A Wind of Change (12 page)

A
fter I moved
into Joseph’s room, I was amazed that I managed to get a few hours of sleep. And I woke up feeling refreshed. Perhaps that was just one of the many quirks of this new body I found myself inhabiting, that I didn’t need much sleep. I guessed that vampires didn’t need much either. Joseph was up before me. I found him in the kitchen, sipping from a glass of blood.

He eyed me as I entered. “How are you feeling?”

No matter how well rested I was, it was impossible to feel anything but miserable knowing my sister was still trapped in the basement of this horrifying place.

“A bit better than last night,” I muttered.

I moved to the fridge, and opened it. There were still some sandwich ingredients left over. I placed some bread, cheese and tomatoes on a plate, poured myself a glass of water, and sat down opposite Joseph. Even as I began eating, I couldn’t take my eyes off the blood he was downing.

It was disconcerting to think that that blood could easily have been my sister’s or Hassan’s.

“I don’t understand how you can drink human blood,” I said, shuddering.

Joseph wiped his lower lip with a napkin. “It’s not a question of choice. At least not for me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Some vampires can survive on animal blood alone, although it tastes disgusting compared to human blood. But I can’t stomach anything but human blood.”

“You have some real self-control issues.”

“Glad you finally noticed,” he muttered.

“But how do you live with yourself? I mean, you used to be human. How can you just drink that every day and not be crushed by guilt?”

His jaw twitched. “What makes you think that I don’t feel guilt?”

I didn’t reply. I guessed he was just doing what he had to do to survive. If I’d been in his position, I probably would have done the same.

I shifted in my seat, wanting to lead the conversation elsewhere. I could see I’d made him uncomfortable.

“Before when you were answering my questions about vampires, you mentioned that you can’t go in the sun. What would happen if you did?”

“We would wither away eventually,” he replied. “We can stand it for only so long.”

“What about half-bloods? Can they tolerate the sun?”

“I don’t know how well, but I’m sure better than vampires.”

I was about to ask another question when someone disturbed us by knocking on the front door.

Joseph got up and left the kitchen while I continued eating my breakfast.

As the door opened, Jeramiah spoke. “I’ve just come from checking on the half-blood you created. She’s doing well. You released just the right amount of venom.”

“Good,” Joseph replied.

“A couple of things. First, there will be another party upstairs tonight. I know you said you weren’t interested, but now that you have a, uh, companion, perhaps you’ll reconsider? Anyway, think about it. Secondly,” he continued, “our next hunt probably won’t be for a couple of weeks. But I’ve been thinking that since you’ve been putting effort into learning to control yourself around humans, we could go on a small hunt, just a few of us. We can always do with a few extra humans and it would be good practice for you. What do you think?”

“I like the idea,” Joseph said, without a moment’s hesitation.

“No witches would come with us, since it’s last minute and they usually only agree to come on the main hunts… This means we’re at risk from the hunters as soon as we step outside the boundary, but there will only be a few of us and if we move fast, we should be all right.”

“I’m willing to take the risk,” Joseph replied. “When were you thinking to go?”

“Tonight after the party.”

Joseph paused this time for a few seconds, then said, “Sure.”

“Good,” Jeramiah replied. “If I don’t see you aboveground tonight, I’ll stop by your door later on to pick you up—along with your half-blood, of course. The party should wind down around 2am. So let’s say 3am.”

“We’ll be ready.”

Then the door closed.

I’d forgotten all about my food by now. I’d even forgotten to swallow what was already in my mouth.

My jaw hung open as Joseph returned to the room. He looked at me.

He didn’t bother recounting the conversation. He knew that I heard everything.

We had less than twenty-four hours.

I shot to my feet and looked at him desperately. “We have to find a way to get my sister and Hassan out of the boundary.”

A frown formed on his face. Then he sat down in a chair opposite me and rubbed his temple, deep in thought.

How are we going to do this? How can we bring them on a hunt with us?
Joseph and I might be able to figure out how to escape once we were outside the boundary, but how would I save my sister and Hassan?

