Page 5 of Crimson Storm

Kennedy had interceded with other world leaders, and for the past sixty years, humans and vampires had co-existed peacefully, except for in a very few holdout countries that still refused to acknowledge the existence of vampires.

Vampires had become active members of their communities, and though there were always a few bad apples, most were considered exemplary workers who never called in sick, required no health insurance, happily covered night shifts, and made amazing long-haul truck drivers.

Older vampires I knew told stories of how glorious it was to be able to go out in public for the first time without fear of being staked or shot. Red fireworks still lit up the night every twenty-fifth of April in celebration of Accord Day.

The past few months though, had been disturbing. Vampire neighbors of ours in Burbank, a dermatologist and an advertising executive, had disappeared without a trace. Heather had been feeding their dog in their absence.

Another friend, Larkin, had been abruptly fired from her research job and despite an Ivy League education and spotless employment record had been unable to find another one in her field. She’d had to leave the city and take a much less prestigious and lower paying job in San Francisco.

And then there was the election. Graham Parker, who’d run for president on a hardline anti-vamp platform, had quickly amassed a small but very vocal following who harbored hatred toward vampires—any and all vampires.

His campaign had worked hard to stir up fears among the rest of the humans in our country. Apparently, it had succeeded. He’d won the race.

He hadn’t yet taken office, but since Election Day things had been rapidly changing.

It seemed the Accord was unraveling, and the old animosity and suspicion between vampires and humans was bubbling up again. I only hoped Sadie and her allies at the Coalition would be able to keep it from boiling over into an all-out war.

And that she could get me and my friends—and the other innocent vampires—out of this place soon.

A bell rang, and the vampires in the yard raised their heads, almost as one.

“Ration time,” called Phillip. He was one of the nice guards, and most nights he was the one who delivered our nightly meal.

Lining up with my fellow detainees, I waited for him to hand me the small blood bag that would sustain me for another day. It wasn’t buttered popcorn, but it got the job done.

Without it, I’d weaken and eventually desiccate like any other member of my species would without proper nutrition.

Phillip smiled at me as I reached the front of the line, the wrinkles around his kind blue eyes deepening. “Good evening, Miss Abigail. I heard we had a bit of excitement out in the yard tonight. You doing okay?”

I nodded and accepted the vinyl bag he offered. “I’m all right. Thank you Phillip.”

“Listen, I’m sorry you had to see that. You be sure and stay out of Gatlin’s way, okay sweetheart? He’s been on edge lately and spoiling for a fight. Just stay clear of him.”

“I will. Thank you,” I said before moving aside for the next prisoner in line.

“Oh dear, Margaret, you’re still looking peaked tonight,” Phillip said. “Still having trouble sleeping?”

I looked back over my shoulder to see her shuffle forward. Margaret had arrived at the Center two days ago. A senior citizen, she was the sickliest, most confused vampire I’d ever seen.

Well, almost. When I’d first met Reece, he’d been nearly insensible from malnutrition and blood poisoning.

“I think it’s that rabbit blood still in my system. I’ll be okay soon. This will help,” she told the kindly guard. “Thank you, sir.”

Moving slowly, she went to sit on one of the small grassy patches in our enclosure. For a moment, I watched her fumble with the small stopper at the end of the rubber tubing.

I went and sat beside her, holding out my hand for the bag. “Let me see that.”

She clutched the blood to her chest. “Please. No. I need it. I’m sick. I was starving before they picked me up for vagrancy. I got so desperate I started drinking rabbits and squirrels and such. I’ll give you my rations tomorrow—I promise.”

Blinking in shock, I dropped my hand. “No. I’m not trying to take it from you. I was going to help you open it.”

“Here.” I offered her my blood bag, which I’d already opened. “Take mine.”

After a moment’s hesitation, she dropped her own bag and snatched the open one from my hand, sucking frantically at the tube. I tried to ignore the gnawing hunger in my own stomach.

“You should be okay in a few weeks. I’ve seen animal poisoning before. It’s reversible if you haven’t been doing it too long.”

She nodded and continued drinking. “Thank you. Sorry I was rude. It’s just that one of the others took my rations the first night. I really was starting to think I might die in here.”

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