The Donor House: Katie: The Offer of a Vampire Loan Shark (part 2)

[k_a_webb]

Part 1

“That’s what I told Mum when she took the loan out in the first place.” Katie sighed. “What happens if I don’t agree to this offer?”

“He’ll take you anyway, but he won’t be anywhere near as nice about it. There’s a chance he might take one of more of your brothers too. Unfortunately that’s what happens when you borrow money from a vampire like him.” Their eyes met. “You would have been better off applying for the Donor House.”

“I did, but it wasn’t fast enough. Nick’s coming to interview me in a couple of days and if that happens…”

“You’ll still miss the deadline.”

“Unless he takes pity on me.”

“Do you think that’s likely? He is a vampire.”

“A vampire who says he isn’t like the rest.”

“Lots of vampires say that, but most of them are lying.”

“What about Nick?”

The vampire stared at her. “Why ask me?”

“A whim.”

“I know of him, but I’ve never met him, so I couldn’t tell you from personal experience. He’s very much a disappointment to his creator, although building the Donor House has affected that opinion is ways I didn’t expect it to, especially as the House is meant to be a place for the outcasts – the vampires who never wanted to be vampires, the vampires who don’t want to feed from unwilling humans, the vampires who’ve walked away from their creators, the vampires who were abandoned by their creators, and anyone else who has never fit it. Nick is one of them, apparently.”

“So he might take pity on me?”

“Possibly, but even if he does you’re in a very difficult position. Have you told them why you want a place at the House?”

“I was vague, because I believed it would be better to tell him in person.”

“Okay, I didn’t tell you this, but I’d suggest you sent him, or Alice, an email about what’s been happening. They might be able to help. If they don’t… what I can do is give you the two days you need. My creator doesn’t need to know I found you. It isn’t unusual for this part of the job to take several days, although I was expecting you to be much easier. When I come back I will need an answer – you either need to have the money ready for the payment or you need to come with me.”

Katie nodded. “Thank you.”

“Look, I don’t like this job, but I’ve never had the courage to walk away from my creator. I should have done a long time ago – it was just that lone vampires had nowhere to go then, not like now, and now it seems too late.”

“It’s never too late. Come to the House with me.”

Standing, the vampire smiled at her. “I’ll think about it. See you in two days.”

As he walked off she watched him, unable to stop herself, before making her way over to the computers. She’d only have half an hour, but that should be more than long enough for her to be able to write an email to the House. Telling them the whole story wasn’t going to be easy, yet if she did… no, that wasn’t something she should be thinking, because there were no guarantees they’d be able to help her. It was just a chance and one she had to take.

Mirrored from K. A. Webb Writing.