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“Trouble, like what happened in the park,” I said, my mind racing.
“Exactly. Every vampire remembers what it is like to be a newborn. That initial hunger…” His voice trailed off as if he were remembering. “Leaving a newborn to fend for themselves is to release a terror upon the human world. Which woulddefinitelydraw notice from the human authorities. Which is exactly why abandoning a newborn is forbidden.”
“Who would do that?” I asked. “Who would risk angering the, um, Strategoi like that?”
“Someone who had nothing to lose.”
I was confused. “What do you mean?”
“There are criminals in the vampire world, just like in the human world,” he explained. “Rogue vampires who like to stir up trouble. Not everyone is content living under the Strategoi’s command.”
“So a criminal vampire changed me without consent to piss off the Strategoi?” I asked, bewildered.
He shrugged. “It's possible, but the location isn’t right. What happened in the park last night will make the local news, but what are the odds that another vampire lives nearby to hear about it? If I wanted to get the Strategoi’s attention, I’d choose a well-known person in a city with a large vampire population. If this happened to a celebrity in LA, they would find out immediately. Then again, why even bother changing them? Just killing a celebrity would do the trick.”
“Then why me?” I asked quietly.
“I don’t know. And I hope we never find out, because that means that whoever did this to you never finds you.”
He was right, but going the rest of my existence without answers was going to make me crazy.
I sighed and looked back up at the sky. We fell back into silence for a while, but I was no longer able to enjoy it.
“I think I’m going to bed,” I said, standing. “I mean, I just need to be alone for a while.”
“I understand.”
“Um-” I broke off, not knowing what to say.
“Call out if you need anything,” he said. “I’ll be nearby.”
“Thanks.” I nodded and went inside.
I spent the rest of the night laying in bed, staring at the ceiling. I eventually drifted off, and thankfully, did not dream.
Chapter 10
WhenIwokeup,the house was silent. I climbed out of bed and crossed to the dresser to look at Adam’s pocket watch. The time said 7:30, but if that was am or pm, I had no way of knowing. I went into the bathroom and washed my face, and used Adam’s hairbrush to tame my hair. I saw my dirty clothes on the floor and grimaced. I went back to the dresser to check the time again. 7:36. A moment later there was a knock at the door.
“Sarah?” Adam’s voice came from the hall.
I opened the door. “Hey.”
He smiled. “It's night. I hope you were able to rest?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I just woke up.”
“You’ll find that you’ll naturally wake up each night, shortly after the sun sets. And you’ll instinctively know when sunrise is coming. You’ll get the hang of it.”
“Good to know,” I said, feeling relieved.
His eyes moved over me. “We need to get you more clothes. But first we’ll eat.”
I followed him outside, where he once again urged me to be calm and listen. It was easier this time, my heartbeat syncing with his almost instantly. I heard the wind, the frogs, and the mice. And something more. I barely gave Adam a glance before I tore away for the woods.
The trees were a blur as I ran by, but I hardly noticed. All of my senses were focused on my prey. This was no deer to be caught unaware. It knew I was coming. Flight or fight, what would it be?
The huge owl flew out of the trees just ahead of me and time seemed to slow as I leapt up and snatched it from the sky. Its talons tore into my chest as I sank my fangs into it. Its great wings beat against my head as we fell towards the ground. Once, twice, then no more. By the time I hit the ground the bird had gone still.
