Reign of Blood (The Vampires of Vegas Book 1)

Chapter Twenty

The coldness of the room made me shiver slightly. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and glanced around, realizing Rye was gone. I was still dressed in my clothes from the night before, making me think that maybe I had dreamt up the events of the night before. Sitting up and looking at the spot where Rye had been lying when I had fallen asleep, I ran my hand over the bed, feeling a terrible loss without him near. It made me groan in frustration; I almost felt weak because of it. Falling for someone was not on my agenda, it had never been. It could be a liability in my search for my family but it didn't matter. I knew he had meant what he'd said about never leaving me alone and promising to help me.

Standing up, I found another pile of clean clothes on the dresser. Someone had brought it while I had been sleeping, maybe Rye or Miranda. I wasn't sure at all and it gave me the creeps to realize that they could sneak past me so easily. It was an unsettling feeling and I intended to get better at detecting them; it could mean the difference between life and death for me in the future.

I treaded to the showers and cleaned myself up. Donning the new pair of jeans and black shirt, I strapped my weapons over my body and sighed, wondering where everyone was. I was still restless, more so now than ever. Making my way back out into the hall, I paused and listened, hoping to hear Rye or anyone else for that matter. I checked my watch; it was early, seven in the morning. I was famished and was starting to feel neglected. I hated being dependent on anyone, so I decided to make my way to the dining area.

My neck had completely healed, as we had discovered last night. Rye had been impressed with how fast I'd healed. I shrugged it off, saying that I had always been a fast healer. Rye had looked at me with seriousness as he pondered what I had told him. Though he had shrugged it off as we fell asleep, I hadn't thought much of it.

I made my way to the locked door that led out to the large tunnel room where the food would be set up. I hoped being out there alone wouldn't put me in danger. I shrugged. What else was I supposed to do, starve? Not an option. I'd rather die with a full belly.

Turning the lock, I opened the door and stepped out into the tunnel. I closed the door behind me and heard the lock click into place. I gulped, wondering how I would get back in if I so needed to. I turned back and began walking to the far corner where the dining tables were set up. I grabbed a tray and began loading it up, ignoring the stares and whispers around me. The vampire in front of me turned to stare at me with widened eyes as his nostrils flared. I'm sure I still smelled like blood, or at least a little bit abnormal. I gave him a smile as the line moved on, and us with it. No one said a word but eyes aplenty dug into my back as I made my way through the food line and plopped down at an unoccupied table at the edge of the area. I prayed that I would get to eat something before anything started.

I had gotten halfway through my meal when it did happen. A burly, broad-shouldered man came to sit down in front of me, his eyes dark as coals, with a sliver of a gold halo around them. They must have already been dark in his prior human existence. His slicked back brown hair made me wonder how much gel he went through. It would be a sad day for him when the world ran out of gel.

I continued to shove food into my mouth and chew as quietly as I could, focusing my eyes on my plate, not wanting to start anything with this brick of a man. He had already finished his food and continued to stare as he tapped his fingers impatiently on the table. I could hear a soft rumble in his throat as if he was trying to intimidate me. I took a swig of my drink and looked up at him as I wiped my mouth.

"You don't belong here," the large man snarled. His hand slammed down on the table, making my heart lurch as I tried to keep as calm as I could. I wasn't going to start this, but I was intent on ending it. I would need every bit of my energy if he was going to make me fight. His lips curled back in a snarl as his eyes narrowed into little beads. I wanted to slip away now with my full belly, but I doubted I was going to get out without a quarrel.