Page 84 of Starved Until Sunset

He tried to lift his chin from his chest, but pain spiked up the back of his skull and forced him to stop. Squeezing his eyes shut even tighter, he moaned.

“Well, hallelujah, he’s awake,” another woman said, her tone icy, angry, so familiar. “Now we get to baby him into full alert mode, huh?”

“He’s hurt, Lucia, give him some time.”

“We have very limited time, Zee. Sun’s been up a while now.”

With slow, painful movements, Cody raised his head. He tried to reach up and rub his eyes, but his hands were tied behind his back. What the fuck? Easing his head to one side, then the other, he winced at the pain.

“You okay?”

He turned his head—slowly, very slowly—toward the voice and forced his eyes open. Zenona sat in a chair a few feet to his left, looking at him.

“Are you with us?” Zenona asked. “Are you fully awake?”

“What’s that?” Cody said, and his voice sounded deep and slightly ruined. He cleared his throat and tried again, going for even fewer words. “What?”

“Are you conscious?” Zenona said.

“Or at least as conscious as your usual state.”

That voice came from his other side, and it sent pinpricks of annoyance through him. He turned his head—slowly, so very slowly—and squinted at Lucia, sitting in another chair to his right. She glared back, then forced a cold smile. “Morning, princess. Welcome back.”

“Back where?” Cody croaked.

“That’s the million dollar question.”

A figure seated just beyond Zenona leaned forward into view. Cody squinted, then couldn’t help making a face.

Tracey Mumm made an exaggerated face back at him. “Feeling’s mutual, neanderthal.”

“Great. So, I’ve died and gone to Hell, is that it?” Cody let his chin fall to his chest again.

“Feels that way, since we’re here with you,” Tracey said. “And if that’s the case, who’s the bigger asshole of a demon? Three women you treated like crap fifteen years ago in high school, or one dumb ass aging jock who had a late twenties bi-awakening?”

“Damn, Tracey,” Zenona said. “Take it down a notch. We’re all in the same situation.”

“As much as I applaud the visual, Zee’s right,” Lucia said. “We’re going to need to work together to get out of this.”

Cody lifted his head and blinked, looking around again. The glass block windows were brighter, so he assumed it was daytime. But where did the vampires go?

“Where are they?” Cody asked.

“There are coffins over in that far corner where it’s darker,” Lucia said.

“Caskets,” Tracey said. “Coffins have six sides and are wider at the top.”

They all looked at her, and she lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “Sorry. Random knowledge.”

“Random and creepy,” Cody said. “You must be popular at parties. Why are the three of you here?” Cody asked, tipping his head. “And did I imagine things, or was I bitten?”

“You were bitten,” Zenona said. “That’s twice so far. Your weakness and disorientation is most likely from blood loss.”

“Great.” Cody hung his head again and focused on his breathing. “We’ll be okay,” he said quietly. “Demmy will find us.”

“He came by the library yesterday with Clarabell and Oliver.” Tracey blew away a lock of hair that had fallen between her glasses and one eye. “I helped them with some research, and they invited me to dinner.”

Cody smiled sadly. “That’s Demmy.”