“Where’s this politeness coming from?” she says, feigning surprise.
“I’m trying to sleep,” I say.
“I’d tell you to move to another room, but we both know you’d miss me.”
“Piss off,” I say.
“I know you’re obsessed with me, Cassie,” she says, and I scoff. She doesn’t bother looking at me again when she continues speaking. “I have a feeling you don’t quite understand how vampire senses work. Perhaps they haven’t taught you this in Integration yet, but they’re, how should I put this?” She closes her book, staring up at the ceiling. “Heightened.”
“How so?” I ask. I already know the answer, but maybe if I listen to more of her arrogance I’ll stop finding her so bloody attractive.
“It’s in our nature,” she says. “Vampires are predators. Humans,you,Cassie, are our perfect prey.”
I fight the urge to laugh. A few too many vampires have made the mistake of assuming that. And now they’re smoke and dust.
“Are you threatening me?” I ask, crossing my legs.
“Of course not!” she says, sitting up. “I just want you to understand that my senses are much more refined than yours. I can hear, see,feel,far better than you can. If you spy on me, I’ll know. If you lie to me, I’ll know that, too.” She taps her fingers on the coffin. “I can prove it. Let’s try with a simple yes-or-no question.”
“I don’t want to prove anything to you,” I say.
The wind rattles our window, the highest branches hitting the pane. She’s opened the heavy shutters, and the moon is almost full, perched upon silver clouds.
“Here’s a fun one,” she says, leaning back slightly. Her eyes meet mine when she asks: “Are you hiding something?”
Is she ontome?
“Everyone is hiding something,” I say, and she purses her lips, disappointed.
“Sure.” She seems to think for a moment, furrowing her brows before asking again. “Why come to Tynahine if you hate vampires?”
“I have vampire—”
“Friends?” she interrupts, scoffing. “Only for appearances,” she says. “I’m pretty sure you can’t stand them.”
She’s wrong.I can’t believe that the thought crosses my mind, but I don’t, in fact, hate Ife and Julia. I should, considering they’re vampires. But there’s nothing unsettling about their company. Unlike hers.
“Has it not occurred to you that perhaps the only vampire I dislike isyou,Your Highness?” Humor slips from her face, hardening at the last two words I said. “I suppose that innatesuperiorityof yours is only good at…” I pause, narrowing my eyes. “Are you good at anything, aside from sleeping around?”
“Be careful, Cassie,” she says, a growl in her throat. One more push, and she’ll lash out. She’ll show her true colours and we’ll put an end to this charade.
But instead, Aliz Astra pulls the black curtains shut. “How boring,” I whisper, knowing she’ll hearme.
Before I fall asleep, a plan starts to materialise in my mind. Once I have Penny’s book and my revenge is secured, I’ll stop taking my garlic supplements. I’ll stay undercover just a few days longer than I’m supposed to, and I’ll put Aliz Astra through hell. I’ll stay just long enough to see the look on her face.
Maybe I’ll bleed for her. Then she’ll be the oneobsessed.I’ll have her on her knees, I’ll let her have a taste. She’ll lick blood from my fingers, and she’ll plead for more. I’ll make her break the treaties; I’ll drive her insane. And then I’ll go, and she’ll spend the rest of her wretched eternity dying to taste me again.
Chapter
Nine
I wake the next morning with a cool dampness between my legs and pain shooting up my back. I already know, before I move, before looking down, what that pain is. Penny prepared me for this. She said to use either tampons or a cup, no pads, and I won’t draw attention to myself. Cramps squeeze at my lower back, making my legs ache, and I wish that I could tear out my ovaries.
The one thing shedidn’tprepare me for, was disposal. Because I didn’t think I’d have a vampire roommate. I find tampons to be the most comfortable, but I can’t imagine having to go outside every time I change a tampon. Even if my blood smells bad, the thought of a vampire rummaging through the bins makes me nauseous. I fish through my things for the silicone cup, brand new, still in its box. I’ve never worn one before, but it can’t be too difficult, right?
I hear Astra in her coffin, mumbling nonsense in her sleep. I focus on the instructions of the cup. I have to sterilise it before putting it in, and luckily enough, the microwave will do the trick.
But using the microwave means crossing into her side of the room. If she can use it in the middle of the night without waking me, thenI should be able to do the same. I make a makeshift pad with toilet paper, and I tiptoe over, tugging at the curtains.
