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“A tiny wee thing you are. ”
Annoyance robbed the respect I knew I should’ve kept in my voice. “Lucky me. Another Scotsman. ”
“You’ve some experience with my countrymen?” Even though his voice was weak, he sounded bemused.
“Unfortunately. ” Ronan’s face popped into my mind, and I shoved it back out.
“Fascinating. Highlander or Islander?”
“Look, I asked if you were Master McCloud—”
“Don’t Master me, lass. ” The weakness disappeared, making his tone steely.
“Fine. I just needed to make sure you were down here. ” I approached even closer, until I could make out his features, and then I wished I hadn’t. I’d never seen a starving vampire before, and the sight made me reel. It was a decayed corpse I was speaking to, his face all sharp edges and deep lines, gray and desiccated, with skin as thin as paper clinging atop gruesomely pronounced bones and tendons.
“I’m a piteous thing, am I not?” he asked, guessing at my horror. Metal clinked as he shifted his arms. They were chained over his head, and I saw now how he hung there, barely supporting himself on his feet, some sort of Halloween decoration come to nightmarish life.
“You’re starving,” I said stupidly.
“And she’s bright, too. ”
I didn’t have time for this. “Yeah, whatever. Now listen. They’re going to kill you tonight unless I return with help. Master Alcántara—”
“Hugo is with you?” He cut me off, his attitude gone frosty.
“Yes. He sent me to find you. ” I knelt to retrieve my knife, and it slid from the dead vampire’s chest with a dull suck. I patted the body down until I felt the ring of keys tied at his waist. Perfect.
I was almost done…so close now to freedom. All I needed to do was relay Carden’s exact location to Alcántara and I’d be on my way. Bringing the keys would only be icing on the cake for him. Then, when he was preoccupied with his part of the plan, I’d make a break for it. I’d spied several boats docked on this side of the island—by the time Alcántara noticed me gone, I’d be stowed away and en route to someplace populated by humans. Those bigger boats probably made stops in places like Norway or Iceland all the time.
I ignored his intense scrutiny as I cleaned my blade, using my apron to wipe the excess blood clean. I hoped the black material would conceal the stains—it wouldn’t do me any good to emerge from the dungeons looking like a butcher—and spent a split second debating the merits of finding water to wash off the stench versus simply hightailing it out of there. I decided to risk it and opt for hightail.
I pocketed the keys and gripped the knife, ready for action. Finally, I looked over at him again. “I’ll come back with help. ”
He gave me an easy smile. “You don’t seem the sort of girl who needs much help. ”
“Not generally, no. ” My reply was distracted, my mind already in another place. I was so close. Close to success. Close to the end of this mission, and to escape.
“So why not unlock me now?”
Why not? It did seem the obvious choice. I really looked at him then. “How am I supposed to sneak out a half-dead vampire?”
“You’re here with the keys,” he pressed. “We can split up. I won’t put you in danger. Why not let me go?”
If I wanted to escape, I needed to do everything to the letter. Alcántara had stressed his instructions over and over. Find out where Carden is. That is all. Do not do anything yourself. “Because that wasn’t the plan. ”
He gave me an irreverent smirk. “Hugo and his plans. ”
He’d said it so mockingly, somehow I felt included in the criticism. It riled me. “We can’t both just waltz out of here. They’ll know the moment you’re gone and raise an alarm, and then we’re both screwed. ”
He stared at me for a moment, then nodded sagely. “Of course. ”
Something about that nod set me on edge—it seemed to imply so much more. “We are coming back for you,” I insisted.
“Please leave me now. Leave and forget me. ” Like that, the cockiness was gone from his voice. “This has been a delightful rescue. You, a lovely champion…though I fear you are wasted on Hugo Alcántara. ”
I stepped up to the cell, wrapping my hands around the bars. “If Alcántara says he’s going to get you out of here, we’re seriously going to get you out of here. ”
He gave me a smile, but it was melancholy and knowing, and totally unnerving. “Will you do me one favor?”
