Hunted Predators✔️

Chapter Thirty

The guard drags Katherine back into the cell. The blonde girl is already there. She stares at Katherine, studying her face, from the stitches in her shin to her pink eyes. "You know, crying isn't very effective. And throwing yourself into an angry mob just sounds painful. Try holding your breath. Most people will just be knocked unconscious, but you never know. You might be the lucky one it works for."

When Katherine stares back at her blankly, the girl claps her hands. "In times like these, I find a song always helps."

The guard quickly shackles Katherine's wrist to the bed, all but running out of the room. As soon as the door shuts, the silly look completely whipes off the girl's face."What happened?"

Katherine scowls. "Don't you know?"

"I want the unfiltered version."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, I didn't want to break my wrist, but I guess we all make sacrifices."

"What?" At the sound of a snap, Katherine looks up, her eyes wide. Crazy blonde girl has slid out of her handcuffs. Her left arm hangs at a crooked angle. Katherine lurches away, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I'm innocent." She talks fast, moving as far away as the handcuff will allow her. "I broke free at the trial then sucked the venom out of Darko, bringing him out of his state of paralysis."

Crazy girl's eyes narrow. "Then what are you doing here?"

"He's testifying against me in the retrial." As Katherine speaks, the pain in her eyes hardens. Sadness gives way to anger. "They're going to lie, twist the facts, whatever they need to do to get the law to kill vampires passed."

"So you're back to where you started. Only this time, with no hope."

"Yeah." The spark of anger dries out. "You've pretty much got it." Katherine waits for her cellmate to get off her bed. "Well. It was, er-"

"I thought you were a plant."

That catches Katherine's attention.

"It didn't fit, how quickly you gave into temptation and bit Darko, especially in front of a camera. I thought you were hired to play the part of a killer and become the nation's scapegoat, their excuse for the law. It's clear now why I, the crazy girl, was chosen as your roommate."

"Because I wouldn't believe the things you say. So I wouldn't have any secrets on the Wellness Center for when I got out."

The girl's eyes lit up. "Exactly. And know that I know your one of us, really one of us, I'll-"

"Short of the finding the cure, there's nothing you can say that'd change anything." Katherine's stomach twists as the light in the girl's eyes dims, but she continues anyway. "If people are willing to let us die, than you can bet they'll be okay with torture. We're not the first that this has happened to, and we won't be the last. The only hope any of us have is escaping, changing our names, and moving to the other side of the world."

"Or you could fight this."

"Fight what? Tell me what to do and I'll do it." Katherine shakes her head when her cellmate is silent. "We're on a sinking ship. I'd avise anyone with the means to do so to get off."

"You're wrong."

"It's the truth. I'm not going to kid myself. Hope would have drove me crazy."

"Hope keeps people alive."

"Yeah? And how's that working out for you?"
...

Darko looks up from the business card to the old apartment before him. He walks up to the door and knocks. When he gets no response, he grins, pulling out a bobby pin from his pocket.