by Wendi Wilson
My eyes finally met his. “How can you say that? I was out of control.”
“Because I can finally see myself through your eyes. You’ve always insisted that I wasn’t responsible for what I did when I first turned. That it was out of my control, and it doesn’t make me a monster. Has that changed? Do you find me evil, now?”
“No, of course, not.”
“I wasn’t in control of my impulses.”
“Exactly,” I agreed. “If you had been, I know you would’ve chosen to run away and leave the mortician alive.”
He just stared at me, his eyes filled with understanding and love. He was waiting for me to see his point, but I already had, and it made no difference.
“It’s not the same thing, Levi. You’d just risen from the dead and needed blood. You had no idea what was happening to you and lost control. I wasn’t even hungry, knew exactly what I was doing, and put my friend’s life in danger just to prove you wrong.”
“Nobody’s perfect,” he said, smirking.
“This isn’t funny!” I shouted. “She could be dead right now, with her blood filling my belly and running through my veins. And I’d have to live with that. Forever.”
“Oh, don’t flatter yourself,” a voice called from the doorway. “Like you’d ever get the jump on me.”
“True, no,” I whispered as my eyes locked on her with dread. I tried to hold my breath, like that would somehow prevent me from smelling her blood. It didn’t work, and my mouth flooded with saliva. “You can’t be here! Get out of here!”
I was yelling like a psycho, and I knew it, but I was pretty sure I hadn’t been this scared since Dad shoved me under the floorboards of that cabin so many months ago. And yet, True didn’t leave. In fact, she came closer, taking slow, measured steps toward me as she spoke.
“You won’t attack me, Piper.”
“Yes. I. Will,” I growled, struggling to extricate my hand from Levi’s. I needed to get out of this bed. Out of this room and far away from here.
Before I did something I couldn’t take back.
“Look at me, Piper.”
I stopped struggling and slumped back against the pillows propping me up. I was so tired of fighting. I met True’s dark gaze and waited for her to speak as she stepped even closer.
“What do you smell?” she asked.
“Blood,” I said, my voice almost monotone.
“What does it smell like?”
“Heaven. Ambrosia. My favorite scented candle. Better than French fries.”
“Ah, she’s got jokes,” she said, shooting a smile in Levi’s direction before refocusing on me. “Do you want to bite me?”
“No, of course, not!” I shouted. “But I can’t help myself.”
“Seems like you’re doing a pretty good job right now,” she said, one slim brow disappearing beneath her curly bangs.
“You… you’re restraining me with magic,” I mumbled.
“Nope. No one is holding you back but you, Piper. You’re in control.”
Levi tightened his grip on my hand and looked at True. “Do it.”
She pulled a small paring knife from her back pocket and pressed it into the palm of her hand.
“What are you…? Stop, True! Don’t,” I shouted, my voice cracking with fear.
She pressed the tip of the knife harder, and the blade sunk into her flesh. I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed myself back against the pillows, shaking my head to fight what I knew would come.
The scent of blood filled my nostrils, fresh and untainted, and my mouth pooled with saliva. I clenched my teeth, but my fangs elongated anyway, cutting my lower lip in the process. I had True’s blood in my nose as my own blood filled my mouth. I swallowed it greedily, hoping to quench the need, but my blood was wholly unsatisfying. It was old. Dead.
“Look at me, Piper,” True ordered, and my eyes popped open to stare at the red liquid dripping from her fingers as she held her hand in my direction.
“True, stop,” I growled. “It’s too much. I can’t handle it.”
“But you are handling it,” she said, pulling a rag from her pocket and wrapping it around her bleeding hand. “Not only did you not attack me when I walked in, you’re restraining yourself as I bleed in front of you. You’ve got this, Piper. You just needed to see it for yourself.”
I could still smell her blood, and I still wanted to lap it up from her hand like a dog, but she was right. I hadn’t turned into a mindless animal. I didn’t let my desire overrule my good sense. Levi was gripping my hand, and I hadn’t tried to get away from him. I hadn’t attacked True.
