“Don’t give me that bullshit,” Carter snapped right back, his boots creating an earsplitting boom when they connected loudly with the floor and he sat up. “If you need someone to blame, take a look at those leeches you nourish with blood. They are the ones who have caused the changes in the world, not us. We’re doing what we can to survive. It is our responsibility to show those bred in captivity what it’s like to be free.”
“Bred in captivity.” I grimaced in disgust. “You can’t be serious.”
“Where have you been the last forty years?” he asked, and I easily perceived his agitation. “Did you miss the aftereffects of the war? When we lost, they changed everything. You can’t believe what they tell you, not even your parents can vouch for it. Blood slaves are tainted—all of them. You’re nothing more than walking food. They couldn’t care less about you as an individual.”
I was curious by his statement, as well as completely confused. No better time than the present to get some answers. I wasn’t very adept at playing a dumbass—okay, I admit my douchebag level had increased recently—but with my lack of experience regarding current matters, I hoped I pulled it off.
“So let me get this straight,” I said slowly, thinking about what he’d said. “They won the war and made us into walking meals on wheels? Even our children?”
“Have you learned nothing during your captivity? You’re not a child, and you’re far too old to have been allowed to remain with your family.” His words conveyed his shock, surprise and doubt. “Why don’t you know these things?”
“Let’s just say,” I answered cautiously, shaking off the skeevies at the notion of being taken from my parents like a newly minted, six-week-old puppy, “the last time I was in the know, the world was slightly less messed up.”
“How much do you know?” He scrutinized me. His eyes were a lighter color now, the steely gray softening to what reminded me of a calm sky. His expression was less skeptical, as if he no longer viewed me as a threat.
“I know something called the Renfield Syndrome wiped us out and humans have resorted to whoring themselves out for vampire protection. Of course, you can’t always believe what you read in the newspaper.”
“Take a seat,” he instructed quietly, raking his long fingers through his dark black hair, “and I’ll tell you.”
I nodded and complied with the request. If I was stuck in this hellhole, at least I got cookies, milk and story time. I relaxed and settled in, waiting for Carter to explain.
“The first vampire came into the open in 2041. No one believed it at first, but after a few months the world found out it wasn’t a hoax and things started changing. The United States government, as well as the leaders across the globe, banded together. They called for a registration of all the vampires across the world. That was met with resistance. Most argued their right to privacy. Some of the older vamps refused to participate and a line was drawn.
“Negotiations were considered and a few vampires tried to pave the way to peace. Unfortunately, talks fell through. Ultimately, world leaders decided the registry was necessary to protect the human race. The vampires who didn’t submit to the request were deemed a danger to humanity. Within a few months, the fighting started. By 2044, the war was in full swing.” He dry-washed his hand across his shadowed face, sending hair falling across his forehead. “I need something stronger than tea.”
He braced his hands on his knees and pushed his way to his feet. After a swift pivot around the couch, he quietly returned to the bar. He searched under the counter and produced a bottle. Some things might change, but liquor always stood the test of time. I recognized the label immediately. It was my old friend, Mr. Daniels. Carter reached for two shot glasses. Holding the rims between his fingers, he returned to his place to take a seat.
“Now.” He put the glasses side by side and poured the amber liquid carefully into each. “Vampires might have been weak during the day, but they slaughtered at night. Trained soldiers were sent to all the largest neighborhoods, and a worldwide curfew was established. Soon, humans and vampires were playing cat and mouse.”
He handed me a glass, and I took it. He threw his shot back, swallowing hard, and shook his head. He immediately poured another shot and set the bottle on the table. The gesture gave me a small amount of relief. There was no way he’d drink something tainted.
At least he was honest in that respect.
“Then the war on bloodsuckers got a new weapon. Something so accessible anyone could have it—TRV—The Renfield Vaccine. It was engineered from vampire blood, and the way it worked was simple. You got the vaccination and if a vampire bit you, the vampire died. It seemed like an easy solution. Leaders from around the world showed a united front, televising the summit where they received the injection themselves. Before the end of the month, over three quarters of the world population had the shit floating around in their systems.”
He downed the next shot and poured a third.
“It took almost thirty years for side effects to occur. People started aging rapidly, their cellular levels going completely off the charts. They died within hours—men, women and the children who’d been vaccinated and were now adults. The only populations that remained untainted were the third world countries that didn’t have access to dependable health care, and we lost contact with them years ago. Since the first people to inject the tainted shit into their systems were the world’s leaders, it was only a matter of time before the entire infrastructure combusted. Without leadership, humans started dropping like flies.”
Eyes wide, I exhaled softly. “Jesus.”
Carter smiled and I could see the bitterness in his face. “It was only weeks before what was known as the Renfield Syndrome wiped us out. When vampires started scouting for survivors, those who decided against receiving the vaccine got word there was a safe haven here in New York, which is where you currently find yourself. That was thirty years ago, and things still haven’t changed. People are still fighting for the right to live, and vampires are still hunting them down and forcing them into slavery.”
