Chapter 32

Olivia’s POV

“There will be no uprisings under my watch,” the vampire guard growled. He twisted Angela’s arm, causing her to collapse down onto her knees, her arm bent in a harsh angle behind her. She cried out in pain.

Fear spiked inside of my heart. Was this vampire guard about to kill Angela right in front of me – in front of everyone? I had visions of her brother on his knees beside me, offering me a smile, trying to comfort me, as he lost his head.

My feet moved without my having commanded them to, my arms outstretched. I surged forward toward the guard and pushed him away from Angela as hard as I could.

As a vampire, he was likely stronger than me, so when he stumbled back, it must have been more out of surprise than anything else. He also released Angela, who fell down fully onto the ground.

I moved quickly, stepping protectively in front of her. I was going off instinct more than anything else. I just kept imagining her brother. I couldn’t allow the same thing to happen to her.

When the vampire recovered from shock, he looked at me with fury in his eyes.

“Uprisings will not be tolerated,” he said fiercely.

In a blink, he grabbed me roughly by the shoulders, then turned and flipped me down onto my back hard on the concrete.

With the dangerous spark flashing in his eyes, I thought for sure he might try to kill me.

Maybe he would have, too.

But in that moment, another vampire guard rushed over. “Stop,” this new one said.

“She’s causing a disturbance. She deserves to be put down like the dog she is.”

“Do you know who this is?”

The vampire guard on top of me paused. His hands were still hard on my shoulders, keeping me pinned to the ground, but now he took a better look at my face – and at my collar.

“The Duke’s pet…” he said in disbelief, his voice a whisper as if speaking to himself. He likely was, slowly realizing the truth of who I was.

Slowly, he lifted off the weight on my shoulders, and sat back on his haunches. Turning his attention away from me, he again focused on Angela.

“What about that one? She started the fight. I assume she’s not off-limits?”

The second guard looked at Angela, who had only just managed to pull herself up from the floor. She had her arms wrapped protectively around herself, her eyes darting around in fear.

“This one is a nobody,” the second vampire said.

With haste, I scurried out from the attacking vampire and rushed to stand in front of Angela again. “She didn’t do anything,” I said quickly. “We aren’t starting an uprising or anything. We just had a disagreement, but we’re okay now. Everything’s fine.”

As the first guard rose to his feet, he openly glowered at me. He looked like he wanted to chew me out, or kill me even more brutally than before, but then his gaze dipped down to my collar. He stilled once more, his hands curling into fists.

The second vampire was looking at the first, as if waiting for him to make the first move, or the decision.

The first vampire seemed even more incensed by this, and I recognized another emotion behind the anger in his eyes. I knew it at first glance because I had felt it so regularly since coming to this terrible place.

Humiliation.

The first vampire’s hesitation told me that he was going to listen to me and leave Angela alone. To push for more was like playing with fire. But in this place, I had little to lose, and any small win would feel like a victory.

“The werewolves should be given their full portions today,” I said.

Both vampires’ eyes went wide at this command.

I stood my ground, lifting my chin a little in defiance. I knew, in doing this, I was also exposing more of my neck and the collar upon it.

If Damien were to find out about how I was abusing his power to the benefit of the werewolves, he would likely be furious. I would probably be punished, maybe even sent back to that horrible box. But I was willing to chance that for the sake of allowing my people to be fed, if only for even one evening.

The vampires exchanged glances. I couldn’t read their expressions this time, but when they grumbled, both moving away, back toward the kitchens, I knew I had won.

For the first time in a very long time, the werewolves were given enough food, each able to eat a full portion. After getting her portion, Angela came to me. I had since moved away from her table, instead taking a spot near the older woman Dee, who I had talked to before.

Angela sat down in the open spot across from me.

I braced myself for more arguments, but instead, she sighed.

“You did something here today,” she said. “Something I didn’t think possible.”

I started to shake my head. I didn’t really feel like I did anything, yet before I could say so, she spoke again.

“You gave people a bit of themselves back.”

I looked around, for the first time noticing that people were a bit more lively than usual. They were talking, and there was even a laugh now and then. It was a miracle what a full stomach could do.

Looking down at her own food, she continued, “You stepped in for me today. You saved me. It doesn’t make up for Andy, but…”

“I’m truly sorry about what happened to him and the others that night,” I said, meaning it from the depths of my heart. I hoped she could see that.

“I know,” she said and lifted her gaze. Her eyes finally met mine, and while there wasn’t exactly forgiveness there, I could at least now see less anger. Less hate.

More… acceptance.

“He was a good guy,” I said.

“The best,” Angela replied. “He would have done anything for anyone. It was never just you. Even when we were kids, Mom always yelled at him for putting himself in harm’s way. He stood up to bullies, even those that were bigger than him. He’d come home with a black eye, and would argue with Mom. He couldn’t let the smaller kids be hurt.”

I could so easily imagine a smaller, younger Andy standing for what was right.

“He changed when we came here. The vampires didn’t just give him black eyes, they nearly beat the life out of him on more than one occasion. The people he tried to help were just killed instead.” Angela’s eyes went distant again. “He became a shell of himself, like everyone does to survive this place.”

She refocused on me. “But then he met you. You brought a piece of him back, just like you did here today with everyone else. He was foolish and reckless, but impossibly brave. I would give anything to have him back here alive with me. But knowing he died being true to himself… it is a small comfort.”

I reached out across the table and placed my hand on hers, hoping to offer comfort. When she didn’t immediately pull away, I thought I might have been successful.

We continued eating, silent now, but more bonded than we had been before.

One of the girls beside me kept glancing over at me, like she wanted to ask me something. After a few more times, I looked to her instead. “Is something the matter?”

She huffed a bit, “I just… How did you get so much power? Do you have to keep spreading your legs for the vampires?”