Chapter 27
Two hours feels like an eternity. They've kept me waiting, just as they've kept me glued to the phone all day. I can't stop glancing at the door. My hands keep fussing with my hair, twisting and fixing it, while my ears stay alert for any sign of their arrival.
I've paced a worn path into the floor of my apartment, obsessively straightening things that don't need fixing.
Going to such lengths for a group of vampires feels absurd—and yet, somehow, justified.
Maybe I don't want them to think I'm living in squalor.
My pacing takes me to the window, where I stare down at the rooftops and the tightly packed businesses below.
You can just about tell the residences apart by the laundry hanging out to dry—something you see almost every day.
I notice the cracked roads, with potholes that will probably never be fixed. From the moment they drove here, they could tell I wasn't living in luxury. The broken-down buildings made sure of that.
I shouldn't care about how they see me. They aren't worth the effort. But just as I turn to walk back down the hallway, maybe to straighten another picture frame, I hear the door. I freeze, staring at it as if it holds some dark secret I'm afraid to uncover.
I heard the gentle knock again. It couldn't be them. I never imagined them as the type to knock softly. I'd expected the door to rattle with force, like they'd pound until it shook me out of my skin.
My apartment isn't secure like most in the city, where guests need authorization or their name on a list. Here, anyone can walk right in. We've had a few robberies, but those usually happen in winter.
Slowly, I approached the door. "Hello?"
"It's us, snow bunny." Wade's voice flowed through, smooth as silk. I bit my lip—hard. Their voices were a little too perfect, like a blend of all the soft, comforting things I'd ever known.
I opened the door. There they stood, two women, bags in hand. Had they cleared out an entire pharmacy for me? How sweet. But then I caught sight of a colorful cereal box poking through the bag, and my eyes widened. Branded food. Very rich.
"You can come in," I mumbled awkwardly. Kem and I didn't usually invite people over. Only a few family members, and even that was rare—maybe three times a year. I gestured toward the kitchen. "It's right there." It wasn't a big space.
They placed the bags down gently. "Groceries," I murmured, eyeing the large bags. They'd shopped at the expensive store. I didn't know how to thank them. Saying those words felt difficult. In this city—this sinful place—no one really cared about anyone.
"We thought you might like groceries," they said.
I nodded, nudging the bag aside to reveal a bunch of grapes. I couldn't remember the last time I had grapes—or any fruit, for that matter. They were expensive, and there were no off-brand versions of produce.
Wade stepped forward, opened one of the four bags, and handed me a bottle of painkillers.
Painkillers felt like a lifeline. I could already think of all the ways they'd help: for my period, my migraines, and every little ache I'd been ignoring.
I used to buy them, but the price had become ridiculous.
"How's your neck?" Jager asked, her gaze sweeping over the small, cramped space. It was far from the luxury they were used to—no polished walls or gleaming tiles here, just a run-down apartment. They were the type who took everything for themselves, leaving the rest of us in places like this.
"It's sore," I admitted. I was my own worst enemy, straining my neck all day, eagerly watching the door and the phone, waiting for them.
"Take one of the pills, snow bunny," Wade softly suggested, her eyes lingering on me. I nodded and walked to the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. My eyes landed on the bottle—100 pills. This would last Kem and me a while.
I took two pills, then immediately started counting how many were left, realizing it wasn't a hundred anymore. I should've only taken one.
"Are you resting like you should?" Jager asked.
"Yeah," I replied, downing another glass of water. Now that they were here, I wasn't sure what to do. Should I let them pleasure me, or do something else?
I didn't understand why I craved their company, yet when they arrived, I never knew what to say or do.
"You guys can have a seat," I offered.
Before I could blink, they were already on the sofa, gently patting the spot between them.
I walked over and sat down in the middle.
I picked up the remote and switched on one of the movie channels.
It was cheaper than Netflix. Kem and I used to have Netflix, but with monthly expenses piling up, we had to cut back.
Both women sat with their hands resting on their thighs.
Wade and Jager were like a perfect blend, complementing each other effortlessly.
I'd compare them to coffee and mornings.
Wade was definitely the coffee—dark, intense, always ready to get things done.
And Jager was the morning—warm, soft, playful, like the first rays of the sun that flirt and mingle with the day.
I tried to figure out how to say thank you or make small talk. My eyes flicked to the movie for a second before settling on the coffee table, which I'd cleaned as best as I could. It still looked cluttered, though neatly arranged.
"I'll be back at work the day after tomorrow," I said, breaking the silence.
"We know," Jager responded gently with a small nod.
"Did you go to the club last night?" I asked.
"No need to. You weren't there," Wade replied, shifting her focus back to the TV.
"Uh..." I hesitated. I should thank them. It always took everything in me to say those words, like back in the taxi.
"Yes, snow bunny?" Wade prompted softly.
"Uh... if I'm not at the club, you don't go?" I asked, glancing between the two women, who still seemed to tower over me, even on the sofa.
I leaned back, watching as their fingers moved in perfect sync, as if they didn't even notice.
"Yeah. We're not interested in other girls serving us," Jager said, matter-of-factly.
I nodded.
All three pairs of eyes were fixed on the television. I blushed as a kissing scene unfolded, and I glanced over at them, both wearing similarly intrigued expressions.
"Uh... I just want to say thank you for the groceries and the pills," I whispered. Their eyes turned to me, while my gaze stayed locked on the screen, now flooded with a sex scene.
I felt their hands on the headrest behind me. Wade gently grasped my face, turning my head so softly it didn't even feel sore. It couldn't just be the pills.
"You're welcome," she said, leaning down to press her lips softly against mine. I found myself kissing her back—there was no reason to pull away. Then I felt Jager's lips near the bite marks on my neck, her tongue tracing over the two small punctures.
"Can we taste you?"
Desire surged through me like a powerful force, making me nod in agreement.
"Where's your room?" Jager asked, while Wade's kiss deepened, making it hard to think, let alone answer. My hand weakly pointed in different directions, as if I'd suddenly forgotten my own home. Jager broke me away from the kiss.
"Where?" she asked again, her voice more insistent.
I looked back, catching my breath. "There."
Without hesitation, Wade scooped me up and carried me to my room.