Yes, we’d know the exact location of the place to give to the police, but how would they break in? There was an impenetrable boundary protecting The Oasis. If we didn’t find a way to get them out, my sister would be stuck here forever. Or until they decided to murder her for her blood.

I slumped back into a chair, burying my head in my hands as I tried to think of how we could possibly get out of this situation.

A wave of relief rushed through me when Joseph looked up ten minutes later and said:

“I think I have an idea.”

I
t was possibly
the most harebrained scheme I had ever thought of, but I didn’t see what other option we had.

After I explained it to River, her face filled with doubt, but she apparently didn’t have any better ideas, so she agreed.

We had some hours until the party tonight, so in the meantime we discussed how we were going to pull off the idea. We talked in hushed voices, practically mouthing, about all the things that could go wrong, and how we could avoid disaster.

Once River and I could hear sounds of people gathering upstairs for the evening’s revelry, I took her into the kitchen. Grabbing the container of pickles from the fridge, I emptied the remaining pickles into a bin, then washed and dried the container.

I sat River down opposite me at the table and placed the container in the center between us. Then she held out her wrist for me. Extending my claw, I slit through her skin, deep enough so that blood began to flow into the container. Once I was sure that I had enough, I wrapped her wound up in tissue, then made her drink my blood. Her body did have its own natural healing capabilities, but they weren’t as fast as those of a vampire, and it was best that she healed before we headed upstairs.

After her wound closed up, River went to change. She managed to find a long red gown in one of the bedrooms, while I just wore a loose shirt and cotton pants.

Then we left the apartment and headed upstairs. I slid an arm around her waist as we approached the crowd. There were tables to our left, lined with half-bloods serving up blood and liquor, and there was also a self-serve snack area containing regular food to our right.

A trio of witches were in one corner with instruments, playing a haunting melody for those in the central dance area.

I led River into the midst of the dancing couples and placed one hand on her waist while taking her other hand in mine. I swayed her slowly from side to side even as I scoped out our surroundings. I was looking for Jeramiah, and so was River.

I spotted him first.

He was one of the dozens of vampires sitting on the soft cushioned seats. He was talking to a group of three vampires while Lucretia sat on his lap.

I was glad that Jeramiah and his girl were surrounded by people. It would make it easier for River to do her job.

I turned River around so that she was facing Jeramiah.

“You see him?” I breathed into her ear.

She nodded. I felt her gulp against my chest.

“Let’s go,” she whispered.

Still holding hands, the two of us casually made our way toward where Jeramiah and Lucretia were sitting with their companions. He raised his glass of blood to me as he spotted us.

“You came.”

I forced a smile and sat down in one of the cushioned chairs near to him. River took a seat next to me, and her eyes fixed instantly on Lucretia. Once Lucretia met her gaze, River gave her a smile and to my relief, Lucretia smiled back.

That was the first step.

I busied myself with a glass of blood that one of the half-blood slaves handed me as I continued to watch River. She left the seat next to me and moved closer to Lucretia.

As Jeramiah continued his conversation with the male vampires sitting next to him, I realized that I was sitting only a few feet in front of Lloyd. I’d been so fixed on Jeramiah, I hadn’t even noticed him until now.

Lloyd nudged my shoulder and engaged me in small talk. I responded, grateful that I now looked like I was busy, while my attention was focused on the conversation that River had started up with Lucretia.

River was beginning to ask questions about life as a half-blood—questions she had already asked me. Lucretia responded kindly. Another good sign.

After about twenty minutes of chatting, River suggested that they get something to eat from the snack table. Lucretia agreed. She kissed Jeramiah, then took River’s arm, and they both made their way over to the food.

Even now, Lloyd was continuing to talk to me. Fortunately, he seemed to prefer the sound of his own voice to mine. I just nodded and grunted occasionally.

Lucretia was serving up different snacks to River, advising her on what she might like, and then the two of them stood to one side and ate as they watched couples dancing. After they finished their snack, they chatted some more and finally River shivered, rubbing her shoulders.

