My days had grown increasingly habitual while I waited for the return trip to the bloodsuckers' capital. The leech seemed to have grown bored with tormenting me, which could only be considered a good thing, although at the same time it felt strange in a way I could not quite put my finger on. Still, I was not about to question my good fortune.

The only time I had seen her was when I went and asked to go along. It had bothered me to have to ask for permission, but at the same time it had been worth it.

This trip might be valuable to me in several ways.

I was going to be included in the attempt to hack the council's database and if I was lucky maybe I would have the chance to locate my quarry. I would also be able to familiarize myself with the leech council building and perhaps even the city, which very well might come in handy in the future. And, if I were fortunate, maybe I would find my moment to finally escape her control.

Although it was unlikely that I would manage everything I was hoping, I at least felt optimistic that new opportunities were coming towards me and I was ready to meet them.

A few of the human traitors remarked on my good spirits, but I tried to let them believe that I was just settling in and pleased that the bloodsucker was leaving me alone.

I woke the morning of our journey, just as I did every morning. I stretched and quickly got up and made my way to the showers. It was early, so I found the room mercifully empty.

Before I got in, I shaved for the first time since I had been forcibly restrained while a leech ran a blade over my skin just before I had been stuck in the slave cages. This time I had been ordered to, but it was an order I gladly followed. I would be much less recognizable as the human who had killed a dozen leeches while clean shaven.

As far as I knew, no one was looking for me specifically, but it was better not to take chances.

My beard and moustache gone, I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower naked except for the collar still around my neck. I was used to its constant presence by now and the luxury of consistent hot running water was still too novel for me to take it for granted so I lost myself in the sensation as I scrubbed myself down and then rinsed the soap from my hair and skin.

I glanced down at my chest, the scar from the leech's brand pink and glaring against my healthy flesh. The design was surprisingly simple for the ostentatious leech, a thin oval with two numbers centred inside.

If I had had to guess, I would have imagined she would have chosen something more fancy or detailed, like I had seen on other humans in my travels. There were some leeches that went with straightforward brands like this, but I had seen a couple that were ridiculously complex.

The worst brand I had encountered was on a runaway I had travelled with for some time a few years ago. His brand had been extensive, twice the size of my own and rather than the simple border, his numbers were surrounded by the image of a bird of prey, as if his bloodsucker master had tried to make cruelty into art.

Although I hated to give the leech who held me any sort of credit, this brand was not as bad. Once I finally escaped, I would further scar my own skin to obscure it as I had seen other escaped humans do before me. It was not ideal, but it would help me remain anonymous. The last thing I would want was for the next vampire who caught me to return me straight to her clutches.

Before I stepped out of the shower, I heard voices, probably of the men who had become my acquaintances during my time trapped in the leech's lair. Since my arrival I had been largely surrounded by her guards and one of the nice things about the communal bathrooms and showers was that they were typically used by the men in the rooms situated nearest to them, rather than solely by her most trusted lackies. Other than Theo, Bean Sprout was the only one who I had ever encountered in the areas around our room.

I stayed in the water for a moment longer, waiting for the sounds of the voices to subside. Another shower started and everything else was quiet, so I turned off the water, wrapped a towel around my waist and stepped out.

Pleased that there was still no one to bother me, I threw on my clothing and went back to my room. I packed my things, or rather, her things that I had been assigned and left them on the bed. Then I made my way to the guards' dining hall which was unfortunately not as deserted as the showers. I dished myself out some food and sat down at the end of the table since it was available.

Glancing up, I recognized the traitor who I had elbowed in the face sitting across the table from me. So intent had I been on the spot on the end I had not noticed his presence until it was too late. I did not feel like dealing with him, but moving would only make it appear that I was running so I was not going anywhere.

"Morning," I said to him instead, my voice slow and casual.

"Morning," he replied a bit too quickly.

I did not feel guilty in the slightest about the fact I might have broken his nose, judging from the uneven bump on his face. After all, he had been party to the burn I now bore on my skin.

"I heard you're coming along to the capital," he commented in the same quick tempo.

"Yeah."

He frowned. "I also heard you hate our mistress."

"Oh, I do. One day I'll stake her."

He looked surprised at my assertion. "Then why—"

"Does it matter? The bloodsucker and I have agreed on it."

He shook his head, as if in doubt, whether at my words or her decision I was unsure.

I understood his disbelief. "What I don't understand is why you are all so dedicated to the bloodsucker," I said. I was not making any friends, but I was sick of their slavish behaviours.

