My hair was still wet from the shower when my head fell back against the pillow.
I laid on top of the duvet, the metal IV rod standing next to the bed, and watched the clear liquid dripping from the bag into the vial and down from the rubber tube into my arm.
I counted drips like they were sheep.
Around the seventy-first drip, my eyes closed and they didn't open again until the sky outside the window was tinted orange and pink.
Remembering where I was, I sat up to realize that my body was covered by a knitted blanket and the IV in my arm had been removed and replaced with a bandage that wrapped around the crease of my elbow.
My fingertips trailed over the cotton bandage gingerly as I looked around the room and noticed a few things had been moved around.
There were a folded pair of pants and a sweater placed on a chair that sat in the corner of the room and a glass of water that sat on the nightstand next to the bed, which I gladly drank all of.
The window on far side of the bedroom had been cracked, allowing the warm ocean breeze to float through the room, blowing the curtains gently as it did so.
Throwing the blanket off and swinging my legs to the other side of the bed, I pulled the robe that was wrapped around me a little tighter and stood to my feet.
I was rubbing the sleep from my eyes when I heard the low and resonant sound of male voices coming from the hallway outside the closed bedroom door.
I began to walk towards the door slowly and quietly. As I got closer and pressed an ear against the door, I recognized Jacob's voice.
"You're certain every one of them were notified?"
"Yes sir," was the reply of a voice I didn't recognize.
Jacob spoke again.
"And we have the necessary precautions taken to ensure that every one who does not attend are executed?"
"Yes sir."
My eyebrows furrowed.
Attend what? Executed?
"I want to make it very clear that once the sun has set, no one will be permitted inside. Kill them at the door if they're late. I don't care who they are or even if they're just tardy by a few minutes."
"Yes sir."
Whoever this guy was, he sounded like an automated robot.
"Once they're all inside the building, I want all entrances and exits blocked. No one leaves alive."
What the hell is he talking about?
"Any questions?" Jacob asked.
"Sir... what should we do if he comes?"
"Cain?" Jacob asked. "Use any means necessary to keep him away from the building. I don't care if he drops dead in the streets but I can't have him inside the temple."
I felt a chill run down my spine.
"That should be everything," Jacob said. "Be sure to relay my orders to the others and remember: no one leaves alive."
I heard a heavy pair of footsteps stomp away, down the hallway. Had it occurred to me just a moment later that only one of them had walked away, I would have been found out.
I looked down to see the door handle turning slowly and quickly jumped back to run across the room to the chair.
Pretending to be looking at the sweater when Jacob came in, I paid him no mind as he walked into the room and closed the door behind him.
"Look who's awake," he said, his tone much lighter than the one he'd been using a few moments earlier.
I turned around, feigning surprise to see him as though I hadn't heard him come in.
"Yeah," I said sheepishly. "I guess I fell asleep after I showered."
Jacob took a few steps towards me.
"Well that's a good thing," he said. "Vampirism inhibits the release of melatonin in the brain. If you were sleepy at all, that means the cure worked."
I gulped and nodded.
The cure worked.
"Does it..." I trailed off.
"Yes?" He asked, encouraging my question.
"It's nothing," I said dismissively. "It's just, well..."
I trailed off again, unsure of how to ask the question I had in mind.
Jacob raised an eyebrow.
"Does your cure reverse any of the side effects of being turned?" I asked finally.
He looked confused by the question.
"I'm not sure what you mean," he confessed, sitting down on the end of the bed.
I looked down at the cream-colored cashmere sweater in my hands and sighed.
"After he turned me, Cain said that Vampirism would take away my ability to have kids. I guess I was just wondering..."
"Oh," he said, as if he hadn't considered the question himself. "I'm not sure to be completely honest with you."
I shrugged.
"I was just wondering," I said shrugging, acting as if his answer didn't mean anything to me.
It was quiet for a few moments before Jacob spoke again.
"I suppose there's a way to find out," he said.
My eyes widened and I fumbled with the sweater.
That wasn't where I wanted that to go.
"I'm going to go change," I mumbled.
I quickly threw the sweater over my arm, picked up the folded pants and turned to walk into the bathroom.
Seeing the look of confusion on Jacob's face as I passed him, I knew I wasn't getting out of it that easily.
"Ella," he said, stopping me.
I gulped and turned around.
"Yes?"
He stood up and turned to me.
"There isn't any pressure to do anything you don't want to," he said, surprising me. "I know how hard this has been for you. I've waited this long; I don't mind waiting until the time is right."
I'm sure that the shock I felt was written on my face. Unable to say anything, I simply nodded and turned back around to go into the bathroom.
Shutting the door behind me, I placed the clothes on the countertop and sat down on the toilet lid in thought.
