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“Oops,” I mutter, the word slurred thanks to my overactive teeth. I lick the blood, feeling my body heal the cut almost immediately.
“I’ll take that as a yes then,” Tina comments slyly, eyeing up my fangs and making me blush in the process.
A knock on the door startles us both. I’m surprised that I didn’t hear the person approach, but now that I pay attention to the warmth in my chest, I know it’s Zane.
“It’s time, ladies.” He doesn’t bother to open the door, just calls through the wood, giving us a little more privacy and the chance to say goodbye.
Tina and I share a long look, the happy atmosphere shifting as my nerves shoot through the roof. In theory, I’ll be seeing her again in a few hours when I’m released, but if the meeting doesn’t go to plan and I have to stay here, then I might not see her for a really long time.
Having a lengthy goodbye feels like it would jinx me, so I pull up my big girl pants and step forward, tugging her into a quick, strong hug.
“I’ll see you after the assessment.”
Chapter Thirteen
Ayawn builds, and I have to clench my teeth in an attempt to keep it from escaping. Standing before the panel of my assessors, I attempt to keep still, knowing that yawning in their faces wouldn’t give them a good impression of me.
The room we’re in is set out a little like a courtroom, and it’s freaking me out. I’m not sure what I expected, but as I was escorted from the main building and across to a singular building on the other side of the courtyard, this was not it.
There is a small podium in the middle of the room where I stand now, and in front of me is a raised stage with a long podium with my three assessors seated behind it. To my left is a desk where Zane and Jack sit with a pile of papers I assume are my records.
The rest of the space behind us holds rows and rows of empty chairs. I suppose some of the meetings here would attract more of a crowd, but as Jack keeps reminding me, a simple first assessment is a minor thing.
Mr Michael Richards is running the assessment, and so far he has been nothing but patient and fair. From the hint of fang when he speaks, I’m guessing he’s a vampire, which should only help my case, seeing as he’s been through this himself.
To his left is a quiet male I haven’t heard utter a word, and to Richards’ right is my parole officer, Dorine.
I had given her a little wave as I was brought in, but she only scowled at me. Whether that is a good or bad thing, I have yet to discover. In the short time I’ve known her, I don’t think I’ve seen a single smile, so the scowl might not be a bad thing. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
“I can see here that you have attended all of the mandatory sessions, and you got involved in some of the extracurricular activities,” Richards comments, shuffling through the papers on his desk. “You haven’t been involved in any fights, and you have fed as we would expect for a new vampire. Your mentor and sponsor speak highly of you as well.” A smile pulls at his pleasant face, and I wonder how often he gets to work on simple cases like mine. “Overall, I think we can probably classify you as low risk and release you on the grounds you return for classes.” Sitting back in his chair, he continues to smile as he glances to the assessors on either side of him. “Does everyone agree?”
“I’m afraid I do not,” Dorine answers almost immediately. She’s said next to nothing during the whole assessment, and now she suddenly has issues with my release?
Why, Dorine, why?
“Some new information has come to light.” She shuffles her papers, her voice full of exhaustion. She doesn’t go so far as to look upset by this, but she does at least have the decency to try and sound disappointed. “Last night, at approximately eleven thirty-five, Miss Emily left the compound with another prisoner. One can only assume she was trying to run away.”
My heart drops into my stomach, and my nausea rises with each second, disbelief and horror rooting me to the spot. No, this can’t be happening. How do they even know about this? There was no one around when we went for our flight, I checked. Gabriel said he had permission to fly, so I assumed I could go with him without being penalised. It seems I was wrong. Maybe that was naive of me to think, but knowing I was so close to getting out of here is making it hard for me to breathe.
“Because of this,” Dorine continues in her monotone voice, her stare locked on me as she speaks, “I propose cancelling plans to release her and sending her to a locked facility where she can undergo further testing and assessment.”
What? I don’t know what a locked facility is, but it doesn’t sound good. In fact, it sounds like they are going to sentence me and send me to a regular supernatural prison.
Movement beside me catches my eye, and I turn to watch as Zane leaps up from his seat and slams his hands on the desk before him. With his face twisted with rage and teeth bared, he looks dangerous, and I’m glad that gaze isn’t aimed at me.
“You can’t do that,” he snarls, his hands clenching the desk as though it’s the only thing stopping him from leaping forward and getting in the assessors’ faces. “She did nothing wrong! She didn’t run away, she’s right in front of you!”
“Zane,” Jack murmurs quietly, trying to encourage the other male to calm down. He slowly stands, but I’m able to see the anger flickering in his eyes. He might seem as though this setback isn’t affecting him, but he is just good at hiding his emotions. This revelation has thrown him. “Could we please see the evidence of this violation?”
Dorine smiles, her lips pulling tight over her ugly face as she raises a piece of paper. The expression seems foreign on her, as though she’s never smiled before. “I have a written statement here from the other prisoner involved—Gabriel Black.”
Physical pain radiates through me like an arrow to the heart. My body stiffens against the agony, and I have to grip onto the podium in front of me to stop myself from falling, my legs unsteady.
Gabriel betrayed me? I wouldn’t believe it, but how else would the assessors know about our midnight flight? No, I don’t want to believe it. I’ve not known him long, and I don’t know much about him, but I thought we had a connection. Why would he take me for a flight, only to immediately run to the guards and tell them what happened? Unless… Unless he knew it would affect my release, so he encouraged me on the basis that I would get in trouble for it and have to stay here.
Chest tight, I focus on my breathing, slowing my breaths so I don’t hyperventilate, needing to push those thoughts from my mind and deal with the consequences.
“Do you want to explain yourself, Miss Emily?” Mr Richards asks. “This is your time to tell us what happened.”
