They walked side by side for a few minutes. He could tell she was gathering her thoughts, and he didn't blame her. Not everyday does a person get attacked, then watch as a vampire comes to their rescue.
"Ancille," he said after a bit more time had elapsed.
"Yes?"
"Do you belong to anyone? Not just a vampire, I mean."
"You mean a pimp? Yes, lazy drunken salaud." Her voice filled with venom during her last three words.. "Est-ce que tu parles français?"
"Oui."
Ancille continued in French. "My uncle. He's how I know about vampires. He caters to a few, though to my knowledge he has never given me to one. I'm mostly on the street." She bared her teeth. "That's where the soldiers are."
"Big operation?"
"Me and four other girls. Liliane, Magdalena, Élisabeth, and Ésmee. Ésmee is usually given to the vamps."
Bones nodded. "Do you want to go home?"
She stopped, eyes wide again. His tone made it sound like there was another option. "Where else would I go?"
"With me. I allow women to live in my homes, and provide whatever they may want, in exchange for blood. It doesn't hurt you, and you'd be free to leave at any time."
Ancille stood still for a few minutes. He could almost see her gears turning, and then, very slowly, she shook her head. "I can't leave the other girls."
Bones studied her for a moment, lips pursed thoughtfully, and then nodded. "Here," he said, and handed her a scrap of paper he scribbled on with a bit of pencil he pulled from his pocket.
And he deposited her at her door and disappeared.
