Had been asking for it.

Vlad, with Elizabeth’s blessing, was only too happy to oblige.

Dr. Grotto’s office was in the lower level of the massive building housing the English Department, down a staircase to a corridor in the north wing. This section of the building, separate from most of the classrooms, was quiet. Empty. No students or faculty wandering the halls. Most of the office doors, with their frosted glass windows, were shut and vacant, no light shining through the opaque panes.

Kristi screwed up her courage as she headed down the corridor, her sneakers silent, not making a squeak. So she was finally going to confront Dr. Grotto, one-on-one. She wasn’t certain exactly how she was going to play this, but her mind was cranking out possible scenarios:

An innocent, just asking about her assignment, hinting about some kind of cult?

Straightforward, as if she were an investigator with the police department?

Coy? Flirtatious? Hoping to elicit information while stroking his ego?

Stomach acid burned up her throat at the thought.

Play it by ear, she told herself, though her nerves were tight as piano wires, her apprehension growing with each step. She checked her pocket: her cell phone line was open, but muted, and hopefully Jay would be able to hear all of her conversation, even though he might not like it. She hated relying on him, but decided not to be a fool. Grotto could be dangerous. She had no idea how her professor would react if he thought he was caught.

She reached the corner and, hearing voices, partially muted but loud enough for her to decipher, realized an argument was blazing.

“I’m telling you, this is dangerous,” a woman was saying, her voice rising with emotion. Kristi stopped dead in her tracks.

Lucretia?

“You have to stop.” Yes, it was Lucretia and she sounded desperate. Kristi chanced peering around the corner and saw that the hallway was empty.

“I know what I’m doing.” Grotto’s voice. Angry. Deep. Coming from behind a door that was cracked just a bit, so little that they probably didn’t realize it was open. Heart thudding, Kristi sneaked along the wall, getting closer.

“Don’t you see they’re using you? For the love of God, Dominic, get out now. Before it’s too late.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know something horrible is happening. Something evil. And…and I hate what it’s doing to you. Please, Dominic, get out now. We can leave. No one will ever know.” Lucretia was scared.

Panicked.

Kristi cringed inside at the thought of how much mental abuse her ex-roommate would take, for what? This creep that peddled vampirism?

“‘No one will ever know’? That’s ironic coming from you,” he sneered, his voice heavy with accusation. “Since you’re the one who opened your mouth.”

“I made a mistake.”

“One that I have to fix.”