Chapter 23
True to her word, Charla released her from the restraints and medical devices, allowing Tiffany to go outside in a caged cell. The time was shortly before daybreak when her brother Terry, packing a pistol in a hip holster, escorted Tiffany through the building into a fenced courtyard. The little space was surrounded by twelve, maybe fifteen-foot-high iron bars. A huge iron grate had been welded to the top. The reason was obvious—to keep in weakling vampires, such as herself. Before Charla drugged her, she could have easily scaled a fifteen-foot fence or maybe even bent the bars enough to squeeze through. The way she felt now she could barely lift a kitten.
The only thing besides grass in the courtyard was a picnic table. Terry led her to it by the arm, none to gently, then gave her a little shove.
“Sit down. Someone’s bringing you breakfast.”
He planted himself about four feet behind her and crossed his arms, glaring at her as if she were some gross looking bug he’d like to stomp on. She’d like to stomp on him, but that wasn’t going to happen.
Tiffany obliged his edict because she could barely stand, partially from hunger. That HTS drug and the sedatives Charla doped her up with were the real culprits. They had nearly sucked the life-force out of her body, which became abundantly apparent when she got out of bed and started to walk. Until now she hadn’t realized just how hale and hearty she’d been as a vampire. Her strength and vitality had been ten times what it had been as a human.
Now her sense of smell, hearing, even her night vision seemed seriously warped, no longer vampire sharp, yet a little better than they’d been human. Tiffany could feel the tips of her fangs behind her incisor teeth, but for the life of her couldn’t release them. Days ago she had only to think about them and they would extend and retract at will. Charla had reduced her to a freak hybrid; her blood and body lurking somewhere between vampire and human.
Everything in her wanted to cry, wail and rage with the indignity of all that Charla women had put her though, but self-pity would get her nowhere. She had a job to do. She had to find out where this building was located. For certain it was somewhere deep in bayou country. A moss covered forest of trees and Louisiana native brush surrounded the yard and building which was a machine shed appearing about a hundred-foot-long, maybe fifty feet wide. It had a forest green roof and off white corrugated metal siding that did not look new from the outside. Apparently, they’d bought the barn and turned it into this unholy laboratory.
The musty, muddy smell of swamp water made her wrinkle her nose, and wonder how far snakes and gators lurked beyond her iron prison. Frogs croaked and katydids did their nighttime calling routine, but she could hear no sounds of humanity. No cars. No voices or music; nothing mankind related. All she could see was murky gray/black wilderness, clues which made her feel like a tiny needle in a big ol’ haystack in retrospect of how much swampland actually surrounded the New Orleans area. If she was in Louisiana. Heck, she could be in a bordering state for all she knew.
She looked at the building again, but just couldn’t figure it. Somehow, these crazy people had built a lab and makeshift hospital in a matter of months. She supposed with enough money and manpower it could be done. From what she’d viewed on her way out of the building these people had plenty of dough.
Terry took her down a hallway through an area which reminded her an emergency room. Along the way she passed six or eight cubicles like her own little slice of prison. The hall emerged into a huge laboratory of some sort with all manner of medical equipment. She’d thought she was in the confines of a medical facility similar to the V clinic until she walked outside and realized the building was actually a giant metal barn.
All this would be information she could relay to Christian once he reached out to her. He’d probably been trying endlessly for the last three days. She couldn’t imagine what he must be going through. But if she were to take a wild guess, he slept. She didn’t resent the fact he did because he probably desperately needed it and Charla still needed her. Hopefully, her twenty percent vampire blood would buy her time.
She heard a noise and turned on the bench toward the door she and Terry had exited. A young girl who appeared barely eighteen brought her a food tray and sat it on the wooden table in front of her. She had light brown hair and wore blue scrubs like the ones provided to her by Charla. The skin on her arms and face bore a grayish tint, same as her own. She was rail thin and unhealthy looking. If the girl felt anything like she did, Tiffany pitied her.
No words were exchanged. Their eyes met briefly before she walked off, but it was like seeing into her soul, what was left of it anyway. She was a half breed and prisoner like herself with eyes that were neither human or vampire. A slight sparkly ring surrounded brown irises so big, so sad, it was soul wrenching. Tiffany suspected her own eyes looked similar.
The girl’s subservient demeanor told Tiffany she’d been warned against talking to her. However, scrawny little snake boy standing behind her probably hadn’t. Charla controlled him, that was obvious from their earlier bickering, but she could easily imagine him getting angry enough to go maverick if the mood struck. Hatred and anger seemed to seep from his very pores.
