Fallen Hearts

by Angela Colsin

  If it weren't for that, he would've put her down where she sat.

  Instead, he found himself snagging the last bag of blood from his supplies, stating, “This is all I have,” and tossed it in her direction.

  Despite her withered condition, Maddox managed to catch the bag and looked the item over.

  “It's cold,” she grumbled.

  “You're picky?”

  Rolling her glowing red eyes, she snatched the tube, and began searching for a way to get the contents out. But Stephan didn't stick around to watch, grabbing his duffel from the floor as he turned to leave with the words, “Bathroom's through that door if you wanna clean up. You've got an hour. Then we'll talk.”

  Exiting the room without offering a second glance, he passed the two guards he'd posted on watch and headed down the hall. Maddox had requested a change of clothes, and for as little as Stephan cared about her comfort, he'd rather go ask Kivsey if she had anything to spare than watch a vampire eat.

  Anything would be better than that.

  6

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  The bag of blood Maddox received wasn't quite enough to make her heart beat again, but it did wonders for the complexion.

  The mortal who'd given it to her was also right—she wasn't picky about the low temperature of the blood, and devoured every drop. Immediately, her body put the nutrients to work, strengthening her muscles and slowly rejuvenating her appearance.

  She wouldn't need much more to be at full capacity, though she certainly wasn't complaining now. Maddox's current undead state of being was a vast improvement over the literal corpse she'd been an hour prior, and she finally found enough control to force her fangs into submission. The urge to unleash them and find a human to drain was definitely strong, but this wasn't the right place or time.

  Besides, the need for a bath was just as prominent, and perhaps she'd figure out where she was in the meanwhile.

  The room she stood in reminded her of a motel, being rather generic in design, but clean without a lot of personal touches. The only oddity was the fact that there were no windows, making her wonder if it wasn't actually vampire-friendly despite the mortal's obvious dislike of their kind.

  But everything else was commonplace—or at least, what she assumed was such for modern times. Several unidentifiable objects sat in various places, such as a black, rectangular shaped item on top of a dresser across from the bed with a smooth, flat surface and buttons on the left side. Wondering just how far technology had advanced in the years since her entombment, Maddox stepped over to inspect it more thoroughly, but short of pressing buttons, there was no telling what purpose the machine served.

  So she decided against trying for the time being, particularly when her attention became drawn to a much more familiar object next to it—a phone book.

  Lifting it from the dresser, the first thing that stood out were the images of a cityscape on the cover. All of them were perfectly sharp and in color, and most importantly, the text below them read The Greater Charlotte Metro Area 2012-2013. It was questionable if that was her current location, or just the closest city to it, but the years listed had her anger rising.

  Seventy fucking years.

  Maddox carelessly dropped the book back onto the dresser, vowing to retaliate. It might take a year, or even a hundred, and Lillian could hide wherever she saw fit, but it wouldn't help her in the end.

  Still, a bath came first, and Maddox was certainly eager for it—without hurrying just because some pushy mortal had issued her an hour to finish up. As far as she was concerned, the entire night was free to clean up and learn all she could about the world she'd woken up to.

  Heading to the door at the back of the room which the human mentioned led to a bathroom, Maddox stepped inside, and was immediately in awe over her findings.

  How could such a small accommodation have its own bathtub and toilet?

  The tub was housed in an alcove covered by a frosted glass door, and the sink next to it was decorated with a brass pot filled with sweet-smelling potpourri and some rose-shaped soaps. Everything was spotlessly clean, save a few partially used bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and shaving cream laying on the floor of the tub.

  Either her human savior was wealthy to afford such a place—saying she was indeed in a motel—or this was simply standard construction now, and Maddox intended to take full advantage.

  Turning to settle at the edge of the tub, she twisted the knobs marked C and H to get the water to the warmth she liked, though a lever situated in the center with an S on it drew her curiosity. What's this?

