Chapter 49
W e left the restaurant, laughing over some joke Mia said about Dan. I had missed the happier moments. We turned down an alleyway to cut through to the next street. The shadows stretched out, plunging us into darkness.
A cold tingle of fear crawled up my spine. “Stop,” I cautioned. “Something’s wrong.”
Mia’s grip on my arm tightened, and Lilith pulled out a weapon.
“What are you doing?” I whispered. I didn’t know why I was whispering.
“You’re reacting to vampires again. We should take you out on a hunt; you’d be useful for finding them. I’m trusting your instincts.” She lifted her stake, moving ahead of us.
We took a cautious step forward.
“Hello, little human,” a familiar voice said.
I froze, unable to see her. “Gabriela.” I’ve got to learn to stay away from alleyways.
“You’re looking well. Delicious as ever.” She stepped forward from the darkest part of the alley.
Lilith stood next to me, calm, tightening her hand around the stake.
Gabriela smiled, advancing on us. “Child, put that away before you hurt yourself.”
“What do you want?” I demanded.
“A vampire claimed you. One of my vampires. That makes you mine .” She took another step towards me.
I took a step back. “Please leave me alone.” I’d somehow been able to control my fear with Carlos, but Gabriela spoke to a deep part of me, and I fought against the urge to run. Matteo had once told me never to run from a vampire.
She stopped in front of Lilith. “Move,” she commanded. “Or I’ll move you. Forcefully, in which you might break something.”
Lilith moved aside, exposing me to Gabriela. Shadows moved in the dark, and I numbly realised others were with her.
“You’re still his.” Gabriela reached out towards me, not quite making contact. “Do you know what happens when a vampire claims a human?”
“The human is turned,” Lilith said quietly.
Gabriela laughed. “The Hunter gets it. Clearly, you’re well educated in our ways. Pity you’re so unprepared,” Her eyes returned to my face, her smile gone. “Time to go.”
I scoffed. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Other vampires stepped out of the shadows, familiar faces. We were surrounded by at least twenty. Mia whimpered.
“Mia, they can smell fear,” I whispered. “Try to stay calm.”
“This one refuses me. Can someone speak to what is expected of her,” Gabriela said.
“She must be turned,” Carlos said from the shadows. “We witnessed Matteo claim her, and she claimed him in return.”
They started to close in. My heart raced. “You’re forbidden to hurt me.” I said.
“No one here is going to hurt you. The protection isn’t extended to your friends, though.” The hungry glint in Gabriela’s eyes was clear. She would kill Mia and Lilith.
Lilith spoke into her phone. “This is hunter Lilith De Micheli. Need immediate support. Multiple fangs. I’m on Bourke St, near -”
Carlos moved too fast to see, and before she could finish speaking, he grabbed her phone and crushed it in his hand, throwing it on the ground. A snarl tore from him as he wrapped his fingers around her throat. “Fucking Hunters.”
I moved forward. “Please don’t hurt her,” I pleaded, putting my shaking hand on his arm.
Mia hadn’t let go of me. Carlos released Lilith, holding his hand out to me. “It’s time to go,” he beckoned.
“I don’t want to be a vampire.” I pulled Lilith behind me, not sure why. “I never wanted that. I told him.”
Carlos laughed. “You will. Once you turn, you won’t care. You’ll be a vampire; nothing else will matter. Only blood.”
Gabriela sighed. “Kill them. Bring her.”
“You’re breaking the accords.” Lilith said. “You cannot take a human life.”
“Why don’t we bring them?” Carlos asked. “She’ll be hungry when she wakes up. There’s something ironic about them being her first feeds. Especially the hunter, and all her aggravating talk about the accords.” He growled at Lilith. “I was there; I know about the accords. I lost many people in that war. Friends. Don’t speak to me of the accords, Hunter. I have not broken them.”
Other vampires reached for Lilith and Mia.
“No, please.” I met Carlos’s eyes. “Please, don’t hurt them. Let them go.” I glanced over at Lilith and Mia. They were as close as sisters to me; I couldn’t be the reason anything happened to them. Tears streamed down my face. Mia’s eyes were wide, Lilith’s narrow.
Gabriela studied me with dark amusement twisting her features. “Carlos, you’ve had some deliciously wicked ideas before, but this might be my favourite.”
“No.” I stepped away from Lilith and Mia, lifting my arm, ready to take Carlos’s outstretched hand. “Not them. Let them go, I will go with you. Without a fight.”
Gabriela and Carlos laughed, as did the rest of the vampires.
“What?” Lilith’s anger rose in her voice. “Quinn, you’re not serious.”
I faced them both. “I can’t be the reason you die.” Despite my words, I didn’t feel all that sure of myself. I was agreeing to become a vampire for the sake of my friends, and it terrified me.
Vampires surrounded me, forcing Mia and Lilith back, separating me from my lifelines.
“Little human, you won’t care who it is you feed from,” Gabriela murmured, running her fingers up my arm. “All you’ll know is hunger, and the need for blood.”
“But I care now.” I muttered. I stared around the vampires at Mia and Lilith. “I’m sorry,” I said, a lump in my throat. “Looks like we won’t make that tour after all.”
“No,” Lilith shook her head. “We’ll find you, Quinn. My family will find you.”
“Oh lovely, a dinner party!” Gabriela’s laughter echoed around us. “Hurry up, say your goodbyes, before I change my mind and kill them here and now.”
Two vampires stepped aside, allowing me to hug Mia, then Lilith. “If you find me, and I’m turned, kill me,” I whispered to Lilith. “I’m sorry.”
Lilith grabbed me. “I can’t let you do this. I won’t.” Her eyes were hard. “My family will be here soon.”
“Take her.” Gabriela commanded.
Carlos grabbed at me, pulling me away from my friends.
“Where are you taking me?” I demanded.
“To Matteo,” he replied, lifting me into his arms as Matteo had done so often.
My chest squeezed, and a shiver ran through me. “Why?” I wanted to see him, and I wondered if he would turn me. He’d made promises; would he break them again?
“It must be him to turn you; you belong with him.” Carlos explained.
I risked a glance over my shoulder. Mia was staring after us in shock, and Lilith was on Mia’s phone.
“Don’t worry, you’ll see them again.” Gabriela smiled down at me. “You made the right choice, little human, I’ll be glad to have you in my clan.”
“I don’t want to be in your clan. I just want to live my life.” I struggled against Carlos’s grip. “Let me go, I’m capable of walking.”
I wanted to scream, and cry. My life had become a nightmare, and I had willingly given myself to it in order to save my friends. The idea that I would soon be a vampire made me want to vomit.
Gabriela stopped and turned to face me. “We’re going to take a faster way.”
Carlos’s arms tightened, and Gabriela’s eyes bored into mine. “Don’t struggle. Just relax.” All tension left my body, and I leaned into Carlos, away from Gabriela. “Go to sleep,” she said, and everything went dark.