his apartment? The last question bothered me the most.
When they emerged from my room, bags in hand, I stood up and walked with them to the door.
“Savon?”
He turned, just about to step out of the apartment. “Yes?”
I shot a nervous glance at Jacques who moved like a robot set on autopilot. He stared straight ahead with a fixed gaze, body posture rigid as if trying to keep himself together through sheer will. I didn’t want to upset him, but I needed to know. “Am I really safe here?” That room was made to tie somebody up and beat them bloody. For all I knew, that somebody was me.
Savon caught my look to Jacques and nodded. “Yes. This is all old history. Vampires share space a lot. Now this place is Kristos’ but a—”
“Monster,” Jacques finished for him, his voice flat.
“Another vampire used to live here.” Savon laid a comforting hand on Jacques arm. “But he’s gone now and he can’t hurt anyone.” To me, he said, “You’ll be fine.”
I nodded. “Okay. Thanks for your help.”
They left and the silent security guard shut the door after them. I continued on to the kitchen where I disposed of the glass I’d been holding in my hand and tried not to think of monsters.
Chapter Six
A round dusk, another security guard escorted Doctor Martin into my room. He smiled at me warmly. “How are you feeling, Miss Danson?”
“Myra, please. I’m good.” I held up my hand and showed him the IV was gone. When he frowned, I hastened to explain, “The bag was empty and I didn’t know when you were coming.”
He nodded and opened his briefcase. “All right. Well, let me check your blood pressure and just make sure you aren’t running low. Being around vampires, you want to keep up your blood volume.” He pulled out a cuff and stethoscope.
I held my arm out and remained still while he inflated the cuff until it felt like it would amputate my arm. He listened for a moment and then let go of the bulb.
The cuff hissed as it deflated. “Your blood pressure is perfect and you don’t seem to be dehydrated. I think we can declare you cured. Just be sure to drink lots of fluids to replace what you've lost.” He patted me on the shoulder. “I need to see you late next week so I can remove those stitches in your hand, all right?”
“Sure. Do you come to me or do I come to you?”
“Kristos will let me know.”
“Yes I will,” said Kristos stepping into the room. He flashed a smoldering smile my way and I, predictably, blushed. “Thank you, doctor, you can go now.”
Doctor Martin nodded and gathered his things. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Thanks,” I said as he left the room. Turning my attention to Kristos, I said, “Hi.”
“You’re looking better.” He came to sit next to me on the bed and took my hand in his.
I gave his hand a little squeeze, happy to see him. “Yes, thank you.”
“Nice outfit.” He ran a finger along the collar, making me shiver. “Ready for dinner?”
I shrugged. “Sure. What did you have in mind? More gun fights at swanky restaurants?” I put a hand to my mouth surprised by my sarcastic response, but Kristos just chuckled.
“Very funny. I have something better in mind.” He pulled my hand away and kissed me.
Pushing him back, I said, “Wait a second. We need to talk.” I took his hand and tugged him toward the hallway. “Come on.”
Kristos allowed me to lead him to the torture chamber Jacques had uncovered earlier. “What is this room?” Now that I stood inside, it seemed even worse. Everywhere I looked, there was a whip or some kind of shackle. The room was a prison without prisoners, a place where you lost your freedom.
Kristos looked abashed. If he’d had any circulation, he would have blushed. “It’s a predilection of my kind.”
“What? Torture?” Fear shot through me. “Were you...were you going to beat me?”
His gaze steady, he said, “Not any time soon. It’s something you work up to and it’s not for
When they emerged from my room, bags in hand, I stood up and walked with them to the door.
“Savon?”
He turned, just about to step out of the apartment. “Yes?”
I shot a nervous glance at Jacques who moved like a robot set on autopilot. He stared straight ahead with a fixed gaze, body posture rigid as if trying to keep himself together through sheer will. I didn’t want to upset him, but I needed to know. “Am I really safe here?” That room was made to tie somebody up and beat them bloody. For all I knew, that somebody was me.
Savon caught my look to Jacques and nodded. “Yes. This is all old history. Vampires share space a lot. Now this place is Kristos’ but a—”
“Monster,” Jacques finished for him, his voice flat.
“Another vampire used to live here.” Savon laid a comforting hand on Jacques arm. “But he’s gone now and he can’t hurt anyone.” To me, he said, “You’ll be fine.”
I nodded. “Okay. Thanks for your help.”
They left and the silent security guard shut the door after them. I continued on to the kitchen where I disposed of the glass I’d been holding in my hand and tried not to think of monsters.
Chapter Six
A round dusk, another security guard escorted Doctor Martin into my room. He smiled at me warmly. “How are you feeling, Miss Danson?”
“Myra, please. I’m good.” I held up my hand and showed him the IV was gone. When he frowned, I hastened to explain, “The bag was empty and I didn’t know when you were coming.”
He nodded and opened his briefcase. “All right. Well, let me check your blood pressure and just make sure you aren’t running low. Being around vampires, you want to keep up your blood volume.” He pulled out a cuff and stethoscope.
I held my arm out and remained still while he inflated the cuff until it felt like it would amputate my arm. He listened for a moment and then let go of the bulb.
The cuff hissed as it deflated. “Your blood pressure is perfect and you don’t seem to be dehydrated. I think we can declare you cured. Just be sure to drink lots of fluids to replace what you've lost.” He patted me on the shoulder. “I need to see you late next week so I can remove those stitches in your hand, all right?”
“Sure. Do you come to me or do I come to you?”
“Kristos will let me know.”
“Yes I will,” said Kristos stepping into the room. He flashed a smoldering smile my way and I, predictably, blushed. “Thank you, doctor, you can go now.”
Doctor Martin nodded and gathered his things. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Thanks,” I said as he left the room. Turning my attention to Kristos, I said, “Hi.”
“You’re looking better.” He came to sit next to me on the bed and took my hand in his.
I gave his hand a little squeeze, happy to see him. “Yes, thank you.”
“Nice outfit.” He ran a finger along the collar, making me shiver. “Ready for dinner?”
I shrugged. “Sure. What did you have in mind? More gun fights at swanky restaurants?” I put a hand to my mouth surprised by my sarcastic response, but Kristos just chuckled.
“Very funny. I have something better in mind.” He pulled my hand away and kissed me.
Pushing him back, I said, “Wait a second. We need to talk.” I took his hand and tugged him toward the hallway. “Come on.”
Kristos allowed me to lead him to the torture chamber Jacques had uncovered earlier. “What is this room?” Now that I stood inside, it seemed even worse. Everywhere I looked, there was a whip or some kind of shackle. The room was a prison without prisoners, a place where you lost your freedom.
Kristos looked abashed. If he’d had any circulation, he would have blushed. “It’s a predilection of my kind.”
“What? Torture?” Fear shot through me. “Were you...were you going to beat me?”
His gaze steady, he said, “Not any time soon. It’s something you work up to and it’s not for
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