Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
“Don’t be afraid, little one.” The deep voice doesn’t soothe me like it did a few minutes ago. “We will not harm you. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Unable to control my reactions, with the realization that I’m looking at the bogeyman in the world of monsters screaming in my head, I start hyperventilating.
My breathing comes in short, sharp intakes of breath, too loud to my own ears.
Tears burn my unblinking eyes, which are darting left and right and making me dizzy.
I want to calm down, think rationally so I can find a way out of here.
I’m not chained to anything except my own body’s reaction at the moment.
I always thought that in a situation when my life was in danger, I’d be one of those people who reacted with action.
Apparently, I was wrong. I’m one of those deer in headlights people that freeze and let whatever is coming for them happen.
“I’m not sure she understands you, Marcus,” the blonde says softly, like he is trying not to spook me more. What did deep voice call him earlier? Andrei, that’s right.
For whatever crazy reason, knowing their names calms my panic. My breathing slows down slightly, and the one called Marcus tilts his head, watching me with those predatory eyes.
“Speak again,” he murmurs, not taking his intense focus off me. “I think your voice calms her.”
“Is Marcus right, little one?” Andrei crouches painfully slow in front of me, bringing himself below my eye level, and I follow him with my eyes. “Does my voice soothe your worries?”
That comment is so ridiculous that a humorless snort escapes me, making him frown slightly. Do they think I’m stupid, just like asshole did? Like anything can soothe my worries while staring death in the face, apart from getting out of here. Anger bubbles up under my skin, and I glare at him.
“I don’t think she likes your words, Andrei. Just the sound of your voice.” Marcus grins at his friend like that pleases him.
I must be sleeping and stuck in one of the nightmares I usually have.
This is so not happening to me in real life.
Two monsters making jokes while I’m standing in front of them where they can kill me and be free of the poison in my veins can’t be reality.
As soon as that thought floats through my head, a jolt of excitement shoots through me.
I’m poison for these creatures. If I get them to bite me, I’ll be out of here sooner than I can blink, keeping in mind they don’t rip my throat out.
Steeling my spine, very slowly, I lift my hand up.
They watch me attentively, as if expecting me to do tricks like a monkey in a circus.
I know precisely how the mutt feels when I do the same to him.
Poor dog. I hope Sara takes care of him if I don’t get out of here alive.
Their expressionless faces cloud in confusion when I pull the nest of my hair out of the way, offering my neck to them.
It takes them a moment, but when they realize what I’m doing, both their eyes widen in disbelief.
Andrei snaps his head up, staring at Marcus.
Uncertainty makes me drop my hand down and plaster my back against the doorframe.
They know what type of blood I have. There is no mistaking the look that passes between them.
Vampires hate the runners, but they think those like me are all dead.
I just gave them the confirmation they needed to kill me.
In a last-ditch effort to save my life, I surge towards the front doors of the hotel.
I don’t get far, my boots slipping on the blood covering the marble tiles.
Pitching forward, head-first towards the ground, my fall is stopped a hairsbreadth away from faceplanting, the tip of my nose grazing the blood-covered floor.
Thick arms wrap around me, one around my chest, the other around my waist.
“Careful, little one. You will hurt yourself, and we don’t want that,” Marcus murmurs in my ear before lifting me up and placing me on my feet.
His hands linger, making sure I’m stable before he pulls them away.
His voice is a little nasally, no doubt from holding his breath while hugging me to him.
“We can’t stay here with her.” Andrei walks towards us, and when I turn to look at him, I notice that I made it all of three feet before tripping over my own feet. “We need to get her out of the way before Irina decides to leave and finds us here.”
“I’m wondering if it’s smart to take the little one upstairs,” Marcus muses, rubbing his chin. “I’ll stay down here with her while you go let Sebastian know he is needed elsewhere.”
“Irina will not be pleased if her plans are tweaked, and she’s been eyeing Sebastian ever since we stepped foot on their soil.” Andrei grins at Marcus. “I love pissing her off. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“I’ll be at the pool. No one will come there at this hour. Come find me when you get him.” Marcus waves a hand and Andrei disappears, leaving a gust of air in his wake.
My mind is reeling with everything they are saying, trying to make sense of it all.
It all sounds like gibberish. Why aren’t they killing me yet?
Do they plan on toying with me first? Asshole sounded pretty sure when he gloated that the vampires preferred their food terrified.
Something about the fear making the blood taste better.
But that can’t be true about me, can it?
I’m poison to them, and these two know that.
Unless they want to trick this Sebastian I keep hearing about so they can kill him.
A shiver wracks my bones.
“Come, little one.” Gently wrapping his large hand around my arm, Marcus leads me further into the hotel. “Let us get out of the open. There are eyes everywhere, and we don’t want that.”
I follow willingly, my mind spinning. Something is not right here, but I can’t put my finger on it.
Since running obviously is not working for me, I go along to wherever this angel of death is taking me.
We pass beautiful walls decorated with indoor fountains, heads of lions with water pouring out of their open jaws.
My mind creates all sorts of crazy scenarios, turning the glittering crystal water into rivers of blood while the eyes of the stone statues are glowing menacingly wherever we pass.
The shiver from earlier strengthens, my body starting to visibly shake.
Each step I take further inside the hallways is harder and harder to manage.
“Little one?” Marcus slows down, turning me towards him. Worry is evident on his face, while, with great effort, I do my best to keep my focus on him. “What’s wrong?”
Apart from Sara, no one has ever asked me that question.
What weird timing for me to notice this.
If I ignore the fact that this is one of the monsters, I think I may feel warmth at the concern I can clearly see on him.
But that is not the case. This is a monster, and I am about to die.
Teeth chattering and body convulsing, I try my best to keep my gaze locked on his.
I refuse to speak to them. They don’t deserve to be spoken to like human beings, but I implore him with my eyes. Please kill me fast. I don’t want to suffer anymore. I’ve suffered enough.
His own eyes widen as if he understood me before mine roll in the back of my head, and I disappear into the blessed darkness.