Vampiric: Chapter Seven, Part 9

Ian drove to a poorer side of town. Ghostly windows stared down from the abandoned buildings we passed, some of them boarded up. I hadn’t known a place like this existed in the city, devoid of life. If I hadn’t been as furious as I was, the despair around us probably would have consumed me. Only once before had I been in a place so desolate, and though I didn’t enjoy returning to such a setting, this was for business, not pleasure.

We drove turned onto a side road behind a warehouse-like building; the building and glimpse of the parking lot I caught seemed large enough to fill a city block alone. Ian drove the car up a makeshift ramp leading inside from a loading dock. The headlights lit up a collection of black cars and tinted windows, most of which were familiar from my one other encounter with them.

“Caroline will be up in her office,” he said, slipping lithely out of the car.

I scrambled after him, trying not to fall over anything while mapping the place. From what I could tell, the only items around weren’t here originally; based on how spacious it was, it had probably been a superstore at one point before the store moved with the population, leaving this place completely alone and too expensive for anyone else to buy out. The property taxes and such in this area were probably rock bottom. Then again, who would want a business where there was almost no one to sell to?

As Ian had expected, Caroline was sitting on the desk in her office, legs crossed.

“She came,” he said unnecessarily, standing off to the side of her desk.

“What did you need?” I asked, resisting the urge to tap my foot, but crossing my arms just the same. The only thought in my mind was this had better be good. I could already imagine my reaction if it wasn’t.

Caroline smiled mischievously and tapped her top foot in the air. “Don’t be so impatient, Abs. This was just a test.”

“A test?”

“What’s wrong?” she asked, a doll-like innocence in her wide eyes and slightly parted lips.

Ian sidled up to her, whispering in her ear, “You interrupted something; you should be grateful she came at all.”

“Sorry, Abs,” she said, looking completely sincere. Then her features changed into a wry smile. “But you’ll have to get used to it;” she shrugged childishly. “I had to see if you would come or not.”

“Well, I came.” My heart was hurting because of how Drei had acted, and my hands felt ready to strangle her, forget about using air. I wasn’t sure if I was going to shout or cry or both. “Can I go, now?”

“Sure, Abs. Ian, take her back. Glad you came;” she directed this last comment to me as if my loyalty to her was worth whatever I had to sacrifice.

The drive back was quiet for the most part. At first, Ian had tried apologizing for her, insisting he hadn’t known it was just a test. Nothing he could say made anything better, though. I wanted to be back in Drei’s arms. If they could give me that precious moment back—the one they so blatantly stole—I told myself I could forgive them.

But I couldn’t.

When I entered the apartment, all of the lights were off. I walked through the living room to Drei’s bedroom, but he wasn’t there. He wasn’t anywhere.

So I did the only thing I could do in any semblance of good conscience: I went to my room and cried into my pillow. Venting my anger through silent curses, and nursing my heart by lying to myself, repeating it would be all right. We could fix it. I don’t think I stopped crying even after I fell asleep. I do know I still didn’t believe myself.