Souls of the Damned (Kat Redding) (19 page)

My dreams that night were scattered and broken. I kept waking up, certain Levi was in the room with me and that he knew everything. Each time I woke, the room would be empty and the house silent. I’d sit there, trembling, waiting for something to happen, before finally lying back down and drifting off again.

I would have tried to stay up all night, but knew I’d need my strength when we made a run for it. Sleeping isn’t easy when you fear for your life.

It was almost a blessing when morning arrived. I forced myself to stay in bed a little longer than I wanted to, knowing Levi was in the house and he might question it if I was up and moving before anyone else. I was also afraid that if I saw him face to face, he’d see something in my eyes that would alarm him. It was going to be hard enough to escape
without
him knowing my plan. It would be impossible to do so with him after us.

A faint knock at my door caused me to sit up. Levi pushed open the door and poked his head inside, a smile on his face. He must have had a good night’s work.

“Time to get up, Sienna,” he said. “Breakfast will be ready shortly.”

“K.”

He closed the door. I waited until the sound of his footfalls faded before getting up and picking out clothing that would be suitable for a cross-country trek. I carried them into the bathroom where I took my time getting showered. The longer this took, the less likely it was I’d have to deal with Levi.

I toweled off and before getting dressed, I did my stretches. I might not get a chance to make a run for it for hours, but I wanted to be ready the moment the opportunity arose.

“Sienna?” Levi called from downstairs.

“Coming!” I quickly got dressed and headed downstairs, running shoes in hand.

Eilene was sitting at her usual place at the table. She looked nervous, which in turn, made me nervous. The tension could give us away as quickly as blurting out our intentions. I gave her a smile that I hoped would set her mind at ease, but only caused her scowl.

“Here we are,” Levi said, coming out of the kitchen. He set a pitcher of orange juice on the table. The glasses were already in place, as were the plates. I did a quick count and found there to be four settings.

“We’re having company, I see,” I said, sitting.

“We are!” Levi chuckled. “I thought it was time we all got to know each other. Breakfast seemed like the perfect opportunity for that.” He gave me a smile that told me there was more to it than that. I think he wanted me to believe he was trying to be there for Sienna, but I wasn’t buying it. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

Levi vanished down the stairs, presumably to retrieve Chris the werewolf. As soon as he was gone, I leaned across the table and spoke quickly and quietly to Eilene.

“Are you packed and ready to go?”

“Mostly.”

“Are you sure you can do this?”

Eilene gave me a flat look. “No,” she said. “But I’m willing to try.”

“Okay,” I said, nervously glancing toward the stairs. “I have something of a plan. After we eat, distract Levi for about ten minutes. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“What are you going to do?”

I shook my head and sat back as Levi returned with Chris trailing behind him. The wolf looked a little worse for wear. His hair was mussed and he yawned three times before he reached the chair and plopped down in it. He clearly wasn’t used to being up so early. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that early mornings was how Levi helped control his furrier victims. He couldn’t do that with the vampires.

“Morning,” Chris mumbled through another yawn. He glanced around the table until his eyes fell on me. He smiled. “It is definitely a good morning.” He ran his fingers through his hair in a vain attempt to tame it.

I gave him a friendly smile and looked away. I didn’t want him to get the wrong idea about me, but I also didn’t want him to dislike me either. I was going to need him.

Levi missed the whole exchange because he had left the room as soon as Chris had settled into his chair. He returned from the kitchen a moment later with a tray. The smell of sausage and eggs caused my stomach to rumble. I was hungry, but was afraid I might throw up anything I managed to get down. I was far too nervous, but I did have to eat. I would need my strength if we were going to do this.

Levi placed the tray in the middle of the table. “Eat up,” he said, taking his own place.

I forced myself to eat a large helping, though I made sure to keep it small enough as not to arouse Levi’s suspicions. Eilene picked at her own food, which was her norm, eating only a few bites before giving up the ghost of an appetite. She kept her eyes averted from everyone.