Once the girl went back inside, she turned and looked at him, sizing him up. If he weighed as much as she, Tiffany would be surprised. His dark blonde hair was short, but neatly styled and he was clean shaven. He wore jeans and a nice blue button up shirt. On the streets of New Orleans he’d be just another guy, but because she’d heard his foul mouth and west coast street dialect, he reminded her of a cleaned up meth head. His eyes were a bit sunk back into his head and he’d once had acne which had left visible pox marks. She wouldn’t have pegged him as Charla’s brother. Evil she may be, but she was pretty.
“Yo, bitch. Whatcha looking at?”
Humph. There would be no buddying up to this one like she’d attempted to do with Charla. No, the only way to get this skinny assed shit to talk would be to piss him off. Luckily that was her forte with people she didn’t like. “Terry is it?”
“Yeah, whatcha want?”
“How about some salt and pepper for my eggs here?” She pointed at her tray.
He gaped at her and scowled. “Where the hell do you think you are? Denny’s? Eat your damned eggs before I pick them up and shove them down your throat, stupid bitch.” He snorted, uncrossed his arms, then crossed them back, shaking his head.
Man, even as a human she could have whipped his gnarly ass. “Okay, fine. No salt or pepper. How about some coffee? The juice here’s a real nice touch, but you know how it is. Gotta have that morning cup of joe.”
He looked at her as if she were nuts, then snorted again. “You’re damned lucky Charla likes you. If it were up to me I’d starve your ass to death.” He stalked off toward the door, saying as he went, “This thing is so stupid, turning vampires into humans. A bullet is a whole lot cheaper and a hell of a lot less work.”
Tiffany smiled as he opened the door and went inside. Now she had him pegged dead to rights. He was not on board with Charla’s whole vampiratarian, let’s turn the evil wretches into humans for the sake of mankind and all that rah rah she’d been spewing earlier. He wasn’t just irritated and hating vampires, the guy probably got wrangled into this mess because of Katie and presently was madder than a hornet at Charla.
Ooh, good information to have. She’d pick at that sore a little more when he returned, but right now she needed to look around for a landmark, anything that could lead Christian to her. She rushed over to the left side of the cage and began slowly walking the perimeter, scanning the darkness for anything that stood out as different. When she arrived at the right side of the cage next to the door she spotted a dark colored driver’s side panel of what looked like a Jeep. She’d missed it before because of the way it had been parked in front of the building and the shadowy surroundings of brush and forest.
Hearing footsteps beyond the metal door, Tiffany high tailed it back to the picnic table and took a bite of scrambled eggs just as Terry re-entered the courtyard area.
He strode over to the table and slammed down a ceramic mug. Hot coffee sloshed onto his hand and he cursed. “You’re gonna be nothing but trouble, aren’t you?”
Tiffany affected her most innocent expression. “Me? No. I just need my morning coffee like any civilized person. What’s wrong with that?”
Terry might be a hideous excuse for a human being, but he wasn’t dumb. The look in his eyes said he had her number as well.
“Look, let’s just be honest here. You’re only doing all this for Katie. You aren’t a cheerleader for Charla’s cause, right?”
“What I’m here for is none of your business,” he snarled.
“But it’s obvious you hate vampires. I guess that’s reason enough.”
“You’re damned right I hate vampires.”
“Katie’s a vampire, though.” She spoke the words softly hoping to pick at that sore spot without riling him into a fit of anger.
He snorted again and started breathing heavy, fists pumping at his side like he was getting ready to haul off and hit her. Or shoot her. “Look, bitch, you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. She was kidnapped and tortured like an animal, had sick vicious things done to her like the things serial killers do to young girls. Only worse because the bastard made her like him.”
“I don’t know what to say. That’s so awful.”
“There’s nothing to say, but I’ll tell you one thing if there was a race of serial killers out wandering the streets, who wouldn’t want to smoke every last one of them?”
“You have a valid point, Terry. I agree with you one hundred percent.”
“Shit. Like I believe that. You are a vampire.”
“Not for much longer it looks like. I can assure you neither I or any vampire I know personally has ever attacked a human. But I have a point here. Look, I too had a run in with a feral vampire once long ago. She tried to kill both my mom and sister. If not for their spouses and Dr. La Mond they would have died.”
“They’d have been better off.”
“That’s not true. My mom is hands down the godliest Christian woman I’ve ever met. So, I’m thinking God wanted her and my sister around and wasn’t too picky about their earthly vessels. She’s done much good for many people her entire life. Both as a human and a vampire. As far as the feral vampire, yeah, she needed to die. I took a recurve and planted an arrow straight through her heart.”
