4. Lorna

Two meals, then Conrad left me another blood offering. Only this time, a silent glare was all I got with it. No threats or promises. I glared back from my spot on the bed.

Two meals after that and—you guessed it—another blood offering. Conrad was still silent.

The offerings came every two meals for five days. I had to assume I was getting fed twice a day; I had no other way to mark my time. Each time Conrad showed up, I missed out on a meal. I guess he thought that little puddle of blood he left me would do the trick.

Asshole.

My filthy jeans hung low on my hips; I'd lost weight in the last several days. I was constantly exhausted and losing strength. Either I learned to ignore my growling stomach, or it'd quit protesting about the lack of food.

Or maybe I just didn't care. Lies! I wasn't ready to die, but I didn't even have the energy to keep up with my exercises. Had they put something in my food? I hadn't missed that many meals, but I was quickly wasting away. Two meals a day should've been enough to at least keep me healthy.

Even worse, my resolve was weakening. Every time I had to wash away Conrad's blood, my dhampir's hunger increased, as did my sadness. If I were honest with myself, I'd call it depression, but I was in denial. I couldn't accept my fate or the future staring at me from the spotlight on the ceiling. They never turned off the damned light.

If Conrad filled my room with vampires now, I wasn't sure I could remain impassive. I might be able to stop myself from attacking them, but they would see my hunger.

I lay flat on my back on the cot. I must have gotten used to the stench. It certainly hadn't gone away on its own. I washed myself as best I could in the sink, but without soap or a change of clothes, there was only so much I could do.

I longed for a hot bath and a scrub brush. Maybe even a scouring pad. I briefly wondered if I'd need one of those sand-blasting machines just to get the dirt off. An unwanted snicker erupted from my lips. I had to be losing my mind.

No, not yet. I wasn't ready to give up yet.

"I'm coming in, D'laej," Jared's voice echoed in my room.

I didn't move. Didn't even look his way when the door opened. The sound of a bag crinkling reached my ears.

"Yippee, another lovely sandwich," I muttered.

When I didn't hear the door close, I rolled my head just enough to see my visitor. The look of longing Jared normally gave me was replaced by something else. Maybe guilt or regret.

"How long have I been here, Jared?" I asked.

He rubbed the back of his neck and pulled his gaze from mine. I huffed and went back to staring at the ceiling. I don't know why I'd expected an answer.

"Just leave," I said.

"Eighteen days," he whispered so quietly I barely heard.

I shot up off my cot, but the door closed, and the locks rolled into place before I could get to him.

"Eighteen days?" I repeated just as softly, hating the desperation in my voice. I'd been counting my meals completely wrong. They were only feeding me once a day, not twice. Did that mean I missed an entire day when Conrad left me his blood?

No wonder I was losing weight. The hateful bastards were barely giving me enough to keep me moving. My dhampir hammered against her cage, and I nodded in her direction. Enough was enough. No, I had no intention of drinking Conrad's blood. But I was done being nice. I wouldn't cooperate anymore.

Jared had just brought me meal number one in our twisted rotation. The next time he showed up, I'd be ready. A plan started forming in my head. The more detailed it became, the thinner the walls got around my dhampir. We both agreed we were done being a prisoner.

Yes, ‘we'. I'd accepted several days ago that she was a separate person from me. I could feel her in a way I didn't feel Mallory or Gale because my other two personas were created by me. My dhampir was not.

Conrad's tactics would only get harsher as time went on. I'd managed to deny him for way longer than I thought I could. I was sort of surprised he hadn't escalated already. I'd bet everything I owned that fear was keeping him in check. After all, he couldn't compel me. While I wanted to know why, it didn't really matter.

He couldn't force me to drink his blood, but he could knock me out and drink mine. Had he? I didn't think so, but would I really know? The more I thought about it, the more I suspected he had. He probably stole my blood that first night when they knocked me out and moved me to this cell.

