In light of all of the revelations last night, Danny, Perry, LaFontaine and I are weighing the merits of releasing Carmilla. She made a compelling argument that she was only an accessory to the crimes — I mean, I’m convinced. But still, she did participate in tricking girls so her mother could dine on them or do whatever she does.
Perry is adamant. “Laura, we have to let her go. If the dean finds out we’re holding a hostage, do you know how much trouble we can get in? She can take away my floor monitor status.”
Girls are missing. Another is dead. The dean’s a full-on killer with a posse of killer vampires.
“That’s what you’re worried about?” LaFontaine asks.
“I worked hard to get here, ” Perry snarls.
Danny jumps in. “We can’t let her go until we have a plan.”
“If you want to go after the dean, have at it,” Carmilla says. “I’ll be just fine here binge-watching Orange Is the New Black. Fair warning. You better bring an army. That woman fights dirty.”
LaFontaine sizes her up. “I’m just throwing this out there. She is a vampire and the possibility of her attacking us is still very much on the table. We need to get some rest before we play our next card, whatever that is. So my vote is to take precautions and leave her as is.”
“That’s not the worst idea you’ve ever had,” Perry admits grudgingly.
LaFontaine says, “Let’s get going.” Perry tags along, leaving Carmilla and me alone.
I bring Carmilla some more blood. Call it a peace offering. “Sorry about this, but I need to get some sleep, get my strength back for tomorrow when we go after the dean. Your teeth in my neck aren’t part of the plan, so the ropes stay. For now.”
Carmilla settles back into her funk and I crawl into the safety of my bed.
With the covers tucked tightly around my head, I fall into a deep slumber until I hear a male voice in my room. I could have sworn I locked the door. I stay very still, not moving a muscle. I eavesdrop as he speaks to Carmilla, and I swear it sounds just like Will, Kirsch’s Zeta bro. Odd, since they aren’t exactly friends. She was ready to rip his spleen out, as I recall.
“Pathetic. I can’t believe you let those imbeciles capture you. Mother sent me to find out if you dealt with your roommate situation.” He’s yelling through his teeth. I peek out from under my blanket.
My mind is reeling. Mother? What roommate situation?
“Guessing by the lump on the bed and the ropes around your arms, I take it that’s a no.”
“I’ll take you down, Will,” Carmilla threatens.
I hear him snicker. I mean, she’s tied up. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll cut the ties off but we’ve got to grab your prissy little roommate and be done with her. Mother is on the warpath.”
I see him cut the ropes, so I open my mouth. “Will, you need to get away from her. She’s a vampire.”
An evil frown spreads across his chiseled jaw as he frees her. Then he spits out something none of his frat brothers would want to hear. “She’s not the only one.” Will lunges for my neck! Oh God, another vampire! I dive out of his way, kicking as I fall, catching him right in the ribs. He yelps, then strikes back. Carmilla munches my cookies with her untied hands, watching us duke it out but not attempting to help at all.
“My father taught me Krav Maga,” I brag.
Will takes another swing at me. “I miss the 1930s when girls didn’t attack.”
“So inconvenient when they fight back,” Carmilla muses while chewing.
“Laugh it up all you want, kitten, Mother isn’t going to be too amused that I had to finish your job since you dropped the ball,” he taunts her.
“You’re such a mommy’s boy,” she scoffs. I snort because she’s getting under his skin, and Will takes another swipe to get me back.
“Careful, Hollis, I’ll make you a midnight snack,” he warns.
Carmilla corrects him. “Knock it off, dumbass. We don’t eat targets. Plus, I’m sure you’re in some hot water over the missing airhead. Do you want to be known as the guy who lost two of them?”
My mouth drops open. I’m a target.
“It might be worth it just to screw with you,” he snarls at her. He leans in to nip my neck, but before his teeth can pierce my skin, Carmilla backhands him, and he flies through the air. Guess he shouldn’t have untied her.
“You’re going to regret that, kitty.”
She takes another shot at him. “I never regret anything, little brother. You know that.”
Little brother? Suddenly everything is clearer.
Will steps toward Carmilla, but just her hiss sends him packing. Next thing I know, he’s halfway down the hallway, licking his wounds, and I’m alone with the other vampire. I’m rattled, to say the least, but it seems like she’s on my side. I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Hey, Carm. Thanks for not letting him bite me and all. Which is really nice of you … given the fact that I —”
Before I can finish, she lunges at me, tackling me to the ground. I feel sharp incisors cutting through my skin. “Oh my God!” I scream. She keeps sucking, holding me down. I manage to wrestle myself out from under her but I see blood dripping on my pajamas.
“You bit me!” She broke the skin. I grab the side of my neck. Blood is on my fingers. I think I’m going to faint.
“Calm down, you’re not dead,” Carmilla says drily. She takes one of the T-shirts on her bed and wipes my neck.
I remember every vampire movie I’ve ever seen, every book I’ve ever read. What happens after the first bite? “Oh my God, I’m a vampire,” I cry.
Carmilla tries to reassure me. “It doesn’t work that way, cupcake. I’m the only vampire in this relationship.”
“You used me like a juice box and now I don’t get an explanation?”
She flips her hair back. “I’m a vampire, Hollis. I’m out of fuel. I’m pissed off and I need my strength to stop Will from ratting me out to our mother. He’s a little bitch and she will tear me limb from limb if she finds out.” She starts packing her duffel bag, tossing random stuff in.
“So you’re just going to run away?” I ask.
“You heard what I said about my mother, right? Hell, yes, I’m fleeing. She is the devil.”
I know full well that’s the end of me. My voice is very small now. “Then they’ll just come after me and kill me?”
“Sorry, cutie, you really never had much of a chance anyway. Nothing personal.”
I whip my head around to face her. “Bull. It’s totally personal. Will, your brother — nice touch — wants to kill me just to piss you off. Right now, it’s your word against his. If you run, you’re automatically guilty. And I’m, like, dead.” It’s a long shot, but I try to appeal to her sensitive side. The other night I thought she cared …
She thinks it over. “So you’re implying that my best chance is to stay here and figure out how to justify protecting you?”
“That’s what I’m thinking,” I admit. Fingers crossed. Carmilla stops tossing things into her bag, plops down on the bed. “I have nothing even resembling a plan. So all right. I’m in. But don’t think I’ve forgotten the last two weeks of my captivity,” she warns. “I’m still pissed.”
I can’t believe her nerve. “You’re pissed? You’ve done nothing but lie to me and you bit me.”
“You tied me up and not for fun.”
I blush. “You still have your sense of humor, I see.”
“I’m taking a shower. Feel free to join me. I won’t bite. Again,” she adds, cackling, trying to get a rise out of me.
Carmilla disappears into the bathroom while I have a mini meltdown. A pack of vampires wants to kidnap me, and the only thing stopping them is my not-quite-as-evil vampire roommate. So that’s not too complicated. Crap, I have a women’s studies midterm in three hours. If the vampires don’t kill me, my father will.
I’m so dead.