“No way. You’re shitting me? You killed a feral like that?” He looked amazed and impressed, exactly what she was shooting for.
She lifted her arm, palm out. “Hand to God. I did. So, see I can understand where you’re coming from with the vampire hate on. I despised every one of them in the beginning. I wished all of them would die and burn in hell for what that one did to my mom and sister. Time passed and I realized if my mom, who is a saint if there ever was one, could be a good person with fangs, so could others of their species.”
He stared at her with perplexity, his mouth agape and Tiffany knew in that instant he’d received her point. She suspected the wheels turning in his head were probably smoking with contradicting thoughts. He didn’t hate Katie. He loved her. Tiffany hoped she could make him see most vampires weren’t foul, evil minions of hell.
“Think about this, what you said a minute ago about serial killers. They’re sick and twisted people, but they don’t represent the human species. They’re the exception not the rule. You know what I’m saying?”
“Yeah.” His shoulders slumped a bit and he crossed his arms again, staring at the ground. “You don’t seem like one of the bad ones. There’s a couple others around here Charla treated with that serum I don’t particularly hate.”
“Well, I assure you I know dozens who are salt of the earth people who’d never hurt a fly.”
His gaze shot up and met hers. “What’s your point in all this? If you’re trying to make me like vampires, that’s not going to happen.”
Maybe not. Tiffany knew for sure he loved Katie, and probably felt sorry for the ones Charla held hostage. He’d already said he wasn’t a fan of turning vampires human. If she could just find a way to make him think for himself, she might actually gain an ally here—something she’d thought impossible. Tiffany wasn’t kidding herself though. It would take some convincing to get him to see what his hatred was costing him.
“Look, I’m not trying to tell you what to do or feel, but if you aren’t on board with Charla’s cause why are you letting her call all the shots? I’m pretty sure you’re not here for her cause. You’re here for Katie. She can’t help what happened to her. We both get that. You seem like a savvy guy. So you know as well as I not all humans are good or all vampires bad. Right?”
“I suppose. And Katie didn’t deserve any of this.”
“And deep down, her pain aside, whatever bad things she’s done as a vampire she’s a good person at heart, right?” Tiffany didn’t necessarily believe those words. Once upon a time Katie probably had been a good person, but she was feral now, which meant her mind was fractured. Enough so she’d killed at least six people that she knew of.
“Yeah. A brother couldn’t ask for a better sister.”
“I’m sure that’s true.” Once anyway. “Look, what I’m really trying to say here has nothing to do with vampires. This is about what you’re feeling, the stuff in your soul.” She patted her chest for emphasis. “What’s in yours, Terry? Peace and happiness? Or rage and hatred? I know you’re pissed as hell over what happened to Katie. I’ve been in a spot like that before. Actually, until recently I’d been full of bitterness for a very long time. I do know this though, true peace comes from one place and one place only. God. So really everybody has to eventually ask themselves are grudges, anger and hatred worth the price? Those feelings get you nowhere but miserable.”
He snorted. Seemed he loved to do that. “You sure are a preachy little thing. I bet you’re sitting in the front row of church every time the doors open.”
Tiffany gauged his mood and was almost certain his rage-o-meter had gone from a ten to a two or three. Progress. She couldn’t blow it, but she knew if she pushed him to do what she really wanted, to let her drive out of here in that SUV, he’d bull up on her so fast, her head would be spinning like a bobblehead doll.
“No, I’m not much of a church person, but I do believe everything I just said. Thing is, I don’t get it right very often. I’m mad a lot. I cuss like a sailor. Stupid people irritate the hell out of me and I let them know about it.”
He burst out laughing. “Me too on all that. You’re funny.”
She shrugged. “Sometimes. Mostly I’m sarcastic, which makes it really hard for people to get close to me. But I guess what I’m realizing now talking to you is that it’s okay to be me. God understands my failures, my bad side, but he puts up with me anyway. That there brings to me anyway, a big chunk of peace.”
“My mom used to talk like you all the time before she died. She was a saint too and put up with far more than most mothers would. I gave her a lot of grief as a kid. Gang banging, drugs, that sort of thing.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
He shrugged and spit on the ground, his expression pensive, contemplative.
