog post going into detail about your interrogation, and it had to be one of the officers. If anything, they’ll suspect one of them before me. And besides, the videos are making me a lot of money.”
Her cheeks turned the color of her shirt, and she dropped her head. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Zoë.” The sight of her innocent face, wrinkled with contrition, doused any remaining anger he felt at being exposed. Most people would have done the same thing in her position, but not many would’ve been brave enough to confess and ask for forgiveness. He couldn’t seem to maintain any anger when she was near.
Her face perked up at his soft words. “Have you heard what happened? The vampire council was on the news.”
“What?” His legs swayed, and he grabbed the bars for support.
Her blue eyes sparkled like aquamarine. “Yeah, there was this group of men who claimed to be the vampire council, and they came forward to address the rumors. They want to meet with the President and discuss a treaty.”
“How many of them were there?” He knew there had to be more vampires out there, but in all his years he’d never run across another one. Or at least, not that he’d known. There was nothing about their appearance that gave them away unless they flashed their fangs, but Rowan thought he would sense it if he ever met one.
Zoë stared up at the ceiling as she counted off on her fingers. “Like seven, I think. They were very impressive. Fancy suits and ties, and they talked like politicians.”
“Did they say where they were from?”
“Yeah, some little town in Texas called Modesa. I guess there’s a pretty large concentration of them there.” Zoë pulled out her phone, an old model with a battered case, and looked up the town in the maps app then turned the screen towards him.
He reached out and took the phone, zooming in on the small dot, trying to imagine a town full of vampires. “I have to go there. I have to see them. My arraignment is today, Zoë. I don’t have much hope that they’ll release me on bail, but I’m leaving today, one way or another. I should be strong enough to escape once I’m out of this cell.”
She nodded, but a shadow passed over her face like she didn’t want him to go. He couldn’t help but feel a pulse of pleasure. But this was more important that some passing infatuation he felt for her. This could change his life, and the world, forever. But he couldn’t resist stretching out a hand to cup her cheek.
“Thank you for everything, Zoë. You’ve made my time here bearable. And if you hadn’t leaked those videos, I never would’ve learned about these other vampires. You’ve given me a new reason to live.”
She closed her eyes and nuzzled into his hand, her cheek warm and soft agai
nst his cool palm. He slowly moved his hand down, stroking her neck. She was a delicate treasure, and he’d never forget her, but there was no place for her in his world. But now he had hope that he might someday find another of his kind to fill the void left by Anna.
He yanked his hand away at the sound of boot steps tromping determinedly down the hallway. “Someone’s coming. You have to get out of here.”
Zoë swallowed hard and stared at him for a moment longer then scurried off around the corner. His heart sank as he watched her leave. He’d probably never see her again.
Three officers rounded the corner a few moments later — Garrison, a hunched, spectacled officer he didn’t recognize, and the Chief of Police. The black uniforms on their broad bodies created a wall in front of him, blocking his view of anything else.
The unknown officer carried a laptop computer under one arm and a folding chair in the other. Rowan frowned at them. Were they going to show him footage of the vampire council? He was curious, but he couldn’t understand their motivation. They certainly weren’t doing it for his sake.
“Good morning, Rowan. You look lively this morning. Energetic.” The chief’s deep voice echoed in the small, concrete alcove.
Rowan forced back a smile. Seeing Zoë had brightened his mood considerably, and the news about the vampire council had shone light on his future. It was no surprise his excitement showed on his face. He couldn’t mention any of that to them, of course.
“Well fed?” Officer Garrison scowled at him and crossed his arms over his barrel chest. Rowan flinched, and his mind immediately filled with worries for Zoë.
“Officer Garrison tells me the blood bags he had have disappeared, and I can’t think of anyone who would want them other than you. We have our suspicions, but you want to tell us who gave them to you? Let’s just say it might improve my mood.” Chief Mitchell stared down at him, his grey eyes as cold and steely as his personality.
Captured by the Vampire: Vampire Enforcement Agency Series Prequel Page 6
