Be Still My Vampire Heart(92)

 

She sat up and stretched. Sunlight was pouring through the little window in the eastern wall. It left a rectangular block of light on the western wall. She jumped to her feet, suddenly worried there was too much sun in the room. She spotted Angus, lying on the stone floor beneath the table.

 

"Angus." She ran to him and crouched beneath the table. His face was lifeless, his body still. She touched his cheek and was surprised by how warm it felt. Too much sun? Those damned vampires should have given him a coffin. But of course, they didn't care if he burned. Katya wanted him to suffer.

 

She hurried to the primitive bathroom. The cameras sat facedown in the chamber pot, and the urine was reddish, tinted with blood. Was that from Angus? She grimaced. This was more than she wanted to know about the vampire world. The wooden tub also had water in it. He must have cleaned up before his death-sleep.

 

By the time she used the pot, it was almost full. Hopefully, someone would come to empty it. And that would give her a good opportunity for escape.

 

She moved the screen to the table, curling it around the table to protect Angus from the sun. She retrieved the pillow from the cot and placed it under his head—not that he could feel the difference, but it looked more comfy.

 

She began reaching out telepathically. Austin, can you hear me? This is Emma. We need your help.

 

She repeated the message over and over as she methodically examined each wall, testing each silver strand for strength. Every now and then, she found one she could break loose, but never a group together. She doubted Angus could teleport through a six-inch square.

 

She estimated it was about noon when she heard the bolt scrape. She grabbed a chair and flattened herself against the wall next to the door.

 

It slowly creaked open. She waited for someone to enter, so she could clobber him. A tray of food was pushed into the room. It scraped along the floor, pushed by a garden hoe. The door started to close.

 

"Wait!" Emma dropped the chair and jumped in front of the door. "I need to talk to you. The chamber pot needs emptying."

 

A woman stood at the bottom of the stone steps, holding the garden hoe. The man next to her pointed a hunting rifle at Emma.

 

She raised her hands. "We'll pay you if you let us go." She motioned toward Angus with her head. "He's a very rich man."

 

The man and woman gazed at her blankly. Emma translated into Russian, but they didn't seem to understand. She noticed the puncture wounds on their necks. The Malcontents had them on a tight leash. She tried a psychic assault, hoping to break the vampires' control.

 

The man and woman gasped, then quickly shut the door.

 

"Wait!" Emma yelled. She heard their footsteps running up the stairs. "What about the chamber pot?

 

"Shit." She grabbed the tray and settled on the cot. Cold ham and fried potatoes. A jug of water.

 

Her gaze wandered to the table. She could see Angus's long legs jutting out past the screen. How hungry would he be when he woke up?

 

She redoubled her efforts to contact Austin. And she kept trying to find a weak spot in the walls. After a few hours, she grew sleepy, so she used the bucket of cold water to take a quick shower. It woke her up, and she kept working.

 

It was late afternoon when she heard a response.

 

Emma, I hear you!

 

Austin. She ran to the window as if expecting to see him peer inside. Where are you?

 

Budapest, Hungary. I heard you and Angus were captured. Any idea where you are?

 

We think in the Ukraine. Emma sighed.But we're not sure.

 

Can you describe the place?

 

She recited all the information Angus had told her. Countryside, forested hills, old stone house, rotting wooden barn. There was a pause. Austin?

 

I'm here. Darcy and I will start driving east toward the Ukraine border. Keep in touch. I'll be able to tell if we're getting closer.

 

An hour later, Austin was sure they were getting closer.

 

The bolt scraped, and the door swung open. Two men with hunting rifles marched in. Emma held up her hands. The woman she'd seen before came in with a bucket of water.

 

She took it to the bathroom area and picked up the chamber pot.

 

"Thank God," Emma muttered. She couldn't tell if the woman noticed the cameras inside. Her face remained blank.

 

Emma tried her Russian on the two men. "The vampires are controlling you."

 

They stared at her, expressionless.

 

"Katya is evil!" Emma announced.

 

One of the guards smiled, his eyes glassy. "Katya."

 

"Galina," the other one whispered, smiling.

 

"Slave dogs," Emma muttered, eyeing the punctures on their necks.