I inhale. “Okay. I trust you.”
He nods and takes my hand. “We still have a way to the hangar.”
From my ride from the landing strip I figure we have to walk at least two miles. Again, the complexity and sheer genius of the tunnels hits me. We travel without talking. Mainly I’m trying not to suck wind like a two pack-a-day smoker, and I wonder what it would be like to have unlimited energy like Asa.
“So, explain again how a human turns into a vampire.”
“Why? You thinking of converting?”
I give an unladylike snort. “No. Just curious.”
“A human is drained almost to point of death and then given the vampire’s blood.” He says this in the same way he’d explain how to microwave a burrito. “The conversion takes place after they’ve consumed almost half of their maker’s blood.”
“Oh.” I’m afraid to ask the next question but I forge ahead. “What if a human happens to say… lick a cut you had? Would anything happen?”
He stopped again and faced me. “What are you asking?”
I shrug. “I’m just curious. Some stories say it’s addictive.”#p#分页标题#e#
His eyes search my face for a few seconds. “It can be, especially to werewolves and other vampires.”
“Would a human get any special perks from it?” God, I sound like a junkie, but I’m curious if a little of Asa’s blood will help me in case Emiko is too strong.
“You planning on draining me?”
“Yes, but not that way.” I lean in and kiss him. “If you’re lucky.”
He shakes his head. “Yes, there are—perks, but you don’t need them. If you drank from me and I’ve fed from you, you’d be bound to me for a month. I wouldn’t do that to you unless we had no other choice—like you were hurt badly or something. Besides, you’re the Angel of Death. You’ve got your own mojo.”
“I didn’t say I wanted to try it.” From the look on his face he doesn’t believe me. I roll my eyes. “Fine, I was thinking if Emiko is too strong then it might help—but that was before you mentioned the binding part.” I already had enough people demanding things from me. Answering to one more wasn’t appealing. Even if it was Asa. “What is the binding all about?”
“It’s nature’s defense mechanism for vampires. You’d want to protect me and would do anything I wanted, with no regard for yourself. I’d never do that to you—Vivian has taught me a lot about what it means to take someone’s free will. She’s not done it to me and I’m grateful for it.” He draws me to him. “You can do this. Without my blood.”
“I’m glad you have confidence in me.” And I don’t mention how freaked out the idea of losing my free will has made me.
“I won’t let Emiko hurt you, Lisa.” He starts down the tunnel again.
I don’t ask how he’s going to do that if he can’t see her. I’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
We exit the tunnels inside the hangar. The sun is still high in the sky even at this late hour. The place is empty, no planes, no people, but the giant door is open. With nobody around and wolves roaming the area, there’s probably not a reason to lock things up.
We walk to the edge of the shadows and stop. “I don’t see any ghosts.” I let go of Asa’s hand. “Let me look outside.”
“No, you have to draw her in here where I can help you.”
“I’ll be all right. We have to find her first.”
His lips thin into a tight line. “Don’t go far. If she’s not here we’ll look somewhere else.”
“I promise.”
Creeping forward, I scan the parking area. There’s a jet and another black SUV with dark windows, but nothing else. We’re miles from civilization and the tundra stretches beyond the runway in a wavy sea of lichen and scrub. The warm breeze caresses me and makes the tiny buds of the ground cover dance. It’s so quiet it’s eerie, especially since I’m searching for a psycho ghost.
“Looking for me?”
I swing around and come face to face with Emiko. She’s a lot smaller than I remembered from the inn when I first arrived, but I know not to let her size fool me. “Yes.” The casual ‘hey, I’m here to reap you’ I used on the other ghosts seems laughable. Power emanates from her and I’m instantly on alert. “If you’re Emiko.”
She continues to stare at me, not confirming her identity. After a few seconds she says, “You should have left after Melvyn and Deneishia.”
I almost feel her gaze stabbing me with its intensity. Everything Asa told me about her is true, and then some. “I take it you’re not going to be cooperative.”