Because I've Lost Everything

Chapter Eight

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"She's not eating," I said.

"That's fine by me."

"She'll die, Boss."

"Then let her die," she said. "We just need to get our hands on Grimm before she dies," she added.

"Well, that's the problem. He's not letting his guard down. No one can get their hands on him," Malchediel said.

"Last I knew, you were supposed to be friends with him," she said.

"Well, yes. I am," Malchediel said. "But that doesn't make him any easier to trap and take," he added.

"You'll have to find some way to do it. You know that's why I hired you," she said. She rolled her shoulders back, shaking her head. "I wouldn't have hired you had I known you wouldn't be able to do your job," she added.

"No, no. I can do my job. It's just going to take more than a day or two, Boss. You've got to give me longer than that. Caleb's a fighter. He's going to fight for a while before he decides that there's no way he can get her back," Malchediel said.

"Okay." She sounded bored as she turned away from us, spinning in her desk chair. She stared out the window, her fingers steepled beneath her chin. "What's the point?" she asked.

"The point is that you can't let Draculaura die if you want me to bring you Caleb. He won't do anything for you if you kill her," he said. "He won't suffer if she's already dead before he ever makes it back here," he added.

"It's a fair point," she said softly. "Make sure she eats, then."

"She won't eat anything I give her," I said.

"Well, find out what she wants," she said.

"You can't just ask a kidnapped vampire what she wants for lunch, Boss. It doesn't work that way. She won't cooperate like that," I said.

"Well, have you tried it?" she asked.

"No."

"Then how do you know she won't cooperate?" she asked.

"The messes she's been making are enough to prove that she's not planning on cooperating with us in the near future," I said.

"Messes?"

"She tears the books off the shelves, the movies off the shelves. She's unmade the bed four different times today alone," I said. "We kidnapped her, Boss. She's not exactly in an agreeing mood," I said.

"So we'll teach her a lesson, one all about respect. Take the covers from her bed," she said. "Leave the pillow, but take the case. Leave the mattress, but take all the sheets," she said.

"But--"

"I won't repeat myself. Just do it. If she continues to make messes for you to clean, we'll continue to take things from her. Eventually, she'll get the message. She'll learn that she is to respect us. She'll learn to keep her room tidy. She'll learn to eat when she is given food, speak when spoken to," she said.

"She's not a dog," I said.

"Nor is she a child. You can teach someone her age to behave accordingly like you can a young child. She's over two thousand years old, Boss," Malchediel said.

"I don't believe I asked you. Both of you are dismissed. Remove the covers from her bed. She'll learn eventually." She chuckled softly. "And if she doesn't learn, she'll be punished. That will teach her a lesson," she said quietly.