Page 101 of Betrayed in Blood
“Help us. We’ve been kidnapped.”
The coffee house was busy, and most of the tables were taken, but they couldn’t see us or hear us.
When no one looked at her, her eyes grew larger, and she began to cry. “What are you doing to us?”
“Hells bells, you two are the whiniest people I’ve ever been around. We’re on a dreamwalk. I didn’t want to show you this because we’re not ready to reveal ourselves, but Jasper, who decided to take the coward’s way out by bringing a gun to a vamp fight, gave me no other choice. Besides, I don’t think Jasper will be returning to his House.
“As for you, April. Well, I don’t know what we’re going to do with you. I’ll see if Mom has a suggestion after she comes down from whatever drugs you’ve been pumping into her.”
“What is it with you and Mom? You haven’t even been in her life since you walked away after graduation.”
“Shut up, April. For fuck’s sake, this isn’t about your mother.” Jasper stared at me. “He said dreamwalkers were real, but I didn’t believe him.”
“Was that Lorenzo?”
He nodded.
“I have to say, after spending a few rather unpleasant days with him, I wouldn’t believe much of what he said, either, but on this, he wasn’t lying.” I narrowed my eyes. “Was he the one who put you up to luring me out with some crap about my father needing help?”
His expression went blank. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I see.” I sipped my latte. I didn’t bother giving them something to drink. It seemed cruel since they couldn’t move their arms.
“How does this work? How are we here?”
“You have the wrong idea. You don’t ask the questions. You are my hostages.” I shrugged. “I’m just having a little pick me up—” I lifted the cup and took a longer swallow of the cooling drink “—until someone comes along and ties up your bodies.”
“Our bodies.” April glanced at Jasper. “What’s she talking about?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then let me clarify that one point. I know you feel like you’re in your own body.” I moved my arms around and then slammed my fist on the table, making my cup jostle in the saucer. Both of my guests jumped. “But we’re not really here. Our bodies are lying in the hallway, completely defenseless.”
“So if my vampires find us first?” Jasper asked.
I lifted a shoulder. “It’s doubtful. But should that happen, we’ll appear asleep. I imagine they’ll drag us off and probably tie me up as a prize for Venizi.” The thought made me shudder, but that wasn’t going to happen, not even if they were playing with guns.
Before he could respond, Jasper disappeared.
April startled. “Where’d he go?”
I smiled. “I think the cavalry arrived.”
April yelped before disappearing.
I finished my latte, wiped my lips, and returned to the hallway.
When I opened my eyes, Devon was staring down at me, a grim grin on his face. He pulled me up.
“I’d tell you how impressed I am by your solution to Jasper with a gun, but Simone is in trouble.”
That dropped my smile and plunged me into dread. I glanced around and saw two members of Team Four walking April and Jasper out, both with their hands zip-tied behind them.
I raced with Devon down the hall, then the stairs, and through the house to the kitchen.
All of Team Three was there, in addition to Lucas, Ginger, Madame Saldano, and one of the blood donors. The kitchen was painted in blood, and as I followed Devon as he pushed his way through, I noted the two dead vamps. No. Make that three dead vamps that had been piled next to the stove.
Simone was deathly pale. Blood smeared the side of her head, and she lay in a pool of congealing crimson. It was difficult to get anything more than glimpses because Madame Saldano kept moving between her medical bag, a tray of what appeared to be surgical instruments, and Simone.
