C a p t u r e d

31: Selfish Fantasy

       

Chapter Thirty-One- Selfish Fantasy

Fantasy

1.      Something stupid.

  I stepped down the cavernous hallway. The lights were dim, because it was almost time for us all to go to "sleep".

  Aubrey had no idea. I could hear her in Nam Ha's room. Nam Ha's been teaching her Vietnamese.

  "Thank you, Nam Ha! Chào buổi tối!"

  The thirteen-year-old left the room, stepping into her own. Aubrey gave me a narrowed, backwards glance, which I totally ignored.

  I stood in Tyson's room. It was dark as night. My mind was pumping too fast.

  Hayden liked me. If it wasn't real affection, then it was definitely infatuation.

  I could use this. I could use him.

  But honestly, thinking about Hayden was starting to scare me. I didn't want to be near him. The thought of his sweet lips on mine made me want to throw up.

  I had to hold it together. I was going to get out of here. Without the help of any vampire- new or old vampire.

  I stepped into Nam Ha's room, like a ghost. She was standing near a tiny mirror, wiping off all her overdramatic, queenly makeup.

  "Laurie," she murmured. "Uzair wouldn't tell me anything. What is this mysterious meeting about?"

  "Don't be loud," I whispered, stepping closer. Aubrey isn't invited."

  She nodded, her expression faltering. "Poor girl. She's intelligent: a total gem. She reminds me of my little sister."

  "You had a sister?"

  Nam Ha smiled slightly. "Her name was Ngai. She was pretty sickly as a kid, so she might not even be around anymore."

  Nam Ha flipped off the lights, getting into the huge bed. I crawled in on the other side, faced away from her.

  Every day was a sleepover. Perks of being a blood slave.

  "That's so wrong," I muttered. "You deserve to know whether happens to Nuh-guy."

  I was pronouncing it wrong. I wasn't Vietnamese.

  "Ngai. Also, well, you know. Despite all the perks, we're just here so that Tyson can have good meals."

  I nodded, slowly, pulling the covers over myself. I gently touched the bitemarks and bandages on my body. Inspecting.

  "What the hell is it like? After so many years here?"

  "Well, Tyson went through a lot of Donors." She laughed, seeing my expression in the darkness. "They got old, Laurie. Most of them were in their eighties."

  "He kept them that old?"

  "Yes. And every year, he would beg them to let him Turn them."

  "Hmm. I can't imagine Tyson doing that."

  "Yes, well, Tyson's been around for milleniums. People change completely- roughly every year or so. So Tyson's been so many people; he's embodied everything."

  Huh. My eyes were closing. But I couldn't go to sleep. I had to hang tight for the meeting.

  Nam Ha fell asleep. Of course she did.

  She was a good friend. Kind. Motherly. Charming and queenly. But damn, that lady could snore. I couldn't sleep at all. She was like a lawnmower, rattling.