“I’m freezing,” she said. “Aren’t you?”

Lucretia shrugged. “Not particularly… But I wouldn’t mind some time in the sauna. I’ve been out here for quite a while already and the desert air can be cold at this time of night.”

“Should we go to Joseph’s sauna, or Jeramiah’s?” River asked.

“Jeramiah’s is closer,” Lucretia replied, taking the bait.

The two of them left the area and disappeared from my sight as they headed back down into the atrium.

I waited three minutes, then left Lloyd with the excuse that I needed some time to prepare myself mentally for the hunt later on.

I left the area as fast as I could without appearing to be in a hurry. Descending the stairs toward the atrium, I took the elevator down to the level where Jeramiah’s apartment was. I hurried forward along the veranda and stopped at the sight of the two girls standing outside Jeramiah’s quarters. Lucretia had pulled out a key, and was just in the process of opening the door. Lucretia pushed it open and the girls stepped inside. The door was seconds from closing when River said, “I’ll shut the door.”

I raced to it within seconds. River was keeping the door ajar, waiting for me. As soon as she felt me holding it, her hand disappeared and she continued down the corridor with Lucretia toward the sauna.

I waited until their voices had faded, and for the sound of the sauna door opening and closing.

Although they were in the sauna, I still had to be silent. Half-bloods’ hearing might not be as sharp as a vampire’s, but it was still acute.

Easing the door open only enough for me to squeeze through, I slipped inside and left the door resting on its latch.

Then I looked around the dark apartment.

Keys.

Where would Jeramiah keep his keys?

I
’d been
careful to look Jeramiah over when we were upstairs, looking for any bulges in his pockets, but I hadn’t seen any. I hoped that meant his keys were in his apartment.

Moving silently from room to room, I began looking in every cupboard, in every drawer, and on every shelf that I came by. I stopped every now and then, tuning in to the conversation that River and Lucretia were having in the sauna to make sure that they were still occupied. It wasn’t until I reached the room at the very back of the apartment, some kind of storage room, that I found a large cluster of keys hanging from a hook in the wall.

Removing them silently, I placed them into my pocket. Then I continued searching the rest of the apartment for keys, and on finding no more, I had to hope that the ones in my pocket would be all that I needed.

I crept back through the apartment and slipped back out through the door. Again, I was careful not to close it fully, resting it against the latch so that it remained ajar.

Then I headed straight down to the ground floor. I ran across the gardens to the room that held the entrance to the prison. Before entering it, I looked inside to make sure that it was empty. Then I crossed the room and lowered to my knees so that my eyes were level with the lock.

I splayed out the keys in my palms, looking at each of them and trying to decide which to try first. I opted for a large bronze one. It didn’t fit. Then a thinner black one. Still no luck. I tried four more keys before finally arriving at the right one. I breathed a sigh of relief as the lock clicked open. I hurried though the door and locked it behind me from the inside.

The smell of human blood was intoxicating on this side of the door. Fumbling for the container of River’s blood in my pocket, I pulled it out and opened the lid. I inhaled its bitter scent, trying to calm my nerves. Then, stirring the liquid around, I put the container to my lips and tipped some blood onto my tongue. I closed the lid again and returned the container to my pocket.

Holding my nose and keeping the disgusting blood on my tongue, I hurried forward into the depths of the prison. I headed first for Hassan’s cell, since it was on the way to Lalia’s. Looking through the window, I saw that he was huddled in a corner, knees drawn up to his chest, his head buried in his hands.

I spread out the keys in my palms again and looked at them. These cells would have to share a common key. There were just too many in this prison.

It took me ten keys before Hassan’s cell door clicked open. Hassan gazed up at me, stupefied. Then he rushed toward me. I shot away from him, backing up against the opposite wall.

Breathing deeply, I hissed, “Keep your distance from me!” I took another sip from River’s blood, then looked back at him. “I’m here to help you. But I’m also a risk to you. Wait here in your cell while I fetch River’s sister. I’ll knock on the door when it’s time to come out. Understand?”

He looked bewildered, but nodded.

