“Maybe now that his blood is out of your system, you’re having withdrawals.”
That wasn’t farfetched. Sam’s blood was potent, and I had felt drunk or on some kick-ass, potent drug after I had had a few drops of his blood. On the other hand, I couldn’t help but think that I had vampire DNA. I hadn’t broached that subject with my sisters or anyone. There were too many ears in the house and on the property. I had been planning to ask my Uncle Jack about our family lineage, but I’d chickened out so many times, it wasn’t funny. Mainly because Uncle Jack would see right through me, and then he would proceed to tell me I had been around vampires for too long. I guessed that was true.
“I honestly think it’s just a stomach flu.”
Jordyn felt my forehead. “You are a bit warm.”
“If it doesn’t ease up in a couple of days, then I’ll go to urgent care in town.” I closed the toilet lid and sat down. “I have an off-the-wall question.”
She hopped up on the counter. “Shoot.”
“Do you think we carry any vampire DNA or that there are vampires in our family history?”
She snorted. “No way. Mom and Dad would’ve told us. And I doubt we would be hunting them if we were descendants of vampires.”
I yawned. “You’re right. It was a stupid question.”
“Let’s get your mind off that topic. Is Sam still texting you?”
It was my turn to snort. “How is talking about Sam taking my mind off the topic?”
“He likes you a lot,” she said.
“Does it matter? How in the world would or could we have a relationship? Human and vampire isn’t exactly a match made in heaven, and let’s not forget that our family is made up of vampire hunters. Us included.”
“What if he shows up here?” Jordyn asked.
I laughed weakly. “He won’t.” Uncle Jack had spoken to Steven Mason on our way out of the city. Steven had wanted to meet, but Uncle Jack hadn’t been in the mood. After our showdown with Roman, my uncles weren’t ready to call a truce. They were ready to kill. “Steven doesn’t want trouble. He’ll make darn sure Sam doesn’t start any. It’s Uncle Ray we have to worry about, though.” He was still furious that Roman had cut off his thumb.
“It’s been kind of nice being here.” Jordyn kept her voice low. “But I’m ready to leave. Before long, we’ll be cleaning horse stalls and other chores I don’t care to take on.” She twisted her brown hair up on her head and secured it with a clip that had been on the counter. “I vote to return to Massachusetts.”
My eyebrows disappeared into my hairline.
“Hear me out. If we stay here, we’ll never be any better than them.” She pointed to the door. “We can make a difference in this world, Layla. Dad always thought ridding the planet of vampires would give us a brighter future. What if we did just that but with the help of the vampire military? They’re fighting to protect humanity. Let’s fight with them. Screw the family here. We’ve never been close to them, anyway.”
“No way. I’ve felt normal again since we’ve been here. Well, up until recently. But if we return, not only am I afraid of losing myself to a vampire, but our family will hunt us down. Of course, I agree we haven’t been close with our uncles.” I paused to take a breath. “I don’t want the headache of dealing with vampires or our uncles. I won’t lie and say Sam hasn’t been on my mind. But again, he and I would never work.”
She scratched her face. “Why not? He’s a hot-as-fuck vampire. You like him. He likes you. So live it up. Have kinky vampire sex, if only for a little while. I wouldn’t mind giving one of them a go in the bedroom.” Her cheeks reddened.
“Ah, there’s the real story,” I teased.
“They’re cool, and if I’m being honest, I feel better around the military vampires than I do here.”
There were many unanswered questions, including one big one that I hadn’t forgotten. “Will Abbey’s vision of Rianne killing me come true?”
“All the more reason to be close to the Masons. That way Abbey can warn us quickly. You said yourself, Abbey wasn’t sure how or when. And she was struggling with her visions, right?”
I bobbed my head. I wanted Jordyn to be happy. Hell, I wanted Rianne to be as well. I couldn’t see Rianne living among vampires. Granted, she’d changed her tune about Sam since he saved her life, but that didn’t mean she was about to break bread with him or any of the vampire Navy SEALs. “If Rianne agrees, I might consider it.” From a convo Rianne and I had in the women’s barracks, I knew she wanted to discuss the future, which involved her looking into the military. “Let’s talk to her when she wakes.”
“You know one thing that has been bothering me about Uncle Ray and Uncle Jack?” Jordyn asked. “They quit hunting vampires cold turkey right after Dad died with some excuse about lack of finances for weapons and building a better life for their family. Yet when you drill down to who they really are, revenge is in their nature. I mean, why didn’t they go looking for the vampire who killed Dad?”
“Where did all that come from?” I didn’t see the connection between what she’d said and what we’d been through recently. Then my stomach took the wheel and drove me to open the lid on the toilet as fast as I could. I heaved once again.
Our sad problems would have to wait.
Forty-eight hours later, I couldn’t get out of bed. My stomach hurt, my head pounded like someone was beating on it with a club, my limbs felt like saltwater taffy, and I had a low-grade fever.
Rianne patted my face with a cool washcloth. “We should get you to a doctor.”
