Sterling Silver (Sterling Hunter Series Book 1)

Chapter 27

Tabitha groaned and rubbed her stinging eyes. She cleared her throat to try and get rid of the scratchy, swollen feeling. What happened? Her mom had called and Alistair had showed up and someone–Keller?–had come up behind her and knocked her out...

Tabitha sat up, eyes widening. She lay on a lavish couch, soft pillows behind her head and an even softer blanket over her. Opposite her laying on a different couch was Jonas Carter. His black hair was a bed-headed mess and a hand slung over the side. Tabitha could hear him snoring softly from under his blanket. At least Alistair was a decent host.

She pushed her blanket aside and reached for her waist. No stakes. No nothing. She was still in her sneakers and workout clothes, her hair tied back in a ponytail. She itched for her leather jacket and her yellow boots.

On the other side of the room sat a small kitchen, a nice one but small. Sitting in a black chair in front of the small round metal table was Keller; the vampire Sebastian, had locked up in his basement. Great...

He sipped from a glass cup filled with blood and glanced up, a ghost of a smile flickering across his lips.

"I wouldn't try to escape. Alistair will be back shortly," he said in a deep, velvety voice. Tabitha scowled and got to her feet, glancing at Jonas to make sure he was still asleep. Keller was a handsome man. Probably used to be a normal handsome when he was human and now possessed the abnormal, gorgeousness of a vampire. Dark skin, brown eyes and black short cropped hair. He wore jeans and a V-neck t-shirt that exposed a few rippling chest muscles.

"What do you want with us?" she asked, stepping around Jonas's couch and toward the vampire.

He smirked and took another sip of blood, lounging in his chair as if Tabitha wasn't a danger at all. If she could get to the kitchen and grab a knife, she could do some damage. Slow and steady she crept toward the kitchen as discreetly as possible. "I don't want anything. Maybe a little revenge for killing one of my closest friends but Alistair's warned me not to touch you so I won't. Alistair on the other hand... He's convinced you'll lead Sebastian here and that boy over there," he jutted his chin out at Jonas. Tabitha paused, a hand on the counter.

His eyes followed her the whole time. "He's a Carter. His parents are the head honchos of the Moirai. Do you know what they do to vampires like us?"

Tabitha shook her head even though they both knew she did. Keller swiveled his head around, following her as he took another threatening drink. "They strap us to tables and torture us. Rip us apart organ by organ, limb by limb until all we can think about is the pain. Until they drive us insane, just to get answers and inside information. Do you think we deserve that?"

Tabitha said nothing. She paused in the kitchen by the first drawer, her fingers inching toward the brass handle. Keller chuckled and shrugged, setting his drink down. Tabitha's instincts went on edge as his brown eyes narrowed. "Maybe some of us do. But most of us don't. Would you wish that sort of torture on your beloved Sebastian?"

She shook her head, trying to play the scared hostage. She doubted he was buying it, but it did make her feel a little better.

He smirked and stood with graceful ease, like a panther. Tabitha's fingers froze, halfway to opening the first drawer. There weren't any knives in there anyway when she snuck a peak. She quickly shut it, giving Keller her undivided attention.

"No, I would think not. But just imagine the pain you would feel if you knew what they were doing to him and being unable to stop them. Did you know his sister Emmeline was caught by them and was tortured for information for... how long was it? A year I believe? They knew she was in close with Alistair and thought she would give them some leads."