Blood Debt

Chapter 7

Sam had been reluctant to accept that he couldn't possibly supply enough blood to remove the tang of cow's blood from all three's scents. After several minutes of heated discussion, Sam finally agreed that they would need to involve innocents. Lenore told him they'd each need three pints of human blood to cover the animal scent and that it wasn't safe to take more than two pints from any one person. That meant they'd need five people. Shelley and Detroit went about procuring their donors while Eli and Lenore gave Sam the bruises he'd need to make his condition convincing. Before they left the motel that evening, Shelley, Eli and Lenore fed from both the innocents and from Sam. From Sam they took only enough to give their scent a bit of his own.

Sam lay bound in the trunk of Lenore's car, aching, and feeling worse than he'd have liked. His shirt was in shreds. Rope hobbled his ankles and bound his arms behind him, and a bandana was between his teeth and tied behind his head. The three bandaged vampire bites still hurt.

The last few minutes of the ride was particularly uncomfortable as they drove on a graveled drive and every bump rattled his teeth. He was grateful when the car finally stopped. He heard Lenore, Shelly and Eli get out of the car. It was another hour before the trunk opened and a welcome cool breeze brushed over him. Eli pulled Sam out roughly and dropped him onto the gravel. Sam grunted, wincing as the sharp gravel dug into him.

Sam's joints were stiff from the long time his large frame was crammed in the small trunk. As he started to stretch out his legs, Eli yanked him to his feet. He stood unsteadily, trying to get his bearings and get his stiffened limbs loosened. His right eye was blackened and swollen, but not so much that he couldn't see out of it.

The Protégé sat parked among ten or so other cars. The Saturn he and Dean had stopped for, and that he later gave chase to for days, was to his left and a few cars away he saw the Mustang that he suspected had chased him. Lights were on in the old two-story white farmhouse and its wraparound porch boasted a swing where two people sat, making out. Further back was a huge, old red barn and he thought he saw another smaller barn off to the side. The big barn's doors were open and music and laughter spilled out from inside. In the front yard of the house was a large oak tree with a tire swing that swayed gently in the breeze. There were no sounds or indication of any animals on the farm.

The sound of delighted laughter made Sam turn as the blonde he knew as Janine strolled up. Her eyes filled with mirth as she measured him. "Well, well, well, look at you, Handsome. I didn't think I'd ever see you again. Hey, Suzanne!" she called. "You have to see this."

Suzanne came around the corner of the house, her boots clicking on the gravel road. "What?"

"Look at who it was that went after Lenore's family!" Janine said. She caressed Sam's bruised face with her cold hand. Sam jerked away from her touch.

Suzanne joined them, eyeing Sam. Sam stared back at the two women with hated-filled eyes.

Suzanne turned to Eli, an apology on her face. "He was hunting for us, Eli," she said. "I'm sorry he found your family instead."

Eli's face darkened and his body tensed with anger. "You brought this down on us?" he demanded, brittleness in his voice.

"Lenore said you were near Atlanta?" Suzanne asked.

"Yes. The north side of it," Eli acknowledged.

Janine faced Eli. "That would be where Charles and I left the last of the trail for him before we decided we'd run him around in enough circles," she said. "We didn't know there were any families there and it seemed like a good place to ditch him. I'm really sorry, Eli." Her words seemed sincere.

"We hadn't been there long," Eli said. He sighed, the tension draining out of him. "It's not really your fault he found us. Detroit was sloppy and led him right back to us."