  Unable to help herself, she pushed it down. In turn, the faucet stopped running, causing her nose to wrinkle in confusion—that was, until a stream of cold water suddenly hit the back of her head from above.

  Startled, Maddox yelped and scampered back, looking up with wide eyes to spy a nozzle at the top of the wall.

  “A shower, too?” she mused with a smile slowly lifting her lips. “What a pleasant surprise.”

  She'd only seen the type that worked with a hand pump before, and swept several tendrils of newly soaked black hair back across her head, then held out a hand to test the temperature.

  As soon as it was right, she gladly peeled off her clothes, wondering if the human who'd revived her would be charged extra for the water usage, and grinned deviously. That's too bad, because I need a very long bath.

  With as pushy as he seemed to be, however, Maddox wouldn't have been surprised if he came in to drag her out. So she locked the door just in case, and finally climbed under the stream of water with several of the rose-shaped soaps in hand.

  The only complaint she could remotely think of was that the soap wasn't a scent she preferred—a trivial detail indeed. After how long she'd spent smelling of decay, she scrubbed until they were pebbles, then dumped an entire bottle of shampoo over her head.

  Washing her hair twice to make certain there was no dirt left, she finally grabbed the towel hanging on the wall by the sink, and exited the alcove into the lingering steam. After all the stately places Maddox had lived in her life, including a château and owning her own mansion in upstate New York, she'd never felt quite as regal as she did just then in that motel bathroom.

  At the mirror, she swiped her hand across the surface to clear the fog, and looked at her reflection. Her eyes were still glowing red with hunger, and her skin was ghostly pale, but it was smooth and even with her black hair hanging in soaked, wavy strands.

  Maddox smiled. She was free, and the notion of it made up for her lack of a beating heart. All she needed was to get used to the way the world worked, and the search for both Lillian and Mathias could commence.

  The best first step was returning to King's Forest Cemetery and checking the sarcophagus. But in the instance that Mathias wasn't there, she'd fully devote herself to locating Lillian, who would certainly have information on his fate.

  She also wondered what the mortal who'd woken her had in mind. Despite his disagreeable attitude, it would be in her best interest to work with him, at least until her understanding of the world improved. Otherwise, she ran the risk of stepping into unknown danger and getting herself killed.

  Wrapping the towel around her torso, she unlocked the door and returned to the bedroom, curious if some random clothing might be stored in the dresser. The first drawer turned up empty, however, and Maddox placed her hand on the second, but didn't open it when voices sounded from outside of the room.

  At first, they were too muffled to understand, but as they drew closer, she clearly made out the words, “Just go back upstairs, Kivsey.”

  “No,” a woman responded. “You asked me for clothes, and I don't know what size she wears. So do you want to get her measurements, or should I?”

  Just then, a knock came to the door, immediately followed by an exasperated sigh as the knob turned and the female chided, “Stephan! Don't just walk in!”

  Simultaneously, the same mortal who'd revived Maddox entered the
room, this time with a human female following him. He looked rather annoyed as well, but the look faded the moment he spied Maddox standing there in nothing but a towel, coming to a complete stop.

  And his surprise was extremely gratifying. I've always been a showstopper.

  But the moment soon ended when Kivsey pushed past him. The female had long, butterscotch blonde hair, wore glasses with thick, black rims, and carried a few articles of clothing in her hands.

  Upon spying Maddox, she offered a quaint, but hesitant smile, perhaps because the vampire's eyes were still glowing red with hunger.

  And indeed, the pulse of the mortal's blood was extremely enticing.

  But she exerted control to keep her fangs dormant—a difficult task for any vampire in bloodlust. She wasn't a savage, however, and knew that's exactly what these humans expected her to be, just another murderous vampire looking for a meal without care of the lives they ruined.

  She'd simply have to prove them wrong, and would take great joy in doing so. Some truths are best learned, after all.

