NB: I really apologize for the hiatus. As always, credits go to
wildheartedangel
for editing this chapter. I made some changes so any mistakes are mine alone.
***
Keona stirred slowly into consciousness, fully aware that she was in a strange white washed room filled with even stranger equipment. Electronic monitors beeped beside her; their LED lights flickering repeatedly like Morse code.
She was seated on a wooden chair; her arms and legs strapped to the insulting teak while various electrode patches lay visibly on her almost chalk-like skin. It was a sign that she was exhausted and blood-drained as Vampires were when they're forced to go without feeding for months.
But Keona wasn't a Vampire.
Whatever minute quantity of blood she had ingested --two, three weeks ago --had been depleted just trying to fight off the dozens of Vampire guards earlier...
It occurred to her that she had no idea how long she had been knocked out.
Yet, no emotion or thought betrayed her true feelings as she stared straight into the mirror in front, knowing full well she was being observed.
"Good morning Miss MacFarlane. Or would you rather I call you Keona?"
Keona's eyes remained open; refusing to blink in acknowledgement of the female baritone voice booming from the speaker. Instead, she concentrated on trying to reach beyond the mirror and read whoever's mind she could get a hold on.
Her inability to do so shocked her.
"There's no use Keona... it's okay if I call you Keona right?"
No response.
"Very well Keona... this room is lined with thick lead. You can't reach out to anybody through these walls. It's futile dear."
"Don't you dare call me that," Keona's voice was passive; her eyes still staring straight ahead. "What do you want from me?"
"Just want to test out a few things... do oblige us."
"Why?"
Silence on the other end of the speaker.
"I'm sure you'd like to have Marine safely back home wouldn't you?"
Keona snapped at the words; her eyes widening with anger. "Don't you dare touch her you hear me! I swear I'll hurt every one of you."
"Then comply."
Her eyes were blazing but Keona knew everything has a price. "I want to see that she's safe first."
The mirror in front of her flipped to reveal a screen --on it was a live feed of Marine, huddled in the corner of a room.
"How do I know this is live?"
"Call out to her. We'll transmit your voice directly into her holding cell."
Keona was skeptical but did as suggested. "Marine sweetie, it's Keona... are you okay?"
Marine's head snapped up at the sound of her voice. "Key... I'm sorry... they caught me..."
"No it's okay... I'll get you out," she replied looking straight up to stare at unseen eyes beyond the screen.
"That's all for now," the baritone voice said again and the screen returned to its mirrored form once more.
Keona didn't say anything. She had no idea what to do in that moment and felt so helpless strapped onto the chair like that.
"We're going to send in one Vampire at a time. He or she will display their ability and I want you to repeat it. Can you do that?"
What! How did they know about her?
"You look surprised Keona. Of course we know what you can do... but can you show us?"
"No."
"Then Marine will die."
"You bitch!"
"The first test is coming up Keona. Behave and follow my orders and I will let her go."
Keona struggled against her restraints; shaking the metal chains brutally but to no avail. It was no use, she realized as the first Vampire entered the room.
It was a very handsome Vampire; just under a hundred and when he came in, he was carrying a thick book. Sitting down opposite Keona, he opened the book and started to read out loud.
"What are you doing?" asked Keona. Was he trying to read her to sleep?
"You'll see," he said continuing the reading. It was a book about Antarctica and the Vampire continued reading until he was midway through the 1911 expedition. Then he placed the book on Keona's lap. "Tell me a page number and I will read it to you."
Frowning, Keona said, "Thirteen." The Vampire turned the page for her and got up to stand at the end of the room, reading out accurately every single word on the page. "You memorized everything?"
"Yes... and now you can too. What is the twentieth sentence on page four?"
Keona knew it wasn't possible that she'd know the answer but she did --much to her dismay --for she began to recite, "It sits atop a featureless, windswept, icy plateau at an altitude of 2,835 metres and about 1,300 km from the nearest open sea at
Bay of Whales
. Damn you!"
"Very well done Keona," said the voice again. "Thank you Kendall. You can leave." The Vampire nodded and left the room.
"Please stop this. I don't want to do this!"
"You have no choice Keona."
The onslaught of Vampires continued until Keona was positively sure her brain would explode. It was too much... just too much for her to absorb at an alarming rate. Due to the first Vampire's ability, Keona was now mimicking abilities even faster and at a deeper level because she retained every single detail with perfection; her mind a whirlwind of information.
"This is the last one for today Keona..."
A very Ancient Vampire entered the room. She was beautiful in that ghostly frightening way that reminded Keona of her own grandmother except that Josephine had kind and loving eyes. This Vampire looked empty and stood silently in front of the door; eyes devoid of any irises.
Keona tried not to be afraid.
"What can you do?" she asked softly. She might not want to copy any more abilities but the Ancient intrigued her. To harness such a powerful Vampire's ability could lead her to a breakdown but Keona needed to know.
The Vampire didn't speak... nor moved. She kept staring straight at Keona; her long hair trailing down the side of her face, stark black against pale snow-like skin.
Then all of a sudden, the sprinklers were activated --spraying the entire room with a torrent of water. Keona yelped slightly in surprise and held her breath.
Not a single droplet moved.
She turned her head slightly to see the Vampire still staring at her with those white balled eyes --freaky --but that was nothing compared to what was happening right that moment. This Vampire wasn't stopping time was she? Keona was still moving so time had not stopped or has it?
The sprinklers had been turned off but the water still remained motionless in mid air.
"Thank you Irene," said the voice through the speaker and immediately the water droplets fell to the floor, splashing over Keona. The Vampire left the room soundlessly, leaving Keona unsure of what exactly had happened.
"Can you repeat that Keona?"
"I... I don't know what is it that I'm supposed to repeat."
Nobody addressed her question and a second later, the sprinklers were activated once more but Keona couldn't do anything except let the water soak her right through her skin.
