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“Only you’re not human. Not real y, are you?”
“In some ways I’m very much human.”
I wanted to slap Cade. He wasn’t helping matters at al .
Annika had been merely an observer up to that point, and of course, she would choose that moment to jump into the fray.
“Surely you trust her to drink a little human blood, don’t you, Bo?”
“I trust h e r completely.” He didn’t need to finish the sentence to get his point across. The words he didn’t say hung in the air like a tangible entity, his intent quite clear to everyone.
Annika snorted. “As if Cade could force her to do anything she didn’t want to do. She is a vampire after al .
Remember?”
“Annika!” Bo snapped, turning his displeased gaze on her. “You’re not helping.”
“Look, Bo,” Cade asserted. “Let’s be reasonable about this. I know what kind of… thing our father is. I know he needs to die and I know that you are the only one who can kil him. I also know that, in order to do that, you need the help of your mate, the mate. The chosen one. What you have to understand is that she needs me.”
Silence stretched out between them like a living, breathing thing, grumbling and pulsing with animosity.
As I thought about Bo’s destiny, the importance of his ultimate mission in life, I felt a surge of panic at the thought of spending eternity walking the earth without him after he regained his mortality. As I’d done many times in recent days, however, I ruthlessly squashed those thoughts, reminding myself that Sebastian was a danger to virtual y every human on the planet. He was like a disease that could easily spread out of control if he wasn’t stopped. And Bo was the only person alive that could stop him. How could I ever stand in the way of that?
It was with that in mind that I came to my feet and spoke into Bo’s ear.
“Bo, if that’s how I’m supposed to help you then maybe you ought to trust him. Maybe his blood had something to do with what happened between us earlier.”
Bo searched my eyes for several seconds before turning back to Cade.
“I don’t want you near her when I’m not around. We can discuss this in more detail later,” Bo said gruffly.
Cade nodded once. “Fair enough.”
Cade’s ebony eyes slid to me before they moved on to Annika. In that one brief instant, I would’ve sworn that I saw anticipation in them. Luckily Bo didn’t see it and I certainly wasn’t going to mention anything.
I was just about to suggest that Bo and I go do something to get out of the house for a while when my phone rang. The cal er ID showed that it was Savannah.
“What’s up, chickie?” she asked by way of greeting in her typical Savannah way.
“Savannah!”
“Uh, yeah. Who were you expecting?”
“Oh, nobody, it’s just that I, um, I’ve been thinking about you.”
“Good stuff I hope. How much you love my hair, how good my perfume smel s, how you wish you had my incredible eyesight.”
I was beginning to get used to her coping mechanisms.
Since she’d lost her sight in a skirmish with Trinity, Savannah had col ected an entire arsenal of blind jokes and flippant remarks related to sight (or lack thereof). At first, I was shocked and a little uncomfortable by her comments, but I’d come to realize that it was just Savannah. Her kooky coping method was as much a part of who she was as her flame red hair.
“Ha. Ha,” I teased sarcastical y. “Actual y, I was thinking of coming over for a visit tomorrow night. You game?”
“Sure, but why wait? Is it too late to come over tonight?
Isn’t your mom passed out by now?” At my silence, she leapt to the wrong conclusion. “Sorry. That was in poor taste.”
“No, don’t worry about that. I’m just thinking,” I explained, glancing at Bo who hadn’t moved an inch and was stil giving Cade the stink eye. “Can I cal you right back? I need to check on something.”
“Yep. I promise not to take off in the car until I hear from you.”
I chuckled. “Good to know the town is safe.”
We hung up and Bo final y dragged his attention away from Cade.
“That was Savannah. She wants me to come over. What do you think?”
Bo shrugged. “I don’t see any problem with that.”
“Since I’ve had some…some…”
“Human blood,” Cade provided from across the room.
Both Bo and I sent him a withering look. Cade held up his hands as if in surrender and turned his attention back to Annika.
“Since I’ve had that, she should be safe around me, right?”
“I think so, but if you don’t feel comfortable, maybe you should wait.”
I flicked my fingers as I pondered.
“Wel , I real y need to tel her what’s going on, especial y since Trinity said that she’d seen Heather there. I was going to tel her the other night, but Sebastian cal ed and I didn’t get the chance.”
“If you’re concerned about your thirst, I could go with you.”
“Would you? That way if she doesn’t believe me, maybe she’l believe you.”
He shrugged again.
“It’s worth a shot.”
I cal ed Savannah back and told her I’d be there in about ten minutes, but that I’d come to her window. She was curious, of course, so I explained that I wanted to talk to her in private. I think she was stil a little suspicious, but she agreed without further question.
Rather than take any risks with the car, Bo and I jogged the distance and ended up getting there in half the time.
Speed was one of the greatest upsides to being a vampire.
I crept through the grass and approached Savannah’s house. Bo hurried around to the side of the garage to wait in the shadows.
Savannah must’ve been literal y at the window waiting for me. She slid the glass up just as I was drawing near.
I was immediately hit with the tantalizing scent of her blood. Even from around the corner, Bo must’ve sensed or smel ed my reaction because I heard him whisper too faintly for Savannah to hear, Mr. Hearst. Between the comical nature of his timely reminder and the reminder itself, I quickly brought my focus (and my body) back under my firm control.
I also silently thanked Cade for his blood donation, the thing that would most effectively keep my friend safe from my wayward appetite.
I approached Savannah. Even in the darkness I could see the flawless texture of her skin as if we were standing in broad daylight. Her hair was a more vivid red than I remembered and her eyes sparkled like chocolate diamonds. She real y was a beautiful girl and I hated to be the one to have to bring my sweet friend bad news.