All he needed to gain access to my magic was for me to drink his blood. At least, according to Kenrid, that's how it worked. A blood exchange would make both of us exponentially stronger. Giddiness fluttered in my stomach.

My dhampir liked that idea. With the power of a vampire's blood, she could compel all of them, and we could escape. It wasn't a bad plan. No matter how I looked at my situation, I had to awaken my magic to gain my freedom. I wasn't stupid enough to think I could fight them all without my dhampir.

After what I thought was half a day—or half the time until my next sandwich—I parked my ass on the floor. I guessed the distance to ensure the door could still swing open without bumping into me, but I'd still be able to reach out and grab it easily.

I crossed my legs and assumed the standard lotus pose, letting myself fall into a deep meditation. It didn't last long. You'd think after being in the tiny cell for eighteen days—or was it nineteen now?—I'd be done with the boredom. Nope.

I resorted to doing all kinds of yoga until my body wore out, then I resumed my lotus. At some point, I fell asleep right there in the middle of the concrete floor. But it must have been a quick nap because I still had time for another round of stretches before Jared showed up.

I'd just assumed my pose and cleared my mind when Jared's voice echoed over the speaker.

"D'laej, move to the bed so I can bring in your meal," he said. His voice sounded tired, but I didn't give a damn.

I also didn't move from my spot. My eyes stayed closed, my body stayed relaxed, and my mind stayed calm. I'd made all my decisions. There was no turning back now.

"D'laej?"

Silence.

"Mallory?"

I flinched, but hopefully, he couldn't see it on the camera. I knew they had always known my name. Assholes!

"I'm coming in," Jared said. "I don't want to see you hurt, so don't move."

I didn't make a sound or move a muscle. The locks tumbled over, and the door creaked. I opened my eyes just enough to see Jared peek in. I still didn't move. I needed him to push the door just a little farther. He was way faster than me. Unless I caught him by surprise, he'd be gone before I could blink.

"Mallory?" he whispered. "Are you okay?"

It took all my restraint not to respond to my name. It took even more restraint not to draw in his luscious scent. Now that my dhampir was no longer caged, her needs were right on the surface. She wanted his blood.

Jared's boot scuffed the floor as he took a step closer, holding one hand on the door. "Mallory? Talk to me."

Another step and the door opened a little wider. I slowly opened my eyes and smiled at the man whose face was mere inches from mine. My dhampir's magic reached for him, like an invisible hand stretching out and caressing his cheek. I didn't stop her. He was our means to escape. He hadn't been awful to me, but he hadn't tried to help me either. At any time, he could've slipped me some extra food. But he didn't.

I could feel the moment my magic enthralled him. It slipped into his mind and wove around the little sparks in his brain. He made me feel welcome, and my smile widened. I wondered if a vampire's compulsion felt the same. I giggled because I'd likely never know. Conrad had tried to compel me but failed. Could I be lucky enough to be immune?

"Jared," I purred softly. "You will do exactly as I say."

His furrowed brow smoothed out, and he smiled back at me. "Of course I will."

"Hold the door for me," I instructed, rising to my feet.

Jared did exactly as I wanted. The guy behind the camera did exactly as I expected. A bitter smell reached my nose as Jared and I rushed out the door. It slammed shut, and I spun around to face my now-willing helper.

"Thank you for everything," I said, cupping the sides of his face.

The scent of his blood wrapped around me along with his arms. He leaned forward, and I let him press his nose against my neck. I did the same to him, then closed my eyes and let my dhampir take complete control.

Any apprehension I might have had about harming Jared vanished completely. There was no more indecision, no more thoughts of guilt or consequences. Only freedom from my prison. Our prison.

My vision sharpened, and I could now hear the murmur of voices somewhere else in the building. A chair scraped against the floor in the room across the hall, and a man's voice trickled in through the door.

"She's free, Master Conrad," the man said. "She's got Jared."

Time's up, I thought. Or maybe it was my dhampir.