I was in control.
“There she is,” True said, grinning at me as she read the relief and joy on my face.
“You took a pretty big chance, coming in here and bleeding all over the place like that,” I said, grinning back at her. “I could have eaten you.”
“Nah,” she said. “I didn’t believe that for a minute.” She reached into her pocket and pulled something out, tossing it at me. “Well, maybe for a minute.”
I picked up the object and started to laugh, releasing all of the pent up tension I’d been holding in for the last few days.
“Classic,” I said, holding up the small bulb of garlic so Levi could see.
He shook his head and stood, then leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. “Are you okay? Can I leave you two alone for a bit?”
“I don’t know, Levi,” I said, filling with dread.
“We’ll be fine,” True said, bulldozing over my resistance as she pushed him through the door and closed it behind him.
When she turned back to me, I stared at her with wide eyes. “True, I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
“Nonsense,” she said, skipping forward to take the chair Levi vacated.
She waved her fingers over her wounded hand as she mumbled a few words, and the smell of her blood dissipated. She unwrapped the bloody rag, showed me her completely healed palm, and tossed the rag into a metal trash can. Pulling a book of matches from inside her sock, she lit one and tossed it in, catching the rag on fire.
“No point in tempting you unnecessarily,” she quipped, settling back in the chair. “So, what’s new?”
She asked the question so nonchalantly, I couldn’t help myself. Laughter burst from me like shotgun fire. I laughed for minutes… or hours. I wasn’t really sure how long it went on, but my sides hurt by the time it petered out. And that pain, even though it was probably phantom in nature, made me feel more alive than I had since the day I died.
“Thanks, True,” I said.
She smiled. “I’m always here for you, bestie. And speaking of which—come in!”
The door swung open and Coco bolted in, slamming it behind her. She ran around my bed to take the chair on the opposite side of True.
“Are you okay, Pipes?” she asked. “How do you feel? What can I do?”
“Oh, calm down, Coco,” True scolded her. “She’s fine, as you can see. Piper is stronger than she looks.”
“She’s strong enough to pick you up and toss you through that window,” Coco shot back. “And so am I.”
“All right, no one is tossing anyone out a window,” I said. “What is wrong with you two?”
“Nothing,” they both said, simultaneously.
I arched a brow, letting my eyes skip back and forth between them. As the silence thickened, Coco broke first.
“I didn’t think it was a good idea, having her come in here and make herself bleed. I know what it feels like. The thirst is… as terrible as it is glorious. I also remember attacking my best friend. I didn’t want that for you.”
“Too late for that,” True mumbled under her breath.
“Hey!” I shouted, making True laugh.
“Oh, come on. It’s kind of funny.” She leaned back in her chair and stiffened her body, holding her hands in front of her like curled claws. Then, using a really cheesy Dracula impression, she said, “I vant to suck your blood, but I can
’t open my mouth.”
“Frossen, rhewi, rigor mortis, congelé,” I murmured, sending my intention toward True.
She shrieked as her body seemed to freeze instantly. Her eyes rolled wildly in their sockets for a moment before landing on me, then narrowing into slits. Coco laughed riotously, almost falling out of her chair as I bit my bottom lip to hold in my own laughter.
“You know, you’re right, True. It is pretty funny,” I said. She growled in response, making me chuckle. “Fine. Reanimar renovetur.”
True’s body seemed to deflate, sinking back into her chair. She looked from me to Coco and back again, feigning hurt.
“That was a dirty trick,” she grumped.
“One you taught me,” I shot back, making Coco giggle.
True tried to fight her own smile and failed. “That’s true. I did teach you that, didn’t I?”
“Yep,” I said, my smile warming me from the outside in. “You also taught me that friends don’t turn their backs on each other, no matter what.”
“Especially not on friends that might bite you the minute your back is turned,” True said, lifting her two index fingers to form a cross and waving it back and forth between me and Coco.
“Seriously, True,” I said. “Thank you.”
