Chapter Twenty-Four
The weather couldn’t make up its mind. Unseasonably warm one minute and biting winds the next.
Raindrops peppered the window by Verity’s bus seat, and she cursed her light jacket and bare legs. She knew the summery dress was risky but after her night with Theo, she felt optimistic. It was a shame her good mood hadn’t rubbed off on the clouds that blocked out the moon.
She’d stayed another day, working with Theo until the sun rose and her dad started checking up on her again.
The university plan was solid, and Theo was sure Harris would go for it.
If Harris was still willing to work with him, of course.
Hopefully he’d be too focused on the fact that Theo was doing something about the situation and would not hold their… disagreement against him.
Once the bones of the plan were down, they moved on to the other major issue.
The missing donors. After a little persuading, Theo agreed to let Verity call her old paper.
Trevor, more specifically. After his words of wisdom at her departure - Vincit Omnia Veritas, truth conquers all - she felt he was one of the few who might actually listen.
She was right.
Theo had presented her with the newspaper the moment she emerged from the spare room that evening. It wasn’t front page news, but it was there, Georgie’s radiant smile greeting her on page five.
It had been discussed at length, first with Theo, then with Trevor.
No mention of vampires or the fact she was a donor, just the beloved daughter and sister, the honour student and passionate conservationist. Interviews from friends and family, photos of birthdays and from her university placement with the Rangers in the Wilds.
A young woman with an incredible life. An incredible future.
It was passionate, heartbreaking and completely undeniable. There was no way the police could ignore it now.
Still, the tightening in Verity’s gut didn’t ease; it wouldn’t until Georgie was home. Until all of the lost donors were found and she knew it wouldn’t happen again. The system was broken, but Theo would fix it. He had to fix it.
Buzzing in her pocket pulled Verity from her thoughts. She looked down at her phone.
Cecilia.
Verity jumped up, ringing the bell to stop the bus as she rushed to the door and accepted the call.
“Hello?” she asked.
A pause before Cecilia answered. “Hi… Verity?”
“Yeah, hey, how are you?”
The bus turned a corner, splashing through puddles as it crawled towards the bus stop.
“I’m good. You rang yesterday?”
“Yeah, I did,” Verity said. “I just wanted to run something by you.”
“If this is about the article…”
They hadn’t spoken in months, not since Cecilia got her new job and needed to put the article behind her if she planned to keep it. It was a long shot asking her to help now, but desperate times and all that.
“No, it isn’t about that,” Verity said, as the bus finally stopped and she hopped off, ducking into the bus shelter to hide from the drizzle. After checking she was truly alone she went on. “You’re working for the Stonehaven Council now?”
Another pause before Cecilia confirmed with a drawn-out, “Yeesss…”
“Well, I saw some interesting documents yesterday. I was just wondering if you might know anything.”
Silence.
Verity wrapped her jacket around her, wind and stray raindrops nipping at her knees. She needed the right words, needed to find that thread of compassion that had led the other woman to help her before.
“I’m worried about the Vital Exchange, about donors. There’s…”
“Didn’t you learn the first time?” Cecilia asked. “You’re asking for trouble. You can’t write about…”
“I’m not writing anything,” she said. “I’m just trying to understand…”
“Well, don’t. You’re putting both of us in danger just by calling me. The less you know about Cliffhaven the better.”
“Cliffhaven?” Verity asked. What the fuck did she know about Cliffhaven?
“I need to go.”
“Wait, what do you…”
“Just stay out of it, Verity.”
“What’s going on in Cliffhaven?” Verity asked, but the line was already dead.
She stared at the phone until the screen turned to black.
Cliffhaven.
Why would Cecilia think she was talking about Cliffhaven? Because of Abe?
No. That made no sense. She was asking about donors. Maybe Cecilia knew something about the Cliffhaven Exchange. Maybe they were struggling for healthy donors because of the Hesperian flu. Or the rebels? But Viv took Abe there.
She remembered the articles from Theo’s briefcase, newspaper clippings from the months leading up to the quarantine. Racking her brain, Verity tried to remember what they had been about but so much had happened since.
Once she was done at the cafe she’d be seeing Theo for a little office donation. She’d ask to see them again then. See if anything rang a bell. Look for any mention of donors or… protests. Was one of them about protests?
She shook her head. It would have to wait.