She’d pegged him right as a reformed drug addict. What she hadn’t counted on at all was him actually opening up to her. Or that he’d had Christian upbringing. Neither had she considered bringing God into the conversation. It just happened, but she knew it was the right course. She’d got him thinking about the decisions he was making as a participant in Charla’s grand scheme. He knew right from wrong and she could tell by the misty look in his eyes, he realized some things about himself that he didn’t much like.
An awkwardness hung between them, but this sudden turn of events gave Tiffany hope. If he could see what Charla had done to her and these other poor vampires in the same light as what that feral had done to Katie, maybe he’d finally stand up to the bitch and get on board with their own collective cause—freedom.
Terry’s whole countenance was somehow different, lighter, thoughtful. Maybe deep down he really wasn’t such a bad guy after all. Just a really angry one.
Tiffany had no pity for Charla or Katie, but Terry was another matter. He’d done awful things, yes, but he hadn’t cultivated any of this. His central cause was noble. However, his actions on both sisters’ behalf had been spineless and cruel. That fact was impossible to forget.
“I guess I’d better be getting back to my room.” She turned, picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip.
He appeared surprised. “Aren’t you going to eat? I don’t mind if you want to stay out here a little longer.”
She shook her head. The little outing had made her nauseous and food no longer sounded good. “I just need the coffee. Truth is I’m really tired. Odd I know after sleeping for three days. It’s probably the stuff, you know.” And dawn was minutes away. Tiffany had no sunglasses and didn’t know if her turning was at a point her eyes could endure sunlight again. The conversation with Terry had zapped her energy. All she wanted to do was lay down.
“Yeah. The sedatives. They’ll wear off. Come on.” He gestured for her to proceed him. Once back in her cubicle, Tiffany finished off her coffee then crawled into bed expecting him to replace the restraints. He looked her over with a suspicious gleam in his eye and said, “You going anywhere?”
“Where would I go?” She pulled the covers up to her chin and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Good answer. You stay here and I mean that. You go to wandering around this place you might find some things you don’t want to find.”
“Like what?”
“Like Katie.”
Tiffany didn’t quite know how to interpret that. “Charla said Katie’s turning was almost complete, that she’s like me I guess, stripped of strength and abilities.”
Terry gave her a sideways look. “Not quite. Her lust for human blood hasn’t diminished. She’s used to the others, but you being new and if Charla’s right, nearly human, well it just wouldn’t be a good idea to encounter her without me or Charla around.”
“Okay. No argument there.”
“Good. Charla will be back in a while to check on you and you’d better be right here. If I find out all that stuff out there was an act, especially bringing moms into the mix…well I’d just better not.” With that he strode out, closing the curtain behind him.
“That was strange,” she muttered, wondering why he’d given her the reprieve on the restraints.
Her gut told her to heed Terry’s warning. Even if she had the strength to escape, Tiffany knew the place was locked down like a prison. That young girl was not here by will. Nor had that cage been built for aesthetic pleasure. Add to that a feral vampire wandering about somewhere in the building. Plus for some reason she didn’t want to lose Terry’s trust. It would feel as if the stuff she’d mentioned regarding his anger and resentment had been manipulation. She’d meant every word of it.
Huh. Was all that out there just about getting Terry to see how wrong he was about his hatred for vampires? Or was it really about her hatred for the blood suckers in her own life who had drained her dry of trust? She knew the answer before the question finished forming in her mind.
The experience gave pause for thought. Maybe she could work on forgiving her father. She thought back to what Chelsie said to her that day at the Olive Garden, about forgiveness being for the person hurt not the person who had done the hurting. She’d known it was true at the time. Forgiveness wouldn’t come overnight, but Tiffany would give it a shot. Maybe it was time to let go and let God as her mom loved to say.
She snuggled under the covers, worn out from her little excursion. The coffee had kicked in just enough to take the edge off slumber. Staying awake was paramount so Christian could contact her. At least she had a little information to give him regarding her location. Maybe more if she could keep Terry allied. He might give up information which could lead Christian to her. Wishful thinking perhaps, but he might do it willingly if she could get him to realize Charla played him like a master puppeteer.
Voices coming down the hall slid the brakes on her hopeful thoughts. It was Charla and Terry and the two were arguing again. She couldn’t hear everything being said, but when Charla said her name, Tiffany knew she was about to get thrown into the mix.
Charla yanked back the curtain and brother and sister walked inside. Charla took one look at her and swung around.
“You idiot! You forgot to put her back in restraints! Can’t you do anything right? Sometimes I wonder if all those drugs didn’t permanently destroy every last brain cell you have. You’re absolutely useless. Everything I ask you to do you screw up. I have important work to do here and no one seems to care except Katie.”
