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I aim my knife and cut at the heavy straps, keeping only the ones on his legs in place just in case he decides he’s going to try to fight me or some shit. I need a chance to move out of the way.
“Are you fucking crazy? You’re going to get us both killed. Who are you?” The vampire has a lot of fucking questions when all he should do is thank me.
“It depends on who you ask. I’m Knox, and Hayley is my girl. We came for her.” I motion toward the prison cell. “I saw you with her.”
He stiffens on the bed, shifting his gaze in the direction of my fingers. “She gave me permission to bite her. Please, don’t hurt me. I’m just trying to fucking survive.”
“You’re lucky it was me and not Monroe to get you right now. Because I don’t plan on hurting you. I want to help you, but I need you to help us first. What do you say? Are you going to be Lawrence’s little bitch, or are you going to show me that you don’t deserve this fate?” I wave my arm around.
The guy frowns and twists his lips to the side. “What the fuck kind of question is that?”
I bob my head. “Good answer. Now tell me about this bullshit. Why are you here? Why were you with Hayley?”
The guy swallows and licks his dry lips. “How about you start by asking me my name? I’m not just going to give you answers to your questions. I want to talk to Hayley first. You said she was yours, but another vampire is with her. He could—”
Monroe materializes on the guy’s other side. “Careful what you say, asshole. Sawyer would never hurt her. You, on the other hand...” Jabbing his hand, Monroe pops the vampire in the jaw, sending his head cracking to the side. “That’s for putting your fangs in my woman. You’re lucky I don’t restrain you and remove them.”
I shove Monroe, forcing him back. “Damn it. Watch the feeds. I’m handling this.”
“Fucking fine. Handle it, goddamn it.” Monroe disappears and reappears outside of the cell door. He quietly knocks his knuckles against the metal, and I regret sending him away. I don’t want Hayley getting disturbed right after she fucked Sawyer for the first time. She deserves his sole attention despite everything.
I make a mental note for his ass about this later. I have to focus on the vampire in front of me now.
Turning my attention away from Monroe as he whispers something to Sawyer, I look to the vampire again. “Sorry about Monroe. He’s protective of our girl. He’s an act first, think about it later type of guy, which is necessary in La Vega. We’re part of the Bella Crew and part owner of the Bella hotel. Where are you from?”
The vampire shifts his gaze from staring behind me at Monroe and back to me. I’m not the only one distracted. “My name’s Cooper. I’m from here. I grew up here, I was transformed here, and I’m sure I’ll fucking die here. I’ve been caring for Hayley and preparing her for the Fright Fights, until tonight, that is.”
He scrubs his fingers into his scruffy face, groaning with the gesture. His jaw looks a bit swollen and bruised, and he’s on the verge of turning feral from his lack of blood but seems to be able to keep his shit together. I’ve seen outcasts far worse. Some Strip dwellers as well.
“What the fuck are those?” I ask, imagining some sort of wrestling match. But worse. If Lawrence keeps donors like this, I can only think of different fucked up ways he’d make a show with them. Before I was bitten and transformed during the uprising, I sometimes caught a wrestling match after a long day at the hospital at a bar. If it’s even remotely like those matches...shit. Hayley isn’t a fighter.
“The hotel’s lame entertainment. Vampires parading in glittery costumes and...killing donors for fake sport. No donor lasts more than a fight or two.” Cooper clenches his jaw tight enough for me to hear his teeth grind together.
My stomach twists at the thought of Hayley being thrown into a ring to participate in a deathmatch. “Why the hell would Lawrence go through all this trouble to sentence Hayley to death for a show? What the actual fuck?” I almost don’t believe it.
“She’s...not expected to lose. I’m training her.” Cooper remains expressionless with his words. His silver eyes glow with his hunger, and I wish he’d give more away. He’s refraining from saying whatever the fuck is on his mind. I wanted to approach him as an ally and someone who can help him, but if he doesn’t spill the details soon, I won’t have a choice but to spill his guts until he talks—or have Monroe do it.
Cooper doesn’t get a chance to respond to my silent threat because Monroe releases a little whistle. I flick my attention towards the entrance to the room, listening as a key turns in the lock. I haven’t seen places that have an actual key lock in who knows how long. Most of the stuff in La Vega is automatic.
“Fuck. It’s Lawrence. Why the fuck is he back so quickly? I thought he would leave Hayley to suffer until she starved.” Cooper lies back and adjusts the machine, pretending to hook himself up again. “Better hide if you don’t want to end up in one of these bunks.”
I unsheathe my weapon and tighten my fingers around the hilt of my blade. “Don’t say anything. If you can prove that you are not on Lawrence’s side, we will get you out.”
Cooper doesn’t say anything, and I join Monroe near that storage closet with huge racks of equipment, making it easy to remain out of sight.
Lawrence creeps into the building at human speed, slowly drinking in the sight of his collection of donors. The twisted fucker draws his fingers along the row of beds closest to the central aisle, and he smiles as if he’s staring at the most precious thing in his world. He’s psychotic enough that it probably is to him. I still can’t believe he created this monstrous place.
“I know you can hear me coming, Mr. Noble. I hope you know that I have thought long and hard about your offering, and I think you can do better.” Lawrence calls the words out with a smile cracking across his face. The old man looks twisted as fuck. He reminds me of one of the brutal human serial killers in the old classic movies. This guy should’ve never been transformed into a vampire. He might be strong, but he will be the ruin of everyone. That is if he ever got out of this small town. The leadership probably realized it, which is why he is here in the first place.
It makes me question Sawyer’s deal just a bit. I know he can’t be serious about helping Lawrence take La Vega, but I know he is confident enough to risk it anyway. Our crew would be furious if they knew. Our ideals are completely opposite of this. We want donors and vampires to coincide more evenly. Well, at least, not this way. Because the vampires here have the shitty end of Mr. Pala’s cane. I can imagine what that fuckhead would do if he knew and created a new alliance with Lawrence.
“Are you not going to respond to me, Mr. Noble?” Lawrence asks, raising his voice louder over the humming machines.
A deep growl hums from the metal door. “I am listening. I don’t need the dramatics. Just tell me what the fuck you want to sweeten the deal. I already expected as much from you. You’re a lot like Aris, you know.”
I cringe as I watch Lawrence’s features sharpen with his anger. He obviously hates being compared to Aris.
“Far from it. He doesn’t have the backbone or the nerve to do what is necessary. His power is wasted. Look how he had such a precious, priceless commodity in his hands for so long, and he didn’t raise her to her proper potential.” Lawrence saunters closer to the door, taking his sweet time. I hate bastards like this, who think that it is some kind of torture to leave someone waiting and impatient. If anything, it just makes me more stabby.
