Because unbeknownst to him, Lysandro and I were going to get him out of this prison that he’d locked himself into. We both knew it wouldn’t happen until he felt safe, and apparently, part of the safety for him would be my presence by his side.
Hearing the zip of the long duffle, I forced myself to take a deep breath and turn around. Ego’s face was hidden behind the towel that I’d wet earlier as he wiped off the blood. The towel had turned a ruddy brown instead of the pretty pastel it had started as, and I felt bile rise up my throat again. There would be time to hang over the toilet and let it all out later. Right now, my—uh, the baby vamp—needed me.
I started to walk toward him, but Lysandro shook his head. “Go to Scotty, Ego.”
He growled low in his throat, threw the towel back toward the sink behind the bar—although, I was pretty sure he missed—and headed toward me.
“You better be glad you got Scotty out of the line of fire before you threw that star, vampire. I would’ve killed you if you’d hurt him.”
I saw Lysandro lift the rifle out of the bag and put it to his shoulder. At the same time I yelled, “Look out,” Lysandro said, “But I never miss my target.”
The shot rang out, echoing loudly in the large room. Ego tripped forward, howling in pain. From where I stood, it looked like the back of his thigh had a huge hole blown through it, the pants and skin shredded to all hell around it.
“Ego!” I raced to him, pulling his upper half into my lap. “Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. I don’t know what to do.”
Lysandro glided over, rifle still in hand. “I can’t believe you didn’t hear me cock that. Really, Ego, I thought I taught you better than that.”
Ego groaned, rolling over halfway to flip the old vamp off. “Fuck you.”
Lysandro grinned. “As much fun as this has been, I think I’ve given you enough to think about. I’ll leave you another chalice of blood to replenish everything you’ve lost.” He giggled. Motherf’ing giggled. “You’re gonna sleep well tomorrow.”
I watched incredulously as he proceeded to pack his stuff away, slit his wrist to refill the goblet, then left with a jaunty little wave.
“Is he kidding me?” I muttered as the door clicked.
Looking back down at Ego, I pushed his hair back on his head, away from where it had fallen over his closed eyelids. “Are you okay?”
His lashes fluttered before I was met with his brilliant green irises. They were a little foggy with pain, but he didn’t appear to be any worse for wear. “Are you okay?”
“I’ve had more pleasant experiences,” he joked weakly, pain bleeding through the edges of his words.
“What can I do for you?”
“This is enough. Just, uh, distract me while it heals.”
I racked my brain trying to think of something interesting to say. Now that he was talking to Sky again, they’dFaceTimed, and he caught Ego up with all of his and Jetty’s latest dreamwalking adventures, so there was nothing to mention there. I still needed to have a conversation with my brother, but Ego didn’t know anything about my present family drama—drama that I was pretty sure I’d created and didn’t have to exist.
Since I’d been here, if Lysandro wasn’t here, we talked about Dead Air, and he played for me—well, for his now thousands and thousands of subscribers—but I didn’t think he felt up to talking so that didn’t feel like a good choice. “I’m not that interesting.”
He huffed out a choked laugh. “Tell me what the books are that Lysandro brought you. You keep shoving them into that satchel, so I haven’t gotten a look.”
I peered down at him disbelievingly. “Not even with your vampire vision?”
He laughed weakly. “I didn’t want to intrude on your privacy. If I couldn’t see them from a cursory glance, then I figured it was none of my business.”
I sighed. “No one knows except Lysandro. And maybe Benji, now that I think about it. He’s usually hovering around nearby somewhere.”
He stiffened. “Who’s Benji?”
Oh, was he jealous? I wanted to tease him and find out, but this didn’t seem like the right time. Besides, he still hadn’tbrought up our little tryst, nor had he asked me back to his room, so…
“Benji works at the library. I thought he was a teenager because he looks so young, but he’s actually a grown-ass man. In fact, he’s older than me.”
“So why is he lurking around you? Does he come to the manor or follow you around town or what?” There was a growly edge to his tone. It kinda, sorta sounded like he was feeling protective…or possessive. Maybe both. Did I want that? I was pretty sure I did.
“No, at the library, silly. He works there with Lysandro. In fact, Lysandro got him the job after he made him his full-time blood donor and brought him to Willowhope.” Ego’s body spasmed. “Are you okay?” I patted down his chest, even though his wound was in the back of his leg.
Bile nearly choked me again. As much as I’d love to check it for him, I didn’t think I’d be able to do it without puking all over him.
