A few hours ago, I was dying in an alley. Now I'm sitting in a vampire lord's compound, having agreed to work off a debt I don't fully understand to a man I barely know.
My phone is still in my apartment. My clothes, my few possessions, everything I owned. Even if I could go back, Maximus knows where I live. If he wanted to kill me, he could have done it a dozen times over the last three days.
The fact that he didn't, that he watched me instead, learned about me, decided I was worth saving, that's what unsettles me most.
What does he want from me?
He said I was interesting. That I didn't beg. That I was useful.
But there's something else. Something in the way he looked at me in that alley. Like he recognized something.
"You must be Celeste."
I turn to find a woman standing in the doorway. Human, by the sound of her heartbeat. Mid-thirties, professionally dressed in slacks and a blouse, dark hair pulled back in a neat bun. She's pretty in an understated way, and her expression is cautiously friendly.
"I am," I confirm. "And you are?"
"Elena. I coordinate the donor network for Maximus." She steps into the room, maintaining a respectful distance. "I heard we had a new arrival. Wanted to introduce myself."
"The donor network," I repeat. "You manage the clean blood supply."
"Among other things. Vetting, scheduling, and health monitoring. Making sure our donors are safe and our vampires are fed." She smiles slightly. "It's more complicated than it sounds."
"I bet."
She settles into the chair across from me, crossing her legs. There's no fear in her body language, which is interesting. She works with vampires every day. Either she's incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.
"How are you feeling?" she asks. "Marcellus said you were badly contaminated."
"Better. The clean blood helped."
"You must not have been as bad as he thought to have cleared up so quickly." She pauses, frowning slightly. "Actually, Dr. Dalton mentioned something about your bloodwork. He said the markers were unusual. Not bad, just... different from what he typically sees in fledglings." She shakes her head. "Anyway. I've been doing this for eight years. We've had contaminated vampires brought to the containment wing before. That's medical protocol. But I've never seen Maximus personally bring someone here as a guest. Give them free run of the compound. That never happens."
"He told me that."
"So you understand what it means."
"That he's making an exception. That I should be grateful and not cause trouble."
Elena laughs. "Something like that. But also… he doesn't make exceptions. Ever. So the fact that he made one for you? That's significant."
I don't know what to say to that.
"I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable," Elena continues. "Just… be careful. Maximus is…" She searches for words. "He's fair. Honorable, even by vampire standards. But he's also been alone for a very long time. He doesn't let people close. Doesn't trust easily."
"He watched me for three days before deciding whether to kill me or save me," I say dryly. "Trust isn't exactly his strong suit."
"No, it's not." Elena's expression softens. "But if he's given you a chance, he means it. Just don't make him regret it."
"Second person to tell me that today."
"Because it's true."
Before I can respond, a sound cuts through the building. A scream, raw, agonized, inhuman.
I'm on my feet instantly, every muscle tensed for a fight. "What the hell was that?"
Elena's face has gone pale. "The containment wing."
