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Chapter Two
Angelina
The camp, as Gideon called it, was at the bottom of a tall high-rise on the south side of Detroit.
“How long have you guys been here?”
“About two months.The building we are in was ravaged by fire, and the main structure of the building collapsed and took out half the block.This area underground was blocked off by debris, but a few of our people began to work on it a little bit at a time.Finally, they found a way inside and discovered it was almost perfect.There weren’t many people left in this neighborhood.It’s mostly homeless people now, or those hiding from the law, and of course, us.All the businesses that were here went belly up when the raids started.”
“Is it safe down here?I mean, nothing is going to cave in, is it?”I stared above me, wondering what would happen if the ceiling collapsed.
“One of our guys, Beck, is an engineer.He went through things meticulously before we began to set this up as our home.He says it’s safe, and I trust him.”
“And the humans don’t know you are here?”
He shrugged.“They might, but they don’t come to this part of town often.Since all the businesses left, the humans moved to the city's north side, where there is more protection for them.Down here, they call it dead man’s land.”
“You’re lucky.I’ve been to Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and several other smaller towns, and they are either like ghost towns or military installations.”
“Yeah.”He pointed toward a staircase, and we started going up.“I’ve been in this area since shit went down.I lived in the suburbs, not too far from the city, but had to leave when most of the breed I knew were killed.Since then, I’ve been here, but I hear stories from others when they arrive.That’s part of my job, to find out what’s going on out there and find others like us to bring back here to raise our numbers.”
“Where are we going?”
“I’m going to show you to your room.”
I stopped halfway up the flight.“Gideon, I appreciate you taking me in for a night or two, but I never said I was going to stay.I don’t need a room, just a bed to sleep in for a couple of days—at most.”
He stepped down so that he was standing at eye level with me.“I know, but I’m hoping that after you see what we are about, and you hear what we have done and what we plan, then you will want to stay and lead us.Besides, I would think that you would want your privacy.”
Okay, fine.That I did want.I shook my head.“I don’t know why you think I could lead you.I’m not my sister.I’m not a leader.”
He pursed his lips, and I saw a muscle tick in the side of his cheek as he stared down the stairs.“Angelina, are you not a reborn?”
“Yes.”
“Are you not strong?”
I rolled my eyes.“Of course I’m strong, and yes, I can do things that others can’t, but that doesn’t make me a leader.”
“You won’t be making decisions alone.There are eight of us that make the decisions here, and we will keep making them until you are ready to take over.”
“What makes you think that I will ever be ready to take over or work with a bunch of people that I don’t know?Maybe I just want to rest for a few days, then climb back under a rock until a year is over and my sister returns.”
The moment I said that I winced internally.I didn’t mean to tell him that.Unfortunately, he heard every word.“The mistress is coming back in a year?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”He shifted to stand closer to me.“What do you know?Where is she?Is there a way to contact her?”
I shook my head.“No.There’s not a way to contact her, and I don’t know where she is, so don’t bother asking.”
“How can younotknow where she is?”
“Because the compound that they are in is hidden from everyone.I only know it is in the mountains somewhere.I know nothing else.”
He studied me as if he were trying to gauge my words for truth.Finally, he nodded.“I know this place isn’t your home, but you could make it that while you are waiting for her.It’s scary out there, Angelina.You would be safe here with us.”
“Yeah, but you’re building this place larger.Once they realize how big your numbers are, they will come for you, and then all of these vampires will be dead.”
