Morganville (Justin Bieber)

Chapter 83

Justin would have totally gotten off on the whole vampire-killer-secret-society thing. I just wanted to go home. Badly.

In addition to Officer Fenton, the group that gathered in the shed behind the photo processing store included Fenton's wife, the unpleasant nurse, who treated me like I was carrying some totally disgusting disease. She even wore latex gloves to tie me to the chair.

I barely recognized the others. One was a maintenance worker from the university, I'd seen him a few times. One was a bank teller. One was the smooth-faced, unremarkable guy who'd delivered Amelie's note to me this afternoon.

And he was the one who leaned over into my space, hands braced on the arms of the chair, and said, "We don't much care for collaborators. Even little underage ones."

My mouth felt foul and dry, and I was shaking now with the aftereffects of the crystals. Myrnin had been right: the consequences weren't going to be pleasant. "Captain Obvious, I presume," I said.

He laughed. He had nice, white teeth, no sign of vampire fangs. "Aren't you the clever one. Living up to your reputation, I see." He tapped a finger on my gold bracelet. "Not too many breathers have ever seen the Founder, much less become her pet. Sam Glass was the last one, before you. Did you know that? This is his bracelet you're wearing. Probably sized down a little, though."

I squirmed a little, but the ropes were too tight. "What do you want with me?"

"Leverage," said Officer Fenton. "Vamps seem to like you."

"Not all of them," I said. If they asked Oliver to come running to my rescue, it wasn't too likely he'd so much as yawn. "And if you think Amelie's going to sacrifice herself for me, you're crazy." Amelie had already sold me down the river, by sending me to Myrnin with the clear expectation that Myrnin would ... eat me. The fact that he hadn't was just my good luck. "In fact, I don't think any of them would raise a finger -- "

"Michael Glass would," Captain Obvious said. "And he's the one we want." He flipped open the phone and pressed something on speed dial. "Tell him where you are."

I glared. "No." I clamped my lips shut as I heard Michael's distant hello on the other end. I'm not going to talk, I'm not going to make a sound ...

The door at the back of the shed opened, and someone came in. Thin, greasy, dressed in a black leather jacket with a hole in the pocket. Crazy eyes. Fang marks on his neck.

Jason.

He took the phone from Captain Obvious. "Hey, Michael, it's Jason. Just shut up and listen. I've got Ana, and I'm thinking about all the things I can do with her until you get here. Better hurry."

"No!" I blurted, and realized it was a mistake. I'd just confirmed that I was there, and now Michael wouldn't have any choice, would he? "Michael, don't!"

I could hear the sound of Michael's voice, but not what he was saying. Jason put the phone back to his ear and listened. "Yeah, that's right. You've got half an hour to show, or we'll bring her home in pieces. Oh, and it's not a trap, it's a business proposition. You walk in alone, you both walk out alive."

He snapped the phone shut, tossed it in the air, and caught it, smiling. His eyes never left me.

Michael wouldn't do it. He just wouldn't be that stupid, right? But Justin was in the hospital. He didn't have anybody he could turn to for help except the other vampires, and they wouldn't lift a finger to save me. I wasn't sure anymore that Amelie would bother, unless she was just saving me as Myrnin's midnight snack.

The door to the shed opened again, and both Captain Obvious and Jason turned to look.

Detective Travis Lowe stepped inside and closed the door, and for a second I felt a wild jolt of relief and satisfaction, but it faded just as quickly. Lowe looked at Jason and Captain Obvious like he was expecting to find them there, and when his gaze moved to me, he didn't react.