Pouting

I sat on my cot, fuming at the voice from the speaker.

“What the Hell did he think we were, some sort of trained animals to be used as he saw fit? Fuck that.”

At least, those were some of my thoughts that plagued my mind for the next several hours.

I was so preoccupied that I didn’t notice anyone walk by my closed door until a quick but powerful rap-rap-rap disturbed my angry pacing. Part of me figured that it would be someone minion of the voice from before, here to **** me to comply, but the rational part of my mind managed to shout a warning past the haze of anger that was blinding me.

So instead, I decided to ask who it was and received a feminine voice in reply, “My name is Tarqik and I think we should speak.”

Narrowly avoiding making a joke about the rhyme, I called out instead, “Why?”

“Because I don’t think you understand the stakes here and I would prefer not to watch you die.”

Which, I had to admit, was something I also wanted. So, I reluctantly opened the door to a tall, muscular woman that may have been some sort of Native American, though I had no idea which.

“Good, sit down and we can talk,” she said, pushing past me with enough **** that I was tempted to resist, just on the principle. She stood beside my bed, hands on hips, as though waiting for me to close the door and sit on the cot.

I closed the door, but I decided to just lean my back against it and stand for the coming conversation, rather than sitting as she wanted.

Tarqik narrowed her eyes and glared at me. As she did, I suddenly got the impression that little old dhampir me was not the most dangerous creature in the room. I think I’ve mentioned that I don’t have special vampire senses that tell me if something is inhuman, but with Tarqik, anyone could see it in her eyes.

“Okay, Miss Five, here’s the situation you’re in: you belong to the cartel; you do not have the option of simply refusing their orders; if you do, they will kill you; given that you’re supposed to be on my team, I don’t want that to happen. So, You’re going to go back there, eat the fucking crow, put on the collar, and follow their instructions. Is that clear?”

“What are you?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“The leader of Bravo Team–your team. Now go and get your damn collar or I’ll pin you down while Seamus does it for you.”

“Seamus?”

“Small man, even shorter than either of us. Known as ‘Six’ by our captors.”

“Have you seen my sister? She’s younger, barely an adult, but she looks like me, except her hair’s dyed at the ends.”

“No, but I haven’t met anyone on Charlie Team. I know there will be a Charlie Team, but I don’t think it’s assembled yet.”

“And she’s not anywhere else? One of the other teams, maybe?”

“She’s not on Alpha Team. So, if she’s here, she’s going to be on Charlie Team, whenever they get that assembled.”

“How long will that take?”

“How the fuck should I know? I’ve been here nine days, you and Seamus just arrived yesterday, so I don’t know.”

“Okay, okay… I, uh, thank you.”

“Damn right. Now, go put on your collar before I decide you’re better off as a part of my breakfast, rather than my team.”

“You never answered when I asked what you are?”

“A fucking nightmare. Is that clear enough?”

“Not exactly, but maybe I should mention that I’m a vampire.”

“Ooh, scary, a vampire. You can sparkle once you’re back and I know that I’m not going to be responsible for cleaning your viscera.”

“You seem awfully sure of yourself.”

“I know what I am and I don’t pretend otherwise. Which brings me to the second thing you need to take care of: drain that blood bag they have in the showers before he dies and starts to stink–or stink worse.”

“I don’t like draining people,” I said, though a part of my subconscious said it was a lie.

“He’s a dead man, either way. At least if you drain him, you’ll sustain yourself and won’t need to prey on any others, right?”

I eyed her skeptically.

With a sigh, she changed her tone, “Look, I mean it when I say that he’s a dead man. You can either do it quickly and mercifully or you can let him suffer. Do whatever your conscience says is right.”

I turned my gaze away. I wouldn’t put it past the cartel to kill a man in the worst way imaginable and, given the beating he had evidently sustained, this was someone they didn’t want to show mercy.

“Fuck,” I said.

With the slightest hint of sympathy, Tarqik confirmed, “Yeah, fuck…”