She shook her head as if to brush off my words, and I saw tears glistening in her eyes.
“You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, Piper Williams. No way was I going to let you go without a fight.”
“I agree,” Coco said. “You’re an amazing person, Piper. Always have been, always will be, human or not.”
She grinned, and I returned it, taking both of their hands into mine. “I love you guys.”
“We love you, too,” True whispered, her tears spilling over.
“Forever and always,” Coco added.
“Enough of that,” True said, sniffing as she released my hand and wiped away her tears. “Now, it’s time for the bad news.”
“I don’t think I can take any more bad news right now,” I said, shaking my head.
“Sorry,” she replied, “but it’s time.”
“Time for what?” I asked, my mind filling with dread.
“Amelia and Rose are waiting outside. They’re going to teach you how to feed from the livestock without killing them.”
“Oh, God,” I moaned, gagging a little.
“It’s not so bad,” Coco offered, but I could see the lie in her eyes. “I’ll come, too. You know, for moral support.”
“I don’t think I can bite a cow, guys,” I said, my stomach lurching again at just the thought of it.
“Yes, you can. And you will,” True said, pushing herself to her feet. “Now get up, and get a moooo-ve on.”
“Oh, my God, True,” Coco groaned. “That was terrible.”
“What? Did I butcher the joke?”
“Stop,” Coco ordered, covering her ears.
“What do you call a cow with no legs?” True asked.
“No,” Coco said.
“Ground beef!”
“Don’t make me bite you,” Coco growled, though I thought I saw a glint of humor shining in her eyes.
“Geez, I’ll stop. Don’t have a cow.”
“Okay, I’m ready,” I said, flying from the bed to stand between them before Coco could respond.
“I can’t believe that worked,” Coco said, looking at True with wide eyes.
“Told you it would,” True said, smiling triumphantly.
“Wait,” I said, propping my hands on my hips. “This was all a ploy to get me out of bed without a fight?”
True shrugged. “It worked, didn’t it?”
“You’re devious,” I said, unable to hide my smile.
“It’s a gift. Now, get out of here, and go suck on some cows.”
“Gross, True,” I groaned.
“Better Bessie than me,” she said, winking. “Go. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Promise?”
“Always.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
They wanted me to drink from cows. Live, breathing cows.
“I don’t think I can do this,” I said, wringing my hands together. My stomach churned with something other than rampant, unchecked desire for the first time since becoming a vampire. The smell of the barn, mingled with the thought of what I was about to do, was making me sick.
My eyes scanned the barn stalls. It was dark in the stable since it was well past midnight, though I didn’t feel one bit tired. I hadn’t slept in God knew how many hours, but I felt great. Well, maybe not great, considering I was here to drink from these poor animals.
The camp had four cows, and six pigs, and twenty-some-odd chickens, not to mention the horses in the other stable. Apparently, the horses were for riding so no one drank from them. Instead, they feasted on the pigs and cows, drinking only enough to satiate their thirst, but not enough to kill the creatures.
But drinking from live animals seemed like the worst possible plan. Well, drinking from humans was probably the worst plan, but this was pretty bad. The animals would know what I was doing, fixing me with their big, brown eyes as if to say Why, Piper? Why torture us this way? Ugh.
The entire thing made me want to hurl. I bent over, grabbed my knees, and thought about taking a deep breath, but remembered I didn’t do that anymore.
“Don’t be such a baby,” Rose replied with a toss of her long, blond hair. She stood off to the side in a thin slice of moonlight, watching me. “This is nothing compared to some of the struggles of being a vampire, so woman up.”
She jutted her chin and put her fist on her slender hip, adopting a very badass vampire stance that I was sure I would want to replicate, just not right now. I was focusing only on not freaking out or throwing up. Wait? Did Vampires even do that?
“Take it easy on her,” Amelia said, walking up and giving Rose a gentle shove. “The girl is a baby. A fledgling. She needs a slight push out of the nest, not a drop kick.”