“Chris here has been telling me that he worked at a law firm in Illinois up until his conversion,” Levi said, shoving two pieces of sausage into his mouth at once. He chewed noisily as he nodded for Chris to take up the story.

“I did,” Chris said, flushing. “I was new, so I didn’t get into it much before having to give it up.”

Okay, that meant I’d have to add a few years to my estimate of his age, but not too many. I’d put him at maybe twenty-four now, maybe a year or two younger.

“Would you like to do that sort of work again?” Levi asked.

“I suppose.” Chris looked more and more uncomfortable, as if talking about his former life was too much for him to bear. “But they don’t want someone like me working there. It is considered too dangerous. I tried to hide what I am, but you know how things are . . .” His eyes flickered to mine before returning to his food. “I made a mistake and everyone found out.”

“Well, that’s what you’re here for. We’ll fix you right up.” Levi winked before shoving more food into his mouth.

Chris smiled at his eggs before glancing over to me. “So, what are you into, Sienna?”

I had no idea how to answer that. There wasn’t all that much to do around here and I really didn’t know what Sienna enjoyed outside of sitting in her room. I shrugged and moved the remains of my food around my plate. Maybe if I didn’t say anything, he’d drop the whole thing.

Chris cleared his throat a few times before speaking again. “Well, maybe once I get in control of this thing, you and I could, I don’t know, go get something to eat sometime?”

Oh, boy. “I don’t know . . .”

“I’m not asking for much,” he said. “It’s just that you seem to be comfortable around, well, my kind, so I thought that maybe . . .” He trailed off, clearly embarrassed.

“Maybe,” I said, really hoping he would stop talking about it. I could tell Levi wasn’t too keen about the werewolf hitting on his stepdaughter.

“I promise to treat you right.” Chris reached across the table and rested his hand on my own, gently caressing the back of my hand with his thumb.

Levi slammed his fist down, causing everyone to jump. Egg and orange juice spilled onto the table and ran onto the floor.

“You are
not
here to hit on my daughter,” he growled.

“I—I’m sorry.”

Levi pushed his chair back and stood. “I think we’ve eaten enough.”

Chris didn’t argue. He stood without having to be told. Levi grabbed him by the arm and all but dragged him out of the room and downstairs. He didn’t reprimand the wolf as they went, but really, he didn’t need to. His actions were warning enough.

Levi returned a moment later, chest heaving. He looked like he wanted to break something. He scanned the table, his jaw working overtime as he ground his teeth. It was clear he wanted to explain his harsh reaction to what really wasn’t all that bad of a gesture, but was having a hard time coming up with something to say that wouldn’t make him sound like an overprotective asshat.

“I don’t feel so good,” Eilene said, suddenly. She grabbed her stomach and squeezed her eyes closed as if in immense pain.

Levi frowned, looking mildly irritated at having his tirade interrupted, but seemed to realize that wasn’t the sort of image he wanted to project. A look of concern passed over his face as he rushed over to Eilene’s side and knelt beside her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, gently touching her back as if afraid he might make her pain worse.

“I don’t know. I think I need to lie down for a little while. Could you . . . could you help me upstairs?”

Levi frowned again, eyes going toward the stairs where he’d just taken Chris. “Sure,” he said, helping her to her feet, though it was clear he wanted to be elsewhere.

He led Eilene past me. Just before they passed, Eilene gave me the faintest of nods before wincing as if in more pain. As soon as they were up the stairs, I rose.

It was game time.

I rushed downstairs to the door in the laundry room. Levi had locked it from the outside, but thankfully, kept the keys on the wall next to the door. I grabbed the keys, unlocked the door, and threw it open.

Chris sat on the bed, head in his hands. There was a sprout of fur around his ears and on the backs of his hands, warning me he wasn’t in full control of his beast. I wasn’t sure if that would hinder or help me in the plan I’d concocted during the night.

“Chris,” I said, causing him to raise his head. He looked surprised to see me instead of Levi. “You have to get out of here.”

“What?” His voice was husky with his struggle with his monster. “Why?”

“Levi plans on killing you.”

Chris stood, face going pale. His eyes flashed a brief yellow before bleeding back to their normal color. “He wouldn’t do that.”

