“No shit,” I responded, wishing I could kick myself in the ass.
“What happened?” His gaze was so intense I had to look away. I took several long moments to formulate my answer. I decided honesty wouldn’t hurt as long as I kept out essential details.
I returned my attention to him and shrugged. “I killed him.”
“You killed him?” He threw back his head and laughed, thinking I was making a funny. When I didn’t join in, staring quietly at him, his laughter and smile faded. His tone changed from teasing to sober. “You’re serious.”
“I don’t joke about death,” I informed him.
“How did you kill him?” He leaned closer, his expression curious.
“Well…” I took my time responding, making sure I didn’t give too much away. Kiwbe, the child vampire I’d killed, had been an evil shit. He’d deserved to die for murdering and devouring his own kind. I didn’t have any remorse for what I had done.
“First, I emptied a magazine into his back,” I answered. “Then I cut off his head.”
Carter’s gray eyes darkened slightly, and his lips parted. Homeboy just got a shock. He hadn’t expected the damsel in distress to have a pair of balls. To his credit, he recovered quickly.
“Good for you.” He gave a curt nod and retrieved his mug.
“Since we had some fun share time, do you think it might be possible to let me walk out of here?” I asked with a hopeful expression, pretending that we were friends now instead of total strangers.
He smiled and shook his head. “Nope.”
I sighed and pushed my body from the railing. Once I was certain I had decent balance, I walked away. The balcony winded up and around. I found a set of stairs and ventured to the roof. For a moment, I let the glory of the new morning sink in. If things were different, I’d have been thrilled about waking to such a beautiful day.
A quick inspection revealed a lawn between this building and the one directly next door. Someone had taken the time to create a lush garden, the soil tilled but empty, as the weather had turned too cool to plant. Vines intricately woven through a partition obscured a portion of the area from view.
One thing was for certain—unless I had a cape or magic shoes, I couldn’t leap from the building. If I did, there would be a nice red splatter for everyone below. I took a seat in one of the chairs next to a round table. This shit was going to get old quick. I didn’t have time to spare and seconds were ticking by. I didn’t even have my tattered copy of Jane Eyre to read in an effort to escape the insanity.
I heard someone coming up the stairs.
Just wonderful. Carter.
He sat across from me and rested his elbows on the table. His palms cupped his mug of coffee, his hands so large his fingers overlapped. “Listen. We’re going out to collect supplies in a few days. Normally, the newer residents remain behind. We don’t have the time or resources to play babysitter. But I’m willing to extend you an olive branch. Promise to behave and you can tag along.”
“What makes you so sure I won’t haul ass the second you give me headway?” I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. “You are keeping me prisoner, after all.”
“Because if you do, your privileges will be revoked for an undetermined period of time. You’ll be kept in the basement until I’m ready to let you out. Once you go down there, you’ll wish you’d been smart and listened to me. Besides, with that leg injury to slow you down, you won’t make it far.”
“Damn it,” I snapped and tried to reason with him. “I’m not shitting you when I say I can’t stay here. I’ll die if I do.”
“It’s not the first time I’ve heard that.” Carter finished off his drink and said, “You’ll see the light. Give it time.”
Give it time, my ass. If homeboy only knew just how much time I’d given up. “How many hostages have you taken in your effort to save humanity?”
He stretched out, lifting his arms above his head. When he lowered his hands to the chair, he answered only, “Enough.”