Page 63 of The Feeder Legacy

A hand clamps over my nose and mouth, and shouts erupt as I’m dragged away from the firepit by arms that feel like steel bands. Shadows close around me, moving dizzyingly fast, and I try to scream like Anna told me, but I can’t breathe.

Blackness rises to take me.

My first thought as I drift back to consciousness is that I should have agreed to let Anna microchip me. At least then I could have been sure they’d be able to find me.

I lie still, even though my body is sprawled in an awkward position on what feels like concrete. I definitely have some new bruises, and my limbs are cramped in this position, but the bigger concern is the pain in my head. I think I must have hit it at some point, because there’s a hell of a sore spot and an ache radiating from it.

Am I surprised that whoever kidnapped me—a vampire, based on how fast it all happened—didn’t lay me gently on a comfortable mattress? No. Am I pissed about it anyway? Fuck, yeah.

Not to mention the concrete I’m lying on is cold, and that cold is seeping through my clothes. I’m going to start shivering in a minute, and whoever’s in the room with me will definitely know I’m⁠—

“Ooof!”

My ribs explode with pain as a foot connects with them hard enough to lift my body a bit before it crashes back to the floor in a new uncomfortable sprawl. Biting back a whimper, I pry open my eyes, suck in a deep breath as my head spins, and then moan in pain. If I had to guess, I’d say I have a concussion and cracked ribs.

Fun.

Pushing down nausea, I squint at the figure looming over me. Thankfully, whoever it is doesn’t seem inclined to kick me again.

“Finally, you’re awake,” he grumbles, and for the first time in my life I keep my smart-arsed comments to myself. Geoffrey. Fuck.

I mean, it could be worse. Geoffrey might be a cunt vampire who thinks humans are cattle, but at least he’s a young vampire. He won’t stand a chance against Tristan, once Tristan works out where I am and comes to get me.

Please let me still be alive by then.

A hand clamps on the back of my neck and drags me to my feet. Geoffrey gets in my face, his sneer revealing his fangs.

“This is what’s going to happen. We’re going to call Tristan, and you’re going to scream. If you don’t, I’ll make you. Understand?”

It seems clear to me. “Yes,” I croak. My mouth is so dry that it’s barely audible, but I’m pretty sure that if I try to nod, my head will either fall off or explode. I swallow, trying to work some spit into my mouth so that I can actually scream. I don’t know why he’s not going to “make me” to begin with, but I don’t want to give him any reason to change his mind about that.

Geoffrey doesn’t bother to reply, just pulls out his phone and taps the screen a few times with his thumb. The sound of ringing fills the room.

And continues.

By the third ring, my breath is coming faster.

By the fourth, my gut is churning.

And when the ringing cuts out, replaced by an electronic voice informing us that the person we’re calling is unavailable and to leave a message, I can actually feel the blood draining from my head.

If Tristan knew I was missing—which he must. My family would have called him the second I was taken—he’d be looking for me. He’d have other people searching too, and he’d be answering his phone in hopes of news about me.

Right?

He would. I can’t doubt that, not after how possessive he was last night. Not after all the precautions he’s taken with my safety. Even if he doesn’t care about me, he cares about the fact that I’m his feeder. Someone successfully kidnapping me makes him look weak, and he wouldn’t stand for that.

So… why isn’t he answering?

Has something happened to him?

Geoffrey snarls and throws his phone across the room, dropping me back to the floor. My knees hit first, creating a new source of pain, but I ignore it and scramble away from the irate vampire, not stopping until I’m huddled against a wall.

He paces off in the opposite direction, muttering to himself, and I take advantage of the opportunity to grope in my pocket for my phone.

It’s not there. Dammit. I guess it was too much to hope that he was stupid enough to leave it. Still, maybe he’s got it nearby. Part of my compromise on the whole “no tracking chip” thing was to give Anna access to track my phone. As long as he didn’t ditch it between my grandparents’ house and here—or turn it off—she’ll be able to find me. And even if he did ditch it, or smash it, or whatever, Tristan’s coming. I just need to hold on until he gets here.

Where the fuck even is here?