Part 7 (1/2)
”You will?”
”Of course.”
I was stunned. ”But you almost never answer questions when I ask them.”
William shot me an amused glance. ”You're exaggerating.”
”No I'm not. You never tell me anything. Why will you answer questions for GM and not for me?”
”Don't you want me to answer questions for your grandmother?”
”Of course I do.”
”Then you'll find out some of the things you want to know tonight.”
Somehow that wasn't exactly an answer to my question.
My irritation seemed to amuse William further.
”What time is dinner?” William asked.
”Six-thirty.”
”I'll be there then.”
He smiled and turned as if he were about to leave.
I reached out and grabbed him by the sleeve. ”William, wait. There's something else I have to tell you.”
He turned back, and we started walking again.
I glanced over my shoulder, and then lowered my voice. ”This may not be the best place to discuss this, but we won't be able to talk about it at dinner, either. I heard this morning that a girl was attacked last night in the Old Grove. From the description of the wounds, it sounds like a vampire attack.”
William looked at me sharply. ”You don't need to be worried, Katie. I'm keeping an eye on the situation.”
”You already know about the attack?”
”Yes.”
”Are Anton and Innokenti responsible for it?” I asked.
”I'm fairly sure it was one of them-but I don't know for sure which one it was.”
”So they're going to hang around town?”
William was grim. ”It looks likely.”
”What are we going to do?” I asked. ”If they stay here there will be more attacks.”
”We aren't going to do anything,” William said firmly. ”I'll take care of those two.”
”What happened exactly?” I asked.
”The incident occurred around midnight. The victim was a girl from this school-her first name is Annamaria.”
I drew in my breath sharply. I realized now why Bryony and Irina had looked so worried.
”Do you know her?” William asked.
”Yes,” I said. I felt light-headed.
”From what I hear, she's going to be okay.”
”I know-I heard that too. It's just-”
I had to stop. A terrible thought had just occurred to me.
”Katie, I'm going to look out for you and everybody in this town.”
William's tone was rea.s.suring, but I was too rattled to be soothed.
William stopped walking. ”If I'm not mistaken, this is your cla.s.sroom. You should go in. The bell is about to ring.”
I clutched at William's sleeve again.
”What about Annamaria?” I asked softly. ”Is she safe from-”
I glanced around and lowered my voice further still. ”Is Annamaria going to become a vampire?”
”No,” William replied, ”she isn't.”
”Are you sure?” I asked. ”Do you really know that, or are you just trying to make me feel better?”
”I went over to visit Annamaria this morning,” William said. ”That's why I was a little later meeting up with you than I intended to be. I asked her a few questions. She isn't in any danger.”
”William, how does it happen? How does someone become a vampire?”
”Katie-”
I clutched his arm more tightly. ”William, don't put me off. I need to know. I won't go to cla.s.s unless you tell me.”
William did not look happy, but after a quick glance around, he answered me.
”You have to be bitten by a vampire. Then you have to drink his blood in return. Then you have to die. Typically, death occurs because the vampire continues to return and drain his victim night after night. The human body can only handle so much blood loss. Annamaria hasn't consumed any blood, so she should be safe. The vampire who attacked her is unlikely to be able to get her in the hospital-and I doubt he wants to anyway.”
”So-”
”Katie, I've answered your question. Now go to cla.s.s. I'll see you tonight. It really will be okay.”
With that, he was gone.