I tried to glare at the tall blonde vampire who had deposited me flat on my butt after flying us from Fangtasia to our current location, but my head was swimming so much that it looked like there were three of him. "Never. Again." I said through gritted teeth as I stood and brushed myself off. He scoffed at me muttering something under his breath… I caught the word 'human' but ignored the rest. "Alright, so the vampire who is signed as a co-owner on the deed is Hanson Louden, he's a few years over a hundred, but considering the fact that you're a thousand I'm assuming he won't be much of a problem?" I raised my eyebrow in question, "No one is a problem for me." Was the smug reply as he strode to the door, leaving me standing in the middle of the circular drive. The second his back was turned I moved quietly and quickly around the side of the house. I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for, but I couldn't just stand there.
I knew, from the blue prints, that there was a door on this side of the house…though I couldn't remember exactly how far back…but my wondering was cut off when I passed right by it and had to make a quick U-turn. Slipping on a glove I tested the doorknob to see if, per chance, it was unlocked. It wasn't, "Can't ever make it easy for me can ya?" I muttered after pulling out my lock picking tools which are always on my person. Paranoid? Yes. But it tends to work in my favor. As quietly and quickly as possible I unlocked the door and slipped inside closing it behind me. I took a second to listen for any sign that Hanson was nearby, but I could hear Eric speaking from somewhere else in the house so I assumed he was preoccupied, and pulled out my phone which had a digital copy of the house's blueprint on it. A groan tried to sneak past my lips as I realized I was on the opposite side as the basement door…then I nearly slapped myself. This was the home of a vampire; I couldn't assume he would only keep Tula in the basement if he was keeping her here.
And so began my search through the five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two living rooms, one study, one kitchen, and one weight room home. Obviously there were some rooms I could skip, but the size of the house and the limited time frame I was given made my hair want to fall out…I do not do well with stress, which seems like it would make me an ill fit in my line of work, but somehow it works. Two bedrooms and a study down and I could hear the two vampires still talking near the door. I hoped Eric knew I was in here and was stalling, but there was no way I could know for sure that he didn't think I was just hiding. I slipped into the third room and quickly checked the closet, under the bed, in the desk drawers, and even tilted a suspiciously out of place looking book on the bookcase in the corner…but there was no indication that she was here…The forth bedroom was completely empty…I mean, no furniture, no moving boxes, nothing. That cut some time off my search. The two rooms left were the basement and the master bedroom. The sound of a door slamming sent a shiver of panic up my spine and I ducked into the nearest room as Hanson yelled something at Eric that I was too wrapped up in hiding to understand.
As I listened carefully to Hanson murmuring to himself while he walked into what I guessed to be the kitchen based on the sound of tile flooring, I caught the sound of something else…something that made my insides churn, deep raspy breathing coming from somewhere behind me. Gathering up my courage I turned and had to hold in a gasp. There was Tula, chained up to a wall with tubes that were connected to a machine stuck in her arms. I'd seen a machine like that before, it was made to drain vampires of their blood…a thought that sent a wave of anger and sadness through me. Her head was down and her normally glossy straight black hair was hanging limply around her head. I ran to her completely forgetting about Hanson for a moment. I'd found her, and she was in pain. I pulled the tubes out of her arm and dropped them to the side. Her head raised slightly, "La-Lacie?" her voice was so soft I thought I'd imagined it, but when I looked up and into her caramel colored eyes I knew I hadn't. "It's okay, I'm going to get you out of here." I mouthed my promise as I stared at the silver chains that bound her to the wall, causing deep burns on her wrists and ankles. My fists clenched in a moment of fierce anger at the vampire who had put her in this place, but they immediately unclenched at the sound of a door slamming from somewhere else in the house, snapping my attention back to the fact that said vampire was still wandering about in the house.
I pulled out my lock picking tools and set to work on the locks on each cuff of the chains, trying to keep myself from freaking out over the burnt flesh I was working over. She hissed lightly as my fingers slipped and the cuff fell back against her skin which had barely started to heal. I murmured an apology and continued my work, feeling and hearing the magical click that signaled her right arm would now be free. She immediately pulled it to her chest, cradling it as it began to heal, while I went to work on the rest of the cuffs.
After only a couple of minutes I was on the last cuff, and suddenly aware of the strange look Tula had in her eye as she watched me carefully. I paused as I held her wrist in my hand wondering if it was such a good idea to free a two hundred year old vampire who had most likely not fed since she'd been taken. As if sensing my inner distress of wanting to free my good friend while fighting with my survival instinct her hand shot out from her chest where it had been healing and touched my upper arm. "Lacie, I am still in control." I could see it in her eyes, she was…but only barely. With a deep breath and a nod I tackled the last cuff, easily unlocking it after the practice of the first three, and taking a few steps back as Tula curled into herself, most likely because it's what her body had wanted to do the entire time she had been in pain. Long moments passed and I breathed as shallowly as possible, trying to be completely silent as she collected herself, and most likely fought the urge to pounce on me for the fluid she so desperately needed.
Slowly her head rose, and she smiled weakly at me, a small light still in her eyes. Just as I returned the smile, I found myself pinned to the wall with her face only inches from mine, fangs extended. "Tula, don't!" I whispered pressing back trying to become one with the wall so she couldn't bite me. "Meekel wouldn't be happy if you did." I continued, trying to reach her through her mate…it didn't really work and she sunk her fangs into my neck seconds later causing me to bite my lip from screaming. Maybe she just needed a little so she'd have the energy to get back was my naïve thought. Tula could remember me in the state she was in, but her instincts told her that her need to survive was greater than whatever bond she and I had. I pushed against her and tried to fight off the feeling of my energy leaving me with every second. The slamming of the basement door was both a relief…and a nightmare as Hanson grabbed and threw Tula to the opposite side of the room. He'd been drawn by the scent of blood…my blood, and now with his fangs extended he leaned forward quickly to take a taste. Right before he could sink his teeth in though, Tula tackled him to the side attempting to protect her prey...wish I could say it was to just keep me safe, but I knew it was just so she could drink me herself.
With a moment of freedom and what energy I had left I bolted for the door, slamming it shut behind me and running to the front of the house. Throwing open the front door I was greeted with a wave of air that renewed my energy as I continued to run…for only about a foot before someone grabbed me by my hair and yanked me backwards so my head slammed into the concrete of the walkway. I saw Tula's face only for a second before she was picked up by the scruff of her neck and tossed away from me like a rag doll. Black dots slowly slipped into my vision as I turned to the scene next to me. There were Tula and Hanson, both crouched in my direction looking ready to attack…but they didn't…their eyes weren't on me. I turned to see what they were looking at and caught sight of a blonde haired, blue eyed giant with his fangs bared right before everything went completely black.