By the time my phone rang with a call from an unknown number, it had been a week since the last call. The longest week of my life.

My nerves were worn thin enough to see through. And my hand shook so badly when I went to answer, I almost dropped the damn thing on the floor.

“H-hello?” I whispered, looking at the closed door between Cash and me.

Could he hear through it? Unlikely—I could barely hear a low roar from whatever show he was watching on TV. It wasn’t soundproof, but it was pretty close.

“Aunt Cari.” That same robotic voice, chilling my blood.

“What took you so long to get back to me?” I hissed. “Where’s Tommy? What’s happening to him?”

“You’ll get the chance to speak with him before we end the call,” the voice on the other end promised.

“He can’t possibly be happy right now. He has to wonder where I am.” I could barely get the words out of my mouth, it hurt so bad to talk about him.

“You might be surprised how happy he is here. He’s a very easygoing boy.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and dug my nails into my palm to keep from screaming. “He’s all right, then?”

“He’s fine. What about our agreement?”

I leaned over and opened the fridge. “I have a half-full refrigerator of 10-milliliter tubes. I’ve taken six tubes a day for the past week.”

“Nice job. That’s a very good start.”

My stomach turned. “No. No, that has to be it. It’s been a week, damn it. I want him back.”

Silence. Had I pushed too hard? Panic soured in my stomach, and I was fairly sure I was about to throw up. What happened if I pissed them off and they decided not to work with me anymore? What would they do to him?

“I just want Tommy back. I need him back.”

“That’s a very nice story, Carissa, but I don’t recall asking you what you need.”

A single tear escaped before I could catch it. “How much more do you want?”

“How much more can you get?”

“Please, don’t play games with me,” I begged. It was a struggle to keep my voice at a whisper. I wanted so much to weep and plead and sob my heart out. As if that would help.

“Nobody’s playing games, Carissa. It’s best for you to understand that now. Do you understand it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I was being sincere. I want you to get all the blood you can. We need every drop you can get your hands on. We’ve stopped short of telling you to bring the shifter in so we can do it ourselves.”

“The blood will only stay fresh for so long,” I lied.

“You’re lying,” he crooned in that robotic voice. “You know as well as my friends and I do that his blood will stay fresh for a very long time. Do you have any idea how old he is? Has he told you?”

“No,” I admitted.

A chuckle. “You might want to ask. It will make for a very interesting conversation. Suffice it to say, you can store his blood for years and there wouldn’t be a moment’s age on it. So try again.”

“I can’t do this anymore.”

Who was I? Who was this whimpering, shivering little wimp? Oh, right. A woman at the end of her rope. Who felt as though she was being torn in half.

“What’s so difficult about what we’re asking you to do? You draw blood. You store it. You deliver it when the time comes.”

“And when does that time come?”

“Once you’re finished with the shifter, of course.”

Horror washed over me. “I don’t know how long that will take.”

“It would be in your best interest to work quickly, then, wouldn’t it? Of course, as far as we’re concerned, you can take as long as possible. Weeks, frankly. The more blood, the better.”

Weeks? No. Not going to happen.

“How would you even know if I’m finished with him?”

“Oh, we’ll know.”

“But how?”

“Are you trying to create a plan? Is that what this is? Getting as much information as possible so you can think up ways to trick us?”

“No. I’m only trying to—”

“Stop trying.” They weren’t toying with me anymore. That light, teasing tone of voice was history. “We’re watching you. We’ve been watching you for days. If you keep going to the lab, we know you’re still working with the shifter. It’s really very simple.”

Yes. Very simple. They had me trapped. “I can’t deliver the blood before then?”

“No. You cannot.”

They were following me. They would know if I was still reporting to the lab. They’d know if I never left my workstation, just like they would know if I never left the apartment.

“So I have no choice but to finish my work before I can get my nephew back.”

“You really are a very intelligent woman. No wonder you do the work you do. It’s remarkable.”

“Let me talk to Tommy.” I was tired. So tired. Of everything. It was time to stop letting them lead me around like a puppet on a string.

“You think you’re calling the shots on this phone call?”

“As long as I have a fridge full of something you want, yes. I do. There’s no other way you’ll ever be able to get what you want without me. We both know that.”

Silence. My heart was firmly in my throat as I waited for them to reply. Who were they? I wished I could at least imagine a face, surroundings, something. The faceless, shapeless creature I imagined only added to my terror.

“Be careful what you ask him,” they finally replied.

I shook with relief. I had passed a test. They had admitted I was holding a few cards of my own. If I only had the guts to play them.

“I will,” I promised.

“If you say anything—anything at all—that we decide is even slightly leading…”

We. He kept saying “we.” Who was listening? Bad enough I had to speak to this person, but knowing there were others listening in as he broke me down was almost too to bear.

“I understand. Nothing is more important than hearing his voice right now.”

“So be it.” A sound. Muffled talking. His hand over the speaker? I kept imagining the person on the other end as male, even though the voice was so deeply disguised. I chewed my lip until it bled, held my breath until I felt lightheaded. What if he hated me? What if they fed him stories about me not wanting him? I couldn’t bear it. It would kill me.

“Aunt Cari?” So unsure of himself. Pain screamed through my chest.

“Hey, buddy. How are you? I miss you so much.”

“I miss you, too. When are you coming for me?”

“Just as soon as I can, sweetheart. I promise you that.”

“Why has it been so long? What are you doing?”

“Honey, we can talk about that later. Once we’re together again. I don’t think I’m allowed to talk with you about it right now. I’m so sorry, for all of this. I need you to believe that.”

“I do…” He didn’t sound as though he did.

“Thomas. Listen to me, all right?” Desperation leaked into my voice. “I need you to believe that I love you, and I want us to be together. And that I am doing everything I possibly can to make sure that happens. No matter what you hear, no matter what you think inside, you need to remember what I’m telling you. Don’t listen to those other voices that try to convince you I don’t want you with me. I do. Tell me you believe me.”

“I believe you.” He sounded stronger than before.

“And you know I’m doing everything I can to make sure we're together.”

“I believe you. You’re doing everything you can.”

“Good boy. Just think, we’ll be together again, and you’ll wear your Batman costume, and we’ll go trick-or-treating, and you can eat candy until you have a tummy ache.”

He giggled softly, and I giggled with him. Only mine was a bit more manic, tight, ready to shatter at any second. I was walking a thin wire and could fall in either direction. Closer to sanity, hearing his voice and knowing deep inside that he was all right, they weren’t hurting him—or over the edge, until I lost all trace of myself because there was only so much a person could handle without breaking.

There was a shuffling noise, and background voices and I babbled on in the hopes that he’d hear me before they took the phone away.

“I love you, Tommy. I love you so much. You’ve added so much to my life. You’re the best thing I have. I can’t wait to see you again, oh, please, I love you…” I held my head in my hands.

“So sweet, Aunt Cari.” A cold, heartless chuckle.

“Fuck you, you bastard.”

“Now, now. Get back to work. The sooner you’re finished, and we know you no longer have contact with our shifter friend, the sooner you get your little nephew back. And you can take him trick-or-treating. Won’t that be fun?”

“Wait, wait,” I begged before they could cut me off. “How do I get in touch with you? I’m making progress here, I truly am. I’m already running tests. It won’t take another week. I can’t wait that long for you to call me back.”

“Hmm. I’ll call you in two days for a status report. Keep the phone nearby.”

I suspected that was the best I could hope for as the line went dead.

Two days. Two days and I might get to hear Tommy’s voice again.

I held the phone to my mouth and wept brokenly, then dropped it to the table and buried my head in my arms.