He looked uneasy at my words. "Well, I don't really know how to explain it."

"Maybe I get it, the food is good, there's hot water and electricity, little chance of vampires other than her attacking in your sleep..."

"She doesn't attack us in our sleep, but it's not really that."

"Leave Greg alone, Jamie," the leech's number one human traitor intervened.

I swung my gaze to Leif, who was sitting down next to me. I wondered why they seemed so insistent on ruining my meals, the singular good thing about being in trapped in this place. "What do you want?"

"To remind you of your promise to our mistress."

"Oh, I haven't forgotten."

"'One day I'll stake her'?" he repeated. He did not look surprised, but he did look annoyed.

I shrugged. "It's the truth and she's aware." Or it would be if I had my way. Never mind that I could not seem to maintain my rage against her in spite of everything that she had done, she still stood between me and the freedom I needed to get justice for Melissa.

Leif sighed. "Listen, I know that you don't know what you don't know, but don't threaten her. The only reason you're still mouthing off like this is because she seems to find your threats entertaining. Everyone else is getting sick of hearing it."

"I don't know how you all can be so blind to what she is."

Leif paused. "Maybe we're blind, or maybe there's something that you're missing."

"Or perhaps she's compelled you to think that."

Leif looked a bit amused, the perfect slave for the smiling demon. "She's not controlling my mind, surely you've noticed by now she almost never uses her power. She says it's boring. Of course, I would say that even if she was."

I had noticed that, but it was hard to believe. But if she was not manipulating them using vampire tricks, then that meant what? That they were willingly obeying a bloodsucker?

"Either way, is it not enough to know that her humans are contented under her power? No one here wants her dead, so is it so much to ask you to stop threatening her?"

I had noticed that myself, but it changed nothing. "I'll stop threatening her when she stops standing between me and the door."

Leif looked grim. I was getting tired of his lectures, so I threw him a bone. "Listen, I swore to her that I would stay in line while we're in the capital and I don't intend to go back on my word." After we left was another matter.

He studied me and then finally nodded. "Don't screw things up for us." His devotion was disgusting.

"I won't sabotage your bloodsucker," I said, hoping that we were nearing the end of his leech loving lecture.

"Good. Keep your eyes down and your mouth shut, do what the others tell you."

"Yeah." His orders were making me want to ignore them. I had not forgotten how this traitor had dragged me to my branding.

"Good journey, then." Leif pushed away and left me somewhat alone.

* * * * *

We travelled back to the capital in the same bus that had taken us to the leech's lair three months' prior. I was not chained this time, whether because she thought I was not going to run or if it was because having her feeders chained made her look bad, I did not know.

There were more humans than the last time, all men because I heard she almost never brought women along to the capital. Several were the slaves I had known the longest, Javier, Jeffry, Theo, and of course, Marcel, because I could never seem to get away from him.

There were two others from her guards along, Greg, from my delightful conversation at breakfast and my branding, and Mantis, another guard I really did not know. So far he had been fairly quiet so I had no quarrel with him. At least his leech loving was not blaringly obvious.

There were also three other humans along whose names I did not know and no one had bothered to introduce. I did not care enough to ask and I presumed they were along for the planned data heist.

The trip was long with only short breaks to change drivers. We had started in the late afternoon and driven throughout the night. The hum of the engine helped me doze lightly in my seat.

It was first light when we arrived in the capital, the sun having just broken over the horizon a short time ago. We drove through the city and I kept a strict watch, attempting to commit everything possible to memory.

Finally, the bus stopped at the bloodsucker's council building, an imposing stone fortress that looked as cold and dead as the leeches themselves. I followed the other humans out of the bus and began helping with the equipment like a good slave.

I was slightly surprised when she stepped out of the car, rather than driving into the underground garage where she would be safe from the sun. She was wearing dark glasses and most of her skin was covered, and I could not take my eyes off of her, standing in the early sun and not burning up.

I had heard that older vampires had a higher tolerance for the sun's light, but I had only ever seen the leeches by fire or electric light.

If I had not known, I would never have expected her to be a leech in that moment, although her intolerable arrogance was still quite obvious.

She turned her head in my direction and I realized that she had caught me watching her.

I was almost surprised not to see her characteristic tormenting smile. Instead, she simply turned away and began to walk into the council building.

Maybe she really had tired of tormenting me.

I should have been pleased at the prospect, but instead I could not help but be confused.