Page 69 of Vampire Lee

“I’m coming with you.”

“Okay.” He took a couple of steps. “Let me be the one who approaches Angelo.”

Rei growled, which had Lee whipping his head around. “What the fuck?”

“Why should you get to approach him?”

“He’ll recognize my voice.”

Rei stopped and stared at him. “Your voice?”

“He’s blind.”

A pained look flitted over Rei’s face, then it turned into a blank mask. So fucking weird. Was he one of those who believed flawed people should be put down? Nah, he was protective of both Devin and Dillon.

“He’s in pretty bad shape, and they threw me in his cage since we’re both vampires, I think. He can’t feed from me, so they probably deemed it safe.”

“He needs to feed?”

“Desperately. Come on.” Lee more or less jogged toward the cages. Angelo was in the first one, back against the bars in the corner and his head bowed forward as if the weight of it was too much for him.

“Angelo.” Lee neared the cage only to realize the door was locked. “How do we get in?” He directed the question to Rei.

The inhabitants of the other cages got to their feet and the scent of injury and infection grew stronger.

“Fuck.” Rei looked around, a look of distaste taking over.

“Yeah, I know. They need to get cleaned and get proper nutrition.”

“I fucking hate places like this.” Rei looked to be on the verge of shifting, and Lee winced. He’d believed he reacted badly to being there, but it looked like it was hitting Rei harder. Lee had been too focused on Angelo and on if or when the others would come for him or not to take in the situation. Now a shiver shot through him, and he feared he’d puke. The wound in his side throbbed, the blood clotted only to tear open again when he moved.

He took a deep breath. They needed to get out of there. The sooner, the better.

“Rei. Keys.”

Rei nodded and turned around.

“Angelo?”

Angelo raised his head, his sightless eyes turning in Lee’s direction. “Are you ready to get out of here?”

“I don’t think I can fight anyone right now.”

“Nah, I was thinking a shower and some food.”

Angelo didn’t look as if he believed him. “Can you get over here? Straight ahead from where you’re sitting. There is nothing in your path.”

Angelo dragged himself to his feet. He was nothing but skin and bones, and he looked worse now than when Lee had first seen him with the new bruises and lacerations that should’ve started to heal but hadn’t.

He took a careful step forward, then another and another. Lee pushed his hands through the bars, and when Angelo was close enough, he took his hand. “I’m outside the bars. Rei, my friend, is getting the keys or if he can’t find them, we’ll figure out a way to get you out of here. All of you.” He added the last bit in a louder voice as a murmur was growing in the other cages.

Angelo shook, but Lee ignored it.

A few minutes later, Rei came back. “Found them. I think.”

Angelo hissed, his fangs on full display. Both Rei and Lee ignored him.

Rei fumbled with the keys and tried a couple of different ones before finding the right one. “Got it.” He turned the key and pushed the door open.

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