His human?Were they talking about me?
Albert chimed in, “What’re we going to do? I’m counting on this job. My mom is sick; my dad just got laid off. I’m all they’ve got.”
She quickly replied, “You said Miss Kicklighter thinks she’s dreaming—probably still high from drinking moonshine all night. So we play along.We’ll walk her to her suite, tuck her in, and when she wakes up, she’ll think it was all just a dream.”
Oh sheeit. Theyaretalking about me.
“What about the cameras?” Albert asked. “The guards probably saw us with her.”
“Roy is down in the control room today. I’ll offer him a snack to keep his mouth shut.”
“He’s a vampire. Are you sure we can trust him?” Albert asked.
“We don’t have a fucking choice,” she said. “Let’s get Miss Kicklighter back to her room before the moonshine wears off.”
I stepped away from the door, my heart pounding furiously as reality sank in. I could hardly breathe. Stark hadn’t just drugged me on the way to the island.He’s been drugging me all along with that moonshine.
And then the bigger truth…
Click!
Click!
Click!
I gasped, covering my mouth. I’d just gone out into the sun.Oh my god. I’m human!
After Stark’s brother had attacked me, I’d basically died. So when I woke up completely healed, Stark explained that I was a vampire. It made sense, so I never questioned it. But I hadn’t turned. I’d survived. It explained why I had no vampire abilities and why he didn’t want me to see my family, especially my dad.Daddy was a vampire. He’d know right away that I wasn’t like him.
Fury flooded my breaking heart.Why would Stark lie like this?
“Let’s hurry,” the woman said on the other side of the door, jarring me from my spiral.
I quickly sat in the chair, and in walked a short woman with light brown hair in a bun. Her nametag read Teri.
“Hello, Masie. I am here to return you to your bed so you can finish your lovely dream in a more comfortable place. Would you like that?”
I nodded slowly, pretending to still be out of it. “Yes. But can I go out in the sun again? That’s a great dream,” I said, with a groggy tone. Meanwhile, my mind was sprinting toward a rage to end all rages, including rage’s cousins: Ima Gon Keelu and Yurass Izagrass.
“Of course,” Teri said enthusiastically. “We can walk the entire way in the sun, and you can pretend you’re human again. Okay?”
“I want to ride a magical turtle, too,” I said for effect.
“Absolutely! I’ll order one right now, and room service will bring it.” She took my arm, urging me to stand.
Room service. This place had room service! “I’m hungry. I need something to eat, or I can’t finish this dream.”
Teri looked at Albert, who remained lurking just outside. “Can you run to the kitchen and grabher a sandwich?”
“I want a soda, too. And some fries,” I added. Aside from feeling angry and confused as to why Stark would do this, I was starving. Like I’d gone days without eating.
Because I have!But how?
“Albert will deliver the food to your room,” she said.
I sighed happily. “I love this dream.” And I would love ending Stark’s existence for his unforgiveable betrayal.
In one fell swoop, my prayers had been answered. I was human! And at the same time, my heart was wrecked. The love of my life was worse than a controlling, untrustworthy vampire. He was a monster.
