“It’s no bother, I’m a nurse, and you’re my friend. You know I’ll help you if you need it.”
“I know.”
She scowled. “Who hurt you?” Her eyes widened. “Not Kars?—”
“No. It was Leah.” I didn’t know why I jumped in so fast to protect him.
“I don’t know how you live in this world.” She directed that comment to Monique.
Monique shrugged. “Emotions are different when you’re a vampire. Besides, you see enough and eventually it stops affecting you.”
Georgie took a big mouthful of her drink and rolled it round in her mouth before she gulped it noisily down. There was a long moment of silence as she peered up at me. “I’m sorry for being such a bitch these last few weeks. You saved my life. I guess I could’ve been a little more grateful.”
Emotion panged in my chest. Relief. Guilt too. I was about to leave her in a house filled with vampires. But she had Mary and Josh; he was more human than vampire. “It’s fine, I understand it’s a lot to take in.”
“It’s not fine, I was scared, but so were you, and we should have been there for each other.”
“It’s alright, Georgie.” I squeezed her arm.
“So.” Georgie ran a finger around the side of her glass after another long silence. “How does it work when you fuck humans, do you drink first or after? Like, do you wake up and go, ‘morning honey’ and then chomp into their neck and then fool around?”
Monique waited until the barmaid slid over three more drinks before she answered sweetly, “Why do you ask? Are you thinking of offering your services?”
“No offense, you’re stunning.” She ran her eyes up and down Monique’s tightly clad body. “But I’m not into girls.”
Monique sent her eyes to the heavens. “Good to know, Georgie.”
I smiled, trying to act as normal as I could.
“And anyway, I’m happily taken.” She fiddled absently with her notably empty ring finger.
Energies of witches and vampires filtered in amongst the crowd. I glanced at Monique—she would feel it too, but she remained unconcerned. Witches and vampires were not uncommon, especially at bars.
A thin guy with thick curly dark hair, carrying a guitar in one hand, began to set up on stage. According to the name written in white on a black chalkboard, it was Sam Clifford.
Georgie looked at me, a softness in her bloodshot eyes. “I don’t know what happened today, and you don’t need to tell me until you’re ready, but I do know I’ve never seen anyone look at someone the way Karson looks at you. He looks at you like he would jump in front of a bus to save you.”
Her words struck the charred pieces of my heart. She patted my hand. “I can’t believe I just defended a vampire. I must be drunk, take no notice of me. Watch my purse.” She placed her purse on the bar and stood up. “I need to pee.”
I watched her as she zigzagged around the crowd, stumbling as she moved down toward the toilets.
Distract yourself, Amy, don’t think about it. Don’t think about him.I could cry later, I would cry later, but for now I needed Monique to believe I was coping. I looked around, seeking a distraction. On the dancefloor, two slender women in their forties, fake hair, fake boobs, and fake lips were dancing seductively. A few younger men nearby watched them with keen interest.
“Are they thinking they might be an easy pick-up?” I nodded in their direction.
“I don’t know, mind reading is not one of my skills, but if the tent pegging in that guy’s pants is any indication I would say so.”
I glanced at her line of sight. A tall, nerdy-looking boy with sandy hair and freckled arms, anatomy pointed like a fire hydrant in their direction. He shuffled on his feet and tried to cover his erection with his jacket.
I chuckled and it was genuine. “I actually almost hope that’s a pistol in his pocket.”
“It’s a pistol alright and it’s ready to shoot.” Monique grinned.
“Oh, that’s gross.”
Monique laughed and it lit up her whole face. A few eyes drew her way; she was stunning when she laughed.
The singer began to strum his guitar and sing a Keith Urban song. Fucking great, just what I needed to hear about some poor heartbroken guy being drunk and alone and wanting to cry when the one person you loved in the world betrayed you. I snorted a bitter laugh out of my nose, slammed down the rest of my drink, and reached for another.
