“How did She die?” I ask.
“That is what you find more important right now?” she asks me.
I shrug and say, “Seems significant under the circumstances.”
“Hm, well that is a story for another time,” she says. Christ, this woman is about as unforthcoming as CK, only giving you precisely what you asked for. Bitch. Smart, but a bitch, nonetheless. I know I give far too much away. Another thing I should try to curb in the future.
“Sooo,” she drawls, bringing my attention back to her, “I went to him and told him I would give it to him, but no way was he getting those ancient fangs anywhere near me. I drained myself to near death, well,” she snorts, “as it were, and gave it to him. It wasn’t exactly how he wanted it, but tough shit, I say. Be grateful for what you get, yes?”
I nod in agreement and wonder why I never came up with this plan? Oh, yeah, because I was trying not to give him what he wanted because I didn’t want him to live. “I see,” I say. “Well, that would certainly have been preferable.”
“No kidding,” she says. “So, I told you mine, now you tell me yours.”
“I didn’t want to give him what he wanted and was doing a good job of avoiding him, until I was betrayed,” I say quietly, then curse myself for revealing that piece of information to her.
Her ears perk up and I curse myself even more. “Betrayed?” she asks. “By who?”
“Doesn’t matter,” I say. “Point is, I got lured into a trap, so to speak, and then he got me in his claws, and I was pretty much toast from that point on.”
“Hm,” she says, annoyed that I won’t reveal my traitor. Probably more interested so she can keep an eye on her own for any traitorous behavior than out of concern for me. “Did it hurt?” she asks wickedly.
“Obviously,” I say, indicating the bites and ignoring her tone.
“Well, you look like Hell. I suggest you get healed up and back on the job. Factions, you know. They are always on the lookout for weakness.” She imparts this piece of “wisdom” matter-of-factly.
“If I knew how to heal I would,” I say to her as if she is stupid. She looks back at me like I am and shakes her head.
“God, you know nothing, do you? Where are all of your people?”
“People?” I ask, a bit slow on the uptake after all this chitchat.
“Yeah, your people. Your advisors and Witches and healers,” she says.
“Huh?” I ask, now thoroughly out of the loop, once again.
“Fuck’s sakes,” she mutters. “You seriously need to get your head in the game, sister.”
“I have Corinne,” I say defensively.
“Good, at least you have something. However, you need to man up your troops,” she says with all the authority of a five-star general.
“I am not at war,” I say petulantly.
“No, you are just a weak-assed fool that gets taken advantage of. Trust me, I have been doing this job for far longer than you have. And clearly better,” she adds. “How long ago did he bite you?”
“Three months ago,” I say and stop her dead in her tracks. I steady myself for the lecture that is about to ensue, but she just stares at me, almost in pity.
“Three months? And you haven’t healed?”
I decide to reveal all as she seems to think she has vast knowledge and who knows? Maybe she can help. “I woke up from a three-month coma yesterday,” I say.
“Coma?” she repeats in disbelief. “Shit!” she exclaims, sitting back in the chair again. “Shit.”
“Yeah,” I say, knowing firsthand how surprised she is.
“Well, let this be a lesson to you,” she says, having regained her superior attitude. “People,” she emphasizes with a prod to my desk.
Gee, I should have known better than to expect anything more from her. I am really worn out now and I just want her to go. “Enough about me, why are you here?”