Anarchy (Hive Trilogy, #2)(63)

Allistair crossed his arms, glaring at me. “First day you arrived on our doorstep I voted to lock you up in the pit and drain you of blood, plasma, and spinal cord fluid over and over until you were eventually dead, but it was vetoed.”

Nausea churned my stomach.

“So I thought if I could make it look like a third party wanted you, when you were kidnapped, no one would blame me. That way I could do my experiments in private. The only reason I haven’t killed you is because I know you’re born of an Original and I expect your blood to give me some sort of powerful boost.”

Ah hah. The reason the vampires wanted me alive. Well, this creepster at least.

An enjoyable thought brought a smile to my face. “Why don’t you just take a drink and find out.” I exposed my neck. Please do us all a favor and drink so you can become a weak human and I can kill you, I was mentally saying. Allistair’s eyes locked in on my neck, a longing filling his silver eyes.

Before he could move though, the medical vampire strapped a band across my biceps, and starting jabbing at my veins. “I would advise against that. We still don’t know enough about her.” The rough bitch finally managed to find some blood, after making a mangled mess of my arm, and in a quick succession she filled two tubes before inserting a third.

Before Allistair could gloat more, the door flew open and a smoke canister filled the room. Within seconds the place was filled with an acrid and densely white smoke. I coughed, my eyes burning; it was impossible to see more than six inches in front of me.

I heard a scuffle of feet, and lifting my head I tried to see what was going on. Thankfully, before I could freak too much, the straps holding me down were released and the needle removed from my vein.

Strong arms wrapped around my shoulders and I was being hauled up over my bed and into someone’s arms. I started to fight, and only stopped when we made it through the doorway and into the deserted hall. Lucas was holding me. At his side was Blake and Tessa. My head spun as the door to the medical room slammed shut. Blake quickly screwed in some bolts and a metal panel to keep it closed. Dude must have power tools tucked into his damn pants or something.

The Cabbage Patch Doll looking vamp turned to face me. “That should buy you ten minutes,” he said, as Lucas set me down.

I swallowed hard. “Thanks.”

Just like before with Kyle’s two words, my one said so much more. Basically I’d just said: “You mother f*cker, you changed my best friend into a vampire and then proposed to her and didn’t tell me. I hate you. But thanks for saving my ass.”

My glare-off was interrupted by Tessa. She body-slammed into me with a big hug. “Lucas told me everything and I want to help,” she whispered.

My heart picked up a beat at her response. “Oh thank God! Let’s go,” I said, pulling her hand to follow Lucas, but she stayed cemented.

“Oh no, Charlie. I want to help you from inside the Hive with Lucas and Blake…”

My eyes shot to her boyfriend. Blake had really done a number on Tessa. She was head over heels for this guy. Still, despite recent questionable decisions, my friend wasn’t a complete idiot, so maybe I was being too hard on him.

I squeezed her hand. “When we were twelve, we promised to buy houses right next to each other, to knock down the back fence and share a backyard.” The memory had tears glistening in my eyes. Tessa’s eyes began to leak as well.

“That’s not going to happen in a world like this,” she murmured.

She was right. The best we would get now was a meet-up at the feeding room.

“We’re too exposed,” Lucas prompted. “We have to go.”

Tessa pulled me in for another bone-crushing hug and I whispered in her ear. “If you and Blake ever want a human life together, I can help you with that.”

Pulling back, I saw shock on her face. She probably didn’t fully understand what I was saying, but it was enough that she knew the option was there.

Lucas had my arm now, and Blake swooped in to pull Tessa the other way. As we were dragged in opposite directions, our eyes remained locked.

Tessa smiled, her beautiful, familiar grin. “Stay alive, bitch, and try not to dress like a boy so often.”

I laughed and sobbed at the same time. “Don’t get married without me.”

She nodded and that was it. We were no longer in sight of each other. Lucas let me go, allowing me to walk on my own. I fought to suck back my tears. It was so much harder than usual; there was no easy way to deal with leaving my oldest friend, a piece of who I was, to live her own life without me. Heartbreak didn’t even begin to describe my feelings.

Trying not to slow our pace, I reached into my boot and pulled out the walkie-talkie. Pressing the button, I hoped to reach my boys. “It’s me. Are you guys okay?”

After a short burst of silence, Ryder’s voice came over the speaker: “Jesus, Charlie! I’ve been going crazy. I didn’t want to use the walkies in case they heard and took it from you.”

“I’m okay. They took some of my blood but I got out.” We were in the stairwell now on the first floor. “Is this line secure?”

“Yes, for now.” Was his reply.

Lucas pulled the little black device from my hand. “Sam!” he said tersely.

“I’m here,” Sam came back.

“Can you open the south entrance stairwell door on the ground level?”