Usually, creatures of the night didn’t last long without blood. Especially if they were also being interrogated. A few days, at most. The strongest, oldest vampires could go a couple of weeks without blood.
Elodie looked at the mirror, and for a moment, Nikhail could swear she saw them through the mirror. A low, vicious snarl slipped from her lips, and she snapped her wrists. The chains banged on the floor.
Lukas, who had been silent, stumbled back. His face turned green around the edges. “Is this normal? She’s more animal than human right now.”
“It’s not out of the norm,” Christof said.
“First time seeing a feral vampire, Corporal?” Priya asked.
Lukas’s gaze was trained on the one-way mirror. “Yes, it is. I just… I didn’t realize…”
Priya placed her hand on his arm, and Lukas glanced over at her. “It’s okay,” she said gently. “It’s a shock to everyone, at first.”
Vampires were regular members of society, like humans, fae, elves, werewolves, witches, dragon shifters, and everyone else who called the Republic of Balance their home. Most, like Brynleigh, were fully functioning members of society.
But strip their kind of blood, and it wasn’t long before it became clear why some people thought the creatures of the night were the most terrifying beings to ever roam these lands. Perhaps even more than dragon shifters, who were known to be quick to anger and short-tempered, a vampire’s natural state was death and darkness.
But deadly creature or not, Nikhail needed answers. He had to learn what the rebels were planning next, and if that meant dealing with a feral vampire, then he would do it.
Nikhail requested that blood be delivered before removing his weapons. Then, he entered the cell.
The vampire snarled as he walked inside, scrambling to the end of her chains. Lukas had been right when he said she was a wild animal. There were very few traces of life left on Elodie’s face.
But still, Nikhail had to try.
He crouched, remaining just out of reach, and introduced himself. “I’m here to make you an offer,” Nikhail said. “If you help me, I will give you blood.”
Her snarl was her only response.
He wouldn’t let that deter him. Leaning against the cold wall, with the bags of blood by his side, Nikhail settled in for a long wait.
“Go on,” he said to the feral vampire. “Get it all out. I won’t be leaving until we get your help.”
After all, this wasn’t just for Nikhail, but for River.
And he would do anything for her.
CHAPTER 17
A Late-Night Encounter
The person who invented the concept of counting sheep was stupid and had clearly never actually suffered from insomnia.
River reached that conclusion as the clock marched right past midnight, and she was still staring at the ceiling, trying to will herself into a restful state.
It wasn’t working. Not just counting sheep, although she’d certainly tried that.
Nothingwas working.
This was what River got for napping earlier.
This morning, when she’d woken to an empty house, River had moped around for a few hours. It hadn’t been until she’d been sitting on a stool at the kitchen island, pondering whether she felt strong enough to get up and make herself a piece of toast, that she realized she needed help.
She’d pulled out her phone and called Eliza Fern’s office before she could talk herself out of it. The therapist had had a last-minute cancellation, and she’d fit River in.
Their session had been a video call that lasted over two hours. The entire experience had been painful, and River hadspent the vast majority of it in tears as she relived her pain. They’d ended with River promising to make another appointment before the week was up.
After ending the call, River had stared at the blank screen for half an hour. Her limbs had felt leaden, and her throat had been parched. It was as if she’d cried out her body’s reserve of water. She’d had a drink, then lay down on the couch.