middle of the cramped, dingy room on her small bed, staring at the wall.
“Sadie?”
She did not respond, but that strange smell permeated the room.
His eyes made a quick sweep of the tiny space. A small bathroom in the corner. A closet. Aside from that, there wasn’t much else apart from a kitchenette and bed. No room for anything more.
Cautiously, he walked to the closet, listening for signs of an intruder. He slowly drew his sword, not making a sound, not breathing. He pushed open the closet door—one of those accordion types—ready to strike, but found it empty of any persons.
He then checked the bathroom and underneath the bed. All the while, Sadie remained in a daze, staring at the wall.
He put away his sword and then turned his attention to her. She wore black shorts and a white tank top and had scratches up and down her legs as well as welts on her pale arms. Her hair was messed up, as if she’d had a ponytail but had been in a struggle, some of the locks falling loose around her shoulders.
“Sadie?” he said quietly, careful not to startle her. He’d seen the same look in his men’s eyes after a bloody battle. Standing over her, he reached out and gently touched her shoulder. “Can you hear me?”
The moment he made contact with her skin, she jumped from the bed and screamed. “What the fuck?” She pressed her back to the wall, holding out her hands defensively. It took a moment for her to register who he was. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you.”
“Did ya think to knock? I mean, who just comes in and wakes a person when they’re taking a nap?”
He studied her for a moment. “Do you normally nap sitting upright while staring at the wall?”
She gave him a look. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“What happened to your legs, Sadie?” Her eyes followed his gaze down to her thighs.
“Oh my God,” she gasped her words. “What did you do to me?”
“Me? I found you like this.” Something strange was definitely happening. “Do you recall anyone here with you?”
She shook her head. “No. I mean, Tim came by earlier, but he left and then I lay down for a nap.”
“Who is Tim?”
“My boyfriend—well, he was, but I broke up with him. At least, I think I did. I don’t remember.”
That didn’t sound right. “Where does this Tim live?”
She scratched the back of her head. “I don’t know, actually. I remember going to his place, but can’t remember where it is. Why? What do you want with him?”
Someone had done something bad to her and then made her forget. His first thought was this reeked of Obscuro—an evil vampire—but they’d all been wiped out. Not that more couldn’t be created, but the smell in the air was unlike anything he’d ever come across.
Definitely not vampire.
“Do you know anyplace else I might be able to find him?” Andrus asked.
“Ummm…he owns an art gallery, but I can’t remember where that is either.”
Shit. She’d definitely had her memory toyed with.
“But I do remember giant vaginas,” she offered.
He gave her a look. “Giant vaginas?”
“Yeah, it was an exhibit he had—walking vaginas, talking vaginas, vagina furniture.”
Sounds like my kind of art . “Then it won’t be too hard to track him down, I’m sure.”
“Why do you want to find him?” she asked, still sounding mildly disoriented.
Andrus wasn’t sure how to ask this question, but he needed to know what he was dealing with. “Sadie, someone has harmed you—there are welts on your arms and scratches on your legs. The rest of your body must be inspected.”
“What?” She rolled her eyes. “Nice try, asshole.”
“This is not a sexual thing. But I must know if…”
The gist, at least part of it, finally hit her. “Andrus, you’re starting to frighten me.”
It seemed that whatever daze she’d been in had suddenly worn off.
“I do not mean to,” he said, “but…can you please go into the bathroom and
“Sadie?”
She did not respond, but that strange smell permeated the room.
His eyes made a quick sweep of the tiny space. A small bathroom in the corner. A closet. Aside from that, there wasn’t much else apart from a kitchenette and bed. No room for anything more.
Cautiously, he walked to the closet, listening for signs of an intruder. He slowly drew his sword, not making a sound, not breathing. He pushed open the closet door—one of those accordion types—ready to strike, but found it empty of any persons.
He then checked the bathroom and underneath the bed. All the while, Sadie remained in a daze, staring at the wall.
He put away his sword and then turned his attention to her. She wore black shorts and a white tank top and had scratches up and down her legs as well as welts on her pale arms. Her hair was messed up, as if she’d had a ponytail but had been in a struggle, some of the locks falling loose around her shoulders.
“Sadie?” he said quietly, careful not to startle her. He’d seen the same look in his men’s eyes after a bloody battle. Standing over her, he reached out and gently touched her shoulder. “Can you hear me?”
The moment he made contact with her skin, she jumped from the bed and screamed. “What the fuck?” She pressed her back to the wall, holding out her hands defensively. It took a moment for her to register who he was. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you.”
“Did ya think to knock? I mean, who just comes in and wakes a person when they’re taking a nap?”
He studied her for a moment. “Do you normally nap sitting upright while staring at the wall?”
She gave him a look. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“What happened to your legs, Sadie?” Her eyes followed his gaze down to her thighs.
“Oh my God,” she gasped her words. “What did you do to me?”
“Me? I found you like this.” Something strange was definitely happening. “Do you recall anyone here with you?”
She shook her head. “No. I mean, Tim came by earlier, but he left and then I lay down for a nap.”
“Who is Tim?”
“My boyfriend—well, he was, but I broke up with him. At least, I think I did. I don’t remember.”
That didn’t sound right. “Where does this Tim live?”
She scratched the back of her head. “I don’t know, actually. I remember going to his place, but can’t remember where it is. Why? What do you want with him?”
Someone had done something bad to her and then made her forget. His first thought was this reeked of Obscuro—an evil vampire—but they’d all been wiped out. Not that more couldn’t be created, but the smell in the air was unlike anything he’d ever come across.
Definitely not vampire.
“Do you know anyplace else I might be able to find him?” Andrus asked.
“Ummm…he owns an art gallery, but I can’t remember where that is either.”
Shit. She’d definitely had her memory toyed with.
“But I do remember giant vaginas,” she offered.
He gave her a look. “Giant vaginas?”
“Yeah, it was an exhibit he had—walking vaginas, talking vaginas, vagina furniture.”
Sounds like my kind of art . “Then it won’t be too hard to track him down, I’m sure.”
“Why do you want to find him?” she asked, still sounding mildly disoriented.
Andrus wasn’t sure how to ask this question, but he needed to know what he was dealing with. “Sadie, someone has harmed you—there are welts on your arms and scratches on your legs. The rest of your body must be inspected.”
“What?” She rolled her eyes. “Nice try, asshole.”
“This is not a sexual thing. But I must know if…”
The gist, at least part of it, finally hit her. “Andrus, you’re starting to frighten me.”
It seemed that whatever daze she’d been in had suddenly worn off.
“I do not mean to,” he said, “but…can you please go into the bathroom and
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