  With a lopsided smile, Maddox turned her attention to Stephan, remarking, “Aw, how sweet of you to acquire clothing for me.”

  He scowled in response, yet she took no offense—it seemed to be the only facial expression he was capable of making. But his refusal to respond created a silence between them that the woman with him tried to break by introducing herself.

  “I'm Jennifer Kivsey, and yes, Stephan said you needed some clothes. So I brought a few things to hold you over. Hopefully they'll fit.”

  “Thank you, Kivsey. It's better than walking around in a towel,” Maddox returned politely, taking the items to lay out on the bed. In the process, she remarked, “Stephan, hmm? I would've thought your name was Hank.”

  He didn't reply, though Kivsey seemed curious enough to ask, “Why Hank?”

  “He acts like a Hank I met once, you know, the type with a stick shoved up their ass.”

  Kivsey snickered softly, and Maddox looked back just in time to see Stephan casting an annoyed look in her direction, prompting the woman to clear her throat in an attempt to stifle her amusement.

  Smirking, Maddox put her attention back on the clothes. Most of it was too big and baggie for her personal tastes, but she could certainly make due, grabbing a blue top and a pair of black slacks with a belt laced through the hoops.

  “I'll just go put these on. Would it be too much to ask that I go shopping for my own soon?”

  Stephan didn't answer, and Maddox stopped at the bathroom door to glance in his direction. In response, he quirked a silent brow, and Kivsey stepped in with a verdict.

  “We can arrange that.”

  Smiling, Maddox thanked her. “At least some humans are more well-behaved than ogres.”

  With that said, she shut the bathroom door, but not before catching a momentary glimpse of Kivsey's expression suggesting there were a number of things she could've said in regards to Stephan's frigidness, and Maddox didn't doubt it one bit. His demeanor was just as ragged as his appearance, meaning he probably didn't get along well with anyone, and it was actually rather sad.

  If Stephan put just a little care into his looks, he'd clean up nicely, and she wondered if the same could be said for his attitude.

  Still, while Maddox was patient, a change like that would take time and effort, and his treatment of her thus far made her think he wouldn't have willingly pulled her out of the grave if his very life depended on it. There was simply too much hatred on his face, and for as warranted as that hatred may have been, Maddox wasn't going to suffer for another vampire's sins.

  Especially Lillian's.

  So patience or not, if Stephan continued to push, she had no qualms pushing back.

  7

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Stephan had no idea what to make of the vampire he'd been ordered to work with.

  Ardilon said Maddox would be different, and so far, she was proving him right in spades, behaving with all the social graces of a dignitary. Most times, Stephan would've chalked such politeness up to an angle being played to achieve some premeditated goal, but two things stopped him.

  Firstly, there was next to nothing for her to gain. Maddox was a foreigner in the world at large, so even if she managed to get an upper hand that might be used against them, she wouldn't know what to do with it well enough to keep it for long.

  The second, and more confusing reason for his uncertainty, was that her fangs weren't exposed.

  Stephan had encountered enough vampires to know for certain that bloodlust and fangs went hand in hand, and Maddox was obviously in this state with her eyes glowing red. But aside from her initial awakening, he hadn't spied a single glimpse of sharpened teeth.

  Her control must've been ten times that of a normal vampire, especially considering how hungry she had to be.

  Even Kivsey took note of it, asking after Maddox disappeared into the bathroom, “Did you see that, Steph? She's starving, but no fangs. She didn't even ask for blood.”

  “So?” he inquired indifferently despite his own thoughts over the matter. “She's just trying to make a good impression.”

  “I don't think it's that simple,” Kivsey drew out, which was surprising. His comrade didn't loathe vampires the way he did, but she was incredibly suspicious by nature.

  So if she didn't think it was simple, there had to be a reason, prompting him to ask disbelievingly, “Why the hell not?”

  “Just think about it. Maddox spent seventy years in the grave unwillingly. So sure, she'd wanna make an impression, but not to charm us into a false sense of security.”

