again after I die? Is there an afterlife where I’ll see all of them? All the people I’ve cared for who’ve been taken from me. Is Lottie watching me even now, from above, waiting to help ease my passage? She was always so fierce and determined, almost uncontrollably so. I’d have thought nothing could defeat her. Are there others? Do they look like her? Like me?
“Tell me,” I say to Dagursson. The words sap the last of my energy, but before I die, I need to know. “Just tell…what happened…my family.”
He considers me, theatrically tapping his chin, reveling in his triumph. “I suppose everyone should get a final wish.”
The door crashes open.
He bellows, “I said no office hours.”
I can no longer lift my head. I am drifting in a warm cocoon. I hear Annelise’s voice and wonder if I’ve died.
“I won’t be long,” she says. “I’ve just come to get Tracer Ronan.”
CHAPTER NINE
Annelise bursts into the room, arms and legs pumping. I whisper her name—the mantra that’s keeping me alive. She pauses to throw two quick stars—one for Dagursson’s chest, one for his throat—then spins away. She’s behind the table now, from where she throws another. She’s a dervish. A maniac. A creature of beauty and grace.
And it won’t be enough. We’ll need more than throwing stars to kill Dagursson.
Moving slowly, deliberately, he puts down his tools. He paces toward her.
I find my voice and shout, “Go. Ann. He’ll kill you.”
She jogs backward away from the vampire—but it’s away from the door. Away from escape. She shoots me a quick smirk of bravado. “You know I hate being told what to do.”
She can’t do this alone—I won’t let her. I pull myself out from where I’d sunk deep in my subconscious, pull myself back into the moment. My body ignites with pain.
I’m electric, every cell roused to life. Each beat of my heart is a pulse of agony and fury. And fear, too—that Dagursson will tie her up and make me watch him do to her what he’s been doing to me.
“Tracer Ronan, you are being quite rude,” Dagursson says in a chillingly calm voice. He continues to prowl toward Ann, beckoning, “Don’t go, child. I’m so very pleased you’re here. We were just discussing the difference between pain and anguish. Now that you’ve joined us, we can more fully explore the concept.”
“Acari Drew,” I yell sternly. “You will get out of here. Right now.” I’ve used my teacher’s voice, and though it earns me a surprised look, she doesn’t listen.
Dagursson also ignores me. The table has halted his approach, and he pauses to lean casually across from her. “How did you know Ronan and I were sharing time together?” His pose is nonchalant, but it’s clear he’s poised for attack.
I shuffle my feet beneath my chair, frantically jerking my shoulders from side to side, but I’m trapped like a rat. Blood runs along my arms, down my back. The acuteness of the pain is gone, pushed to some faraway place in my mind. All I know is that I must help her. Annelise must survive.
She shrugs with the brave calm that’s kept her alive this long. “A little bird told me you two were hanging out.”
Dagursson considers for a moment then nods. “Ah. Your little bird would be Acari Regina, come for office hours. Am I right? She’s the only one who interrupted our little tête-à-tête .”
“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” Annelise says blandly.
The vampire gives a knowing smile. “Ever the loyal friend.” He looks at me. “Is that what draws you to her? Everyone else abandoned you, but here is an Acari, weak and lonely, who cannot leave?”
Dagursson is wallowing in this strange exchange, a child getting his moment of glory. But it works for me—with time comes opportunity. “Annelise might be many things,” I say, making my tone as calmly conversational as possible, “but weak isn’t one of them.”
“Aw, thanks, Ronan.” She beams at me, and even
“Tell me,” I say to Dagursson. The words sap the last of my energy, but before I die, I need to know. “Just tell…what happened…my family.”
He considers me, theatrically tapping his chin, reveling in his triumph. “I suppose everyone should get a final wish.”
The door crashes open.
He bellows, “I said no office hours.”
I can no longer lift my head. I am drifting in a warm cocoon. I hear Annelise’s voice and wonder if I’ve died.
“I won’t be long,” she says. “I’ve just come to get Tracer Ronan.”
CHAPTER NINE
Annelise bursts into the room, arms and legs pumping. I whisper her name—the mantra that’s keeping me alive. She pauses to throw two quick stars—one for Dagursson’s chest, one for his throat—then spins away. She’s behind the table now, from where she throws another. She’s a dervish. A maniac. A creature of beauty and grace.
And it won’t be enough. We’ll need more than throwing stars to kill Dagursson.
Moving slowly, deliberately, he puts down his tools. He paces toward her.
I find my voice and shout, “Go. Ann. He’ll kill you.”
She jogs backward away from the vampire—but it’s away from the door. Away from escape. She shoots me a quick smirk of bravado. “You know I hate being told what to do.”
She can’t do this alone—I won’t let her. I pull myself out from where I’d sunk deep in my subconscious, pull myself back into the moment. My body ignites with pain.
I’m electric, every cell roused to life. Each beat of my heart is a pulse of agony and fury. And fear, too—that Dagursson will tie her up and make me watch him do to her what he’s been doing to me.
“Tracer Ronan, you are being quite rude,” Dagursson says in a chillingly calm voice. He continues to prowl toward Ann, beckoning, “Don’t go, child. I’m so very pleased you’re here. We were just discussing the difference between pain and anguish. Now that you’ve joined us, we can more fully explore the concept.”
“Acari Drew,” I yell sternly. “You will get out of here. Right now.” I’ve used my teacher’s voice, and though it earns me a surprised look, she doesn’t listen.
Dagursson also ignores me. The table has halted his approach, and he pauses to lean casually across from her. “How did you know Ronan and I were sharing time together?” His pose is nonchalant, but it’s clear he’s poised for attack.
I shuffle my feet beneath my chair, frantically jerking my shoulders from side to side, but I’m trapped like a rat. Blood runs along my arms, down my back. The acuteness of the pain is gone, pushed to some faraway place in my mind. All I know is that I must help her. Annelise must survive.
She shrugs with the brave calm that’s kept her alive this long. “A little bird told me you two were hanging out.”
Dagursson considers for a moment then nods. “Ah. Your little bird would be Acari Regina, come for office hours. Am I right? She’s the only one who interrupted our little tête-à-tête .”
“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” Annelise says blandly.
The vampire gives a knowing smile. “Ever the loyal friend.” He looks at me. “Is that what draws you to her? Everyone else abandoned you, but here is an Acari, weak and lonely, who cannot leave?”
Dagursson is wallowing in this strange exchange, a child getting his moment of glory. But it works for me—with time comes opportunity. “Annelise might be many things,” I say, making my tone as calmly conversational as possible, “but weak isn’t one of them.”
“Aw, thanks, Ronan.” She beams at me, and even
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