Deamhan (28 page)

“They won’t come for you here, Veronica.” As he continued to speak, Veronica didn’t hear a word while she contemplated her next move. His words were clouded, but his offer for her to stay in Blind Bluff Manor while everything blew over was free from any intrusion.

She agreed, but on one condition.

“Murphy,” she said. “What’s Anastasia going to do with him?”

Nathan looked to the floor of his study for a moment before looking back up at Veronica.

He avoided the question. “You must be tired. I’ll take you up to your room.”

She agreed and decided to leave her questions for tomorrow.

She followed him out of his study and they walked to the den just in time to see Anastasia walking through the front door, closing it behind her. She stood off to the side, her eyes fixed on Nathan and her hands firmly on her hips.

Anastasia placed the note in Nathan’s hand. He thanked her, and with Veronica in tow, they headed up the stairs.

Down the hall they turned right and walked down another hallway. Veronica didn’t recognize this part of the sanctuary. It wasn’t the same hallway from earlier. The windows weren’t blocked from the sun. In fact, they weren’t covered with curtains of any kind. She looked out, viewing the back yard of his home and the dark sky and the full moon. This wing of his home, his mansion, was his own personal space. The walls were bare and lacked any detail. The hallway contained plenty of low dimmed lights spaced feet apart.

“What did she look like?” Nathan said to Veronica.

She snapped back into reality. “Who?”

“Jessica, Selene’s minion who gave Anastasia the note.” He referred to the note. “What did she look like?”

Veronica described every detail she could remember about her, down to the way she reacted when Anastasia confronted her.  Nathan nodded while she spoke and at the end of the hallway, he stopped and faced a brown door.

“This is your room.” He pulled out a ring of keys and began to unlock the door. He opened and motioned for her to walk in.

The room was bare except for a queen size bed with white sheets, two standard size pillows and a black comforter to her right. A huge window sat opposite the other side of the bed covered in thin see-through white curtains. In one corner was a make-up counter with a table mirror and a cushioned chair. Unsure of this new environment, Veronica took her time to look around.

Nathan walked in after her, standing partially in the doorway. “I hope this room suits you.”

She looked around another time before finally facing him. “I’ll manage.” Who was she fooling? She missed her apartment, she missed her personal things, and most importantly, she missed Sean. It didn’t matter what room Nathan chose for her; she wasn’t going to get any sleep with these worried thoughts on her mind.

“If you need anything, please let me know,” he assured. “You can find your way back to my study?”

“If I have to.” Veronica nodded. He stepped out, closing the door behind him. She walked over to the bed, falling into it and letting her body sink into the cushioned layers. She needed to familiarize herself with this room and her new living conditions. She was going to be here for a long time.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Veronica spent the following week relaxing in Nathan’s sanctuary. Nathan gave her complete access to his late father’s Deamhan research, and his own research. She ransacked complete historical documents, learning everything she could on Lucius and Kei.

She pushed The Brotherhood’s resurgence in Minneapolis to the back of her mind. Worried about Sean, she assumed that her father had taken him back to San Diego where he’d be reprimanded with disobeying orders. It wasn’t the end of the world for him. She knew plenty of researchers in her past who were reprimanded. Plus he was safer in San Diego anyway. But she couldn’t help but think about Murphy. Even though he tried to kill her, he was still human and Anastasia had him alone, locked up in the basement for her heinous pleasure.

She didn’t understand how Nathan wasn’t affected by Anastasia’s actions. He rarely left Blind Bluff Manor, opting to conduct his business by phone in his private study. Veronica didn’t question who he was talking to or where his information came from. She assumed his connection was within The Brotherhood because he knew their every little detail. The new Chapter had set up shop in downtown Minneapolis, only blocks from Dark Sepulcher under the disguise of a local bookstore. The researchers, including Kenneth, were seen frequently on the streets during the day and at night. However, her father had already left the city.

When Veronica finally saw Anastasia, she was with Nathan in his study usually during the early hours of the morning. Her responses were fierce and quick to his questions. There was a friendship between both of them, a Ramanga and a human, that was more than just living in the same sanctuary. It was deeper than that, much deeper, and Veronica remained confused by it.

