I relished the brutal honesty this girl could dish out. “You don’tlook so hot yourself,” I countered.
She pulled away. “Yeah, that’s what happens when your best friendturns into an ash and gets taken to the Hive.”
I sat down and took a deep breath. “Tess, I am so, so happy I gotto see you this one time, but that’s all this can be. It’s not safe here. Ifyou sign up as a feeder, others could use you.”
She sat next to me and threw across her biggest bitch game-face.“I’m coming here every week. Every. Single. Week. If I get fed on, then so be it.”
She was daring me to counter her. I couldn’t. I was selfish enoughto know I needed her.
“I might not last a week,” I whispered, thinking of the rumors.
She put an arm around me and said, “Tell me everything.”
And I did.
Chapter 4
After talking with Tessa, Ireluctantly pulled myself from her side and returned to being an ash. I got mybunk assignment from the receptionist. I was feeling all kinds of tired afterthis shit storm, and was pleased to find out that ashes still slept. At least Imight have an escape from my newly discovered life during sleep. Thereceptionist had passed on a message from Jose, telling me how to find my room.Apparently I now had no escort. Which was fine with me. I found the righthallway no problem, level forty-four, room twelve. My card swiped open thedoor, and after seeing the room was empty, I collapsed into what was hopefullymy bed and passed out.
A scratching, thud noisehad my eyes flying open.Instinct pushed me to sitbolt upright, frantic.
Standing onthe other side of the room was a gorgeous, tall, buff guy with dark espressoskin.Welocked gazes for a few extended moments. I was awake enough then to hate on hima little for his ridiculously long eyelashes – wasted on a man, for sure – beforedeciding to speak and break the silence.
“Hi,” Isqueaked. I should have realized I’d be sharing a room with a guy. There wereno girl ashes.
He didn’thesitate to cross the room and extend his hand. “I’m Jayden, hottest chocolateash up in this bitch.” He did a flamboyant hand gesture for added measure and Icracked a smile. I had impeccable gaydar, which was definitely not requiredwith Jayden. I instantly liked him and realized that those eyelashes wereprobably very much appreciated by this particular guy.
Shaking hishand, I introduced myself. “I’m Charlie.”
“Girl, youhave the entire Hive in a frenzy. Female ash. Crazy stuff.”
I cleared mythroat. I was thirsty and not for water. “Yeah, well, no one is more surprisedthan me.”
He stiffenedthen, his rippling muscles freezing in place. “Your eyes look a little hungry.”
Breaking hisstatue-like pose, he crossed the small room and opened a little refrigeratorbefore tossing me a cold bottle of blood. “It takes a while to get the guts tofeed from a human. I’m assuming you still like blood of the bottled variety.”
I caught thebottle midair and nodded, wasting no time popping my fangs into the lid. I wasable to contain my excitement better. It wasn’t that the blood was lessorgasmic – it was all kinds of amazing – but I was gaining a little controlover my reactions.
“Thanks.”
He nodded andtook a seat across from me on his bed. Our room was tiny. Like closet small.
“Wow, theyreally roll out the red carpet for us, huh?” I gestured to the room, which heldtwo beds, the refrigerator, and a door to what I assumed was an adjoiningbathroom.
Jayden smiled.“This is shitty temp housing for the newbies. If we survive the culling, we getproper cribs.”
My face wentslack. Okay, yes, I had heard rumors, but here it was confirmed, theculling.Defined in the Webster’s dictionary as “Killing a bunch of motherfuckers off.”
Jaydennoticed my shock. “Oh my God, honey. They didn’t tell you?”
They hadn’ttold me shit, but I wasn’t going to tell him that yet. He moved and sat next tome, his warmth strangely comforting. I barely knew this guy, but for somereason I was getting legit and genuine vibes off him. There was a sense ofnurturing about him, and that made me trust him.
“Tell meeverything about this culling,” I said, letting my eyes fall on his prettyface.
His huge armsnearly ripped the seams of his shirt as he shifted back to lean on them. Hecleared his throat. “Shouldhaveknownthose bastards would keep you in the dark. Look, I really don’t want to be theone to tell you this. Basically, vampire-human sexual relations are illegal, sowe technically shouldn’t be allowed to live at all.”
That much Idid know. And something told me the worst news was still to come. Come on,don’t draw it out. Hit me with it.
