“Weren’t you guys together for like two years?” I asked as I unlocked my door and let us in. I directed him to my bedroom and followed him, setting our boxes down.
“Yeah, but it never really evolved past casual dating. Whenever I tried to take a step forward, she fought against me. I wanted her to move in with me, but she refused. I wanted to help her get into art school, absolutely not. She hated the idea of having any solid ties to me. You know,” We went back to the living room, and he plopped down on the new leather sofa I had bought the night before. “I think I may have jumped on the first excuse to end things for good. We are too different.”
“Did you love her?” I asked. He looked up from the floor and blinked. His brows furrowed, and half of his mouth lifted up. I crossed my arms and leaned against my new bookcase.
“Love is a tricky word.”
“Not really.” I scoffed. “You either love her, or you don’t.”
“I adore her.”
“Adore is not love, my friend.” I walked over and sat down beside him. “It sounds like you had the best intentions with her, but she’s not the one. You need someone who you can give the world. She doesn’t want it. Who fucking cares? Her loss.”
He straightened and nodded. “You’re right. It’s much better for both of us to not be together. She can live her life without the burden of being with a Seven Sin, and I can find someone who lets me shower them with my love.”
I gave him a tight smile and a pat on the back. I should not be giving him advice on the girl I finger-fucked two nights ago. That felt wrong.
I took two more days to unpack and get my fridge stocked. I hated using blood banks, but considering I was conserving kills, I had little option but to go to one. It felt almost shameful, although the other option was more frowned upon now. Unless they had the red ribbon around their necks or wrists, any drinking from a live human was considered a crime.
I had just stepped out for a night walk to clear my head a bit when I passed a rather attractive human woman.
We made eye contact, and I tried to smile, but it was a fidgety one. I looked away right away and kept moving. It wasn’t safe for her to be out after dark, and it was just stupid for me to talk to her out on the streets. If her stupidity landed her sucked dry, then I’d be the first one they’d look at.
“You’re apartment two C?” I stopped and turned about twenty feet away.
“Yeah. Why?” I eyed her suspiciously. She was tall, a brunette, and slim. When I had passed her, I thought she was pretty. Not like Scout. Scout was striking. Her beauty was almost jarring. With her constant state of just-fucked messy hair and red lips that were always slightly pouty, Scout’s entire appearance was everything I wanted in a woman.
This girl was more plain. But the warm blood flowing through her veins had me breathless. My mouth was watering, and my tongue ran over my fangs.
“I’m two B.”
I forced myself not to move, instead letting her come to me. She did. After a long moment of us staring each other down, she started toward me.
“My name is Amy.” She extended her hand, and when it slipped out of her coat sleeve, my body went on high alert. Tied neatly around her wrist was a red satin ribbon. I smiled wide at her as I reached for her hand.
“Hi, Amy. I’m Desi.”
“Desi, that’s cute. You’re cute.”
I blanched. While I had introduced myself as such, I realized that I didn’t like her calling me by my shortened name. That was what Scout called me.
She was rather forward. I laughed. It wasn’t genuine, but I was pretty sure we both knew what we were here for.
“Why is someone like you living in a blood community?” I asked, dropping her hand. She motioned for us to continue walking, and I chose to direct her back to my apartment.
“My roommate. She’s already turned. I’m just waiting for my turn.”
“You’re her familiar, then?” I asked, getting right to the point. I shoved my hands in my pockets, feeling for my cards.
“Sometimes. Although it feels weird, as we’re not a couple. I’ve never let someone else feed on me.”
God, she was coming on ridiculously strong. I bit down on my lower lip. My fangs sank into the thin skin. I was almost sure when I got her up to my place, she’d take a knife to herself rather than make me do it.
“Is that why you’ve taken such an interest in a complete stranger?” I asked. She giggled, high-pitched and fake. We stepped into the building and started up the stairs to our level.
“Maybe. Are you not interested?”
I stopped short when we reached her door. I grabbed her wrist and pushed her against the wall. Her hazel eyes went wide, and she grinned with excitement. I leaned in and brushed my teeth against her neck. I licked her and then went to her ear.
