Domingo grabbed the flask and the sandwich, and went back to Atl. Her hands were not steady enough to hold the flask, so he had to press it against her lips. When she was done drinking, he drank and took small bites from the sandwich.
“Who is the Jackal trading with?” Atl asked. She sat with her back against the wall and did not look at Quinto.
“I don’t know for sure. Rumors have been spreading that there was a vampire on the loose and some northern guy was willing to pay for her. And the dog.”
“Nick,” Atl whispered, and glanced up at Quinto. “When are the buyers coming?”
“I don’t know. They should be here soon enough. I’m just supposed to keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t die on us before they arrive.”
“How thoughtful. You know, if you let me go now, I won’t have to kill you,” Atl said.
“But I’d kill him,” the Jackal told her, stepping forward. He was wearing the flashy metallic jacket he loved and gray sweatpants.
Next to him stood Belén. She appeared utterly shocked. Two other men rounded out the party. These were the Jackal’s usual thugs and did not seem to find the scene before them particularly surprising.
“You’re the Jackal?” Atl asked.
“You got that right,” the Jackal said, looking smug. “Seems I’m famous. Did he tell you about that time I made him lick my boots?”
“Fuck you,” Domingo said, feeling his face grow warm.
“It was very fun. Maybe we can have some fun with you, too, sweetheart, although I have to say you’re not looking too hot.” The Jackal frowned. “Quinto, what the fuck is this? They said they want her in one piece and she looks like shit. You sure she ain’t going to keel over and die? If she dies I’m cutting your balls.”
“No, don’t be thinking that. She should be able to make it.”
“I need blood,” Atl informed them. “I need it now.”
The Jackal gave Quinto a questioning look. “That true?”
“I don’t know! I’m not an expert in vampire medicine. What am I supposed to do, stop by the Red Cross for plasma?” Quinto said, looking at Domingo. “If she is really hungry there’s Do…”
Quinto trailed off, but Domingo understood well enough. The Jackal chuckled and his men smiled.
“What’s Nick paying for me?” Atl asked.
The Jackal shrugged and took out a toothpick, picking at his teeth. “Something or the other. Doesn’t matter.”
“I have money too.”
“Doesn’t look like it, sweetheart. I’ll stick with the guy who owns the Mercedes.”
“I’m Atl of the Iztac clan. You should let me go now. Immediately.”
The Jackal moved closer to the mesh door of their makeshift cell and wagged a finger at Atl. “Bitch, you ain’t going nowhere and if you know what’s good for you, you better shut your mouth before you harsh my mellow.”
There was a loud buzzing sound and the Jackal took out his phone while biting down on his toothpick. He pressed his ear against the phone and barked a loud yes, twice, then hung up.
“You guys keep an eye on her. I gotta go greet our friends.”
The Jackal walked away, giving them one of his screeching laughs. Domingo sat on the mattress and placed an arm around Atl’s shoulders. Her breathing had suddenly sped up, as though she were running. She began to cough again and then she was convulsing. Domingo had to let go of her because her body was contorting in such a violent fashion. He watched as she coughed again, spewing bile, and then she fell on her back. Her mouth was overflowing with blood.
“She’s choking,” he told Quinto. “She’s choking on her own blood.”
Quinto, Belén, and the two men looked at him with mute incomprehension. Domingo tossed himself against the mesh door, shaking it hard.
“She’s going to die! Quinto, help her!”
Quinto took out his keys and with shaking fingers opened the door. Belén and the two men just stared at the unfolding scene, watching as Quinto dragged his backpack inside the cell and began rummaging in it.
“Do something!”
“I’m trying to find the damn epinephrine!”
Quinto managed to pull out a syringe and drove it into Atl’s chest. She immediately yanked it out and rammed it into Quinto’s eye. Domingo stepped back and lost his footing.
Atl pulled out a knife from between the folds of her jacket and threw it at one of the men, hitting him square in the middle of his forehead. The other man reacted quickly enough, grabbing a gun and shooting at her, but the bullet did not hit her and she landed on the man’s chest, breaking his neck with one clean movement.
Then she was up and standing with such speed Domingo did not understand what was happening at first. Belén gasped as Atl grabbed her by the neck, her long fingers squeezing.
“What are you doing?” Domingo asked.
“I need blood,” Atl said.
“Don’t hurt her!”
Atl turned her head and stared at him; her voice was hard. “I won’t. Get my dog,” she said.