Page 51 of Entombed By Blood

“With good reason. In your absence, she’s seen as the favourite.”

Evie stiffens, then chokes out a laugh. “Tell me you’re jesting.”

Bellatrix shakes her head, and something close to a smile lingers at the corners of her mouth. “He takes her to events. The press love their glamour queen.”

Evie just keeps giggling.

Callista looks back at the two of them, scowling.

“What’s so funny?”

“Mortals’ perception of our family,” Bellatrix explains, and it’s not technically a lie.

“I can’t believe they have it so wrong,” Evie continues.

Callista sneers and rolls her eyes. “Well, they are only mortals, after all.”

She stalks off faster, forcing the other two to stop talking and focus on dodging people in the crowd.

The rest of the trip is quieter as the sisters switch tactics. Instead of directing us into crowds, we head into as many shops as possible, removing the safety net of fresh air. Evie follows Callista into shop after shop, rolling her eyes at the parade of fashionable clothing that follows.

She doesn’t even try anything on. It’s not like Cain will let her wear them if she buys them.

Mental torture is just as effective as physical pain, and Cain and Callista are masters of both.

“Of course, the real shopping is in Milan,” Callista muses, as she exits yet another store. “But we have to make do for today.”

Evie just nods, but hangs back, her attention completely absorbed by the human couple paying for their purchases at the till.

Right, the idea of transferring money using nothing more than a swipe of a hand across the pad must seem anathema to her.

I rarely feel the need to make small talk, but I feel the overwhelming urge to explain it to her. That alone is curious enough that I give into the impulse as an experiment.

“The humans are chipped,” I say, keeping my voice quiet. “A tiny electronic device under the skin of their third finger. It stores their payment information and allows them to spend their credits.”

I don’t tell her about the tracking capabilities of that tiny chip, or the way it monitors them like cattle without their knowledge.

“Do you have one?” She eyes my hand curiously.

“No. Immortal bodies perceive the technology as a threat and break it down.” A quirk of our healing I’m grateful for, and something that will make breaking her out much easier. “We keep to old-fashioned methods.”

“Like these?” She draws out the thin purse from the handbag she was given and shows me the single metal card inside.

“Yes. It’s linked to whatever funds Cain has given you. On the other side is your identification.”

She flips it and stares at the second, black, holographic metal card, embossed with her name, and underneath ‘daughter of Cain,’ followed by her sire’s symbol—an ouroboros encircling five, tiny, blood red gems.

“That will command the obedience of anyone allied with Cain, should you show it.”

She nods, replacing it and heading for the door.

When we catch up with Callista and Bellatrix, they’re already about to enter a new building. Evie stiffens the moment the door opens.

A blood boutique. I grimace. They’re really trying to trigger her bloodlust.

“They’ve worked out a new formula for toffee flavour I’m just dying to try,” Callista gushes, tossing her hair over her shoulder to check Evie is behind her. “You’ve got to give synth blood a go. It’s mortal based, but the flavours they come up with make up for it.”

The moment the door swings closed behind us, I feel my throat start to burn. The thirst, when triggered, hurts, and I can only imagine how Evie must feel as she’s dragged up to the bar by her sister.