line. If I run now, I might
make it. We’re surrounded by people; there’s even a
police officer by the exit. Haruko and Adam would have to try to
chase me down with everyone watching. There’s a complication,
though—I still need vampire blood. I know I need it, deep down
in my gut.
Wait. That was
what I was going to the third sub-basement to do. To get blood. If I
can make it back there, I should be fine—
Adam grabs my
wrist.
“That’s
not an option,” he says in a low, calm tone that makes the hair
on the back of my neck stand on end.
He turns to
Haruko. “We’ll meet you out at the car.”
Adam drags me out
to the parking lot. I try to wriggle away, but I can’t get my
hand free from his grasp. He’s stronger than me, and I’m
exhausted just from walking around the store. Eventually I give up
and let my wrist go limp in his hand.
Let
go, I implore him. I’m
not going to run.
He doesn’t
answer.
I couldn’t
run if I wanted to. You know that.
He releases me. I
clutch my bruised wrist, nursing it.
“I’m
sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Whatever. You
made your point.
“You can’t
go back to Atlanta. You saw what they did to you.”
What do you
mean?
“That ritual
they did in the interrogation room? I’m sure that’s why
you’re mute. And that recovery tank thing with the blood?”
You saw all of
that?
“Yes.”
The thought makes
my skin crawl.
“Look, I
know...” He sighs. “I know you’d rather I hadn’t
seen any of it. And I can’t blame you for that. But I want to
help you. I don’t want to force you to come with us, but...”
Isn’t
that exactly what you’re doing?
“I suppose
that's fair,” he says. “Listen. I know someone in
Kentucky who should be able to help with your voice. At least come
with us that far, all right?”
Fine. Whatever.
We find Aya and
the car. Adam gets back into the driver’s seat and stares out
into space as we wait. Five minutes later, Haruko returns, carrying
several bags. She tosses them all into the middle of the back seat.
Soon, we’re back on the highway, heading north into the
wilderness. In the dark, the route is virtually featureless. Endless
hills full of endless trees lie for miles and miles before and behind
us.
“Where are
we stopping next?” Aya asks.
“We should
be able to make it to Blacksburg,” Haruko says. “Desmond
owns a house with a basement near Virginia Tech. It’s only
about three hours from here.”
“Actually, I
was thinking we could head north to Lexington,” Adam says.
Haruko frowns.
“Lexington? You mean Kentucky? Why?”
“I know
someone there. A friend of Julian’s. Someone who might be able
to help her with her voice issue,” he says. “A daughter
of Coventina. Her name is Tara—“
“Adam, no.
That’s a terrible idea.”
“Think about
it,” he says. “She can’t testify if her voice is
shot. And it doesn’t seem to be healing along with her other
injuries. I think she’s cursed.”
I curl into myself
and stare out the window. If they’re going to talk about me
like I’m not here, I guess I’ll pretend not to listen.
“Yeah... I
don’t know,” Haruko says.
“It’s
not that far out of our way,” Adam says.
“That’s
not it. We shouldn’t be making contact with any other revenants
before we get to Red Hook.”
“It won’t
be a problem,” Adam assures her. “Tara hates Mirabel, and
she’s practically a hermit in any case. She doesn’t even
talk to her family.”
Haruko frowns. She
starts packing the contents of the plastic bags into the black
backpack. I nurse a bottle of water she bought me at checkout. I’m
exhausted. I wish I’d thought to buy some coffee.
“Have you
heard anything from Desmond yet?” Aya asks.
“I haven’t,
but that’s probably a good sign.”
Adam, who is
Desmond?
“He’s
Haruko’s uncle. We’re bringing him the head,” Adam
says.
“She knows
about the head?”
“Yes,”
he says. “Is that a
make it. We’re surrounded by people; there’s even a
police officer by the exit. Haruko and Adam would have to try to
chase me down with everyone watching. There’s a complication,
though—I still need vampire blood. I know I need it, deep down
in my gut.
Wait. That was
what I was going to the third sub-basement to do. To get blood. If I
can make it back there, I should be fine—
Adam grabs my
wrist.
“That’s
not an option,” he says in a low, calm tone that makes the hair
on the back of my neck stand on end.
He turns to
Haruko. “We’ll meet you out at the car.”
Adam drags me out
to the parking lot. I try to wriggle away, but I can’t get my
hand free from his grasp. He’s stronger than me, and I’m
exhausted just from walking around the store. Eventually I give up
and let my wrist go limp in his hand.
Let
go, I implore him. I’m
not going to run.
He doesn’t
answer.
I couldn’t
run if I wanted to. You know that.
He releases me. I
clutch my bruised wrist, nursing it.
“I’m
sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Whatever. You
made your point.
“You can’t
go back to Atlanta. You saw what they did to you.”
What do you
mean?
“That ritual
they did in the interrogation room? I’m sure that’s why
you’re mute. And that recovery tank thing with the blood?”
You saw all of
that?
“Yes.”
The thought makes
my skin crawl.
“Look, I
know...” He sighs. “I know you’d rather I hadn’t
seen any of it. And I can’t blame you for that. But I want to
help you. I don’t want to force you to come with us, but...”
Isn’t
that exactly what you’re doing?
“I suppose
that's fair,” he says. “Listen. I know someone in
Kentucky who should be able to help with your voice. At least come
with us that far, all right?”
Fine. Whatever.
We find Aya and
the car. Adam gets back into the driver’s seat and stares out
into space as we wait. Five minutes later, Haruko returns, carrying
several bags. She tosses them all into the middle of the back seat.
Soon, we’re back on the highway, heading north into the
wilderness. In the dark, the route is virtually featureless. Endless
hills full of endless trees lie for miles and miles before and behind
us.
“Where are
we stopping next?” Aya asks.
“We should
be able to make it to Blacksburg,” Haruko says. “Desmond
owns a house with a basement near Virginia Tech. It’s only
about three hours from here.”
“Actually, I
was thinking we could head north to Lexington,” Adam says.
Haruko frowns.
“Lexington? You mean Kentucky? Why?”
“I know
someone there. A friend of Julian’s. Someone who might be able
to help her with her voice issue,” he says. “A daughter
of Coventina. Her name is Tara—“
“Adam, no.
That’s a terrible idea.”
“Think about
it,” he says. “She can’t testify if her voice is
shot. And it doesn’t seem to be healing along with her other
injuries. I think she’s cursed.”
I curl into myself
and stare out the window. If they’re going to talk about me
like I’m not here, I guess I’ll pretend not to listen.
“Yeah... I
don’t know,” Haruko says.
“It’s
not that far out of our way,” Adam says.
“That’s
not it. We shouldn’t be making contact with any other revenants
before we get to Red Hook.”
“It won’t
be a problem,” Adam assures her. “Tara hates Mirabel, and
she’s practically a hermit in any case. She doesn’t even
talk to her family.”
Haruko frowns. She
starts packing the contents of the plastic bags into the black
backpack. I nurse a bottle of water she bought me at checkout. I’m
exhausted. I wish I’d thought to buy some coffee.
“Have you
heard anything from Desmond yet?” Aya asks.
“I haven’t,
but that’s probably a good sign.”
Adam, who is
Desmond?
“He’s
Haruko’s uncle. We’re bringing him the head,” Adam
says.
“She knows
about the head?”
“Yes,”
he says. “Is that a
Similar Books