“That’s because they don’t, you stupid bitch!” Terry exploded. “Not me, not them vampire chicks, none of us want to be here working on your stupid cause. The only reason I’m here is for Katie. The only reason I’ve gone along with any of this crazy bullshit you’ve been doing is to help Katie. And it’s not working. She looks like shit. She may be turning human, but she’s getting no better mentally.”
“That’s not true! I don’t know how you can say that. She’s gained amazing ground. Look how much she does around here to help out now when in the beginning, she was virtually catatonic.”
Terry’s jaw slipped. “God, you’re crazier than her if you can say that. She killed six people in cold blood the other day. That serum hasn’t tamed her vampire speed and agility one iota or her insanity. She went on a rampage, moving with demonic speed that my eyes couldn’t even follow. Those people were dead in seconds and there was nothing I could have done to stop her. If she’s doing so great why did she snuff those people like some homicidal maniac?”
Charla hauled off and slapped him hard across the cheek. “Don’t call her that! You put her in that position by letting her have access to the gun cabinet, you imbecile. What did you expect to happen? She was scared and obviously having a PTSD episode.”
Oh, she should not have done that, Tiffany thought, sitting upright for a better view of the fireworks. If looks could kill Charla would be dropping dead any second now. Apparently, she didn’t realize she’d pushed Terry too far because Tiffany could tell by the wild hatred boiling in his eyes, he was about to unload on her big time. Tiffany just didn’t figure it would be literally.
He yanked the gun from its holster and pointed it at Charla. “Yo, girl, get out of that bed right now.”
He never took his eyes off Charla who looked a whole lot more mad and haughty than a person should when they had a gun barrel inches from their heart.
“Get out of the bed,” he ordered again.
Tiffany scrambled out on the side opposite the two of them.
“What are you doing?” Charla hissed. “Put that thing away, now. Or I’ll—”
“You’ll do what I say! That’s what you’ll do. I’m done being ordered around by you. From here on out I’m in charge. You’re not helping Katie get better, but I intend to get her the help she needs. The right help. Not some experimental drug that’s obviously doing her more harm than good. She looks sickly and puny like the rest of these ghouls you’ve got floating around here. No more of that shit for Katie or for any of them. Comprende?” He shoved the gun barrel into her chest. “Now get your ass in that bed.”
“What? Are you crazy? You’re acting like a madman.”
Tiffany couldn’t believe what she witnessed. She didn’t know what to think. She just stood there and took it all in, watching the gripping saga unfold.
“That’s because I’m furious and sick to death of this idiotic mission of yours. I mean it. Get in that bed or I’ll shoot your knee cap off. And if that doesn’t shut you up and teach you whose boss from now on, I’ll shoot the other one.”
Charla was clearly stunned, but knew he was just mad and crazed enough to do it judging from the wide-eyed fear entrenched across her features. She walked to the bed and got onto it.
Terry looked at Tiffany. “Put the restraints on her.”
“With pleasure.”
“No! Don’t you dare!” She smacked Tiffany’s hand, but when she tried to scramble out of bed, Terry strode over and slapped her upside the head with far less force than she deserved in Tiffany’s opinion.
“Shut up, Charla. These are going on one way or another. It’s up to you if it’s easy or painful.”
She stopped struggling and Tiffany took the cue. Her adrenaline started flowing and Tiffany buckled the restraint on her left wrist then ankle, rushed around the bed and did the same on the right. When she was done, she looked at Terry, his gaze now fixed across the room at the opening in the curtain. Tiffany followed his line of sight and her jaw dropped.
A replica of Charla stood in the doorway, the real Katie and she looked none too happy about the scene she witnessed. There were however, some definitive physical differences between the two twins. Like all feral vampires, her irises were coal black without a hint of color or sparkle. Her skin was a ashen grey like her own and the other unfortunate test subjects.
“What are you doing, Terry? Untie Charla right now!”
His attitude changed on a dime when he saw his other sister. His expression wavered between shame and awkward determination. He holstered his gun and took a few steps toward his sister. “Here me out, Katie. There needs to some changes around here.”
“What changes?”
“That serum isn’t working. Not a single vampire since this whole thing started is yet one hundred percent human. The only thing it’s doing is making you and those others sick. You mean the world to me, Katie. There has to be another way to get you better.”
