Then, a moment later:Miss you.
Charlie. Using Viktor's phone probably. Safe, fed, and presumably surrounded by other vampires who didn't judge him for being different.
"Stay safe."Simon texted.In his experience, vampires didn't do understanding. They did hierarchy and hunger and backstabbing.
But Simon's experience was being called severely into question.
He read Charlie's text again. The vampire was missing him already.
"Don't be needy," Simon wrote, then immediately felt a little bit bad about it.
Was there any point in pushing Charlie away when he didn't really want to?
"You should go to him," Noah said, watching Simon with those unremarkable eyes that occasionally held too much light.
"Why?"
"Because he's yours." Noah said simply. "The blood bond you share… it's already telling you something's wrong, isn't it? That hollow pull in your chest, the certainty that you need to be there."
Simon's hand moved unconsciously to his sternum, where that pull lived like a second heartbeat. Even through the dulling effect of Reuben's pills, he could feel it. Charlie's contentment mixed with an underlying uncertainty that made Simon's teeth ache.
Noah pulled a card from his pocket—a library card, worn and ordinary. "My direct number's on the back. When you’ve figured out what's true, call me."
Simon took the card. "I don't know why I would trust you or anything you say."
"That's something you'll have to decide for yourself." Noah's expression remained calm. "But I hope I could at least make you question some of what you're being told. And I know you'll take care of Charlie. That works for me."
"Why doyoucare so much about Charlie?"
"Like I said," Noah smiled, "he's exceptional." He turned back to his cart. "The library closes in fifteen minutes. You should probably go."
Simon stared at the strange librarian for a moment longer, pondering everything he'd been told, everything that he couldn't quite believe. "My mother. You really think she was collateral damage?"
Noah's expression softened. "She loved you. Fought for you. Died thinking she'd failed to protect you." He paused. "Reuben turned that love into your chains. Don't let him keep you bound with her memory."
Simon left without another word, moving through the stacks on autopilot. The security guard was awake now, watching something on his phone. Normal people doing normal things while Simon's world began to fall apart at the seams.
Outside, the night air felt thick with possibility and threat.
What should he do?
Part of him wanted to confront Reuben with all the information Noah had just imparted on him. He needed his mentor to tell him that it was all lies.
Or if it wasn't, he needed to put a blade through the man's heart.
But if he did that, he was just as likely to end up with a blade inhisheart.
Or strapped to a chair.
It was a risk he was willing to take.
Except…
He looked at his phone.
He had someone to protect, didn't he? And he couldn't protect anyone if Reuben took him into custody.
He texted Charlie again, and then he found his bike where he'd left it.
