“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Really? Because rumors spread faster than rats in a sewer in this town, and I heard Karson slaughtered over a dozen of Sarah’s men.”
“Dahlia,” Michael scoffed, “I never would have taken you as a gossiper. I’d have thought you have too much to accomplish in your own life to waste it burying your nose in the business of others.”
“I make it my business to know what’s going on with my enemies.”
Michael patted my arm as he passed me, leaned in, and murmured, “He’ll be fine, it will keep him sedated for the day.”
I swallowed and nodded my thanks.
“Then perhaps, Dahlia,” Michael called out as he moved, “consider getting your facts right at least before you spread your wayward mistruths around.”
“And yet, Michael,” she quipped, folding her arms, “you did say anymore bloodshedtoday.”
“I did,” he sang out as he disappeared down the hall, “but I did not say whose blood was shed.”
I scowled at her. “You can’t just use violence to get in.”
Dahlia planted her feet shoulder-width apart and looked me up and down. “Oh, but I can, and I will if I need to see you. Answer your fucking phone next time!”
I rubbed my eyes, sore from lack of sleep and crying. I wanted to get back to Karson, but Michael said he’d sleep for the day, and I needed to stop this madness. Her behavior was unacceptable. Whether she cared because of what I was or because she liked me, I couldn’t say. But she had come because she was worried.
I sighed. “Coffee?”
Her expression thawed. “Given the absurd hour you woke me, I won’t say no.”
We headed to the kitchen, and the light flicked on automatically, something Karson had installed for me.
“You look like shit, by the way.”
“Thank you.” I threw a false smile over my shoulder as I grabbed two cups. “It’s good to see you too.”
The stool grated as Dahlia pulled it out and sat down. “Have you been training?”
No. Now that Ethan was gone, I’d lost my training partner. I’d broached it with Karson, but he’d shut me down.
“No.” I slid a mug under the coffee machine. “Karson thinks I’m not healed enough yet.”
“You are healed enough, you know it and he knows it. Caron is a very powerful healer.” She folded her arms and rested them on the bench, her fingers running over a leather bracelet. “The vampire doesn’t want the witch who was born to protect the waters to train. How interesting.”
Hot coffee dripped into the cup, the scent of caffeine sliding up my nose and warming my stomach. I turned around and kept my tone low. I doubted a vampire was hovering outside the door or the window. I couldn’t feel their presence close by, just as Dahlia obviously couldn’t, but I’d prefer to be cautious. Only a few people knew Sarah had stolen the grimoire. Dahlia wasn’t one of them.
“Karson doesn’t want those waters spelled any more than you do, Dahlia.”
I slid the cup across and passed her the sugar, then went to the fridge and handed her the milk. She poured it and heaped three teaspoons of sugar in. “You sure about that?”
“Of course I’m sure. What benefit would it be to him?” I slipped another mug under the machine and pressed the button.
“Oh, I don’t know.” The spoon clinked as she stirred. “To make someone immortal.”
Firstborns were the only ones with enough strength and power in their system to turn a human. Other vampires had tried to turn their loved ones, and all but a rare few had succeeded and the humans died in transition.
I scoffed, cradling the warm cup in my hands as I turned back to her. “He can already do that.”
“Not without turning them.” She stared at me pointedly. “Not without changing who they are.”
I stilled. Vampires retained a decent amount of who they were when they were sired, but it did change them. Things like empathy and compassion withered, while anger and disdain rose. The craving for blood overrode everything. The gentle became lethal.
