Harsh Light of Day
Page 31
**
Through a terrified haze, Will started to make sense of the snarls and growls in the big, cold room.
Most everything until this moment was a blur, in and out of consciousness. When he was awake, he felt groggy, like falling asleep in class and having to run across campus moments after he woke up.
When they first chained him up, he hyperventilated and passed out. Will imagined he would pass out again very soon because he couldn’t control his breathing. But unlike before, ever since the two monsters came into his apartment uninvited and threw him against the ceiling a few times, Will could finally absorb a little of what was going on.
Words began to slowly make sense again. He didn’t know the voices, but it didn’t take an expert to know they weren’t human.
“You were a liability from the moment I agreed to let you leave my house, Colin. Truthfully, your family was more of an experiment than anything. To say that experiment proved unsuccessful would be an understatement.”
This voice sounded strong to Will, in charge with a little mocking mixed in. It sounded like the owner of the voice was enjoying making the other, far weaker voice feel like crap.
“Please, my King. The young one could not be controlled from the very beginning. I cannot be blamed for such disregard for my authority.”
“Ah, but you can. That is your job as a Master. You should be able to foster respect from your family. In that, you have failed.”
“Only the young one—”
King. Master. Young one. They talked funny, Will thought.
“No, not only the young one. Two others left in the daylight without your permission as well, disobeyed your silly, strict rules.”
Will listened to the silence and wouldn’t dare look up to see what was happening. They weren’t paying him any attention yet, and he wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.
“I have yet to decide what punishment your offenses deserve. Not only your most disappointing offense, failing as a Master. But also for disciplining your youngest charge. The beating she took was unwarranted.”
“Masters are allowed to administer justice as they see fit,” the weaker voice said.
“You are telling me about my laws?”
The strong voice yelled so loudly, the room shook. Will felt it in his chest, like standing by the speakers at a rock concert and feeling the bass rumble through him.
“No, my King. I mean, I was, my King but that was not my intention. I was just—”
Will felt sorry for the weaker one. His voice practically trembled.
“Yes, you have always been arrogant without cause to be so. A Master may administer justice in the way they see fit, but within reason. What you’ve done here is unreasonable. Bringing a living human into your home? Dealing out pain to a member of your family without discussion or question?”
The weak voice didn’t make another sound. And Will suddenly had a feeling there were many more vampires in the room than he could hear. There were faint rustlings from all corners of the room, and though he wouldn’t dare look up, he was almost sure the two voices had an audience.
“They are returning now,” the strong voice declared. “There will be more talk of this soon enough.”
He wondered if Lena was there, and felt more than a little ashamed at how long it took him to wonder about her. But in his cloud of fear, all he could selfishly wonder was if she was watching over him and trying to defend him. After the beating she had taken, Will wasn’t sure she was even alive. She told him she could be killed. What if she were gone?
And he was all alone.
Chained to a wall.
In a room filled with angry vampires.
Will realized he had been holding his breath since the voices stopped, and dizziness overtook him.
Losing consciousness again was a relief.