Page 30 of Bite of Sin

“I’m sure the showers are free since everyone waits until sunrise to come inside,” the blond one drawled, her gaze darting to my tangled hair. “But you don’t live here. We’ve been staying here for months and we’ve never seen you.”

“I think she needs more than a shower.” The other one snickered. “She’s a fucking mess.”

“You’re giving vampires a bad name by walking around looking like that,” the blonde sneered.

I bristled, biting down on my tongue to stay quiet. Both were leering at me, their smirks cruel. Until their expressions changed and they took a step back.

“Zan,” the black-haired vampire breathed out, fear flashing in her eyes.

“Use the showers. No one will bother you,” the other one rushed out.

What. The. Fuck?

I watched in shock as they spun around and strode back outside, leaving me alone again. What the hell did this necklace do? I had a feeling I wouldn’t get very far out of this city if I kept it on. I glanced back at the sign, wishfully thinking about how good a shower would feel right now.

Ignoring the nagging little voice in my head that told me to keep looking for an escape route, I found the stairs and quickly bounded up the steps, keeping an eye out for any other vampires. But the blond one was right about no one being inside at night; there wasn’t anyone around. I wandered around for a while until I found the showers. The room was huge, with curtains separating the shower stalls. Soaps and shampoo were on the benches, along with a couple of brushes. I didn’t miss that the shower supplies were the same we used in Project Hope. Were the vampires stealing our items?

I crept inside, pulling the door shut behind me and flicking the lock. I wasn’t sure if that would keep vampires out, but it made me feel better. Fuck it. I could take a quick shower before leaving. After this, who knew when I’d see a shower again? Plus, I couldn’t leave the city until the sun came up anyway. I had time to burn. I just needed to make sure no one walked in before I could apply more lotion.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled the hoodie off. Moving into one of the enclosed shower stalls, I turned the hot water on before going to grab some soap and putting it in the shower. Luckily, I had a couple of changes of clothes in my bag. I quickly slipped out of the rest of my clothes, my panic rising from being so exposed.

But when the hot water hit my skin, a spark of pleasure filtered through the dread that had been clinging to me for days. I nearly moaned when I put my hair under the water, giving myself a moment to enjoy it. The weight of the necklace on my chest reminded me that I couldn’t spare any more time. This city would be a death sentence if I didn’t leave.

I scrubbed shampoo into my hair, massaging my scalp and rinsing before using a ton of conditioner to help with the knots. The soap had a lavender scent, reminding me of home. Helena loved flowers and had a tiny garden on our balcony in Project Hope. She’d find seeds any time we went into the forest and would always bring some back. Tears pricked my eyelids. I squeezed my eyes shut, pushing it all away again. If I thought of Helena and Warner, I’d wallow in sadness and I wouldn’t be able to concentrate. For now, all I needed to focus on was getting out of here.

I shut off the water, staying in the stall as I squeezed as much water out of my hair as I could. There wasn’t a towel in sight, and I needed to be completely dried off before I could apply the lotion. After making sure the door was still closed, I stepped out and grabbed a brush, not caring that it wasn’t mine. Well, it was now since I planned on taking it. There wasn’t one in my bag, and I’d need to cut my hair if I couldn’t brush it.

“Shit,” I gritted out, working through the knots as I waited for my body to dry. It took longer than I wanted, but finally, my hair was tangle free. Grabbing the lotion, I applied a layer before digging through my backpack and pulling out a pair of baggy pants and a long-sleeve shirt. Then I put more lotion on, hating how the container was slowly emptying. With the two containers I had, there was maybe enough for a couple of weeks.

Time to go. Making sure I had everything in my bag, I left the showers and made my way back outside. The sky was beginning to lighten, and I rushed back to the street, ready to bolt as soon as the sun came up.

I peeked around the corner, watching the same two vampires who were standing watch earlier. They seemed impatient, and one of them grinned when two others came out of a small door from the side of the building.

“Finally,” the long-haired vampire said, speaking just loud enough for me to hear.

The two newcomers didn’t respond as they took their place in the middle of the street. My breath caught in my throat when one of them turned, and I saw the tattoo on the side of his neck. The sameKtattoo that the girl, Dee, had. Were they human? My great escape plan was nonexistent now. If they had humans watching the street in the daylight, I couldn’t exactly stroll past them. If they caught me, they’d take me to Zan, who would realize I was human.

I watched a little longer, my heart sinking when it became apparent that they weren’t going to leave before the sun came up. Making a quick decision, I spun around and raced through the streets, going back to the hotel building.

I’d have to stay longer before I figured a way out of here.

Fuck me.

Chapter13

Kali

Istared through the cracked window, watching the sun slowly disappear. I’d stayed in this room all day, with a dresser in front of the door. This hotel had hundreds of rooms, all with beds and bathrooms in them, even though the water pressure was abysmal. Paint was peeling off the walls, and the mattress was ripped and dirty. But the room I’d found seemed vacant, and I’d been left alone.

I was on edge and antsy, trying to come up with an idea on how to leave. My best bet was to use the gun with wooden bullets that Warner had given me. I could shoot the vampires on watch tonight and run. The bullets wouldn’t kill them, but they would slow them down enough for me to get a head start. And I could also stake them if I needed to. There was no way I was staying here another night. The second I didn’t show up at Impulse, I had a feeling Zan would come looking, and I needed to be far away.

I finished eating the granola bar before taking a couple small sips of water. I needed to conserve my water until I could get to the river to replenish it. I sighed, pulling off my pants before slipping on a tighter pair that had a pocket for my gun at the waistband on my back. I tucked in the small gun, feeling it press against my spine. After putting on my boots, I put the stake inside my right boot. The leggings also had side pockets, and I froze when I brushed my fingers against one of them, feeling something in it.

The second I pulled out the piece of paper, a sob escaped me. Warner had thought of everything. I thought this was lost forever when I fled from Project Hope. Falling onto the bed, I carefully unfolded the old paper, reading the words I’d memorized years ago.

Kali,

My sweet daughter. You can choose to be the light or the dark, and one cannot survive without the other. You are so special, Kali. When you become a young woman, you choose the path you desire, because even destiny cannot decide that for you. Just like I wasn’t able to choose your life when you were born. I love you so much and wish I could be there to see you grow. Please remember that you were wanted. Life just needed you for a larger reason.

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