Before I dwelt too long on Jacob's sympathy and understanding, I had to remind myself of what I had heard just minutes earlier outside my door.
The man who stood outside my room and the man that stood inside of it were not the same person. One of those versions of Jacob was genuine, but I didn't have time to figure out which one was a mask he wore and which one was the real him.
He had set a trap and I felt an overwhelming urge to warn whoever it was that would walk into it, especially since Cain was involved.
Standing from the toilet seat feeling a sense of resolve, I took off my robe and changed into the clothes.
When I unfolded the pants, I noticed the bra and panties that had been tucked into the fold.
I felt slight tinge of discomfort knowing that Jacob has likely seen them both.
Wearing both a scowl and a blush, I changed quickly and tried not to think about it.
When I came out of the bathroom, Jacob was standing by the window, looking out over the port where the yacht had stopped.
"Where are we?" I asked him.
He turned to look at me.
"Sri Lanka. We're only here for a few hours to stock up on a few things. We'll be back out at sea by midnight though, don't worry."
"Where are we going?"
"We'll be on the boat for a week or so," he answered. "We'll travel back down the African coast line to Cape Town. I have a house there."
I hummed.
"I should probably tell you that I get seasick," I lied. "If it's okay, I'd like to get out and walk around for a while."
I saw his eyes narrow as he tried to figure out what angle I was working.
"Well, I don't think that will be able to happen today," he said. "We're only here for the night and I'm going out in a while to pay the harbormaster for the gas and supplies. I'm not sure it's safe for you to leave the boat alone."
"I could come with you?" I offered.
"No," he said quickly. "I should only be gone an hour or two; it's best that you stay here."
I nodded slowly.
"You're more than welcome to go anywhere on the boat you'd like," he said, quickly regaining composure and trying lighten the mood. "If you're hungry, I have a chef onboard that I can send up to you. She'll be able to make you anything you'd like."
"Maybe later," I said, ignoring the stabbing hunger in my stomach. "I'll probably sit up on the deck for a while and enjoy the sunset."
"I'll send her up there before I leave," he insisted.
We both looked at each other warily, knowing the other was lying but not bold enough to call it out.
Trying to escape both the tension and the conversation, I walked around Jacob and out of the bedroom. I ventured to the aft deck where we had been the night before, the whole time my mind reeling.
Once there, I took note of the two men who stood on each side of the deck, watching me carefully.
I walked to the edge of railing and looked over the side to see Jacob walk out onto the dock, accompanied by three older men.
When he looked up and saw me watching, I waved casually and he winked.
As I watched him walking away, I noticed a man begging on the side of the pier. As Jacob brushed past him, a plan immediately formed in my mind.
I sat down and waited for the chef to come up.
After a few minutes, I saw a woman that I assumed to be her coming up the staircase.
I stood from where I sat as she walked over to introduce herself.
"My name is Raquel," she said, a thick accent lacing every word.
My guess was that she was either Spanish or Portuguese.
"Ella," I said, extending a hand to shake.
She ignored my gesture and simply nodded.
"I was sent up to find out what you'd like to be served for dinner," she said.
"Can you make a grilled cheese?" I asked.
I saw her face fall as her expression morphed into one of both disbelief and anger.
Clearly my request had offended her.
"Do you have a preference for cheese or bread?" She asked through gritted teeth.
I thought for a moment.
"Maybe sourdough and Colby Jack?"
I could have sworn that I saw her eye twitch.
"Would you like anything to accompany it? Vegetables? Fruit?" She asked.
I shook my head
"But, if I could have three of the sandwiches," I said, "that would be perfect."
She gave me a notably fake smile as she nodded and turned to walk away.
As I looked out at the setting sun, I hoped Raquel was as quick to make food as she was to take offense.
Several minutes went by before a server came up with a pitcher of water, a glass and a plate of three grilled cheese stacked on top of one another.
God bless her, I thought. These look delicious.
I thanked him as he placed the food and drink down on the table in front of me and poured me a glass of water.
"Could I have another glass?" I asked him.
He looked confused by the request but he wandered off to fetch another one.
I began to eat one of the grilled cheese before he returned with the second glass.
"Thank you," I said again. "I'll be okay from here, you don't have to stand over me."
He nodded and walked away.
As soon as I had finished my water and one of the grilled cheese, I grabbed the plate holding the remaining two and filled the other cup with water from the pitcher.
Standing to my feet, I wandered over to the stairs and walked down into the boat.
After a few minutes, I finally found my way to the exit hatch.
It was guarded by two men who I pretended not to see until they stopped me from walking out.
"You can't leave the boat, ma'am."
I looked up in surprise.
"Oh, I'm just going out onto the dock," I said. "Do you see that man there?"
I pointed to the beggar who sat about a hundred feet away.