“I have proof.” I motioned for him to come to the doorway. The closer I could get him to the exit, the more likely it would be that he would go.

Chris approached warily. “Why should I believe you?” he asked. “I haven’t seen anything that would indicate Levi has any plans on hurting me. In fact, he wants to help.”

“There’s a place,” I said, not having to work hard to show him my fear. “It’s a building west of here. Levi has surrounded it with . . . fear.” I didn’t know how else to put it. “Inside are bodies. After he kills someone, he drains their blood and keeps them there.”

Chris took a step back and frowned at me. “You’re serious.”

“Dead serious.”

“Why would he do that?”

I glanced toward the stairs. I had no idea how long Eilene could keep Levi distracted. If Levi came downstairs now, we were sunk.

“He hates your kind,” I said. “He always has. Haven’t you noticed how strange the people of Delai are? He strips them of everything that makes them, well, them. And those he can’t control, he murders.”

“I just thought . . .” Chris trailed off and shook his head. “I don’t know what I thought. The people here do seem a little off, but I just thought they were eccentric.”

“Please.” I reached out and touched his hand. “Go to the building. You’ll know it when you see it. In fact, you’ll feel the fear he put around it. Don’t let it stop you. Force your way inside and look.”

Chris licked his lips, his frown deepening. I could almost see Levi’s hold slipping from him bit by bit. He still looked indecisive. I’d have to push him just a little bit harder to send him over the edge.

I leaned forward and kissed him on the corner of the mouth before moving my lips to his ear.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Chris leaned back and looked into my eyes. I let him see all my fear, all of my worry, and let him believe it was for him.

His frown turned into an angry glower. “I’ll kill him,” he said. He started to push past me, but I grabbed him by his arm to stop him.

“You can’t,” I said. “Levi isn’t what he seems. Just go to the building and see what he’s done. Destroy the place if you have to.”

Chris looked uncertain before grabbing me by both arms. “Come with me, then,” he said. “I’ll protect you. If he’s as bad as you say, then you need to get away from him.”

“I will,” I said. “But I’m taking Eilene with me. You go ahead and go now. We’ll find you. Maybe we can get that bite to eat afterward.”

Chris bit his lip and then nodded. “I’ll wait for you.”

I felt sick. The guy really thought I was interested in him. I hated the fact I was using him, but really, it was for the greater good. If I kept telling myself that, then perhaps one day I would believe it.

If we somehow survived this, I promised myself I would find Chris, wherever he might be, and explain everything to him. He deserved that at least.

“Go quietly,” I said. “And quickly. Levi will be down soon.”

Chris hurried out of the room and up the stairs. I closed the door to the now-empty room and locked it. I replaced the keys where I’d found them. Let’s see Levi figure that one out.

Chris was waiting by the front door as I came back upstairs. He looked as if he was going to ask me to come with him again, but instead, he only nodded once before he slipped outside. He closed the door quietly behind him.

I hurried over to my place at the table and sat down just as Levi started down the stairs. I took a few hurried bites of egg in an attempt to make it look as if I’d been sitting there and eating this entire time, not plotting against him.

“She okay?” I asked through a mouthful of food as he entered the dining room.

“She just needed to rest.” He looked troubled. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

Levi sat heavily down and looked at his food. He pushed it away with a grimace.

“I think I might go down and work with our guest,” he said. “I was a bit abrupt with him.” He stood and started to walk away. He paused at the top of the stairs and looked back at me. “Don’t let him fool you,” he said. “That boy is dangerous.”

I nodded as Levi turned and walked away.

And then I waited.

I don’t know what I expected to happen. I thought maybe Levi would scream in rage and tear the place apart. I could see him losing control and his true nature pushing through the glamour when he realized his latest victim had escaped.

Instead, Levi walked slowly back up the stairs a few minutes later, keys in hand. He had a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Did Chris come through here?” he asked.

“No,” I lied. “Isn’t he still downstairs?”

Levi frowned at the keys. “No,” he said. “Are you sure he didn’t slip by?”