“No, unfortunately, you are far too bright to hide from the world forever. Hopefully we find the Slayer tonight and the merry band of the undead will fuck off out of my house.”
“Then what, Warin?”
She asked me the same question last night, my answer is the same, but I know she doesn’t want to hear it.
Her tone is deeply suspicious, and I tilt my head and assess her. She’s had access to my quarters all day. What did the little witch find that has her on edge?
“Whatever you wish. Despite what you may think, I’m not your captor.”
Her fist is under her chin as she blinks at me like I’m an idiot, before rolling her eyes. All I can do is smile at her as I lean back on the pillows.
“Are you still upset?” I ask.
Wrong fucking thing to stay.
She stands, her hands on her hips as she laughs sardonically.
“Am I still upset? Which part, Warin? Am I upset that you tricked me into this arrangement, for reasons I don’t understand? Or am I upset that I’m potentially being hunted by a vampire slayer? Oh! Or maybe it’s the fact that I am, in fact, a prisoner in your house filled with vampires.”
“Did Samantha give you the items you need for your condition? Is that what this is about?”
Again, the wrong fucking thing to say. Before I can even read her expression, her wand is out and items start flying right at my face.
I catch two books, before a metal globe hits me square in the fucking nose, breaking it, as blood gushes down my face.
“Fuck,” I hiss, grabbing a pillow and placing it on my face.
“Oh, Hecate, I thought you’d catch everything,” Ember says, coming to sit next to me on the bed.
It doesn’t hurt, I can feel the cartilage and bone piecing back together, the loss of blood is an issue, but she doesn’t need to know that.
She pulls the pillow back, glancing at the blood and swallowing thickly.
“Sorry,” she whispers, holding my chin, and inspecting the wound. Her eyes are glassy and there’s clear guilt on her face.
“I’m old enough to know the mention of a woman’s period isn’t something you bring up,” I reply, taking the blame. I shouldn’t bait her when she’s already upset.
“Regardless, I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she says, her wand out and ready to heal my nose.
I place my hand over hers.
“No need. It’s already healed.”
She doesn’t pull her hand away from me immediately, and I consider that progress.
“I’m not one to sit idle. I need to get out of this room, out of this house. I can’t miss the full moon.”
“I will make it happen. Whether we find the Slayer tonight or not, I promise you that you will not be trapped in here forever.”
She looks skeptical, and I take a risk, touching her warm hand again, rubbing my thumb against her smooth soft skin.
“I promise, Ember. The last thing I want is for you to be displeased with me.”
She looks at me curiously and sighs.
I stand, letting the sheets fall away from me. I’m slightly lightheaded, but ignore the feeling as I grab my shirt from the waist and tug it over my head.
“What are you doing?” she says in a choked voice, though she doesn’t look away from my shirtless chest.