“So people are slaves?” I spoke slowly, thinking, How does that work, exactly?
“They are nothing more than primped and preened cattle the vampires keep as pets. They try to fool you into believing you can live a normal life, saying you can have a home, family and children. They clothe you, they feed you and they protect you. But you’re never free. You’re expected to provide what they need. Trust me, I know.”
I twirled the glass between my palms, looking down at my hands. “Would it be too personal to ask how?”
“Someone here will tell you eventually. It’s probably best you hear it from the direct source.” He reclined in the seat. “A few years after we arrived here, my older brother started getting cabin fever. Each day Patrick ventured out, traveling farther and farther into the city, and one night he didn’t come home. It was difficult, but we made our peace with the fact he was gone. When he showed up several years later, he was…” Carter paused, frowning. “He belonged to one of them. I won’t go into detail, or explain why it was so reviled among us, as it’s irrelevant. He claimed they only wanted to help rebuild society and that’s when we learned they only demanded one thing in return—loyalty and servitude. He was lucky to make it out of the building alive. If he wasn’t my brother, he wouldn’t have.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, my tone somber.
“Losing a sibling is painful, but I’d imagine losing a child would be worse, and that’s what would happen. Once you agree to what they want, they own you. And that ownership extends to your children. They aren’t trying to rebuild the population because they care. They are doing what is necessary to ensure their own survival. Right now, children are a rarity, especially among us. Once we’re gone, they’re fucked.”
I crinkled my forehead, giving my brain time to filter through the information. Things were worse than I cou
ld have possibly imagined. Ending the debt to Zagan was going to be hell, but doing so in this reality would be almost impossible. I put the glass to my lips, blocked off my nose and throat, and downed the shot in one gulp. I closed my eyes and drew in a nose full of fire-laced air, blinking several times to clear the tears from my eyes. I sniffed, clearing my throat, and plopped the glass down on the tabletop as I met his gaze.
“Now that is some fucked-up shit.”
“I’m glad you think so.” He nodded his approval, leaned forward and downed his third shot. Then he lifted the bottle and refilled both of our glasses. I had a feeling Carter kept the good stuff on hand for special occasions, and there was nothing like a dram of whiskey to calm frayed nerves.
This time, I didn’t hesitate.
I popped back the second shot and welcomed the warmth that spread through me.
Currently there was nowhere to run and no place to hide.
I was well and truly screwed.
Chapter Two
Despite having luxury accommodations, I slept like shit.
Blessedly forgotten nightmares from my past returned hard and fast, reminding me of why I sought refuge in the arms of my lover each night before I succumbed to sleep. Disco always took me to beautiful places when I slumbered, entering my mind to redirect my thoughts to more pleasurable things instead of the hell that was my childhood after my parents were killed. With him, I was no longer afraid to close my eyes. In fact, I had started to welcome the evenings spent in his embrace.
I tossed and turned on the queen-sized mattress as the hours passed. Each time I woke in a cold sweat, terrified that the dreams were real. After I came to awareness, I told myself it would all be over when a new day greeted me. I had suffered this misery before and survived before Disco was a part of my life. I knew I could do it again without his assistance.
When I finally passed out cold, it was due to sheer exhaustion.
I woke the minute the sun’s beams drifted through the glass wall, lighting my eyelids with shades of pale orange and yellow. I stared at the ceiling as I came to awareness, trying to figure out what in the hell I was going to do.
Carter wouldn’t let me leave.
He truly believed he was showing me the light.
I pulled at the crunched cotton material at my throat, rubbing my fingers against the tiny tattoo created from Disco’s bite. Carter and his crew hadn’t seen my mark and, if I could help it, they wouldn’t have the opportunity. These people lived life to the extreme. Their very existence relied on it. If they discovered I was not only claimed by a vampire, but that I was also a necromancer beholden to one, my life expectancy was sure to take a nosedive.
I ground my teeth, wishing I could grate something else together instead.
I bet Zagan was having a good old-fashioned laugh at my expense, the rotten demon bastard. He’d known exactly what he was doing when he made our deal, took the amulet I’d procured killing a child vampire, and sent my ass forward through time. Admittedly, I was never good at eating crow, but this went beyond any sort of good-humored joke.
Closing my eyes, I pictured Disco’s face.
His pale skin and distinct features were gorgeous, as all vampires were prone to be, but his eyes were his best attribute—deep multicolored pools of blue, green, aqua, yellow and gold. I would have given anything to feel his solid arms around me in that moment, to feel his cool breath against my face. The night before had only shown me how much I’d started to depend on him and forced me to accept that I’d grown to need him.
I never would have agreed to Zagan’s bargain if it weren’t for him.
Opening my eyes and pushing aside the duvet, I decided it was time to make the most of a new day. The bedroom was stark bone white, the linens, dresser and nightstand matching perfectly. It was meant to look sophisticated, but it was merely plain and simple. I bet the decorator charged a bundle for his services too.
What a rip off.
