Chapter 7 #2
“You didn’t answer your phone,” she said softly.
“I came to the office to find you, but ran into Steven in the lobby. He asked me come upstairs to talk about his calendar. I was disoriented, but went. He grabbed my arm to see why I wasn’t paying attention, and he was dead before I even realized I bit him.
I freaked out, used hand sanitizer where I’d touched him, and ran home. ”
My eyes stung. Burned. Watered. “Harper.”
“By the time I picked myself up enough to seem normal, the workday was about to start. I knew you needed caffeine and clothes, so I stole some of your colored contacts and forced myself to leave. I was going to tell you in the bathroom and get out of the office before anyone realized what happened, but someone found his body, and the wolves showed up.”
She let out a shaky breath. “Then I was going to turn myself in to protect you, but they said you were his mate, and I knew the Alpha wouldn’t kill his mate, and I…
I didn’t want to die. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
I fucked up. I fucked up so badly. I keep seeing Steven’s face, and he was such an ass but he didn’t deserve to die, and I’m so sorry.
” Her eyes were watering too, but she didn’t wipe her tears away.
“He turned you,” I said. “Velour did.”
She nodded, the motion jerky.
“I’m going to fucking kill him.” My fists clenched. I had no idea how to kill a vampire, but I’d fucking figure it out. “First, we have to figure out what to do about this. We need a plan.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
I reached across the counter to put my hands on her shoulders. “Stop apologizing. This is not your fault. That fucker lost control, and Steven is—was—an asshole, and turned vampires can’t control their bloodlust the way born vampires can, and—wait, did you kill Arthur, too?”
“No. I didn’t, I swear. I haven’t gone back to work since the werewolves let me leave after questioning on Friday. I told them I’m traumatized from seeing my boss’s body. Which isn’t actually a lie.”
“Was that the last time you fed? Thursday night?”
“Yeah. I’ll get caught if I try to feed on anyone else, and I’ll probably kill them too. If I go to the Guild, they’ll stake me, and the bloodlust is already horrible again.”
“Shit. We have to figure out a way to get you fed while we figure this out.” I ran a hand over the top of my hair, stopping when I reached the base of my floppy bun.
It was a mess, but I didn’t give a damn.
“I can tell the Guild I’m starving after being imprisoned by the wolves.
They might give me blood bags to bring home after I feed on someone. ”
“They never do that.”
“I know. I just… fuck.” Tears burned my eyes. “What are we going to do?”
“I don’t know. I can’t let myself turn into a monster, though.”
“We’re not going to let that happen. Worst case scenario, we bite each other to become mates. If you’re going to marry anyone, it should be your best friend, right? My family will raise hell before they let anyone kill you, because it would take me out, and then we—”
“Turned vampires are always killed, Bloom. I’m not letting you doom yourself with me. I should’ve stopped screwing Velour months ago. I sure as fuck shouldn’t have murdered Steven. This is on me, and I’m going turn myself in the next time I get anywhere near losing control again.”
“For the record, if you were going to kill someone in Darkwood, I’m glad it was Steven.”
Harper sputtered out a laugh, wiping tears that were falling from her eyes. “I’m glad the endless nightmares I’m going to have of his face have made your life better.”
“You should be.” I let out a shaky breath. “If we’re not going to try a friendly little mate bond, I’m going to try to get blood bags tonight. I’ll tell them I can’t stomach biting anyone else because of the soulmate thing with Maverick, or—”
My phone made an obnoxiously loud noise I’d never heard from it before, and I bit back a groan.
“Was that a bullhorn?” Harper asked.
“Unfortunately, yes.” I lifted the device off the counter reluctantly, turning it so I could see the screen.
Maverick’s name was above the message bubble.
“Did you set that up?” she checked.
“Of course not. Who would ever do that to their own ears?”
She grimaced. “I thought he was going to leave you alone.”
“You and me both.”
Apparently, his definition of leaving each other alone included adding his contact information to my phone and giving himself a unique ringtone that featured the bullhorn we’d quite literally bonded over.
I scanned the message.
Maverick
Open the bag
“What does it say?”
I turned the phone so Harper could read the message.
Her forehead creased. “That’s kind of suspicious.”
“Right?”
“Are you going to open it?” She looked between me and the bag.
I stared at it. “No way.”
She nodded.
I kept staring.
She did too.
“You have to do it, Bloom.”
I was already unbuckling the bag and pulling the flap upward before she finished speaking. Where my self-control had gone, I didn’t know. I’d blame the lack of it on Maverick’s scent, which still lingered on the bag just slightly.
We both stared down into the large compartment.
“Are those blood bags?”
“Yeah.”
I counted them silently.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Two for every week I’d gone without blood.