Then I darted off. Although River’s blood in my mouth was helping to overwhelm the scent of human blood surrounding me, just the sight of a human so close to me was enough to ignite my bloodlust. I dreaded arriving outside Lalia’s cell.
Her young flesh would be so tender to sink my fangs into, her blood so pure and sweet…

My hands shaking slightly, I opened the container of River’s blood again and took another swig. I’d consumed half of it already. I had to pace myself. If we got held up for some reason and I ran out of River’s blood… That was a scenario I didn’t want to think about.

I tried using the same key that I had used for Hassan’s cell for Lalia’s, and it worked. The door swung open, and Lalia and the older girl who was with her looked toward me in shock. Then relief washed over their faces and they rushed toward me just as Hassan had done. I leapt back down the prison corridor.

“Where’s my sister?” the little girl asked.

“I’ll take you to her,” I whispered, my voice strained as I tried not to tempt myself by looking at her. “Just follow me, okay? You can come too,” I added, addressing the older girl.

Careful to keep at least ten feet between us, I led the two girls through the winding network of cells, urging them to hurry up every now and then. It was frustrating that I couldn’t just pick them up and carry them both myself. The other girl ended up carrying Lalia on her back, which made things a little faster.

Arriving at Hassan’s cell again, I was glad to see that he was waiting inside his room and opened it only when I knocked. He looked at me, and then at the two girls. I backed away again, now with full access to three humans.

I lengthened the distance between them and me even more, and continued traveling back toward the exit. We reached the stairs and I opened the door again before we hurried into the small room. Still maintaining as much distance from them as possible, I instructed them to huddle in one corner as I fumbled with the keys and locked the door once more. River’s taste was beginning to fade from my mouth again. I took another swig from the container. Now I barely had one full mouthful left.

I cursed myself. I should have thought to take more blood from her.

We had to move fast.

As we stepped outside, I had to hope that we wouldn’t bump into anyone on our way back to my apartment—and that nobody would notice three humans were missing from their cells before the hunt tonight. There were so many humans down in that prison, my hope didn’t seem too unreasonable.

There was no way that I was going to get into the same elevator with them, so I called two elevators to the ground floor simultaneously. I stepped into one of them while they bundled into the other. I instructed them which floor number to press, and then we ascended. We arrived on the right floor at the same time. The doors slid open. I rushed out before they could and, running up ahead of them, ordered them to follow me. Hassan picked up Lalia and carried her on his back as they raced after me, trying to keep up with my speed. Rushing to the door of my apartment, I opened it and then ran down the hallway. I waited in the doorway of my bedroom for them to arrive.

“Shut the door behind you,” I whispered as they entered.

Hassan did so. Then all three eyes fixed on me. Their faces were deathly pale and sweaty with fear.

“Now listen to me,” I said, looking at them sternly. “Take a left down the corridor, and at the very end you will see a sauna. Lock yourselves in there and don’t make a sound. Do you understand me?”

They all looked petrified, but nodded.

“Where’s my sister?” Lalia whispered, her eyes wide with fright.

“I’m going to get her.”

I waited until they hurried down the corridor and stepped into the sauna. When the door clicked shut, I approached it and, reaching into my pocket for the last of River’s blood, I poured it into my palm and then spread it up and down the wooden door, hoping it would help to mask the scent of hot human blood at least somewhat if a vampire passed by.

Then I washed my hands in the kitchen and ran back out the front door. I headed straight back to Jeramiah’s apartment. I was glad to see that the door was still ajar, as I’d left it. Pushing it open, I slid inside.

To my discomfort, River and Lucretia had left the sauna by now. I heard their voices coming from the living room. Creeping past, I was careful to hold the keys in such a way that they didn’t clink and made my way back to the storage room at the back of the apartment. I replaced the keys on the hook in the wall slowly, rearranging them against the wall to look how I remembered finding them.

Now I have to get out of here.

I was about to head back to the front door to leave when I heard a sound that chilled me to the bone.

The front door slamming.

And then Jeramiah’s voice emanating from the hallway.