Page 85 of Short, Lethal & Claimed

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Jill murmured absently as she focused on straightening out the metal coat hanger she managed to find in one of the upstairs closets.

“Why didn’t you just ask the leech?” Shane asked, watching as she ran her hand over the coat hanger before focusing on the sharp tip.

“Because I like to keep him on his toes,” Jill said, eyeing the skeletal keyhole as she carefully bent the tip into a small hook.

“Do you even know what you’re doing?” Shane asked as he watched her reach down and pick up the small file she helped herself to from the toolbox this morning and set to work.

“Sometimes,” Jill said as she slid the file into the keyhole and pushed the tip down before she slid the coat hanger inside.

“Why didn’t you just break the lock with your hand?” Shane asked, making her frown as he stood up.

“Because it’s an antique lock and the original door from the looks of it,” Jill said with a sad shake of her head, wondering what was wrong with this generation.

There was a pause, and then, Shane asked, “How long ago were you changed?”

“Why are you judging me?” Jill asked, glancing up to blink up at the teenage boy as his eyes narrowed on her.

“You’re newly turned,” Shane said, shaking his head in disgust as he took in the rest of the door.

“Does it really matter?” Jill asked, watching as he reached up to run his fingertips along the side of the door frame.

“It means you’re weak,” Shane said with a heavy sigh as she shifted her attention back to what she was doing.

“It means that I have potential, Shane,” she pointed out, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she shifted the angle of the file.

“It really doesn’t, though,” Shane said as Jill moved the hook until she felt it latch onto something and-

“Here,” Shane said as he held a black skeletal key in front of her.

When she threw him a questioning look, he said, “It was above the door.”

Sighing, Jill said, “No one likes a showoff,” as she reluctantly pulled her tools free and placed them on the floor before taking the key out of his hand and-

“Are you okay?” Shane asked when Jill stood there, pressing her hand against her chest as a flutter of something that she couldn’t quite explain spread over her chest only to disappear just as suddenly as it started.

When it happened the other night, she’d shrugged it off, not really thinking much of it. But then it happened this morning and a few times last night, making her wonder if it had something to do with Logan’s blood.

“I’m fine,” she promised him, sliding the key into the lock and turned it as she stood up. “How do you know so much about vampires?”

“They were in charge of the compound,” Shane said as he reached past her and opened the door, revealing the pitch-black stairwell below.

“Makes sense,” Jill murmured absently as her gaze sharpened so that she could see the stairwell.

“What’s down there?” Shane said, moving to stand next to her.

“No clue,” Jill said as she reached over and flicked the switch on. Seconds later, the lights came on, illuminating the stone stairs below. Not really sure that this was a good idea, Jill released a shaky breath as she headed down the stairs.

“Do you think this is a good idea?” Shane asked as he followed her.

“Probably not,” Jill said as she cautiously made her way down the stairs and-

“Go back upstairs, Shane,” Jill said, swallowing hard as she took in the cells lining both sides of the cavernous basement.

“No,” Shane said, stepping past her to take a closer look at the cells. She watched as he slowly made his way past the cells,taking in everything from the thick bars to the steel grates built into the stone floors in the first few cells before he came to a stop in front of the last cell on the right.

“Do you think he’s reinforced the chains with silver?” Shane asked, staring at the chains hanging from the ceiling as she joined him.

“I don’t know,” Jill said, reaching over to run her fingertips over one of the black bars, looking any signs of silver only to feel rough metal against her skin as a sweet scent caught her attention before she dropped her hand away.

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