I found Rodriguez in his small room. He was packing, hands trembling.
"Lia," he wheezed. "I heard shouting."
"We're leaving, Papa," I said, grabbing an old oversized coat from a hook-Keith's coat-to cover my back. "Now."
"Where will we go?" he asked, coughing.
"Away."
I helped him up. 'He was light as a bird. Pack neglect had withered him away.'
We made our way to the courtyard. I had an old sedan, a rusted piece of junk.
I helped Rodriguez into the passenger seat. He was pale, sweating profusely.
"My chest..." he gasped, clutching his heart.
"Hold on, Papa."
I ran to the driver's side.
Damian was there. Leaning against the hood.
"Going somewhere?"
"Move, Damian," I said, panic rising. "Rodriguez is having a heart attack. I need to get him to a doctor."
Damian looked into the car. 'Zero concern.'
"That jacket," Damian said. "That's Keith's."
"I'm cold! My dress is torn!"
"Take it off," Damian commanded. 'His eyes darkened with twisted, possessive jealousy.' "You smell like another male. It's disgusting."
"Are you insane? He's dying!"
"Take. It. Off."
I ripped the jacket off and threw it on the ground, standing shivering, back exposed.
"Happy? Now get off my car."
Damian didn't move. He dangled my keys in front of my face.
"Hadley is shaken by your display," he said casually. "She needs a vehicle to go shopping tomorrow. She likes the vintage look of this scrap heap."
"You have ten luxury cars! Give me my keys!"
"No."
He threw the keys.
'They sailed through the air and landed with a 'plop' in the ornamental fountain.'
The water was black, filled with algae and sludge.
"If you want to leave," Cecil called from the porch, wine glass in hand, "you can swim for it."
Rodriguez groaned. His head slumped.
"Papa!"
I jumped into the fountain.
'Freezing. Stench of rot.' I gagged, wading through waist-deep sludge, feeling the bottom.
"Look at her," Cecil laughed. "A sewer rat in her natural habitat."
I found the keys. I waded out, dripping filth.
I ran to the car. "I got them, Papa!"
I jammed the key into the ignition.
Nothing.
I looked out the window.
Cecil stood there with a kitchen knife. She had slashed all four tires.
"Oops," she smiled. "Looks like you're stuck."
'My world stopped spinning.'
"Please," I begged, falling to my knees in front of Damian. 'Dignity was gone.' "Please. Use your car. Take him to the hospital. I'll be your slave. I'll never leave. Just save him!"
Damian looked down at me. Slime-covered, bleeding, crying.
"You should have thought of that before you embarrassed me," he said.
"He's dying!"
"Everyone dies, Ariana."
From the car, a long, rattling exhale.
Then... silence.
I scrambled to the passenger seat.
"Papa?"
I shook him. 'Dead weight.'
I placed my hand on his chest. Stillness.
I tried to push my 'Vitality' into him. I screamed internally for the White Wolf power.
'But I was drained. I had given it all to Damian.'
Rodriguez was dead.
I turned around.
Damian checked his watch. "Well, problem solved. No need for the hospital now."
'Something inside me snapped. Not a sound, but the breaking of the final chain.'
The White Wolf woke up. And she was screaming for blood.
