Midnight Crusade

Chapter 23

Vivian stood looking at the window in her bedroom. She could do it, couldn't she? The woman moved to open the window, sticking herself out to look down. It was a far fall, and it made her stomach clench with panic just thinking about jumping out the window. But how else could she escape this hell?

It was the following day and Vivian had taken to pacing around her room. She was antsy, she needed to do something, anything. Ezra's words hadn't left her mind and she didn't sleep last night. All she could think about was the different ways Ezra was going to kill her if she couldn't escape from this mansion. And Kit, oh gods her heart hurt when she thought about how this would affect Kit. He would be wrecked, having another thing he cared about destroyed by Ezra. She had to escape, she had to.

Last night, while she couldn't sleep, she had watched the guards outside, watched the way they moved and when they switched positions. There's about a two hour gap where there's no guards in her area during the early morning hours and Vivian knew that would have to be when she made the run. She would find the concrete road that led them here, run down it, and hopefully flag someone before anyone noticed she went missing.

It was only a matter of how she got out the window. She could rip the sheets and tie them together, creating a rope, but she doesn't know if that would actually work or something she's just seen in movies. There was no visible way to climb down, and the only way out seemed to be jumping. Which Vivian really did not want to have to do. But she would have to, that's how she would escape. Maybe with a broken arm or a broken leg, but she would escape.

When Alice knocked on her door, it was about dinner time, the maid walking into the room. She held no tray of food.

"What is it?" Vivian asked, knowing there had to be a reason she was just standing there. "The Master has asked to see you again in the library."

Vivian felt her heart drop, knowing she would have to face the horrifying vampire before making her escape. He couldn't find out about it. Vivian released a breath, knowing she had no choice. "Let me pick out a dress." Vivian said, turning to go towards the wardrobe. This time she picked out a dark red dress, the bodice just as tight as the others. They did her hair, and she was ready to see Ezra.

Alice led her down the same path they used yesterday, traveling to the library. Vivian was a bundle of nerves when they arrived, the maid opened the door and ushering Vivian inside. Ezra was in the same spot he was in last time, the chair to his left empty. Vivian took in a breath, and began walking towards the vampire. He didn't say a word as she sat down next to him, the man absorbed in a book. They sat there like that for a while before Ezra finally closed his book.

"So Vivian, tell me," Ezra began, looking over at her, "what was your childhood like?"

The woman blinked. "My childhood?"

"Yes."

"But why?"

"I want to know what kind of life you have lived up until now, I'm very intrigued."

Vivian didn't know what to say. Where did she even start? "It wasn't good." Vivian began, looking away from Ezra. "My dad left when I was ten and my mom died when I was sixteen. I was put into foster care after that, separated from my siblings and forced from family to family. Not all of the experiences were good ones, I was... it was really hard with some families." The women went on, letting the truth spill out, knowing that there would be no other choice with Ezra. "I didn't have much of a childhood, not really."

"I see. Were you born in Lake Ashton?"

"No, Texas actually."

"Texas? Really?"