  “Then why try at all?”

  “Because she needs us. The circumstances of her situation have brought her to a place she doesn't fully understand. There's new weapons, social structures, history she's unaware of, and I think she realizes that sticking her head out too soon will get her killed. But you brought her back, not out of the goodness of your heart, but … ”

  As Kivsey trailed, Stephan had to admit that it was a damned good point. He doubted Maddox felt beholden to him for her freedom, but she did need them if only to explain things.

  It was just a matter of what she decided to do with that information when all was said and done.

  “She needs us for now,” Stephan amended. “But what about later, when she has what she wants?”

  Kivsey parted her lips to answer, but the bathroom door opened with Maddox announcing, “I'll drain you both like any common vampire and keep all of Kivsey's comfortable clothing for myself.”

  Kivsey snickered while Stephan groaned under his breath, remaining silent as the vampire crossed the room to an empty waste bin and tossed her old dress inside, adding, “Honestly, I've known some suspicious people before, but you take the cake, Stephan. I have just as much reason to doubt your claims.”

  At that, she turned to face them, and the new outfit she wore fit well enough, though it was a little on the baggie side—not that he knew why he'd even taken notice.

  Maybe it was the surprise of seeing her after the blood rejuvenated her body. Stephan hadn't expected the vampire to look quite so … elegant, at least, not without a ton of make up and expensive, even skimpy clothing which was the norm amongst their kind.

  But Maddox was naturally beautiful, her black hair hanging in wet waves by a rounded face with sharp cheekbones, pouty lips, and what he would've described as a button nose.

  All of it combined to offer her a softly sensual allure that was only ruined by her red eyes—a clear reminder that a pretty face on a vampire was just a lure for the monster hiding beneath it.

  So Stephan ignored her physical appeal, focusing on their conversation once more as she continued, “If we're going to operate on suspicion alone, then you two should give me one good reason to trust you. Can I even leave this room?”

  “Of course,” Kivsey answered before Stephan could open his mouth. “You're not our prisoner.”

  Maddox looked skeptical, folding her ar
ms over her chest in pointing out, “He doesn't seem so thrilled with the idea, and adopting his attitude, I'd have to say that your word alone isn't good enough.”

  Stephan sneered, retorting quickly, “You're not a fucking prisoner.”

  “But I would be if you had your way?”

  “No, if I had my way, you'd be dead. Instead, I've been ordered to work with you.”

  Immediately, Maddox scoffed in amusement, her tone incredulous when she asked, “What presumptuous moron thinks I'd want to work with a scraggly, hateful human like you? And why in the world would they think you'd want to work with me?”

  “You got me there,” Stephan muttered.

  “Well, that's nice,” she returned sarcastically, then added more seriously, “but if this is the kind of treatment I'm going to get, I'd be better off learning my own way around, thank you.”

  Stephan wanted to argue with her on principle, but Kivsey stopped him by taking the vampire's side. “She's right, you can't work with her if all you're going to do is blame her for being a vampire, Steph.”

  He didn't need the reminder, and was so irritated by the thought of it that Kivsey's use of that annoying nickname caused him to impulsively snap, “For fuck's sake, would you stop calling me that!”

  Kivsey sighed, then ignored him to inform Maddox much more kindly than he would've been able to, “Here's the full truth. I was against bringing you here, thought it would be unnecessary, or that the information we'd received could've been a trap. But Stephan was ordered to do it, meaning our higher-ups seem to think you could greatly benefit our effort. So if you do decide to help him track Lillian, I'll try my best to assist. But even if you don't, I'd like to offer you more blood from our clinic. You can come with me to make sure it's clean if you'd like.”

  Stephan didn't object to the offer, deciding it was best if Kivsey smoothed things over—though he got the feeling they were setting an example for him, particularly when Maddox politely smiled and accepted the offer.