"How did you know what to do to survive?" Sheila asked.
I shrugged. "I figured it out and picked up tips here and there."
I left out the fact that my knowledge of spooks was seriously lacking. Every one of them probably knew more about vampires than I did. As companions, they had an all-access pass to the vampires' habits and traits, something I hadn’t had much exposure to. I'd learned more about my own brand of spook in the past twenty-four hours than I had in the last year.
"It must have been tough," Theo said with a sympathetic glance.
I inclined my head.
Pierce scoffed. "She got an easy pass to the top of the food chain. Some of us have been waiting years for an opportunity like that, and she had it dropped in her lap."
"Pierce," Sheila said with gentle reproach in her voice. “You know Thomas, because of his power, has an exemption from those rules.”
He grimaced but didn't challenge the small, gentle-looking woman.
I pushed back from the island, being sure to hold Pierce's gaze with my own. "Some opportunity. I would gladly give it to you if I could."
I gave the rest of them a small nod before leaving the kitchen without another word. Their voices trailed behind me.
"Pierce, that was rude," Sheila said.
"What? We were all thinking it. Sarah said she won't even claim a clan. Spoiled bitch. Any one of us would have killed to be in her shoes, and she's just throwing it all away."
"Pierce, you can't say things like that." Theo's voice was a quiet rumble.
"Aren't you mad?" he asked. "You can't even get a proper patron. They pass you around like you're a whore."
There was a long pause. "It's not her fault. She didn't choose this. We did."
Their voices faded as I continued out of hearing distance. They'd given me a lot of food for thought. From the sound of it, the patron/companion relationship wasn't quite the symbiotic give and take that Nathan and Rick had portrayed it as last night. At least from the companions' perspective, the vampires seemed to hold all the power, controlling who claimed a companion as their own, and who was turned, and when.
I could understand their resentment. I'd be resentful too, if I’d toed the company line for years only to find someone had not only skipped to the front of the line, but also turned around and given the finger to all of the traditions and rules that came with the lifestyle.
The glimpse into their thought processes was useful, and I made a note to talk to Theo about his attack at a later date. Maybe when he wasn't surrounded by the rest of the companions. I also needed to track down Catherine and get her perspective on what happened. I still stood by my assertion that it wasn't Caroline, but in case I was wrong, I needed all the facts. Finding out who, or what, was responsible for their attack would get some of the heat off Caroline until I could locate her.
I walked through several more hallways before coming to a stop. I was in the same predicament as I'd been in before I stumbled on the kitchen, lost and with no idea how to get back to my room.
My stomach cramped painfully, and I set a hand on it. That was new. My stomach hadn't given me problems since my change. That it was happening now, concerned me. Was it the ice cream? I'd been careful in the amount I ate, keeping it to just one bowl. While I did get sick if I overconsumed human food, it usually took quite a bit more than what I just ate. I shouldn't be having trouble right now.
It cramped again, my insides twisting and curling in on themselves. Sweat dotted my forehead. Pain. A lot of pain.
Seeing a staircase that looked familiar, I made my way up it and thanked every god I knew when I recognized the corridor. I wasn't far from my room.
Moments later I was lying on my bed and praying that my stomach would just stop hurting. Dawn couldn't be too far off. For perhaps the first time, I wished with all my being for its presence and the blissful unconsciousness that came with it.
My cell phone rang, the sound muffled from where I'd stashed it under my mattress. I hadn't wanted to take the chance that Liam or Nathan would see it and decide to take it—for monitoring purposes.
I answered before looking at the caller ID, my voice tight with pain. "Yeah?"
"Aileen?" Caroline's tinny voice came over the line.
I sat up, wincing as my stomach cramped before forcing the pain away. "Caroline, where are you?"
"I'm somewhere safe."
That was vague.
"Where?" I didn't know how I would get to her by dawn, but I'd figure out a way even if I had to steal one of Liam's goon's cars to do it.
"It's better that you don't know. Just know I'm safe. I'm sorry I got you involved in this. I didn't realize how much trouble it would bring to your door."
"Don't worry about it." The last thing I cared about was the trouble this had brought. I'd find a way to deal with any repercussions one way or another. "It doesn't matter. What matters is keeping you safe." And making sure she didn't attack any humans or start a war between the vampires and the werewolves.
There was a pause as I listened to her breathing.
"Caroline, I think it would be best if you came in. Let me talk to Brax for you. Maybe I could negotiate some type of compromise."
Her breathing became harsher, a hint of a growl creeping in. "Now, you sound like them. You're on their side, aren't you?"
"No, that's not what this is about. Right now, everyone is hunting you. I'm just trying to look out for you."
"Turning me over to them isn't how you help me, Aileen." That was a definite growl.
"I'm not saying I want to turn you over, but they can help you if you let them."
"I don't need help," she snapped. "And that's pretty hypocritical coming from you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"They told me about you. How you refuse to align yourself with the vampires or accept any help from them?"
"That's—"
"So, excuse me if I don't put a lot of stock in your suggestions right now." Her voice was bitter.
I took a deep breath around the hurt blooming in my chest. She was right, but so was I.
"Can you honestly tell me you're not a present danger to yourself or anyone who might bump into you on the street?" I asked, my voice low.
Her harsh breathing was my only answer. That's what I thought.
"Because I only spent a few minutes with you, and you nearly ripped my head off when I challenged you," I said, not showing any mercy. "I'm a vampire, Caroline, and even I was worried about what you would do if I pushed too hard. Can you truthfully tell me that if a human got up in your face or started arguing with you that you wouldn't lose it on them?"
There was a small snarl.
"Listen to yourself right now, Caroline. I've barely started pushing, and you're already losing control. How will you feel if you hurt someone?"