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rasped, still trying to summon the energy to check her hiding spot, a small pocket she’d created inside her mattress sitting on the floor.
     George’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I got you, girl. Just give me a minute.”
    Not sure what he meant, Mira grunted, neither in agreement nor protest. Using all of her remaining energy, she rolled onto her back and closed her eyes, enjoying this brief moment of peace. In the cell next to hers, Mira heard George rumbling around in his cell.
    “Had a little something stored up for a rainy day,” he whispered, and Mira’s mood lightened.
    George to the rescue . As much as she was jealous of him for the easy lifestyle he had in comparison to hers, she was glad to count him as a friend. He had a good heart, offering to share his blood rations with her. That quality was extremely rare among the other vampires. Caged as they all were, most had reverted to animalistic creatures, embodying the savage image the humans wanted everyone to believe rather than remaining the once-proud vampires they had been. They’d just as easily kill you for the practice.
    George tapped on the cell bars. Mira’s eyes opened and she zeroed in on the small thing clutched in his hands.
    “I’m going to roll it between the bars. You think you can grab it?”
    Mira groaned in assent. She barely had the energy to keep her eyes open. Moving, rolling, anything involving actual muscles seemed almost impossible, but for blood, she’d have to try. She turned her head toward his cell and watched as he bent down low and released a small red vial. Salivating as if it were the last supper, she followed with her eyes as the small glass tube rolled toward her.
    George stood and turned back to his mattress. “It’s not much, but it will help.”
    With all her might, muscles screaming, she threw herself over, rolling on top of the vial as it came toward her. Not wanting any cameras to spot her with it, she rested her body over the small vial. Gingerly, she moved, every motion pulling away loose scales of burned flesh. The full-body pain was beyond measure, but still she pressed on, lifting her arm, moving her hand over the vial. Still hovering over it, she unscrewed the cap and palmed it her hand. The scent of it was intoxicating, even stale as it was. The moment the scent hit her nose, it was all she could think of. Pretending to have a coughing fit, Mira brought the vial to her lips. The first drop of old rat’s blood hit her tongue. Thick and gelatinous as it was, it still tasted like heaven. Her parched throat burned for more, but after only a few mouthfuls the tiny vial was empty.
    The effect was immediate: Her skin began to tingle, and wounds started to knit themselves together. Healing had always been a vampire’s best gift. Given just a little blood, the renewal and repair happened within minutes. Raw, angry burns cooled and the pain slowly receded from her head. Looking more like her old self, but still not quite feeling it, Mira attempted very clumsily to stand. She was too wobbly to make it the first time, but at least her voice had returned.
    “Thanks,” she said earnestly to George. His act of kindness would not go unrewarded. She’d make sure of that somehow.
    “I’m just glad to help a fellow vamp out. We got to stick together.” George waved a dismissive hand and relaxed back onto his mattress. “You’d have done the same for me, girl.”
    “Probably.”
    “Oh, don’t act all tough. I know you got my back.” George’s playful tone had returned now that it appeared everything was okay with Mira.
    Testing her legs, Mira attempted again to stand, but her muscles had not yet regained their strength, and she collapsed back on the ground.
    “Take it easy, girl.” George propped himself up on his elbows and stared into Mira’s cell. Their eyes met for a moment while Mira struggled to move. “You don’t have to always be so tough.”
    “Weakness gets you killed.” Mira pushed harder,