Hey Mr Bloodsucker, Sucks To Be You

Chapter 17

Dante ~#~

I hung up. Why couldn't he, just for once, sound angry or worried? I hit Cappa crossly. Just wait until Dimitri got here, and I'd kick his ass.  Hale and Penny were stood behind me, just in front of the sputtering washing machine, watching me. Hale narrowed his eyes, disapproving of my outburst.

"Is he awake yet?" He asked, leaving Penny to come to my side.

"He won't be now." Muttered a voice. So Tristan was back too. "Not if you keep kicking him about, Dante."

I screwed up my face. "If Mai sees he's alright, she won't be so worried about him. He needs to look kicked about."

Tristan emerged down the basement steps. Hale shook his head. "Penny, go check on the Clan."

She passed Tristan on the steps and vanished into the upstairs corridor. "Todo lo que." Whatever.

Penny was Spanish, and when she spoke it was with a strong accent. She didn't always talk in English, especially when she was around people she didn't want to understand what she was saying. The only time that tactic didn't work was around Dimitri, who was fluent, and that annoyed the hell out of me.

"Gentlemen." Hale watched Tristan come closer. "We don't need your fights, not when we're so close to our goal."

I shot Tristan a look, which he returned. Your goal, Hale. Not ours. But I didn't say anything.

"I know." Muttered Tristan, stuffing a hand into his pocket.

Behind us, Cappa groaned and twisted in the chair he was sat in. Tristan uttered a low growl and stepped in front of him, then delivered a harsh slap round his face.

"Wake up." He barked angrily. "Now!"

"Tristan." Hale muttered in a low warning voice."Watch it."

"Let him be." I told Tristan. "We don't want him to look kicked around."

Tristan spat in the floor next to the chair. "Hale-"

"Shut it." Hale snapped. "I've had enough of you. Dante, go out and get blood. Fresh, bottled, bagged, I don't care. Just get out of the damned house."

I scowled at Tristan and stormed up the steps, cursing under my breath. I hated Hale, really. I hated Tristan. But I wanted blood as much as the next vampire, and the way Halem had chosen to get it seemed like the biggest success.

 Dimitri ~#~

"Dammit." I muttered, glancing at Mai.

She was scowling and had her arms crossed tightly in front of her, trying to avoid my gaze. "You really expected me to keep my promise?"

"No." I told her truthfully. "I expected you not to be as stupid as to follow me. Go away from the hotel maybe, but not come after me."

She mumbled something I couldn't hear.

I'd pulled over at the side of the road and back-tracked into the woods, where I'd known she was running. She caught scent of me too late before I had her, pulling her out of the trees and towards the car. It was a good thing it was night time.

"I need to get Cappa back."

"By doing this you're killing him." She was leant against the back of the car, and I stood with my arms folded to the side. She knew I was watching her, just in case she took off. "I'm faster than you." I reminded her quickly, just to make sure.

She scowled. "I know."

"Look, Mai." I dropped my hands into my pockets. "You can't do this. Why are you being so selfish?"

"Don't try guilt-trips Dimitri. I kill people for food. I'm a monster. You can't expect me to still have a conscience tucked inside me somewhere."

"You and I both know you do." I said, taking a step towards her. "You're gonna kill Cappa if you keep trying to save him. Let me do it."

"I can't trust you."

I raised my hands. "Mai, you're going to have to if we're going to pull this off."

She looked beautiful with the moonlight on her face. No way. Think about Cappa. Things are complicated enough already. She glared at me. I looked away. Where the hell did that come from?

"I'm happy keeping my distance form you."

"Really." I kept my voice flat, cool, collected. 

"You're infuriating, you know that?" She spat suddenly.

I raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Even when things are hitting rock bottom, you're still really calm! It's so creepy! Don't you ever get anrgy, even at Hale? You're just so....emotionless."

I snorted. "Would it help us if I were panicking?"

Mai didn't say anything for a while. Finally, she stood up straight and uncrossed her arms. "Let's just go." She muttered. "Unless you're planning on leaving me behind again."

"Where would be the point in that? You'd only follow me again, and I rather have you with me so I can keep an eye on you."

"I'm not three, Dimitri."

I just smiled, not saying anything. She gave me an annoyed growl and clambered into the passenger seat, avoiding the back seats once she spotted the lack of darkness.

I slid behind the wheel. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Leaving you behind."

She was quiet for a minute. "I'm sorry too."

She was silent after that. I turned the key in the ignition and we pulled off the side of the road, and not once did I mention my phone call with Dante. 

 Dante ~#~

Penny was in the kitchen when I came back upstairs. She was tearing open a packet of blood to tip into a glass, oblivious to sounds of fighting from the living room.

"Penny."

"Hmm?"

"Aren't you meant to be checking on the clan?"

She turned to face me. "¿Cuál es el problema?"

I paused, trying to remember what problema meant. "Hale's coming." I told her. "You're meant to be feeding them."

This time, she answered in English. "Well, if you do it for me, he won't have to worry, will he?" She shot me a smile and then brought the glass to her lips.

As if on cue, Hale emerged form the basement steps. "Have you fed them?"

He glared at me, at Penny, then to the fridge. Penny widened her eyes and looked at me. I held her gaze for a moment, then gave in.

"I'm doing it now." I muttered, crossing over to the fridge.

There were times when I really hated Penny. But sometime I had to face up to the truth. If Mai really loved Cappa, and he loved her back, it was possible that it could happen to other vampires too. As much as it annoyed me, I had a weak spot. And its name was Penny.