Page 30 of Caller of Crows

As if Altair was ever going to turn him just because he enjoyed fucking Sven.

The truth was that Altair didn't need Sven to be a vampire if sex was all he wanted. Sven's mortal body served just fine for that. What Sven needed was for Altair to see him asmorethan a fuck toy and/or midnight snack box.

But judging by the fact that Sven woke up alone…

Altair wasn't likely to ever see him as an option for romance.

Sven grimaced. Maybe if the vampire wasn't a mind reader, Sven might have stood a better chance, but how could he fool someone who could listen to his every thought?

Taking a deep breath, Sven looked around the room once more, trying to reevaluate his situation. He was alone except for one of Altair's crows that perched on the arm of the sofa, staring at him. Watching.

Sven dismissed the bird as he tried the door only to find it locked. That was no surprise. He was still a prisoner here, too ‘valuable' for Altair to let him roam freely. Sven's stomach churned.

If he at least had his phone…

Keegan had found it somewhere. Did the vampire still have it? Was he still reading Sven's messages?

Would he still help Sven escape from here?

The bird squawked, interrupting Sven's thoughts.

Sven glared at the crow. "What do you want?"

At the same time, a knock sounded on the door, and then the door was unlocked. Sven recognized the vampire who came in with a tray of food. It was that same lady who'd refused to make a deal with him on his first day here.

She came in and put the tray down on the bed, ignoring him completely.

"If you're hungry, eat," she said, turning away from him. "There's some supplements too, to help you keep up your strength."

"So I don't faint again the next time I make a blood donation?" Sven didn't try to keep the snark out of his voice. He knew he was going to take the supplements either way. Keeping his strength up was in his own best interest too, no matter what he decided to do going forward.

"I don't care if you faint again if you enjoy it so much. I'm simply following my lord's instructions. Fortunately, I have not been instructed to force you to eat." With that, the vampire left the room.

Sven watched her go—and noticed that he didn't hear a key turning in the lock after she closed the door behind herself.

Had she forgotten to lock up?

Sven's heart beat in his throat as he approached the door, adrenaline mixing with hopeful excitement as he tried to turn the knob.

The door was unlocked.

Sven hesitated, listening for sounds from the hallway.

What if this was some sort of trap? He didn't know much about the vampire who'd brought him his food, but he knew that she valued loyalty to her coven, to Altair. Would she be stupid enough to let Altair's prisoner go?

Sven drew in a deep breath, then opened the door and looked out.

There was no one in the hallway.

Sven slipped out of the room, glancing back over his shoulder. The crow was looking his way, but it didn't follow him. Sven didn't look back again as he walked down the hall, toward the stairwell.

Music thumbed through the underground, no doubt coming from the club above. Sven hoped the baseline was loud enough to drown out the sound of his own racing heart as he inched forward.

Where was everyone?

At the club?

Was there any way out of this underground lair without passing through the club?