"I got him something to eat and I wanted to take it to him."
The two of them looked between themselves and me warily.
"I can take it to him," one of them offered.
"No," I said, pulling the plate away as he tried to grab it. "I got him the food, I'd like to give it to him."
When neither of them moved to let me out, I sighed.
"I'll only be a minute," I said. "I'll come right back."
Slowly, they backed away and I nodded and gave them each a smile.
"Thank you."
I walked out, the dock feeling rough on my bare feet.
Venturing over to where the old man sat, I walked leisurely and took my time to avoid suspicion.
When he looked up and saw me, he looked surprised.
I smiled and handed him the plate and water.
"Please tell me that you speak English," I said in a low voice, taking a seat next to him.
"I do, ma'am."
I could have cried.
"Thank God," I said. "I need your help... I've been kidnapped. I need to escape to a temple where I can seek refuge. Do you happen to know where I can find one?"
He picked up a grilled cheese and took a bite of it.
"There's only one in this port town," he said. "It's a few hundred meters in front of you when you turn to the right behind the fish market."
I turned around casually as if I were just looking around and I immediately noticed the fish market that was right beside the dock.
"Do you think I could make it there running?"
He nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
I took a deep breath and turned back to look at him.
"Thank you," I said.
He reached down beside him and pulled a large navy-colored handkerchief from his bag.
"Cover your hair with this," he said. "You'll blend in better."
"No, it's okay," I said. "You should keep it."
"A kindness for a kindness, ma'am," he said gesturing towards the food.
I took the handkerchief from him slowly.
"Thank you," I said earnestly.
"When you run, scream," he told me. "The men here will see them chase you and they will try to stop them. That should buy you time."
I nodded and took a deep breath.
My heart was pounding in my chest as I stood to my feet.
Coaxing myself, I took another deep breath.
"Good luck."
"Thank you," I whispered.
Before I knew what I was doing, my feet were moving quicker than they ever had before as I sprinted down the dock.
Above the blood rushing through my ears, I could hear the commotion that I had caused behind me.
"Help!" I screamed loudly, hoping to draw as much attention to myself as I could. "Please help!"
Just as my guardian angel had predicted, the men in their boats surrounding the dock all looked up and rushed forward.
Chaos ensued, but I didn't have the courage nor the time to look behind me.
I kept running.
I felt a sharp pain shoot up my right leg as I stepped on something sharp.
Limping slightly but still running at a fast pace, I finally made it to the fish market and I turned the street corner to see crowds of people who were all shopping.
I remembered the cloth in my hand and I threw it over my head to cover my hair, throwing the excess over my shoulder. I slowed my pace to brisk walk and headed directly into a large group of people to camouflage myself.
Walking past a table filled with fabric and garments, I discreetly grabbed the first thing I could get ahold of and slung it over my shoulders to disguise myself further.
I could see the stupa made of white stone that was attached to the temple as I walked closer towards it.
The gate was closed and I decided to walk the perimeter of the stone wall that surrounded the temple until I found a way in.
The sun still had not completely set, which meant I still had time to get inside.
I saw two of the men who had left the boat with Jacob standing a few feet away, watching the crowd of people in front of them warily.
Just as I was walking towards them, I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jumped, letting out a scream in fear.
The same hand covered my mouth to stifle my scream and I was pulled off the path, behind a tree.
I found myself staring into familiar eyes.
"Jai," I breathed out as his hand dropped from my mouth.
I felt an overwhelming sense of relief that nearly brought tears to my eyes.
"Where's Jacob?" He asked.
"I think he's inside the temple," I said, matching his whispered tone. "You have to leave, it's a trap."
"Of course it is," he said, not fazed by the news. "Jacob's gathering all of the Betas to outvote Cain of his title."
"No, he isn't," I told him. "He's gathering them so he can kill them. I overheard him talking about it, he's given orders that no one is to leave alive."
Jai's eyebrows furrowed as he took the news.
"We were under the impression that he wanted everyone together so he could get them to pledge their allegiance and make him the Alpha Sovereign," he said.
"You think Jacob cares what they think?" I asked. "He's not the type to ask for permission. He's going to kill every single one of them to rub it in Cain's face and then he'll take over with no one to stop him."
"No one but Cain," Jai corrected.
"Where is Cain?"
"He's already inside. He, Daniel and Zahra all are."
"They let him in?" I asked. "Jacob said that Cain wasn't-"
"Are you honestly surprised?" Jai asked. "Those two pathetic dipshits standing by that gate wouldn't be enough to keep out a dedicated goose, let alone the most powerful man that has ever walked the planet."
"You have to get him out," I told Jai. "We have to get all of them out."
"It's too late," he said nodding his head in the direction of the sun that had dipped below the horizon behind me.
"The meeting has already started."
- - -