In a bigger library on the second floor, Veronica occasionally ran into Hallie but still kept her distance from the Deamhan teen. That soon changed when Hallie began to open up to her. Hallie acted like a normal teenager; staying in her room, blasting techno music from huge stereo speakers Nathan had bought her. Sometimes she played video games and when she got bored, she’d run down the hallway, yelling at the top of her lungs that she wanted to leave the manor. One night, just after sunset, Hallie stood in the doorway of Veronica’s room, secretly watching her.

“Don’t you get tired of reading all the time?”

Hallie’s remark startled Veronica who jumped from her chair. She watched as Hallie skipped over to her bed and purposely fell face first into the mattress. She then rolled onto her back and pulled out her iPod from her pocket.

“No, not really,” Veronica replied.

“Reading is so boring though,” Hallie said. “Unless it’s like gossip magazines and stuff.”

Veronica closed her book and she turned her undivided attention to her. “You haven’t read a good book.”

“What you’re reading aren’t books. They’re researcher manuals.” Hallie pointed to the leather bound book in Veronica’s possession. “Nathan told me about those. I wonder if I’m like, all old and stuff, will I get a human to follow me around and write about me?”

“It’s possible.”

“Well it won’t happen now. I can’t even leave this place.” She stared at the ceiling. “I’m like a fucking prisoner.” She turned to Veronica. “I had way more freedom as a human.”

Veronica knew a little about Anastasia and Remy, but she knew almost nothing about Hallie. She grabbed a pen and her notebook from the desk drawer and started to write.  “Let’s start by telling me your name.”

Hallie raised herself from Veronica’s bed. “Seriously?”

Veronica nodded. “We can start off with your name, a little about your history, like if you attended high school when you were human.”

Hallie’s face beamed with curiosity and she moved to the edge of the bed with her elbows resting on her legs. “Okay. My name is Hallie Martensen.”

“Is Hallie your human name or Deamhan name?”

“What?”

“Some Deamhan choose to get another name after they’re sired. It’s like a sign of rebirth.”

“I like my name when I was human and I like it now,” Hallie answered. “It’s not my real name though. I don’t know my real parents. I was adopted.”

Veronica jotted down her name in her notebook and she continued. “How old are you?”

Hallie rolled her eyes. “Human or Deamhan years?”

“Both.”

“Well, I was sixteen when I was turned. That was a few months ago.”

“Do you know who turned you?”

“Nope and nor do I care,” she replied.

Veronica paused. “You don’t know who sired you?”

Hallie shrugged. “It was at a rave. All I remember is taking the best pills in my life there. I was with my best friend and I lost her in the crowd.” Hallie closed her eyes in thought. “Then I met this boy and his friends and they gave me more pills. I just remember being outside, under the stars drinking, then when I woke up, I was covered in dirt and it was dark.” She opened her eyes, which had turned from brown to the Deamhan trait of black. “I dug myself out of the ground and there was no one around. I was alone. I didn’t even know where I was and how long I’d been there. I was hungry and I felt strangely strong.” She stood up from the bed. “I could hear everything around me and people in the distance. I walked down the freeway, trying to find my way home. Before I reached my house, I saw a cop and I told him I was lost. But before he could help me, I had this urge to eat him.” Her eyebrows shifted. “It scared me, so I ran. And that’s when Anastasia found me.”

“And she took you back here?”

Hallie laughed. “Not at first. She attacked me!” Her eyes lit up. “She dragged me into an alley, saying she was going to kill me, and that I was too young to be sired, and she kept questioning me about who did this to me but I didn’t know anything. After begging her to not kill me, she stopped. When she took me to Blind Bluff Manor I met Nathan and he talked to me for hours. That’s when I knew what happened to me and that I could never go back to my human family.”

“You’ve only been a Deamhan for a few months?”

“Yeah, and it sucks,” Hallie replied. “Oh my God, I just want to get the fuck out of here; just once!” She pouted. “I miss my friends, I miss my family. I even miss high school.”

Veronica scribbled vicariously in her notepad. “So, why can’t you go out?”