My fangs pierced Jared's skin. As soon as his blood hit my tongue, everything stopped. A euphoria I never could've imagined washed over me with each gulp of his chocolatey goodness. I could taste the hint of orange that his scent promised. It was decadent but not nearly satisfying enough.

All too quickly, it stopped.

"What the hell?"

"My turn," Jared growled.

Before I could stop him, pain erupted on that soft flesh where my shoulder met my neck. Jared's fangs plunged through skin and muscle. With his first swallow of my blood, a wave of magic raced through my veins. My entire body lit up like a thousand-watt lightbulb. My physical hunger faded, and my thirst for blood tripled. A foreign—yet very welcome—strength soaked through my muscles and into my bones. My entire body shuddered as it absorbed wave after wave of magic. I felt like I could pick up the Earth and tilt it off its axis.

It still wasn't enough.

I ripped Jared's face away from my neck and tore into his. Blood flooded my mouth, and I lapped it up like a kitten. My rescuer made a strange gargling noise, and I commanded him to shut up. He did. I continued to feast on his deliciousness. Every time the blood flow stopped, I just tore open another vein. He had so much blood.

It still wasn't enough.

When he fell limp in my arms, I let him slide to the floor.

My dhampir smiled and licked her lips, then reached down and tore Jared's head from his body. Mallory was horrified, Lorna was conflicted, and Gale gave her a high five. Just like that, my dhampir overpowered all my other personas. Including D'laej, who obviously never stood a chance.

The only thing that existed was my monster and her hunger.

Right before my eyes, Jared's body fell away, transitioning from a bloody mess to a pile of sticky ash. He wasn't the only one transitioning from life to death. A metaphysical curtain fell between me and my dhampir. I could sense everything around me, but she had complete control. I was nothing more than a spectator, and I honestly didn't mind. Maybe when all this was done, I'd look back with loathing, but not today. Not now. It was time to escape.

"Cool," I quipped, then stepped around the pile of dirt and blood. I giggled some more and strolled down the hall. "Look at that! There is a little exit sign telling me how to get out of this hellhole."

There it was. One of those EXIT signs hanging from the ceiling, glowing red. I skipped down the hall and pushed the door open, then squealed in ecstasy.

"No one move!" I commanded. My magic shot out like a huge fishing net trapping the dozen or so vampires waiting for me. "I need to count you before dinner." My own little buffet. How sweet and thoughtful of Conrad to have them waiting.

"No, you fools! Kill her!" Conrad's panicked pleas fell on deaf ears.

I searched the sea of faces now looking at me with love and adoration. The master vampire cowered in the back of the group. Apparently I needed a little more oomph to snare him.

"Conrad, my dear," I said in my most sultry voice. "I think you and I can come to some sort of arrangement here, can't we?"

He nodded, making his locs fall into his face. He didn't even try to push them back. "Sure, we … we can make a deal," he stuttered.

"Very good." I rubbed my hands together and strolled across the large open space. It was sort of like a hotel lobby with chairs and sofas intimately grouped. "Here's what we're going to do," I sang, pointing at the entranced vampires as I strolled by. "Everyone find a seat with your favorite bloodsucker."

My little puppets smiled and did exactly as I asked. I counted them as they gathered into small groups. One, two, three, four … Yes! Thirteen, counting their master, who now stood alone in the center. Just like I wanted. I sauntered up to him and grinned. His eyes met mine, and I felt a little tug. I almost had him. Almost.

I leaned into his personal space and drew in a deep breath. His blood was so strong. Like rich, dark chocolate layered with chocolate mousse, a touch of citrus, and sprinkled with chocolate shavings. I hummed against his skin, my lips brushing his jaw.

He shivered and leaned his cheek against mine. My dhampir's magic raced toward him. His breath hitched, and I knew I had him.

"Where are all your staff who aren't vampires?" I asked, allowing him to run his tongue down my neck.

"I sent them away," he replied, his breath hot on my skin. "I couldn't take the risk of the fae finding out you were here."

Just what I needed to know. No one would interfere with my feasting.

"Time to play," I cooed.