Katie glanced at Charla with uncertainty. “Terry may be right. I want to believe in the serum. I want to believe it’s changing me and that it’s a cure for vampirism. I feel better, stronger than I did a week ago, but I still feel vampire. I can’t control the bloodlust, the sudden bursts of rage or the nightmares driving them. Maybe I’m just one of the unlucky ones the serum won’t work on.”
Terry shared a guilty look between the two sisters which Tiffany deemed a bit odd. Charla raised her head and frowned at her sister. “Katie, it is working. The infant test subjects have had nearly ninety percent human blood. I’ve told you both over and over it just takes longer to work on some adults. We can’t give up now. We’re so very close.”
Katie shook her head. “Maybe we are, but the side effects are about more than I can take. I still have vampire strength and abilities, primarily when I’m scared or angry. At least the weakness and nausea has gone away. The nightmares haven’t. What can any drug do about those?”
“It’s working, Katie. I promise the nightmares will subside in time. They will.” She turned a scalding look on Terry. “Get these damned restraints off of me now. I agree we all need to talk about this, examine a few things, but not like this. As usual your anger has pushed you to do yet another heinously ignorant thing.”
Rage flamed into his features again and Tiffany could tell he was stick a fork in it done with Charla belittling him and pushing him around.
“Not happening, Charla. Not until you listen to reason. I’m calling the shots from here on out. These experiments end today. You know as a rule I can’t stand vampires, but I feel sorry for these poor girls around here. They look like shit and probably feel as rotten as Katie. And Katie is my biggest concern. Some of your test subjects have died. You might be willing to risk Katie’s life for your cause, but I’m not. I’d rather have her alive as a vampire, than dead as a human.”
“Enough Terry. I agreed to this and despite my reservations I intend to see it through.” Katie walked over to the bed and began unfastening Charla’s restraints. “I’ll do anything to be human again. If the serum can merely reduce the gruesome blood lust and the nightmares I’m willing to take the risk.”
Throughout the sibling’s conversation, Tiffany remained quiet, taking in the bizarre family dynamic while wondering how she could use it to her advantage. She knew Katie would never recover from being feral. Over the years, she’d learned enough to realize it was an irreversible vampire mental defect which generally plagued traumatized fledglings. If by some miracle Charla’s serum worked, Katie would still be mentally ill. Tiffany really did feel sorry for her to a point. Who wouldn’t be out to lunch when they’d been a hostage of a feral and endured repeated torture and brutal rapes?
Terry sighed, silent for a few moments as he watched Katie unfasten the steel bands encased in leather. “It’s your choice I guess. But I don’t like it. I’m standing my ground about the others. No more testing, Charla. In the beginning this was all about Katie not some grand scheme to turn vampires into humans for profit. Maybe they don’t wanna be human. Ever think of that?”
Charla scrambled out of the bed and faced off with him, fuming still. “Some will. Tiffany here is a perfect example. Isn’t that right?”
Boy, Tiffany didn’t want to get thrown into this viper’s nest, but Charla had opened the door for her to speak. She intended to make an appeal for her freedom. “No, in the beginning I was furious when I found out Christian turned me. But now I’m done being picky about my physical body. I just want to be healthy and I want my freedom, Charla. Terry’s right. If Katie has no qualms about what this serum is doing to her body, that’s her choice. I should have a choice and the rest of these fledgling vampires too.”
Charla glowered at her and rubbed her wrists. “As I told you before your freedom and everyone else’s will come when you’re all human again and the three of us are far away from New Orleans. Not everyone will appreciate the sacrifices I made. None of us can afford backlash from ungrateful subjects or their family members.”
New Orleans? They were still here somewhere in the area. Good information. But exactly where?
Charla had one thing right. If Christian or the life mates of the test subjects got ahold of Charla or her siblings, they’d tear them apart. Christian wasn’t violent by nature and most vampires weren’t, but Tiffany had no doubt these people’s vampire loved ones would execute some serious renegade justice on the three when they discovered what they’d each suffered.
Terry snorted. “This is crazy. I say we pack up and get the hell out of this place today. Let these sickly vamps go before more people die. If those family members find us, I don’t expect much mercy on their part.”
“I certainly wouldn’t,” Tiffany put in. All three scowled at her, but offered no reply. They had to know she and Terry were right.
Katie took a seat on the side of the bed, her features entrenched in concern. “I have to agree with Terry. The longer we stay, the greater the chance someone will discover what we’re really doing here.”
“That’s impossible. The place is so remote few people even know of it.”
“As far as you know,” Terry snapped. “What happens when we go to the city for supplies? If those vampires have the Walmart video surveillance of you getting into the Jeep when you dropped off that stolen SUV, we’re screwed. Talk about me doing stupid things. That was a stroke of brilliance.”
