35. Selene
Chapter 35
Selene
P ine.
Freaking pine.
I’ve been catching whiffs of Liam’s scent in the corridors for the past few days, but we haven’t crossed paths yet.
The need to talk to him has been gnawing at me, especially after what happened with Blake.
As I head to my car during lunchtime to grab a blood bag, something catches my eye. It’s someone who looks like Katya, and my heart stops.
Then she turns around and… it’s not her. I realize that my mind is playing tricks on me.
I have not encountered any of the vampires since Blake’s visit, which only makes me feel more uneasy.
I know I need to talk to Liam now. The threat feels too real to ignore.
With a sense of urgency, I track down Grayson after classes. He apologizes for missing our tutoring sessions, but I wave it off, telling him it’s no big deal. “Can you tell me where I can find Liam?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady despite the anxiety bubbling inside me.
Grayson hesitates for a moment before replying, “He’s kind of busy, but I can give you his phone number and address if you want.” He winks at me, and I can feel my cheeks flush.
“Uh, yeah, that would be great,” I say, trying to hide my nerves.
As I head home, the thought of calling Liam dances around in my mind, but this feels like a face-to-face kind of conversation.
Annie finds me pacing in my room and asks, “Are you okay?”
I have been seeing less and less of her these days.
“Yes, of course. I just have a lot on my mind. Are you okay? Why do you look so exhausted?” I ask.
She sighs, sinking onto her bed. “There’s been an increase in the number of animal attack cases at the hospital. The ER has been flooded.”
My blood runs cold at her words. I know these aren’t just animal attacks.
These are vampire attacks.
What if we are already too late?
I have to talk to Liam.
After a quick shower, I change into leggings, a leather jacket, and comfortable boots. As I’m leaving, Annie asks me where I’m off to.
“Just going for drinks with a friend,” I say, trying to sound casual.
My hands are trembling as I drive to Liam’s apartment.
I’ve been trying to consume less blood lately. With all the vampires around, stealing from the hospital has become riskier.
The anxiety gnaws at me, making it hard to focus on the road. I drum my fingers on the steering wheel, trying to steady myself.
I park across the street from Liam’s building, my heart pounding in my chest.
Will he think I’m being a stalker by showing up here unannounced after our night together?
Does he think about that night?
Does it even matter to him?
He made his stance very clear when he ran out the next morning and has ghosted me ever since.
Maybe this is a mistake , I think, before remembering Blake’s veiled threat.
I have to do this!
I take a deep breath, and after a moment of hesitation, I get out of the car and walk across the street to his apartment. It might all be in vain, but I apply a quick swipe of lipstick and pop a mint into my mouth.
There is no need to remind him about my blood habit.
I take a deep breath.
Then another.
Then, shaking, I walk up to Liam’s door.
There’s very loud music playing inside when I knock, but no one answers. I wait nervously, the seconds ticking by agonizingly slow.
Finally, I hear the door click open, but no one comes out.
“Hello?” I knock on the door, which swings open.
I take a deep breath before stepping inside.
The apartment is dimly lit, and I can’t see anyone at first. Then, out of nowhere, a teenage boy lunges at me, attacking me with surprising ferocity.
I try to shove him away, but he’s wielding a frying pan and manages to hit my hand with it. My heart races as I realize he smells like a wolf.
What in the fucking hell is going on?
Was Grayson lying? Who is this angry boy?
Just then, Liam comes running in, his hair still wet from the shower and a towel draped around his waist.
Despite my imminent danger, I swallow at the amount of skin on display.
Fuck he is hot!
He sees the commotion and rushes to pull the boy away from me. “Emmett, what the hell?”
“What is going on?” I scream, and the boy smacks my hand again as I try to block his attack.
“Stop it,” Liam screams, lifting Emmett and walking away with him.
Emmett trembles with rage, his eyes wild as he glares at me. “You can’t take me!” he shouts in a voice filled with fear and defiance.
I’m at a loss. Liam looks just as bewildered as I feel, his brow furrowed in concern.
“Emmett, calm down,” Liam says, his voice firm but gentle. “Selene’s not here to hurt you.”
Emmett’s shoulders sag, and he takes a step back, his anger giving way to fear and uncertainty.
I can see the turmoil in his eyes, the pain and confusion of a boy who’s been through more than he should have at his age.
