“At least you’re alive. You had me worried on our call,” she said as we began walking to the cafe.
My steps slowed to a stop when we were a few strides from the front door. Sam was lost in chatter with herself trying to catch me up on some of her most recent hunts when she turned to me.
“And what have you been up to? Anymore leads—” Her words cut off when she noticed my hesitation. “Oh, Serina, I–I didn’t know you hadn’t been back to the diner yet. Why didn’t you tell me? We could have gone somewhere else.”
“No, no, it’s fine. I want to go here,” I said, and it was true. I had loved this place growing up; it held a special spot in my heart for myself and for my parents, and I wouldn’t stop coming here because of that. But coming here without them knowing I’ll never see my dad sitting in our booth with me drinking milkshakes or eating breakfast together hurt me in way even I couldn’t comprehend.
Sam held the door open for me, and I noticed she wasn’t wearing her vervain necklace; it had the same symbol and spell on it as my tattoo to keep her safe. She chose a necklace instead of a tattoo since she had always been terrified of needles.
“Where is your necklace?” I asked as I walked in holding my breath, not sure what to expect. But when I glanced over to our booth and it looked just like it did the last time I was here, something warmed in me.
“Shit, I must have forgot it at my hotel. I took it off when I showered this morning,” she said, her hand touching her bare chest before we moved to find a place to sit.
“Be careful, Sammy,” I warned.
“I know, I know, I’ll put it on as soon as I get back to my room.”
I nodded, looking around. I wasn’t strong enough to sit there, not yet, so Sam and I picked a booth in the opposite corner with good vantage points. We could see the entrance, and the only other doors in here led to the back kitchens and the bathrooms.
The waitress came quickly, but it wasn't Mickey, so I assumed she was busy in the back. Still, I couldn’t help but miss her.
I got a water and some eggs and toast, something light since my pain meds had been making me feel nauseous this morning, or maybe it was the fact that I was here.
Besides, I didn’t want my usual; I wanted to eat, not cry, and considering I was supposed to start my period tomorrow, I was surprised I had even made it into this building without having a breakdown. All the emotion only added more fuel to my fire.
“So, you never answered me before, anymore leads?” Sam asked over the rim of her sweet tea.
“Yes and no. I crashed another one of their group meetings a few days ago at an abandoned warehouse, but the only information I got was what I had already told you over the phone and that whoever is behind all this is a man.
“But on another note, I made a deal with a few Vampires that are willing to help me,” I admitted begrudgingly.
“Wait what? You? Accepted help?From Vampires?” She reached across the table touching my forehead as if she wanted to be sure I wasn’t running a fever. “Yeah, just as I suspected, you’re burning up and hell must be freezing over; I was wondering why it was colder today,” she said, and I rolled my eyes at her. “Okay, but seriously, tell me more. How did this happen?”
I started from the beginning from the moment I got that lead in the alley from those Vampires that were leaving the club, to finding the Davorin brothers and about their deal, them saving me, and how they seemed to continue to help me even now.
I was expecting her to go off on me.
Obliterate me with words of betrayal toour people, working with the enemies, how could I?
But she didn’t. Instead, she leaned back in her booth and with a quirk of her brow, she said, “And what did they want in return?”
“Nothing.” I shrugged. “They want hunters to continue to balance out our world.”
She pursed her lips. “Then I say keep up your end of the bargain. Besides, they seem nice. Maybe you could get a little more out of it,” she said with a flirty wink, and I scowled.
My cousin had always been crazy, but I hadn’t realized she had gone that far off the deep end.
“Gods no, I—” I lost my words, and she gaped at me.
“Oooo, you think they’re attractive, don’t you? I mean, what Vampires aren't attractive? Oh, come on, Serina. How long has it been since you had some pleasure? Andnotfrom that little toy I bought you last Christmas,” she asked, and I thought a moment before my brow furrowed; I honestly couldn’t remember.
My last boyfriend, if you could even call him that, and I broke up a few months before my dad died, and I hadn’t even thought about sticking my toe into the dating pool since then.
I had been too worried about my retribution to give a damn about someone, let alone even indulge in a night for good company and simple pleasures. But that toy, oh, it had been well-used since I opened it last year.
“See? You can’t even remember, and besides, I don’t know what it is about it, but paranormal guys, they always do it better.”
“What?!” Now I was the one looking at her with my mouth gaped open.