“We have two other vehicles, stupid.”
“You have an answer for everything, don’t you?” Terry snarled. “Man, who’s the stupid one? You think vampires don’t have fingers to dial the cops? There could be an APB for a Jeep with our license plate number and it doesn’t have to leave here for the cops to find it. Locals have seen you driving it back and forth to the city to work at that damned clinic for over three months. They probably have video surveillance of it in their own parking lot. They have to know you’re the one who kidnapped this one here. That Jeep is going to lead them to us. I’d stake my life on it.”
Tiffany! It’s me. Christian. Are you there? Talk to me.
Tiffany gasped and clutched her stomach from the sudden shock to her system. He called to her! Finally! She began to shake with relief, then backed up toward the corner, hoping the three wouldn’t notice her reaction. I’m here. I’m okay. God, I can’t tell you how relieved I am to finally hear your voice, but listen, I’m in the middle of something here and I don’t have time to explain. Hang with me please.
Trust me, Baby, I’m going nowhere. What’s happened to you?
Long story, Christian. Katie, whose name is really Charla kidnapped me and drugged me. I’ve been out like a light for three days.
I knew it. I knew that bitch had you. Do you know where you are?
No but I may be about to find out. I’m here with Katie, her sister Charla and brother Terry and they’re talking. Or arguing is more like it. I do know I’m somewhere in the New Orleans area deep in bayou country in a lab facility inside a huge machine shed. That’s all I know so far. That and they have a Jeep. A black or maybe dark blue one I don’t know. I need to listen to what they’re saying.
Do that and think everything you hear in your mind to me so I can hear too.
Will do.
Tiffany tuned back into the conversation.
“No one of importance can find us here. Didn’t we all agree this would be the perfect place to house the facility?” Charla asked.
“Hell no I didn’t agree. I’ve never agreed with any of this. I went along with it because I’d do anything to get Katie the help she needs. For months, you’ve been trying to change vampires into humans and not one has ever had test results with one hundred percent human blood cells.”
“But they’re close, Terr—”
He sliced his hand through the air cutting her off. “Close isn’t good enough. Then I think about all those who died. Especially the babies. God! We’ve got a fucking grave yard out there in the woods. I kept telling myself I didn’t give a shit because they were vampires.” He gave Tiffany a sideways glance, then said softly, “But they weren’t always vampires. Once they were just like Katie. Humans with a life stolen by some vampire. Now the ones here are vampires with a life stolen by us.”
Charla crossed her arms and pinned him with a judgmental look. “When did you suddenly become so philosophical? In the beginning, you were an advocate for exterminating the entire species.”
“Because I was pissed! Make no mistake. There’s some that need exterminating starting with the sick fuck that hurt Katie.” He threw up his hands. “But these girls around here are just kids. And those pregnant women—well that whole sick shit was the final straw for me.” He turned his focus on Katie, both sympathy and disgust dominating his features. “Why did you kill all those people, Katie?”
“I told you. I was scared.” She pursed her lips and glared at him with those deadpan onyx eyes.
“That’s a load. No one threatened you. Not a one. They didn’t even have time. In the span of dozen heartbeats every one of those humans were dead. It makes me sick.”
Katie heaved a huge sigh. “Who cares about any of that now? I can’t change the past. We need to get back to what you were saying about the Jeep being found. Is that really possible?”
Tiffany felt her jaw slip. There wasn’t an iota of remorse in either Katie’s tone or expression. Tiffany knew in that moment Katie was as soulless as any feral on earth. Just like Isabella, the feral vampire who tried to snuff the lives of her mom and sister, Katie only cared about Katie.
Terry sighed too, but his sounded like one born of despondency. “Yeah, we’ve probably got the locals talking. That old man, Chomps who sold us the place is curious as hell. Believe me he isn’t coming by to see if we’re okay like he claims. People in these little, remote redneck communities stick together and outsiders who keep to themselves are frowned upon. Hell, with our luck he’s probably related to the sheriff.”
“God Terry! If I didn’t know better I’d think you were tweaking again as paranoid as you sound right now.”
“Terry has a point, Charla. Chomps keeps coming by more and more. Four times this last month. What if he’s told others about the place?” Katie asked.
“Of course he has. Yo, these backwoods alligator hunter types stick together. Ya know? Our story for why we’re here has always been lame as hell to me. If we’re supposed to be a group of university scientists studying flora and fauna, or whatever the hell you’ve been telling him, the locals have to be asking why there are no intern college kids hanging out in their bar. College kids party. Even nerdy ones that get off on weeds you don’t smoke.”