I lift my hands to show him that I am not here to hurt him despite the throbbing pain in my hand.
“What are you doing here?” Liam asks, running a hand through his hair.
“She is a vampire,” the boy screams.
Okay! Worst timing ever.
“I need to talk to you, Liam. It’s important.”
The boy glares at me and then at the still half-naked man standing between us.
“Emmett, this is Selene. Yes, she is a vampire, but she is also Grayson’s teacher. She is not a threat. Not yet.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Thank you for that introduction. Now, who the hell is this?”
Liam stares me down before rolling his eyes. “This is Emmett. He lives with me.”
My fingers still hurt as I manage a small wave. “Can you put your pan down now?”
Emmett only grasps it harder. “I thought vampires were evil.”
Liam looks away from me. “It’s complicated, and I am going to explain it to you, but can I at least get dressed first?”
No. I am enjoying the view.
Emmett nods.
Liam walks past him to the kitchen, where he opens the fridge and grabs a pack of peas. He tosses them to me. “Ice your hand. I’ll be back in a minute.”
I nod, pressing the peas to my hand.
This is what I get for rationing my blood supply. Even a small boy wielding a pan can take me out.
“You can take a seat on the sofa,” he tells me before turning to Emmett. “And you. Put the pan in the kitchen and go wait for me in your room. We will talk after she has left. Okay?”
He looks between Liam and me before nodding. “Okay. But I’m not leaving this room until you get back. Okay?”
“Yes, that’s fine, kiddo.”
Liam ruffles his hair before walking away, and I can’t help but stare at his firm backside as he leaves.
I look up to find Emmett glaring daggers at me.
“What?” I whisper, pressing the peas to my knuckles.
“Nothing, vampire.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Bad dog,” I groan.
Then we sit in silence, frowning and glaring at each other until Liam comes back in his gray sweatpants and a matching hoodie. Finally, Emmett leaves us alone, and I can relax a bit.
“Who the fuck was that?”
“Emmett,” he replies nonchalantly.
I put the peas on the coffee table and then sit up to face him. His eyes are cold and distant, and, for the fiftieth time, I tell myself that coming here was a mistake.
There’s a distance in his eyes that I can’t ignore. It’s disappointing, especially after Grayson’s description of him.
He does not look happy at all to see me here.
In fact, I am pretty convinced that if it was any other night, and that small, angry boy was not here, he would have thrown me out as soon as I walked in.
But I push aside my feelings, determined to focus on the reason I’m here.
“Liam,” I say softly, trying to break through the wall he’s put up around himself.
Liam looks up, his expression guarded.
“What?” he replies, his voice lacking its usual warmth.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I need to say. “I have been in contact with another vampire.”
“I know that.”
Fuck!
“ Okay. But do you know what she said?”
He just cocks his eyebrow in response.
“She told me that something's brewing among the vampires. There's been a rise in attacks on humans.”
“I also know that. I have been talking to the sheriff. The one thing I would actually want to know is, how many of you are in town?”
“Us?”
“Vampires, Selene. Don’t play coy with me.”
Damn!
Some foolish part of me was hoping for a very different kind of us.
I am hurt and embarrassed.
I hesitate for a moment before answering. “I know of two,” I say slowly, choosing my words carefully. “But she made it sound like there are more.”
Liam’s jaw tightens, his gaze distant. “There are,” he says quietly. “More than you realize.”
Blake?
Levi?
I swallow hard, his words sinking in. “How did you even know where I lived?” he asks suddenly, his tone accusatory.
I feel a pang of guilt, knowing that Grayson gave me his address without his consent. “Grayson,” I admit, feeling a flush of embarrassment.
Liam’s expression darkens, his jaw clenching. “I need to talk to Grayson about boundaries,” he mutters, more to himself than to me.
His coldness stings, and I can feel my anger simmering beneath the surface. “You know what? Coming here was a mistake,” I say, standing up abruptly. “I’ll leave you to whatever it is you’re dealing with.”
Disappointed, I turn to leave. I had hoped that Liam would be more open and receptive, but it seems that’s not the case.
As I reach for the door handle, I know I’ve made a mistake by coming here in the first place.
I hate the sting of tears in my eyes.
Why did I even come to live in this horrid town? I’m obviously not wanted.
Then I hear his voice. Barely above a whisper.
“Selene, wait.”