“Cause Anastasia always brings me back. I hate her so much. I can’t do anything around here without her watching me,” Hallie said. “Once, I got past the front gate before she dragged me back, threatening me with her fucking sharp teeth. I’d call the cops but . . .” She trailed off.

“But what?”

“Who’d believe me?” Hallie sighed. “Forever is a long freaking time to be here. I mean, how am I supposed to learn about what I am if they keep me prisoner?”

“It’s not safe out there, especially for a young Deamhan.”

“Yeah, whatever. I don’t care about Deamhan or other supernatural crap. I just want to get out of here.” She stood up. “Anastasia gets to eat whoever she wants. Why can’t I eat whoever I want?” Grinning, Hallie licked her lips. “The closest I got to tasting a human was with that guy she’s been playing around with in the basement.”

“Murphy?”

Hallie nodded. “Yeah, right before she . . .”

“What? Right before ‘she’ what?”

Hallie shook her head. “Never mind.” She got up from Veronica’s bed and turned to walk out of the room.

“Did she kill him?”

Hallie stopped and looked over her shoulder. “I’ll show ya.”

Veronica followed her down the hallway and down the stairs. They crept past Nathan, who sat in his study, reading, and then headed to a wooden door in the hallway near the back door of the manor.

“She’s down there with him.” Hallie smiled.

“He’s still alive?”

“If you want to call it that.” Hallie hesitated. “I used to go down there during the day when Anastasia’s asleep.”

The tiny hairs on the back of Veronica’s neck stood up followed by a small gust of wind and the smell of expensive cologne. She immediately turned around and jumped, bumping against the door and creating a loud thud. Remy stood with his brown eyes scanning her.

“Now, now Veronica,” he said as he leaned against the wall. “That would be prying.” This time Veronica forced herself to not back away. Unlike their first encounter, Remy’s appearance wasn’t intimidating. Dressed in a sleek black shirt with tight fitting blue jeans, he towered slightly over her. His brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, just like the last time she saw him.

“Shouldn’t you be doing something angst related right now?” Remy questioned Hallie.

Hallie held out her hand. “Where’s my cigs?”

Remy looked at Veronica and smiled. His eyes were hollow giving her mixed signals. “Kids these days.” He reached into the pockets of his jeans and pulled out an unopened pack of cigarettes. “Always want, want, want, but never give, give, give.”

Hallie snatched the pack from his grasp.

“Now, off you go.” He patted Hallie on her head. “Move along now.”

Hallie gave him an evil eye before heading back up the stairs.

Remy leaned against the wall, continuing to gawk at Veronica. It made her uneasy and she looked away. She tried her best to ignore his intimidating and somewhat attractive stare by hiding her thoughts.

He smiled. “What can I say? I’m good with kids.”

She brushed off his remark and she began to fidget with the knob handle on the basement door.

“She’s been playing with Murphy for about a week now,” he continued. “She’s trying to get into that little brain of his. Gotta give that human credit; he’s stronger than he looks.”

Veronica tried pushing her weight against the door but it didn’t budge.

“So, Miss Austin. We never did finish that conversation.”

“What conversation?”

“Oh you know. The one where you blocked your thoughts, then ran off at the sight of me feeding.” He pouted. “You didn’t even say goodbye.”

“Look, I’m not some whore who’ll fall for your tricks.” Veronica faced him with her back to the door. “I know who you are and what you can do, so don’t try to insult my intelligence.”

In Deamhan speed, Remy placed his hand on the door near her head. “And that’s why you fascinate me. You’re like no other researcher I’ve ever encountered,” he whispered. “Plus you smell so good.”

“I’m not a researcher.”

His comments didn’t faze her. She moved his hand away and returned back to the door. The deadened noise from the other side became louder.

“What’s she doing down there?” Veronica probed.

“Questioning the human about Kei.” He moved in closer to Veronica. “Anastasia is a weird one. She’s what you call old school. She does things her way.”

“Open the door,” Veronica said.

“A little demanding, aren’t we?”

“I want to go down there.”

“I don’t think she’d appreciate that,” Remy replied.

Veronica turned back around. “I have a few questions of my own for Murphy.”