I was quietly crying when I woke up. As if my body knew that I was in pain before my brain registered it. I was lying on my stomach, cold tile pressed against my cheek.
Without moving an inch, I opened my eyes. My vision was fuzzy but I made out white cabinets, veined marble countertops, stainless steel appliances. I pulled in a deep breath, trying to slow my speeding heart. It didn’t work.
“I know you’re awake.” Andrej’s voice echoed in the room and my body immediately started to quake. “Why don’t we skip the boring questions and get right to the fun part?”
I rolled over and sat up. My head spun three full rotations before my vision settled again. Andrej was leaning against the kitchen island. The light of the setting sun cast his face half in shadows. We were inside the foreclosed home. It was as familiar to me as it had been two years ago. Where once the emptiness of it was a safe haven, it now felt too echoeyand threatening. Like the shadows might come to life and suffocate me.
“What do you want?” I tried to make my voice sharp. Instead it croaked out.
Andrej laughed. “I’m bored.”
I watched the light of dusk fading like a countdown clock. Once night fell, Andrej would be practically invincible. My only chance at saving myself was to bluff my way out.
I let out a huff, as if this didn’t terrify me. As if I believed I had any control here. “So you decided to slap me around? Have you ever considered taking up tennis or something?”
Andrej’s grin spread wide enough that I could see the points of his fangs. “You have spirit. I like that. It’ll make it more fun.”
“Someone will be looking for me if I’m not home soon. So if you don’t want the NVRD coming down on your ass, you should just let me leave. We don’t have to talk about this little... incident.” I stood, but had to grip the countertop to steady my shaking legs.
“You’ll stay where you are,” Andrej said. “Don’t move a muscle.”
And it was as if my legs were turned to stone. I couldn’t force either of them to move forward. “What are you doing?” I whispered, my voice finally shaking.
“It’s a fun trick. One of my favorites. I fed you some of my blood when you were passed out.” Andrej was watching me dispassionately, like a scientist might watch a mouse about to run an experimental maze.
“Why would you do that?” My breaths came in short gasps now.
“First, because as long as my blood is in your system, you have to obey my commands.” He ran a finger down my cheek. It was cold, like a corpse caressing my skin. And I wanted to flinch away, except my body was still frozen in place. So, I guess the mind-control rumors weren’t really rumors. “And second, because I’m curious what you might look like undead.”
“Why?” I couldn’t help asking.
Andrej leaned closer as he smiled. And his fangs filled my vision. “Come on, haven’t you ever wondered what it’s like? To be as strong as us? To be immortal? Tell me what you want.”
“To leave this town,” I blurted out against my will.
“Well, as one of us, you can go anywhere you want.”
No, not like this, I thought.I don’t want it like this.
He tilted his head, his nose pressing against my neck, and he breathed in deeply. “Your blood smells so sweet. I can’t wait to taste it.”
And I couldn’t hold back the sob that trembled from my lips when I felt his move over my throat. Cold as the brush of his knuckles.
I let out a soft cry as his fangs pierced my skin. As my blood fell in rivers down my neck.
And still I couldn’t lift a hand to push him away even when I felt him start to drink.
I’m going to die, I thought.I’m going to become one of them.
“Please stop,” I whimpered.
“Don’t you want eternal life, Anna?”
I waited for the oblivion that came with massive blood loss. I could feel my head spin as he drained me. In my fevered brain, all the regrets I still held rushed through my mind, and one face kept flashing past. Kai.
The world darkened. My vision became fuzzy. I thought I heard someone call my name.
And then I felt the shock of cold air against my neck as Andrej was pulled away. The force of it, while his fangs were still anchored, ripped at my flesh, opening a larger wound. And I don’t know if it was because my body was dying or because he’d let go of his hold on me, but my knees finally buckled and I fell to the ground.
