Page 50 of Sleeping With the Vampire

“My, my,” he said, coming closer, an evil glint in his eye. “Don’t tell me you’ve been having me on? Not enough pain for you?”

It was like being close to a snake, something reptilian. His eyes were cold and dark, glittering with malice. His hair was black too, slicked back and he wore a kind of coat that hid his shape. But the way he moved, was incredibly fast and agile. I’d never seen moves like that. He was faster than me and stronger. I would never be able to beat him.

He grabbed me by the throat and started choking me, lifting me off my feet.

I fought back, kicking and trying to get away from him, but it was useless.

“Did you… kill my father…?”

His grip loosened a bit. “Your father?”

Was it possible that he didn’t know who I was?

“A bounty hunter. Bo Bonnici. Five years ago. He was killed in our house, along with my little brother. My mother almost died. She is a Beauty.”

He let me go and I fell on the ground, coughing.

“That was your father? Interesting,” he said and appeared deep in thought.

“I didn’t know there was a daughter.”

He crouched in front of me.

“You look like her, yes, I see that now.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “He was in the way, he wouldn’t listen.”

“To whom?”

“Enough!” he said, getting up.

“Time is running out. I need you to get Lucca here.”

He took out a knife with a long blade.

“I think I’ll cut that pretty little face of yours,” he said, laughing darkly as he came closer. He put the tip of the knife on my cheek and slowly pressed it deeper until I could feel him drawing blood. I bit down, gritting my teeth but then he pulled back.

“Nah…I think I need more.”

Without warning, he plunged the knife into my stomach, deep. I felt an explosion of pain and gasped.

“That should do it,” he grinned happily.

“Feeling the pain now?” he asked me, a voice dripping with sarcasm. “You should be. You’ll be dead within hours.”

He left then and I tried to calm down, to slow my breathing and stop myself from going into shock. Where he had stabbed me, there was a dark stain of blood, spreading fast. I managed to untie myself and took some bedding and pressed it on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. The pain was intense and I could barely focus on anything beside it. There was no point trying to confront Chakrat now, I could barely stand never mind fight him.

My only hope was to get out of here.

I tried to sit up in the bed and almost blacked out from the pain.

I searched the pockets of my jacket for the potion my mother had given me. It seemed like the right occasion for it. I managed to get the little bottle out, pulling the stopper out with my teeth. There was so little fluid in there, I couldn’t imagine it doing any good, but I poured the entire contents of it over the wound. Immediately, I felt a searing heat that made me cry out in pain. I didn’t want to attract attention to myself and risk Chakrat finding out I had untied myself. But I had no control over my reaction, the pain was unbearable and I was fighting to stay conscious, gripping the bed rail and trying not to scream.

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and lost consciousness.

I don’t know how many hours I was unconscious but I felt stronger. I looked down and it seemed like the bleeding wasn’t as bad as earlier. I managed to get up and tore off some of the curtains, pressing the fabric onto the wound, tying it around my chest.

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