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Cooper drops Killer’s body to the ground and kicks her away, sending her toward the wall. Without hesitating, he rushes me and lifts me into his arms. The world blurs as he relocates me, leaving behind the mess of my fight with one of the headlining vampires. My mind can’t even orient itself as Cooper shuts the door to another hotel room and strides across to the bathroom. He sets me down on the sink and turns on the hot water to the shower as if he can’t stand the thought of Killer’s blood all over me.
I remain frozen, wringing my hands together. I can’t think of anything to say. I’m not even sure if my mouth will work if I wanted it to.
And then I see myself in the mirror.
Holy fuck. I don’t even recognize whoever stares back at me in the reflection. The bloody savage looks like a starved Strip dweller. My eyes remain silver, and blood drips down my chin and stains the front of my shirt. If I didn’t bare my teeth, I’d think fangs were hiding beneath my lips. But they’re not. I’m still a dhampir. I’m not a vampire regardless of what I look like.
I’m worse.
“I’ll go get one of the Bella Crew members,” Cooper says, shifting his weight as if he doesn’t even know what to do with me.
I shake my head in silence. I don’t want them to see me like this. I don’t want Lawrence to know.
I still can’t get my mouth to speak, and Cooper obeys my silent disagreement with his plan.
“Okay. I get it. Are you injured?” he asks, strolling closer, his eyes roving over my body as if he can assess my injuries under the thick layer of blood coating my skin.
Again, I shake my head.
He exhales a long breath, his whole body shuddering with the gesture.
I wish he would tell me what goes through his mind, because his face still remains expressionless. My body refuses to cooperate, and I know he’s worried. I just don’t know how to deal with myself. There’s a darkness inside me ready to unleash itself on the world. I just don’t know how I will survive if I can’t get myself under control.
“Focus on me, my showgirl. I know you’re in shock. I can’t imagine what it’s like being a dhampir, but I clearly remember what it was like after I first transitioned.” Cooper stands between my legs, resting his hands on my aching shoulders.
I try not to wince, but I forgot Killer bit me. Darting his eyes from my face, he realizes that beneath the blood is a bite mark. He frowns, his eyes flashing silver, and for the first time, he reacts. Grabbing a washcloth from the rack, he holds it under the sink and wets it. I try not to squirm as he squeezes cool water from the cloth and over my wound, cleaning it so he can see it better.
“She got you good. If she wasn’t dead already, I’d kill her myself.” He flares his nostrils, studying the puncture wounds and the teeth marks. She didn’t just get me with her fangs. She wanted me to hurt.
“But sheisdead.Ikilled her.” My words come hoarsely from my mouth. I don’t know how I managed to even speak, but it’s like I have to say what’s on my mind. It’s the only thought coursing through my head apart from the pain. I killed her. I killed her, and I don’t feel bad about it. All I feel is numb. A part of me might even be a bit exhilarated. It freaks me out. I just imagine killing terrible vampires until there’s no more left.
“She was trying to kill you first. You did absolutely nothing wrong. I want you to remember that, okay? You killed her because she came in here and attacked you. She was not a good person, and who knows how many lives you saved by ending her life and getting rid of Lawrence’s little plaything.” Cooper manages to get his frown in control, and he smooths his features out with a soft smile. “I’m impressed, my showgirl. I knew you had it in you, but seeing you in action...I’m proud of you.”
It’s obvious that he wasn’t going to say he was proud of me and something else instead, but he changed his mind. And now I really want to know.
“You’re proud of me for killing someone? You kind of have things a bit twisted.” I lick my lips, still tasting the blood of Killer. I want it off of me. I want to taste something else.
As if Cooper reads my mind, he wets the washcloth again and rubs it across my mouth, cleaning my face up. He grabs one of the water cups from the counter and fills it up, offering it to me to drink. “I am. You did everything right. I think the only reason Lawrence will be mad is because this didn’t happen on stage in front of an audience. But don’t worry. He’s not going to do anything to you.”
I intake a sharp breath, my shock melting into fear as I process his words. “Fuck. You don’t know that.” This is bad. Oh-fucking-no. What have I done?
All I can think about is him whipping me and how painful it was. What if he does it again? I would take Alexander’s paddle any day over that damn whip.
“Fuck,” I repeat, pushing Cooper back.
I slide off the counter and get to my feet. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I need to do something. Anything. I need to hide Killer’s body.
Cooper snatches my wrist, stopping me. “Hayley, wait. Let me help you get cleaned up and give you some blood.”
I shake my head and yank away from him. “No. I need to go. I need to take care of her body. Lawrence can’t know.”
Realization crosses his face as he realizes why I’m afraid. Instead of arguing with me, he slowly nods his head. “If that’s what you want to do, then let me help you.”
I squeeze my eyes shut. “If he catches you—”
“I can handle myself. Now, come on. I have an idea.” Cooper doesn’t give me a chance to prepare myself as he picks me up again.
I suppress my scream at the quick relocation.
