The Vampire Hunter's Daughter: Complete Collection(41)

“I want to know everything. Do you like it here?”

She shrugged. “I don’t really know much else any more."

"How long have you been here?" I asked her.

"Since I was thirteen.”

I set my orange juice down so hard it sloshed over the sides. “Wow. And how old are you now?”

“I am twenty two. Mr. Trevor found me sleeping in a rest room at a bus station. He asked me if I wanted a better life, asked what I was willing to give up for that better life. Then he brought me home.”

For a moment, I wondered if her blood was the only thing she had given up.

“Are you happy here?” I leaned in, speaking softly.

“Like I said, Miss, I don’t really know much else any more. I’m not unhappy.”

I nodded. Perhaps, it was a better life for her. I, however, refused to accept that bringing a thirteen-year-old kid home to drink her blood, and do whatever else with, was an acceptable thing to do.

“This place is beautiful, but I’m wondering what I’m going to do all day.” I looked around the room.

“Mr. Trevor says you can go anywhere in the house or on the grounds, as long as you don’t leave.”

I nodded. “I kind of figured that.”

She slid out her chair and stood. “Miss, Chloe, I really should be going. I have several things to do, and then I nap in the afternoon so I will be awake when Mr. Trevor wakes.”

“I’m sorry to have kept you,” I told her. Actually, I was a little sad to see her go. I didn’t want to be alone in a gigantic house with nothing to do. I glanced at the bookshelves. I guessed I’d find something.

“Goodbye,” I called to her while Alice quietly slipped out the door.

After I ate some of the breakfast she’d brought up for me, I decided to take a walk on the property and explore. I needed to know who was out there watching, where the exits were, that sort of thing. I strapped my gun on and then bundled up, even though I didn’t know what it looked like outside. I hated not having windows. It made me feel even more like a prisoner.

Outside it was brisk, cold and snowing. The clouds covered the sun and a thick fog had settled in, misting like smoke in the trees. I wondered then if Trevor was the kind of vampire who could actually come out as long as there was no direct sunlight. Maybe he had to actually sleep during the daylight hours. I realized I had no clue.

I couldn’t even see the fence. The property was outlined by trees and the fence ran along the inside of the tree line. I walked the perimeter, staying on the snow-laden lawn, where it would look like I was simply out for a stroll.

I didn’t see any guards along the way. They must have been hidden, because I was certain there were guards. It also occurred to me that during the day, they had to be human. Oh crap, if I had to escape and a human tried to stop me… I didn't know if I could handle killing a human being.

I could just hear Drew in my head: They aren’t human, Chloe. They are evil… we kill evil.

I just don't think I could do it.

I tried hard to come up with a plan of action. I’d come to this house with Trevor to kill him. It actually wouldn’t be that hard for me to kill him, but the odds of my killing him and then getting away weren’t so good, if he really did have guards posted everywhere.

When I wandered into the backyard and saw a deep rectangular in-ground pool underneath a huge covered patio area. The pool had steam rising from it; it was warm and ready for use. Beside the pool was a miniature hot tub version of the pool. A large brick grill was built into the patio and two patio tables accented the area with their bright blue chair cushions.

Thinking about getting in the pool and stretching my muscles made me wonder if Trevor had gym equipment in this house. I couldn’t see why he would, because he was a vampire and vampires didn’t need to work out. Did they?

Back inside the house, after finding out that there were more bathrooms than I thought anyone would ever want, a theater entertainment room, and a recreation room with a pool table, I did indeed find a large room with gym equipment. There were only a few weight machines, a treadmill and a rowing machine, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. I hadn’t trained for a few days, and I couldn’t afford to let my muscles go like that.

Yeah, like I could ever overpower a vampire.

I needed to keep telling myself I was a vampire hunter. We overpowered vampires all the time, but it did bother me that I was so weak compared to a vampire. The other thing that bothered me was I needed to practice my special ability, my fire power. I couldn’t really do that in Trevor’s house. I was pretty sure he knew about it anyway, from that one little vamp who had gotten away during the attack. But maybe he didn’t know, and if he didn’t, then I sure as hell didn’t want him to find out.



When Trevor woke around sundown, Alice informed me that I was expected for supper in the dining room in thirty minutes. Somehow, the properness of this request made me feel I should change my clothes. So, I took off my jeans and put on a pair of slacks with my pink blouse. While I changed, it became clear I was going to need more clothes than I had brought with me. I still didn’t want to wear anything he had picked for me, simply on principle.

Once downstairs, we sat across from each other at the dining table. It was much like it had been the night before, only this time he tried to have a conversation with me.