“A huntress in a library, who would have thought you could even read.” His eyes flicked briefly between us, but he didn’t wait for her to respond. He turned and walked away.
“Not only can I read, but I can also happily write your obituary, Rohan,” Dahlia replied.
Rohan didn’t turn back; he merely gave her the finger over his shoulder.
The witch on the table clutched a hand over her mouth and giggled. She was younger than the brunette who came over, andher hair was a shade darker, but she had the same thin features, the same straight nose; sisters, if I had to guess.
We all watched Rohan until the room wavered and he disappeared. “I almost wanted him to keep arguing just to see what his punishment would be.” The brunette smiled. “I really don’t understand why vampires and witches hate each other so much for what happened years ago. It’s like putting someone in jail because their long-dead relative committed a crime. It’s dumb.”
She had a fair point. It seemed pretty stupid to me too.
Dahlia rested her hand on a chair. “The problem is what many vampires did in the past didn’t get absolved, given they are still alive today.”
“I guess, but wouldn’t it be much nicer if we could all get along?”
Dahlia looked at her like she’d lost her mind. She folded her arms. “No.”
The brunette’s eyes flared. “Right, well, I’ll just get back to River.” She scurried off before I could thank her for coming over to help.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded. “Did you follow me?”
Dahlia pulled out a chair and sat beside me. “Not exactly.” I raised my brows and waited for her to go on. “I had a feeling you’d try to come here, and what better time to sneak out than when Karson is resting.”
How did she know Karson was resting? Unless she was involved.With other ears so close by, I bit my tongue.“So, you just sat here and waited for me to turn up?”
She shrugged and picked at her nail. “Something like that.”
“You seriously need to get a life.”
“My duty is my life.”
“That’s sad.”
“Oh, because your life working in a bar, living on your own in the middle of nowhere was so riveting.”
The dig at my job hit harder than it should have. Tom used to tell me all the time to get a career, not to stay in a dead-end job, but unlike him I never knew what I wanted to be. Besides, I enjoyed bar work, mostly. I folded my arms and scowled. “I live with Ethan!”
“Even worse,” she drawled.
I studied her. Her hair was neat, her clothes the usual, but she wore no mascara, as if she gotten dressed in a hurry. As if she had followed me here. “How close are you staying to Karson’s?”
She sat back, draped her arm over the chair beside her, and looked casually around the room. “Where I stay is my business and not one I want any vampire knowing.”
It made sense; she would always have to be on guard. At home was probably the only time she felt safe. I wanted to press her, but not here. Besides, I doubted she’d answer. I opened the book and pretended to scan the pages. “You told me to come here and learn. I can’t learn with you nagging at me.”
“What have you learned?”
“That witches like sacrificing young virgins.”
Dahlia’s brow flickered and she dropped her arm down. She even had the good grace to look uncomfortable, but it didn’t last long, and her expression was sour again. “What else?”
“Nothing.”
“Have you read about The Death Bringer yet?”
At the sound of the name, my stomach churned.
I sighed. “No, not yet. I was rudely interrupted, but if you have something to say, just say it.”
