After a moment spent staring, I snapped to attention.Bad Aileen. You know you can’t have that anymore.
I skirted the island, proud of myself when I only side-eyed the bowl of ice cream once before reaching the fridge. Opening it, I stuck my head inside to find it full.
Fruits and vegetables were shoved into the crisper drawers. Yogurt was lined up in neat little rows next to a carton of eggs. There were at least three different kinds of sparkling water on the top shelf and a small carton of milk sat in the fridge door.
I shut the top half, reaching down to pull open the freezer. It was as full as the upper portion with chicken as the dominant meat. I noted a bag of shrimp and several fillets of fish as well.
There was only one “unhealthy” item in the freezer, and it seemed to be whispering my name.
“You should eat me,” the pint of black raspberry ice cream crooned as I picked it up. “One bite couldn’t hurt, could it?”
“Where’d you get the food?” I asked, carefully placing the ice cream back in its place and shutting the door before I could make a bad decision and undo all the work I’d done. Six months without solids and already I was hurting. I craved my favorite foods the same way a thirsty man did water.
“I had it delivered through an app,” Deborah said with an uncertainty that made me feel guilty.
Some master I was. I couldn’t even remember the most basic of human needs. Food. Something they required every few hours to remain healthy.
It hadn’t been that long since my own time in their ranks. You’d think it would have occurred to me to make sure the fridge was stocked.
Especially since I didn’t want my location falling into the hands of enemies intent on using my death as a weapon against Thomas and Liam.
Too late now.
Here’s hoping our delivery person hadn’t been a hunter moonlighting.
“Is that okay?” Deborah turned on the stool to face me. “I didn’t see anything in the fridge, and I didn’t know if you’d be okay with me taking your car.”
“I wouldn’t have been,” I agreed. “Gwyneth is off limits to everyone but me.” Seeing her anxiety, I waved a hand at her. “It’s fine, Deborah. I never intended to starve you.”
I was just a little out of practice when it came to guests.
“You’re free to do whatever you need to feel at home,” I said, my warm smile of welcome not appearing to have the effect I intended.
“If that’s the case, do you mind if I invite Drake over? I want to check on him.”
My forehead furrowed. “That’s the human who volunteered to feed your former sire on your behalf, right? He’s new, isn’t he?”
I’d seen him around the Gargoyle a few times, but that was about it. I’d never fed off him. Though I was pretty sure some of the enforcers had.
“He’s been around for a few months. He came in via recruitment.”
That fit with what I knew of him.
“Let’s hold off on inviting him over,” I suggested.
At least until Dominick and his vampires were no longer an issue. It was probably nothing, but I didn’t like how Dominick jumped in on Chadwick’s behalf. Like it or not, humans, with their ability to be compelled, were a security risk I didn’t want to take.
Until this situation was resolved, I’d feel safer if Deborah was the only human with knowledge of my location.
Deborah didn’t seem any more reassured than she had been earlier.
Hoping to change the subject, I nodded at the bowl in front of her. “I see you got Graeters.”
Too bad it was beginning to look more like soup.
Deborah nudged the ice cream at me, the strain on her face finally easing. “I’m not hungry anymore. Do you want the rest?”
It was instinct to drop my gaze to her bowl.
