The Vampire & the Rebel (Completed)

Part 2: Chapter 2

It was like I was dead, which should have been rather familiar and comforting, but instead felt strange, dark, and unpleasant. My body seemed to have no interest in responding when I tried to move it. Perhaps I truly had left the world at long last.

More pain than I had felt since I had been properly alive wracked my chest, and that was saying something since I had survived the human suppression wars. My chest ached, sending sharp pains spiralling much further than my original injury.

Something touched my lips, warmth trickled into my mouth, something sweetly metallic. After a moment I swallowed the life that would continue to animate me.

Opening my eyes, I discovered Dean above me. His wrist was pressed against my mouth. He was sitting on the edge of my mattress, the edge of it sinking under his weight. I looked further to find that Leif was sitting off to the side in the chair most of my guards used.

I drank what I absolutely needed, then pushed Dean away. I felt somewhat better, although I was still ravenous. Apparently getting staked took a lot of energy out of a vampiress.

"Thank you, Dean," I rasped.

He nodded and with that, my gentle giant left the room.

I turned my attention to Leif.

"Did Jamie get away?" I asked. My voice sounded dry.

"No. We caught him."

"Why?"

"He tried to kill you."

I attempted a shrug, a foolish move since it shifted my chest and caused terrible pain. "Darn it, that hurts."

Leif looked sympathetic. "I can get more medicine."

"No, don't bother. It's wasted on me. Where is he?"

"He was taken to New Haven."

I groaned. "Why would anyone take him there?"

Leif was less self-assured than usual. I suppose my near end had shaken him. "He had to be taken somewhere, and he's a threat, Vienne. You know that as well as I do."

I rolled my eyes and even that seemed to be taxing. "And letting him see more of our secrets makes him less of a threat?"

"Yes."

"How much does he know?"

"Javier said that Lucas and Rene were there when he came to."

"Came to?"

"He wasn't cooperating so he was knocked out."

I frowned to demonstrate my annoyance. My games with Jamie had unravelled, but at least the influx of blood was beginning to work. Getting staked seemed to be a rather unpleasant experience, all things considered, although that kiss might just have made it worth the trouble.

Unfortunately, it seemed no game ever could last forever. Except perhaps Monopoly. Or War—now there was a card game made for someone with indefinite years to waste.

"So what in the world were you thinking by moving him there?" I asked, trying to fathom why my humans might have done something so foolish as to take him to the heart of everything.

"They were closer to there than here."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Marcel probably wanted to rub the truth of what he did in his face, and apparently Javier didn't see any reason to stop him."

That made more sense, but I was vexed.

"How about the other escapees?"

"We caught them, they're locked up in the dungeons."