Taking advantage of a momentary reprieve in the rain, Verity made for the cafe. It was Kim’s first day, and it wouldn’t look great if she was late.
As usual, Theo wanted to drop her off at the cafe after taking her home, but she refused.
Her parents had caught wind of the protests and were getting jumpy.
Thank the gods they didn’t know more. So, she had breakfast with them, even though she’d already eaten with Theo, trying to reassure them she was safe, everything was fine.
Her mum was her usual happy self, only asking when they were going to meet her mystery man. Her dad had been less convinced, going as far as to tell Verity she didn’t need to donate, that they’d always take care of her.
It was sweet of him, but even if she and Theo weren’t… whatever they were, she still would have refused. Her dad had raised a proud daughter, and Verity was as likely to be scared off by protesters as she was to ask her parents for money. It wasn’t happening.
Puddles reflected the glowing light of the cafe as she arrived, Cora already going over the menu with her new recruit. Kim wore an apron to match Cora’s, her curly hair tied up and a look of concentration on her face, looking every bit ready for a hard night’s work.
Which was lucky, because that’s exactly what she got.
By the time the breakfast crowd eased, Kim had the hang of the till and wasn’t shy about shouting orders to Cora — after being told twice to stop sounding so polite.
“Give me some backbone, woman!” Cora had yelled when she struggled to hear her from the kitchen.
Turned out Kim’s backbone could be pretty loud.
Watching the pair work in tandem after just a few hours was a wonderful thing.
“Let’s get a coffee,” Cora said. “We can go over the allergens and that.”
Chunky folder in hand, she led Kim from behind the counter, pausing when the bell rang, announcing a customer.
“I’ve got it,” Verity told them. “You two have a sit down.”
Cora smiled, finding a free table to chat with Kim.
Even with the unanswered questions buzzing around Verity’s head, it lightened her mood to see Cora happy. To know she had help, actual, dependable help, unlike her.
“Hey, V.”
Her attention snapped back to the person in front of her, the customer who had just walked in. He looked dreadful, the bleak pitch of his voice echoed in the crease of his brow, the way his shoulders curved in. Those rich brown eyes, forever sparkling with a hint of mischief, looked flat. Hollow.
“Adam? Hey, are you okay?” she asked, instantly cursing herself.
Cora’s head snapped at the sound of his name. Fuck! Ignoring her nosy friend, Verity gestured Adam onto a stool and moved around the counter until her back was to Cora.
“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t be here but…”
“No,” Verity told him. “It’s fine. What’s wrong?”
He rubbed at his temple, squeezing his bloodshot eyes closed before talking.
“I just,” he mumbled. “I’m really sorry, V.” Those red eyes turned glassy and Verity reached out, taking his hand. What on earth did Adam have to be sorry about? What on earth had happened to him?
“Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s fine. Just… just take a deep breath and say it quick as you can and then it’s out,” she said, giving his hand a squeeze.
Deep breath in. Deep breath out.
“Sienna didn’t spike your drink.”
Well, Verity was already pretty sure about that, but why would Adam know? Why did he feel so guilty? Unless he…
She started to draw her hand back, eyes wide. “You mean…”
“No!” he said, loud enough to stop the soft conversation between Cora and Kim. He lowered his voice before trying again. “No. I didn’t… no one spiked your drink. You just… I wasn’t thinking.”
“So, what happened then?” she asked, trying to remain neutral until she knew what was going on. Difficult as that was.
“You had some of my drink,” he said, as if that was explanation enough.
“Yeah? You were drinking it. You were fine.”
“Yeah, but I…” his voice dropped to a whisper. “I thought you were exchanging… you know with Theo,” he added when her expression didn’t change.
“You thought I was exchanging? Yeah, we exchange for money, Adam, not blood,” she hissed.
“I know, I know. I’d had a lot of blood. I wasn’t thinking. I… alcohol wasn’t really doing much for me so…”
“So what?” She snapped in an angry mirror to his hushed tone. “So, you spiked your own drink?”
He shrugged. “Kinda.”
Verity’s face fell into her hands. Could she really blame him for assuming she was drinking from Theo? The whole point of their little act was to make people believe they were a real couple. Everyone else seemed to be doing it.
Would… exchanging naturally become part of their relationship too?
And besides that, something else was wrong with Adam. Whatever weight he carried didn’t need adding to when no real harm was done.
“I am so sorry, V. I never would have…”
She reached out, taking his hand again and offered a tight-lipped smile.
