Chapter 2

The ambulance wailed its way through the streets.

I sat in the back, still clutching that torn scrap of fabric.

Daddy sat across from me, rubbing his hands over and over.

His hands were clean. His nails were trimmed neat—not like Mommy's hands, which had been covered in dirt and blood.

"Nora, when you were down there… did you hear anything?"

Daddy asked me carefully, but he didn't dare meet my eyes.

I licked my lips. That rusty taste was still in my mouth.

"I heard."

Daddy shuddered all over.

"Heard… what?"

"I heard Daddy say to save Chloe first."

The air in the ambulance seemed to freeze.

The medic beside me had been wiping my face. When he heard that, his hand stopped in midair.

He looked up at Daddy. His eyes were cold.

Daddy managed an awkward smile—a smile more wretched than tears.

"Nora heard wrong. The signal was bad, and Daddy was just too worried."

"Really?"

I cocked my head at him.

"Then who's Chloe? Why is she more important than Mommy?"

Daddy's mouth opened, but nothing came out.

He turned to look out the window and pretended to wipe his eyes.

At the hospital, a whole crowd swarmed us.

Camera flashes popped, snap-snap-snap, so bright I couldn't open my eyes.

Daddy suddenly turned into a different person.

He scooped me up and wept into the cameras.

"Thank God—He gave my daughter back to me! As long as Nora's safe, I'd trade anything!"

The reporters were all dabbing their eyes, praising Daddy for being such a good father.

I lay against his shoulder and watched the profile of his face—no tears, but bawling anyway.

I thought he looked like the clowns on TV.

Inside the hospital room, I finally saw this "Chloe."

She had a big private room to herself, wearing a pink lace dress and eating strawberry cake.

She didn't have a scratch on her. Not even a hair out of place.

Sitting by the bed was a woman in a white dress.

She was very pretty. She smelled just like the perfume on Daddy.

"Chris, you're here."

The woman stood up, her eyes rimmed red, looking fragile and pitiful.

Daddy set me down and hurried over, taking the woman's hand.

"Sabrina, how's Chloe? She must be terrified."

I stood in the doorway feeling like garbage no one wanted.

Chloe spotted me.

She wrinkled her nose and pointed.

"Mommy, is that the wild kid who drinks blood? She's so filthy."

Blood-drinker.

Wild kid.

I looked at the cream on the corner of her mouth. My stomach let out a loud growl.

The woman called Sabrina walked over and crouched down in front of me.

"So this is Nora? Poor thing. Come here, let Auntie Sabrina give you a hug."

She reached out. On her wrist was a gold bracelet.

That bracelet was exactly like Mommy's.

Mommy said it was the gift Daddy gave her for their tenth anniversary.

Why was it on her wrist?

Like a maddened little animal, I lunged forward and sank my teeth into her wrist.

"Ah—!"

The bad woman shrieked and flung her arm hard.

I was small and weak. I got flung right off, and my head hit the corner of the bed.

It hurt so much.

But I didn't cry.

I glared at her.

"Nora! Have you lost your mind?!"

Daddy rushed over, shoved me aside, and gently cradled the bad woman's hand.

"Sabrina, are you all right? Is it bleeding?"

He turned around and glared at me viciously.

"Who taught you to behave like that? Apologize to Auntie Sabrina right now!"

I was crumpled on the floor. Something warm was trickling down my forehead.

It was red too.

Just like the syrup Mommy fed me.

I looked at Daddy and said quietly:

"Daddy, I'm bleeding too. Are you going to make me wait a little longer?"

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