Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
YORICK
I groan as I move, pain tearing through me.
“Fuck, fuck,” I hiss while I writhe.
A soft tongue on my face wakes me up, and I discover that Gustov is anxiously standing over me.
I reach out to him, but my hand is jerked to a stop by a chain around my wrist. I look down at my arm and realize that I can see tendons in it, and my hand is still very much broken.
How long has it been since I was attacked? Why am I not healing?
Sensing my distress, Gustov whines and pushes closer to me. I can see blood on his furry coat and wonder if Casimir will just finish me off if he sees this.
I close my eyes and drift, but the hunger clawing through me is too much. Sadly, the only thing with blood is the very fluffy canine in front of me. “I’m so hungry and you look like a marshmallow. A fluffy marshmallow that’s been slightly cooked.”
Gustov seems more distraught than anything as he nudges my not-broken hand with his nose. I manage to lift it and set it on his fluffy head, smearing blood across it.
“Look, you made me get blood on you. If I live through this, your owner is going to kill me.”
The door opens and the vampire who attacked me enters with a smile. “I see you’re awake.”
Everything in my body is telling me to get up, to get these shackles off no matter what it takes, but I can’t even lift my head.
“It appears you’re doing quite well,” he says. “I’m really sorry our introduction was a bit rough.”
“A bit… rough? You tried to kill me.”
He gives me a wave like I’m speaking nonsense. “No, no. I just wanted to immobilize you, which I’ve done. You’re not dying. You’re just in a state of… near death,” he says with a chuckle. “It really is a pleasure to meet you, Yorick. My name is Percival.”
“I don’t give a shit what your name is. What do you want?”
“We’re merely waiting for our honored guest to arrive. Hopefully, he’ll be here any minute now.”
“Who?”
“Your maker.”
That makes me laugh, but the laugh nearly does me in.
“Fuck. Oh…” I grit my teeth while pain washes through me.
“I’m sorry, did you say Atticus? You think he’s going to come for me?
I’m sure he’s throwing a party right now.
There’s no way he’ll ever come get me. I have been nothing but an irritation to him since the day he turned me.
I will rot here, then. I hope you enjoy the smell of my body decaying in your basement. ”
Percival smiles, apparently wishing to annoy me with his glee. “You think so little of yourself. How could a beautiful man such as yourself not have a man willing to tear the world apart for you?”
“Are you flirting with my corpse?” I ask. “Although… I am quite beautiful. I will not forgive you, but I do enjoy compliments.”
He says nothing else before he turns around and leaves.
“I think he came in here just to harass me,” I tell Gustov. “Are you like Lassie? Can you go phone your owner?”
Gustov rolls onto his back and shows me his belly.
“No one will ever be able to attack us if you use this move on them,” I mumble as I close my eyes and drift.
I’m lying on the dirt road alone with nothing but death standing by my side. It’s been a close friend for years, and now… finally, it’s here for me instead of the many people I’ve loved and lost over the years.
I’ve been alone for so long, so long… and now I’m going to die alone.
And it fucking hurts. I want him… I need him more than anything. How unfair is this?
Suddenly, I can see his face, and I can’t help but question if it’s a dream. How could this be real? How could he be here with me right now?
Relief washes through me with a single glance.
Because I might have been alone for so long… but at least I don’t have to die alone.
I open my eyes and realize that was a dream from many years ago. A memory… I’m still alone. I’m going to die alone. I’m—
“You sure know how to get yourself into shit,” Atticus says, and relief rushes through me just from the sound of his voice.