The adjoining bathroom matched the bedroom, except everything was elaborate. The sinks were deep and square, the faucets bright polished stainless steel that arched like flower stems. I rinsed the putrid dragon’s breath from my mouth—the result of the multiple shots of Jack I’d taken the night before. I cupped water in my hands and cleaned my face as I swished the liquid between my teeth. I used the towel on the sink to pat my forehead, eyes and cheeks dry when I was done, feeling slightly cleaner if not totally spring fresh.
I took a long look at myself in the mirror.
The woman looking back at me hadn’t changed. She still had long brown hair, brown eyes, a heart-shaped face, thin eyebrows that arched like twin brush strokes and dark circles under her eyes. But the image didn’t full represent what resided inside the twenty-five-year-old who felt far older. That was more complex.
No mirror in the world could accurately portray that woman.
When I walked out of the bedroom, the living room was empty. I headed toward the glass door leading to a balcony. After I unlocked the handle and slid the glass partition aside, I silently stepped into the chilly morning air. I walked to the railing across the way. Nothing but woodland greeted me, since the building was built near the accompanying park. There were no signs of life, no people going through daily morning rituals.
It was as country as a city could possibly get.
The sun spread across the sky, distorting the horizon in variations of blue, red, purple, orange and yellow. I inhaled and frowned. How strange. I paused before I took another, longer deep breath. There were no exhaust fumes or smells of food. There was just brisk air that burned my lungs, and the lingering moisture that accompanied morning dew.
Something touched my arm, and I tensed. Whipping around, I deflected the object with the base of my palm. My right leg flew back automatically as I attempted to stand in a defensive position and, wouldn’t you know it, my bastard knee faltered. I cursed, using a flailing hand to brace myself, maintaining a precarious balance using the concrete barrier that kept me from toppling over the roof.
“I bet you were quite the ass kicker before that knee of yours bummed out,” Carter observed casually. He lifted a coffee mug to his lips and leaned against the concrete barrier, staring into the sun. He had on his camouflage pants, boots and a black wife beater. His dark hair was in disarray, several strands tangled around his shadowed face.
“I could hold my own,” I growled, angry at myself and my injury.
“How did you hurt it?” He glanced over, his lips curving around the edge of the mug. “Tell the truth this time.”
“A vampire broke my knee cap,” I answered before I could think, brute force honesty flowing easily from my lips. I cursed the lack of filters between my brain and my mouth the minute I heard myself say it aloud.
His curious smile vanished. He lowered his mug and rested it on the barrier. With a simple shift of his shoulders, he turned his upper torso to face me. “No shit?”
“No shit,” I responded, wishing I could kick myself in the ass.
“What happened?” His gaze was so intense I had to look away. I took several long moments to formulate my answer. I decided honesty wouldn’t hurt as long as I kept out essential details.
I returned my attention to him and shrugged. “I killed him.”
“You killed him?” He threw back his head and laughed, thinking I was making a funny. When I didn’t join in, staring quietly at him, his laughter and smile faded. His tone changed from teasing to sober. “You’re serious.”
“I don’t joke about death,” I informed him.
“How did you kill him?” He leaned closer, his expression curious.
“Well…” I took my time responding, making sure I didn’t give too much away. Kiwbe, the child vampire I’d killed, had been an evil shit. He’d deserved to die for murdering and devouring his own kind. I didn’t have any remorse for what I had done.
r /> “First, I emptied a magazine into his back,” I answered. “Then I cut off his head.”
Carter’s gray eyes darkened slightly, and his lips parted. Homeboy just got a shock. He hadn’t expected the damsel in distress to have a pair of balls. To his credit, he recovered quickly.
“Good for you.” He gave a curt nod and retrieved his mug.
“Since we had some fun share time, do you think it might be possible to let me walk out of here?” I asked with a hopeful expression, pretending that we were friends now instead of total strangers.
He smiled and shook his head. “Nope.”
I sighed and pushed my body from the railing. Once I was certain I had decent balance, I walked away. The balcony winded up and around. I found a set of stairs and ventured to the roof. For a moment, I let the glory of the new morning sink in. If things were different, I’d have been thrilled about waking to such a beautiful day.
A quick inspection revealed a lawn between this building and the one directly next door. Someone had taken the time to create a lush garden, the soil tilled but empty, as the weather had turned too cool to plant. Vines intricately woven through a partition obscured a portion of the area from view.
One thing was for certain—unless I had a cape or magic shoes, I couldn’t leap from the building. If I did, there would be a nice red splatter for everyone below. I took a seat in one of the chairs next to a round table. This shit was going to get old quick. I didn’t have time to spare and seconds were ticking by. I didn’t even have my tattered copy of Jane Eyre to read in an effort to escape the insanity.
I heard someone coming up the stairs.
Just wonderful. Carter.
He sat across from me and rested his elbows on the table. His palms cupped his mug of coffee, his hands so large his fingers overlapped. “Listen. We’re going out to collect supplies in a few days. Normally, the newer residents remain behind. We don’t have the time or resources to play babysitter. But I’m willing to extend you an olive branch. Promise to behave and you can tag along.”