A soft whine from the dog reminded me my hand had gone still. I resumed petting poochie, perhaps harder than necessary but he leaned in.
Timothy suddenly appeared with the tablet, offering it to Grim to sign. Neither showed any hint of emotion or remorse.
And here I thought Timothy was a good guy, but he lied. Grim killed, and he enjoyed it. I knew it from the gleam in his eye, and the lift of his lips when he toyed with her.
I had to get the blood clot outta here. Silently backing up, I retreated into the open elevator. I needed to escape. The dog trotted after me but didn’t follow me inside.
Whatever lay behind that massive stone door was a fate worse than death, and I was all full up on weird, terrifying shit for the day. Yep, all full up. No más.
Pressing the button, the elevator dinged loudly. The voices hushed, and the dog whined.
7
Fucking perfect. I might as well have stripped down to my underwear, run around, and quacked like a duck. Might have been less subtle. I hid in the corner, drawn into myself as the doors shut, waiting for Grim to appear in a fury and then throw me to whatever he had behind door number one. Unable to help myself, I pressed the white button repeatedly. But I didn’t have the key to the elevator like Grim did. I was totally screwed.
Footsteps were approaching. My heart lodged itself in my throat. Backed into the corner, a helpless mouse, I waited for the predator to come and rip me to shreds.
Maybe I could escape out the top hatch. Then again, if I hopped on top of the elevator and they sent it back to the penthouse, I’d be smashed into a pancake.A vamp-cake?I shook my head.
You’re a vampire now. You’d survive that…probably…maybe.
I was super strong and immortal, but I still had no desire to be maimed.
Magically, the doors slid close and my shoulders dropped in relief. Guess you didn’t need a key if the destination was the lobby.
As soon as the elevator opened on the main level, I wasted no time hauling ass across the black marble floor. I was almost to the front doors when they opened. A couple strode in, followed by orange rays of sun. I reared back with a reactive hiss.
Shit, it was still daylight. I’d have to hide for a little while longer. A ding reached my ears. They were calling the elevator back down.Blood bags.
Instead of running out onto the Strip, I booked it farther into the hotel.
I slowed down to a fast walk when I got pointed stares. The hotel staff eyed me, while a security guard lazily made his way toward me. Death owned this place and everyone inside. There were security cameras littered everywhere, so no matter where I went, I’d be easy to find.
If memory served, there were windowless corridors that connected some of the hotels.
And yet, you don’t remember where you lived before all this. Tragic.
I shook off the pathetic thought and made my way past restaurants and shops. Hotel guests milled about, but there was no blending in here. I stuck out like a janky, half-crumbling donut amid five-tiered wedding cakes. From their cutting gazes, it was clear they also knew I did not belong. I should have donned the short slinky rhinestone-bomb dress and a fur coat if I wanted to fit in here. Ah, to be a high-class hooker.
After making a few wrong turns, I eventually found the corridor that led to the neighboring hotel. I had to get away from Sinopolis’s cameras.
The décor morphed from sleek chic to a colorful, childish castle theme. The metal ping of the slots competed with the pop music playing in the background. The crowd thickened as people were all out seeking dinner. Cigarette smoke choked the air. The masses here were less posh than those at the Sinopolis. Less Louboutins, way more fanny packs. It was a cinch for me to blend in now. While I was pretty sure Death didn’t have access to cameras in here, I ducked when I spotted one. I disappeared in the crowd, wondering if I could keep this up until the sun set?
I pretended to be interested in some of the shops, sticking close to other groups of people. I hadn’t been around this many people since I turned vampire. Countless heartbeats pounded around me in excitement, and I heard the blood rush through their veins. The prospect of a delicious, hot meal straight from the source left me with a heady faint feeling.
No. You had plenty to drink. Do not do it. You are not a monster.
Thank god I drank until I almost exploded before leaving the penthouse prison. I’d never sunk my fangs in anyone’s neck. Part of me desperately wanted to know what it was like. I feared it would be too good. If I drank straight from the source, would I lose control? A knot formed in my stomach.
I needed to stay focused. Only about a half hour before I could blow this joint.
The crowded cafeteria was the best place to get lost. I waited by a fountain near a group of girls who were taking selfies. Their giggles reached shrill decibels only a dog could detect. They reminded me of a rabid pack of hyenas.
My attention caught on a kid who was off at a table by himself. He looked ten years old, wore an Iron Man shirt, and his thick, curly hair was cropped close to his head. He was alone, hands folded in his lap as if patiently waiting for someone.
Two men and a woman argued at the table next to him. Their slurred voices rose as the fight escalated. One man jumped up, flipping the table before diving at the other dude across from him. The girl let loose a shrill scream. They started throwing punches. To me, it all happened in slow motion. They were about to fall into the lone kid, and he wouldn’t get out of the way in time.
Everything slowed down as I used my super speed to dart over to the kid. I grabbed the boy, yanking him back, as the two men crashed into his chair. I set him down and crouched down to eye level. “You okay, kid?” We stood at the far wall by the McDonald’s now.