“Don’t worry about it.” He looked ready to disagree, so she asked, “Is anything else wrong?”
Looking away, he drew in a deep breath. “How’s about everything?” He let out a cold laugh. “Bea’s gone.”
“What do you mean gone?” His client couldn’t have just left town.
“Gone to Briarhaven. Reckons a whole load of vampires are skipping town.”
“What?” This was the first she’d heard of it. Did they know about the shortfall in donors? Did Adam know? “Did she say why?”
He shrugged. “Not really. She asked me to go with her.” A smile pulled at his lips, sad and defeated. “She’s so sweet you know, so clever and kind. She could have anyone but she… she wanted me to go with her. She wanted me.” The crack of his voice almost broke Verity’s heart.
“Why didn’t you go?”
“My mum needs me.”
He nodded, as if trying to convince himself just as much as Verity and she could only stare.
His mum needed him. Every time she saw Adam he was smiling from ear to ear, always with a joke and a hug.
The man sitting before her was not the same.
Tired and withdrawn, heartbroken, but he chose this, because his mum needed him.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured. The words weren’t enough.
“It is what it is.” He raked a hand through his hair, standing. “I’d better get going. My new client, he… doesn’t like it when I’m late.”
Oh gods. Was that why he looked like shit? Was his new client taking advantage of him?
“He’s fine,” Adam said, reading the concern on her face. “He’s just… professional. By the book.”
Wrapping his jacket a little tighter around him, he stood as Verity asked, “By the book?”
“No exchanging,” was his only explanation. “I’ll see you at group. Whenever that is.”
He hugged her, holding on long enough for Verity to squeeze him tight.
“If you need anything, anything at all, you call me,” she said.
Adam gave her a watery smile. “Ditto.”
Then he was gone, the soft ringing of the bell stinging something in her chest as his parting remark sank in.
No exchanging.
Bea had been giving Adam her blood, but his new donor wouldn’t.
It wasn’t only heartache stealing the colour from his cheeks and the spring from his step, but withdrawal.
Theo had spoken of the dangers of drinking a vampire’s blood, how addictive it was.
What happens to a human when they’re forced to go cold turkey?
The cool kids always seemed so happy, excitable and full of life, gliding on the forbidden high gifted by an immortal. The only time Verity had even considered it was when learning about Marcy and Elliott’s relationship, but if this was the price, Verity wanted nothing to do with it.
It was only when her eyes started to sting that Verity realised she was still staring after him. Watching the door as if her bubbly friend might burst back in, laughing like it was all one big joke.
She looked towards Cora, finding her watching with wide eyes as Kim flicked through the folder, none the wiser.
Shit.
Darting into the back, Verity grabbed some dishes to wash, busying herself before…
“Was that Adam?” Cora asked, making Verity jump.
“No,” she said, too quick to sound casual. Plates clattered as she thrust them into the dishwasher, avoiding her friend’s eyes. “I mean yes, his name’s Adam, but he isn’t… my Adam…”
“Not your Adam?” she asked.
“No. There’s two.” That made sense. It wasn’t an uncommon name.
“Verity.” Cora intercepted her as she tried to walk back out to the cafe and away from questions. “Verity, stop. What’s going on?”
A pitiful laugh threatened to escape her lips. What’s going on? That’s what Verity wanted to know.
“He’s just a friend. His girlfriend left him and he’s having a hard time.”
“You promise?” Cora asked, eyes narrowed.
Phoenar, save her, she didn’t want to lie to her best friend. Only it wasn’t a lie, not really. Adam was just a friend, and his girlfriend had left him, and he was having a hard time. Of all the lies Verity had told, this wasn’t one of them.
“Promise,” she said, the word oily on her tongue.
Cora pursed her lips, staring into her very soul, before nodding.
“He looked awful,” she said, pity filling her warm brown eyes.
“I know,” Verity mumbled. “I’m worried about him.”
Cora nodded again as Verity’s phone pinged.
Theo
I've had a meeting come up. We'll
have to skip donation tonight.
Well, there goes quizzing him about Cliffhaven. She sighed. It had been mere hours since she saw him, but the extra day she’d have to wait still felt like an eternity.
She was about to reply when another message came through.
And Viv's invited us to
SubRosa tomorrow. With Abe.
Just when she thought her day couldn’t get much worse.
Fucking wonderful.