I plopped on my cot and leaned against the concrete wall, ignoring the chill, and the warning, too tired to protest. After some food and a few hours of sleep, I’d make a point of earning my nickname.
Dillon would have an opportunity to meet Trouble face to face.
I was just swallowing my last bite of P and J when my roommates entered. Dillon patted the blonde on her rear. She giggled, her cheeks flushing. I noted this with an annoying touch from the green-eyed monster. Jealous that she’d somehow managed to find her very own masculine light source in our dreary dungeon. Dillon was cute enough, especially when he smiled. Dimples always helped. Their happiness only made my separation from Zane that much harder to endure.
“This is Connie.” He nodded at the object of his interest.
“I’m Deb,” said the taller brunette.
I was still gaping at Connie. “You!” I recognized the woman as the blue-eyed blonde from upstairs.
She stopped her flirting. “Isn’t this convenient?” She sounded less than pleased.
Not sure what else to do, I extended my hand. “I’m Chloe. You were getting ready to tell me something …”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about. You must have confused me with someone else.” She shot me a warning look.
Not wanting to alienate her before I had a chance to pick her brain, I just nodded. “You’re probably right. I’m not sure who I saw. I was pretty out of it.”
Dillon turned to study me. “You’re awful tiny to be so much trouble, but I’ll tell you what I told these two …”
“Be nice to me and I’ll be nice to you,” the women chorused.
“Great. Make me look like a big softy. I’m going to grab Ms. Chloe her surprise desert. You want anything?” He looked pointedly at Connie. Her cheeks glowed a deeper shade of roseglowed.. I’d stumbled onto a serious prisoner captor love connection. If my intuition was right, this was no casual flirtation. These two were smitten.
My roommates listed their requests, and I took the opportunity to disappear behind the privacy screen with a partial change of clothing. With great care, I pulled Jazmine’s wig from my pant leg and wrapped it in my dirty t-shirt. I tugged on my favorite oversized sweatshirt, and hurried back to my bunk just as the deadbolt slid into place with loud clunk.
I stuffed the wig-wadded-shirt into my bag and collapsed on the bunk. Deb and Connie followed my example, both resting their backs against the concrete wall.
“So?” I glanced at Connie on the bunk to my left. Deb, on her far side, had pulled a paperback from under her pillow.
Connie shook her head just enough for me to notice and glanced sideways at Deb. Our conversation wouldn’t be happening while Deb was awake.
Frustrated that I’d have to wait for answers, I took another look around the room. I hadn’t noticed four, three-drawer dressers on the wall opposite the make-shift bathroom. No wonder their bunks were so bare.
Under the circumstances, I wasn’t sure I wanted my possessions out of reach, tucked away in a dresser. I still had the symbol tracings to review, and my cell phone was resting secure below my breasts. As much as I hated a too-snug bra, this one was successfully supporting and camouflaging the added weight. I doubted I’d get a signal down here, but I’d damn sure try at the first opportunity.
A second later, I heard thunderous footsteps approaching. They stopped right outside our door.
I held my breath, too scared to breathe, panicking as I envisioned the vicious claw marks. But instead of a mutant monster, the friendly hall monitor entered, laden with more food. At least starvation wouldn’t be an issue.
“Your sweets have arrived,” Dillon announced. This time he delivered our food but didn’t linger, to Connie’s obvious disappointment. He seemed preoccupied.
Relieved to exhale, I examined my desert, which consisted of an ice cream sandwich and a little tub of yogurt. The three of us ate in silence.
I still couldn’t figure out how Jazmine had found me. Alcuin had rented my room at the hotel. Just he and Luke were aware that I was headed to Portland, and the only one who knew my exact plans and whereabouts was Alcuin. The idea that he’d betrayed me, Zane, and our close-knit group, seemed unfeasible. What could he hope to gain? He was a vampire, not a mutant or werewolf. It just didn’t add up.
Considering Alcuin as an enemy wasn’t what I wanted. Nothing