Christian tickled my waist and made me wiggle in his arms. “Don’t be using my words against me.”
These were the moments when everything about us felt normal.
“So how did you save Blue?” I asked.
“I gave her about four pints of my blood.”
There went normal.
Chapter 30
The kids threw our schedule into disarray. Sometimes they ate in the courtyard and other times the dining room. Due to the circumstances, Viktor allowed us to eat where and when we wanted until our guests left. I stayed in my room the next morning. After reading a magazine, I admired the trinkets I’d collected from previous cases, including Harper’s cigarette case. Maybe someday she’d want it back. Or not. It made me wonder what I’d hold on to if Christian died. Definitely his ring, but what else? An unwashed shirt? A candy dish? His motorcycle? Maybe it would be too painful to keep my necklace, a constant reminder of his devotion.
Around noon, I put on a tank top and my favorite jeans with all the holes and headed to the dining room, where I heard children chattering.
“Anyone seen Blue?”
Wyatt grabbed a leftover pink donut from a serving table to my right and moseyed back to his booth. “Maybe she had to go flap her wings. If you want a donut, you better hurry and eat the last one before I do. They’re still fresh, just cold. Ow!” He lifted his foot and plucked something off his sock. “Son of a ghost.Who lost a tooth?”
Shepherd launched out of his seat. “Give it to me!”
“I’ll give it to you all right.” Wyatt held up his hand as if making a hoop shot. The tiny tooth made an arc, struck the edge of Shepherd’s glass, and skittered across the table. “Blast!”
Some of the kids squealed, and one went flying into the gathering room.
Wyatt shuddered as he sat down. “I think I lost my appetite.”
Gem leaned back in her chair and snagged my attention. “I saw Blue in the courtyard earlier.”
“Thanks.”
I made my way down the hall and behind the stairs to the main door that led to the courtyard. Blue was lying against a statue of a winged man. I wasn’t sure why she liked such a depressing image. The kneeling man covered his face with one hand as if he’d lost everything. We hadn’t mowed in a while, so the grass came above her feet. Her tan cargo pants were rolled up, which wasn’t her usual style, but the white tank top caught my attention. Since her attack, Blue had stopped wearing tank tops and chose more conservative shirts. But now the gashes that sliced from her shoulder down her chest were visible, and she didn’t seem to care.
I took a seat, watching her spin a wildflower between two fingers. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Alive.”
I leaned back on one hand and tugged at a few blades of grass. “I heard you had drinks with Christian last night.”
The yellow flower fell onto her chest, and she gave me a remorseful look. “I supposethat’swhy I’ve never felt better. I came out here before dawn and couldn’t believe how bright the stars were. Christian said because of how much I drank, it might have that effect, but it was like seeing the world for the first time.”
“You don’t regret it? I know how you feel about Vamps.”
She sighed and picked up the flower again. “Maybe there’s a reason I’m supposed to be alive. Trust me, it wasn’t an easy choice. And he wanted to do it the old-fashioned way.”
I laughed.
Her eyebrows drew together. “You aren’t jealous?”
“Of course not. The way Christian is about his blood, it was probably more of a nightmare for him than it was for you.”
“I doubt it. I mean, his blood tasted strangely pleasant, but it was still blood. Every time I thought about it, I wanted to vomit.”
“Good thing you didn’t. He doesn’t like seeing things go to waste.”
Blue rolled to her side and propped her head in her hand. “What happened with Graham? I asked Viktor, but he said I should hear it from you. Did you kill him?”
I bent one knee and played with the hole in my jeans. “Not exactly. He tried to throw himself in front of a train.”
