Chapter 21
Miss me...We are back guys. Happy new years by the way.
Would you bleed for me...
My body ached with an undeniable craving for Snow Bunny, but with Lylah and my sister practically shadowing Wade and me, there was nothing we could do.
"Never come here again," I gritted out to Lylah.
"Why not?" Her foil-like, reflective lips pursed in defiance.
"You're ruining all the fun."
Petra raised her makeup-covered eyebrows. "Is that what we are—ruining all the fun?"
"Don't take it personally." I shrugged, downing two shots of Spitfire as my heart raced.
I wished I were human to understand how it would feel to see Xanthe.
I knew my heart would break if I saw her in a place like this.
The irony of my thoughts struck me: many girls worked in places like this, and I had gotten them hired.
Yet everyone has that one person who will save them.
"We're on a date," Lylah's annoying voice retorted. I reached for the wine, hoping it would soothe the flames erupting in my stomach, but I had to stifle that desire until I could have her.
"Where did you get that idea, Lylah?" I wheezed, coughing slightly.
Her long lashes blinked innocently. There was no difference between her and my sister; we had known each other for years, and I should have known I desired her. As I glanced over at Wade, I could see she was uncomfortable, despite her calm temperament.
"Come on," Lylah whined.
"A club as a date?" I found myself imagining Xanthe, Wade, and me on a date—how flushed she would probably be. I loved how her skin changed when we ravished her, how I could hear her heart pounding or slowing down. I adored feeling her warm, flushed body against mine.
"We're in Las Vegas; it can definitely be a date," Lylah said, sipping her wine.
"Definitely not," I blurted. "I can't date you. You know we can't."
"Oh." Her arms tightened around me instead of loosening. "Is there some barrier preventing me from dating you? I'm pretty."
"And cold-blooded. Just not my type. You are pretty," I replied.
"You want to marry a human?" she blurted loudly, her body hanging off me in a scornful manner, yet her hands remained on me. It was as if she wasn't ready to accept my rejection.
"Is something wrong with that?"
Petra and Wade shifted their focus to us. "Is something wrong?"
Lylah glared at Petra. "This is so annoying!" she sputtered angrily. I didn't understand why my choice annoyed her so much. We had spent so many years together without ever kissing. This was the closest we had ever been, yet she seemed to think we were something more.
"You need to stop being delusional," I grumbled, feeling the fire within me cool down. I had never allowed myself to linger in that state before, but now that I was, it only intensified my desire for Xanthe again.
"Is it about humans?"
"What's wrong with a human?"
Petra and Lylah exchanged looks. "Is every vamp going after humans now? Are we not to your liking?" Lylah asked.
"Not for me and Wade."
"Wade?" Petra glanced at Wade, who nodded slowly and exaggeratedly.
"I get that she doesn't speak much, but she can speak for herself, Jager!" my sister said, casting a doubtful look at Wade, hoping she would change her mind. But she didn't. She wouldn't.
"I have to go," Wade said, standing up. Her tall height nearly caused her to stagger over the table.
I glared at the back of Wade's head as she left me with two women to explain the situation. It would have been better if she had stayed and nodded to back me up.
"Humans?" Lylah asked, her interest as bland as her demeanor. The only vibrant thing about her was the lipstick she wore.
"So?"
"Because it's a choice Wade and I made," I replied.
"When?"
"Long ago. We just haven't found the right one yet."
"A human? They don't live for long."
"Thank you for the information I already know," I said, glancing toward the stairs. I hadn't seen Snow Bunny in a while, and it was already past due. All the glasses were empty, and I longed to see her beautiful face and hear her sharp tongue.
Life hadn't been kind to her, and I could tell by the way she moved, always trying to secure her own space. It would take time to bring her into our world.
"We just want a human wife, just like Cedric and Ambrose. And when the time comes, we'll turn them."
Lylah snarled, "Then she won't be human anymore, stupid."
My jaw clenched tightly. She was lucky to be like a sister to me, which was yet another reason not to date her. I knew her too well, and all the layers she came with. With Xanthe, it was different; she was like a book with a thousand pages, each chapter more intriguing than the last.
"It's not like that," I insisted. It was about falling in love and wanting that little human to stay around longer so I could turn her. She would still be just as beautiful.
"I'm going to the bathroom," Lylah announced before strutting off.
"Way to go," she scoffed, reaching for Wade's drink and downing it in one go. "I guess she doesn't want me?"
"I'm sorry, sister?"
"It's okay."
"I can handle rejection, but Lylah struggles with it. She's this incredibly pretty girl who believes her looks come with the privilege of everyone wanting her, including you. I always remind her that's not the case."
"She's a spoiled girl."
I've grown up surrounded by spoiled girls, both Wade and I. Events always drew in a crowd of them.
"And before you know it, on her way to the bathroom, she meets someone else and forgets all about it. It goes both ways with her."
It seemed Ethan was behind everything that had happened, and if defending my money, which was essential for my livelihood, was going to lead to a fight, then I might as well draw the shutters, wrap up my life, and prepare for homelessness.
Human homelessness was on the rise. Many things were escalating, including the possibility of being confronted by three young, very strong vampires.
I refused to be the first and last girl they found battered and left for dead. I figured that was what hospitals were for: to care for weak humans beaten down by vampires and thrown into beds with drawn curtains.
"What? Huh? You don't have your two dogs to guard you?" he jeered. I sighed heavily, bracing myself for the inevitable blow as they closed in, preparing to pin me against the wall.
"Ethan told me the little bitch would be here."
"The least—"
Before I could finish, his hand slammed against my cheek like a heavy brick, knocking blood into my mouth. I realized I hadn't been as prepared as I thought.
This wasn't human strength; it was a power they possessed, and something told me they wouldn't hold back. I didn't make a sound from the impact, but tears pooled in my eyes as I glared at their shrouded faces, dark with fury.
"I wasn't done talking to you, bitch," he growled, sniffing the air as he angrily tugged his hood down. The other boys followed suit, pulling down their hoods as well.
He sniffed around, frustration evident on his face. "Fuck!" His eyes glowed with intensity, and a low growl erupted from him as his fangs elongated. As he leaned closer, his ruby eyes radiated bloodlust. I quickly tried to swallow the blood pooling in my mouth.
He gripped my cheeks, forcing my mouth open, and even I could smell the coppery scent of my blood—a strong odor reminiscent of rusty iron pipes and old pennies.
"Oh my God," he muttered, sniffing the corners of my mouth while squeezing tighter, trying to extract more of the intoxicating scent. "What blood type are you?"
I glanced nervously at the other bloodthirsty vampires.
My heart raced; I was about to be drained dry instead of simply beaten.
Clearly, being sucked dry was worse. These vampires were like insects with human features, and I despised their fangs, which resembled the needle of a mosquito hovering near my flesh.
"What's the fucking blood type?" His voice hissed, demanding an answer.
"I don't know..."
"It has to be rare. Something like AB negative." He wrinkled his nose to sniff again.
"I am going to fucking enjoy this."