Charla rolled her eyes. “You’re exhausting.”
“But he has a valid point, Charla. Let’s end this and go before it’s too late. I can continue the treatments anywhere.”
Anger began to tighten Charla’s features. “No! We are not leaving. I refuse to up everything I’ve worked so hard to accomplish just because some nosy old man is asking a few questions. Use some logic.” She started ticking off some finger by finger. “First, we bother no one. Our alibi as botanists is as plausible as any reason for someone as uneducated as Chomps and his redneck neighbors. Why would we frequent their little backwoods town? The people studying here are supposedly educated and educators. If someone of that caliber wanted to blow off steam on the weekends it certainly wouldn’t be in some hole in the wall bar in the middle of swamp country.”
Katie huffed. “Charla, we don’t need the money you think we’ll make from vampires desperate to turn human. Mom and Dad left us more money than we could spend in a lifetime, yet we all took on our chosen careers. I loved mine. I know you loved yours. We didn’t need the money back then with us each single and living in the mansion. I don’t want to save mine anymore for when I get married or for some rainy day. I want to use it now to start having some fun.” She poked out her lower lip like a petulant child.
“That will come soon enough, Katie. Be patient.”
“I’m sick of being patient. I hate this place. The drudgery. The isolation. I want to go to Paris, Monte Carlo, somewhere full of life.”
“No, Katie. We stay. We see this through until you and our other subjects are one hundred percent human. Then we can move the facility anywhere we want and begin selling the serum. I believe in the serum. I really do, but it’s possible there could still be bugs to work out. I need a laboratory and test subjects for that. The future of the serum aside, this has all been for you. Once you’re cured we’ll go anywhere you like. We’ll celebrate and party like royalty. One day soon. I promise. Okay?”
Katie said nothing, but nodded. She didn’t appear pleased. Her brother snorted, crossed his arms and grit his teeth so hard, Tiffany heard them grind. He remained silent as well, but Tiffany had a pretty good idea what he was thinking and it involved his hands around Charla’s neck. It appeared once again she was getting her way and Terry’s stance as top dog had just been toppled.
She definitely calls the shots, Christian. Katie’s a feral and even she bows to her.
I see that. Hang tough, Darlin’. Charla’s days in the drivers seat are numbered. You have my word. What are they saying now?
Nothing yet.
Charla turned to Tiffany with a speculative look. “You’re very quiet, Tiffany. I know what you must be thinking.”
Actually, she couldn’t have had a clue. Tiffany was so busy speaking in her mind every word each of them said to Christian, until now she’d had little time to form any genuine thoughts or opinions of her own. “What’s that?”
“Don’t you think it’s obvious? You want me to side with Terry and Katie and let you and the others go.”
The woman was a snake both in deed and word. “They both have valid points and of course I want you to let me go.”
“I bet you do so you can rush back to Dr. La Mond and be his little vampire whore. Am I right?”
Oh, that set her sails on fire. She opened her mouth to speak, but Christian cut her off.
Don’t Tiffany. Don’t say something to enflame her. She’s a loose cannon right now because her siblings are no longer on board with her plan. She’s looking to take out her frustrations on you.
I know that. I’ll be careful.
“First of all, I’m no one’s whore. Sure, I want to go home and be with the people I care about and so does everyone else here. Katie let me ask you a question. Would you have been on board with this project if you were in my shoes or any of these other vampires? Imagine being yanked away from home, family your job? Isn’t that the same thing that vampire did to you when he stole your humanity?”
There was a pregnant pause after her speech. The only taker of shame and humility was Terry. He uncrossed his arms and stared at the floor, shaking his head. Both Charla and Katie glared at her as if she were a lab rat running around loose from its’ cage.
Charla gapped the distance between them, grabbed her arm and shoved her toward the bed. “I’ve heard about enough out of you, you ungrateful little bitch. You have no idea what Katie went through. How dare you compare her horror to my noble cause. To think I actually thought you’d thank me for giving you back your humanity. Well, you’ll get no more sympathy from me. Get back in that bed now! Katie restrain her please.”
Tiffany crawled onto the bed without a fuss and allowed Katie to strap her down because she had no other options currently. But she did have Christian who now had a host of clues to work with thanks to the fact none of the three realized she and Christian were using their blood bond to communicate.
Christian was coming for her. Tiffany had hope finally.