Rose shrugged, but Amelia gave me a delicate smile. She looked fantastic as always in a red, polka dot, vintage dress and ballet flats. Rose was in cutoff shorts and a crop top sweatshirt, showing off her killer abs. Both looked flawless without even trying.
As for me, I hadn’t noticed any major transformations in my appearance, though my skin seemed clearer and my hair shinier. I wondered if I’d adopt that vampire glow soon, or if these ladies were just that gorgeous before becoming vampires. I wanted to ask, but I was embarrassed. There were still so many things I didn’t know. Luckily, I had Coco, who stood in the back of the barn watching this all go down. I made a mental note to ask her when this nightmare was over.
And maybe, beg her to get me out of here before I knew what cow blood tasted like.
“Stop stalling,” Rose said. Walking up to me, she grabbed my arm and dragged me over to the first stall where a brown and white cow lay in a pile of hay. “We don’t have all night. Climb in there, sink your fangs in her neck, and drink. Just don’t take too much or she’ll die.”
My eyes went wide. “How will I know when I’ve taken too much?”
Rose shrugged a slender shoulder. “If she stops breathing, that’s too much.”
“Helpful,” I murmured.
Amelia came over and leaned casually against the stall wall, gazing in on the cow. “This one’s name is Ruby. She’s a gentle soul. I’d only drink for about eight seconds. You can count in your head.” She gave me a reassuring smile.
“Whatever, just do it. It stinks in here.” Rose pinched her nose and looked annoyed.
“Don’t you need to drink?” I asked, using more stall tactics, but I was honestly just fascinated by everything there was to learn about being a vampire. I really did feel like an uneducated baby.
“We fed yesterday,” Amelia said, adjusting one of her curls. “Vampires don’t have to feed every day, silly.”
“Thank God,” I said. “But what about the mountain vamps? They go hunt in the woods, right? Can we
do that?”
“You’re not ready to hunt, little fledgling.” Amelia gave me a warm smile.
I nodded along, feeling as if she was probably right. Running around in the dark woods trying to track down deer or even bears seemed out of my league, but at least those animals didn’t have names. I wouldn’t have to look them in the eye the next time I was hungry and see the wounds on their flesh I’d made.
“Ugh, why can’t I just have a cheeseburger?” I threw up my hands.
“You wanted this,” Rose hissed. “Fun, right?” Though, nothing about her tone made me think she thought any of this was fun. In fact, she seemed angry, though with me or with this whole situation, I wasn’t sure.
“Piper, look, I’ll help you out,” Coco said, walking into the barn. “I know Ruby. I’ll keep her calm while you feed.”
I gave Coco a grateful look. She squeezed my hand before grabbing the stall wall and jumping over it like a gymnast. But the cow was skittish. When she sensed Coco’s presence, she started to moo and stand up.
“Shh, girl. Everything is okay.” Coco spoke in a soothing voice as she rubbed her hands down the cow’s sides. “Piper is a friend. She’s not going to hurt you.”
Lying to a cow. We’d come to a new low.
“Come on, Pipes.” Coco waved me in. “Ruby is very chill right now.”
Coco was right, Ruby did seem like she’d chilled out. The cow’s big round eyes were half-lidded as if she were about to fall asleep.
“Coco, are you compelling the cow?” I asked.
“Yep. I just learned how this week. This way, she feels no pain and won’t remember anything that happened. She’ll wake up feeling right as rain.” One hand continued to smooth down the cow’s neck as the other waved me into the stall.
Carefully, I climbed over the stall’s wall and dropped down. I still marveled at how lithely my body moved. As it was, I barely made a sound as I landed in the hay.
“What do I do?” I whispered to Coco.
“Come in quietly. Her jugular vein is right here.” Coco’s finger’s swirled along the back of the cow’s jaw. “Just get close. Your vampire senses will take over.”
I eyed her as if I didn’t quite believe any of it, but did as she said. I hedged in closer, walking along the cow’s body until I was kneeling beside Coco. Letting my eyes follow the line of the cow’s jaw, I spotted the almost imperceptible vein beneath the hide.