Page 11 of Cloak of the Vampire
She took the papers and looked at me. “You’re now officially Leagued. Congratulations, and welcome aboard.”
“Talk,” I spat.
She finally did. “Being a vampire doesn’t change the fact you need to eat normal food or sleep. The only difference is the liquid substance you now require; blood is your new water.”
She rummaged through her bag and took out a bottle full of what could’ve passed as red wine but was most likely blood. Handing it to me, she said, “Make sure you drink at least one bottle every day.”
After eyeing the bottle suspiciously, I uncorked it and put it to my lips. Ignoring the slight nausea I felt at the thought of downing actual human blood, I closed my eyes and took a sip. To my surprise, it was as tasteless as water. Just like Margarita had said.
“Now, let’s start with weaknesses,” she said, smiling sharply when I lowered the bottle from my lips. “We have none; although, much like most people assume, we prefer nighttime over daylight, for no other reason than that vampires are pretty much nocturnal and are most productive at night. Garlic, mirrors, all that bullshit? Not true. We can’t get sick, guns aren’t effective on us, and the only way to kill us is by beheading or carving our hearts out. We can be maimed by simple blades, and we have no aversion to stakes, whether wooden or silver.
“That’s everything you need to know for now,” she finished. “The rest you will learn in the Comprehensive Newcomer Three-Month Course, but until then, you’re all set. You have a few more things to sign and read through—residential rules, life as a Leagued vampire, and so forth. I’ll leave the paperwork for you to go through; then I’ll send someone up here with some food. Meanwhile, rest.” She rose to her feet, tucking the signed forms under her arm. “Your body must still be exhausted from the Imprint, and you need to regain your strength. Tomorrow night we’re going to get you all settled.”
She was already at the door before she turned back to me and smiled once more. It wasn’t a nice smile. In fact, it was downright evil. “Again, welcome to the Rayne League, and congratulations on your successful Imprinting.”
When Margarita was gone, I was left staring at the door and feeling empty while my head filled with wild thoughts.
After I went through the rest of the forms and reading material, it took me a while to finally make sense of everything. I found a blank paper at the bottom of the stack and wrote down the most urgent details I had on my mind:
Vampires are real, and they have glowing eyes.
I’m a vampire.
Cassidy must be a vampire too.
Ragnor Rayne is a fucking prick.
CHAPTER 4
I felt much better when Margarita picked me up the next evening. I’d slept throughout the day and woke up feeling moderately energetic. The only thing missing was a shower and new clothes.
As Margarita walked me out of the room, I mapped out the place in my head. It was a small warehouse located in some sort of unfamiliar industrial area, which led me to wonder where I had been taken and how long it had been since the night I was supposedly given the Imprint. Was it yesterday? A week ago? Even longer than that?
Margarita and I passed a few closed doors, and I wondered if Cassidy was behind one of them.
Speaking of which—“Where is Cassidy?” I asked, breaking the silence. Realizing she might not know who I was talking about, I clarified, “My friend. You know, the one you took along with me. Or didn’t you?”
Margarita glanced at me briefly. “That’s none of your concern. Just know that she’s fine.”
I grimaced, and her face turned stony. I wouldn’t get anything else out of her, it seemed like, but I refused to give up. “Tell me,” I said, voice low.
She paused and turned to me. “I don’t think you understand your position, newbie,” she suddenly said, and her eyes glowed again. “You don’t get to bark orders as you see fit. You’re not entitled to any sort of information. In this place, the hierarchy is very clear.” She steppedcloser to me, and even though she was shorter than me, she somehow managed to look down her nose at my face. “I’m a Lieutenant, the Lord’s second-in-command, and your rank is the equivalent of a foot soldier.”
Glowering at her, I folded my arms. “I don’t give a shit what your rank is,” I informed her. “I just want to know where the fuck Cassidy is.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Your insolence will be reported. My Lord is not the forgiving kind.”
She resumed her walk, ignoring my request, and I debated whether I should stand my ground and throw a tantrum until she told me what I wanted to know. Yet, unless I shook her until she answered, it seemed she wouldn’t budge.
Irritated, I followed her.Not to worry,I thought.I will find out soon enough.Or so I hoped.
Margarita stopped before the warehouse entrance door before crouching down, feeling up the floor. She caught a hidden handle and pulled up a trap door, revealing a staircase. “Follow me,” she instructed.
We climbed down the staircase until we reached a barely lit, dark, small room with brick walls. There was an elevator, and the only way to order it was by handprint. “You don’t get to have your handprint installed until you’re a year old for security reasons,” she explained offhandedly as she pressed her palm to the monitor. It flickered green, and soon the elevator arrived; its metal doors opened.
Margarita leaned back against the elevator wall with folded arms as we began to descend. Meanwhile, my mind was on Cassidy, and my chest tightened. Her life, much like mine, wasn’t great, and yet she must’ve been forced to give it up like I had been, because of Ragnor Rayne. She wasn’t the type who liked losing control over her life. It was the single thing we had in common.
After her parents died years ago, leaving her in the hands of her abusive aunt whom she’d escaped from right into the arms of her abusive ex, she strived to get ahold of her shitty life and make it better. Shemay have had no meaningful relationships in her life, what with Skye being her comfort friend and all the guys she saw being nothing more than a passing fancy, but she was in charge. Despite Fourcorns being a trashy band, it washersto use as a stepping stone toward her dream to become a solo artist. And while I, too, was merely a pebble under her shoe, another person to discard once she reached stardom, she still wanted me around. Needed me to be there when she was in danger.
