I licked my lips, anticipating the taste on my tongue. Suddenly, I felt hungrier than I had in a long time.
“This was the flavor you had last time, right?” Deborah asked, glancing doubtfully down at the ice cream.
“Yes.”
My voice sounded flat and emotionless, giving away none of my turmoil as I dug my fingernails into my arm to keep from moving.
Who would have thought the iron willpower, that had resisted the call of blood lust countless times, would crumple in the face of a cold sugary treat?
Not me. That was for certain.
It made the losing battle I was fighting against myself all the more pitiful as I eased forward a tiny inch.
One bite. That’s all I needed.
Just one tiny, insignificant, little bite that probably wouldn’t affect me anyway.
I joined Deborah at the island and reached for the bowl, touching cool porcelain an instant before it disappeared from the island.
An angry protest left my throat as I looked up to find Connor standing across from me with the bowl in his hand and a disapproving expression on his face.
“First rule to staying in this house,” Connor said, looking at Deborah. “Under no circumstances is Aileen allowed food. She’s on a restrictive diet for health reasons. Apparently, she cannot be trusted to make good decisions on her own behalf.”
“One bite wouldn’t kill me,” I argued halfheartedly.
Connor’s glance was censorious. “It might.”
“Unlikely.”
Words like forbidden hadn’t come up when my health was being discussed. The vampire doctor had only said it wasn’t recommended.
It was a loophole I planned to exploit as much as possible.
“Nice try,” Connor said. “But we both know you’re not supposed to have any food until you’ve passed your first century.”
I curled a lip in a sneer. “Spoilsport.”
Connor ignored my dissatisfaction as he shifted his attention to Deborah. “Do you agree to abide by this rule?”
I sent her puppy dog eyes while shaking my head.Say no, Debs.
Deborah didn’t spare me a look before she nodded her agreement. “Of course.”
Damn it. Betrayed by the very person I’d rescued. I thought she was supposed to be on my side.
Connor handed the bowl back to her. “I’m glad we could reach an accord.”
I mocked him behind his back, mouthing the words before pulling a face.
He reached over to pat me on the head. “Sister, your immaturity is beginning to show.”
I knocked his hand off me. “Oh, yeah? Well, you’re a giant stick in the mud.”
It wasn’t fair he could use his reputation as being slightly deranged to intimidate my companion into agreeing with every word out of his mouth.
Grumbling to myself, I almost missed the pink and green blob that wobbled across the room like a drunken butterfly. It crashed into Deborah’s hand, knocking her bowl to the ground before face planting on the island.
The bowl shattered, pieces catapulting all over the floor.
