Liz pulled the chenille throw from the back of the sofa and smoothed it over her long legs, more out of residual human habit than coldness. Vampires were impervious to weather and environmental conditions, the only exception being the sun, which would fire-roast them to a crisp.
She said, “It was rough for David having a wife who couldn’t go out in the sun, didn’t eat, and kept bottles of human blood in the fridge. I totally get that.”
“Sure, but it’s kind of—and I hope you don’t mind me saying this—bullshithow quick he was to abandon ship. Look, you know I love David, but you think he would have given it more time. You guys have been together for years as boyfriend and girlfriend, but now that you’re a married couple, he bailed on you after a few months? That’s not cool, especially because it’s not even your fault that you became a vampire. It’s not like you asked for any of this.”
Back when she was still human, Liz had bitten a vampire attacker on the arm to defend herself, inadvertently swallowing his blood. Though she’d been killed during the assault, she’d later awakened in the morgue as a vampire. She hadn’t even known vampires were real until she became one.
Liz adjusted the blanket, pulling it up under her arms. “AfterI became vampire, David and I changed as a couple. He was happy that I’d come back, of course, but we were never the same. And then we went and got married anyway. I think it was our desperate way of trying to fix something that was broken beyond repair. The final nail in the coffin was when David was hospitalized after the VGO break-in.”
“I’m so sorry, Liz. Maybe it would help things if he knew Nick was dead?”
She shook her head. “Doubt it. David started berating me for being involved with vampires the instant he was released from the hospital. I’m not exaggerating. He literally started in on mein thehospital parking lotas I was pushing his wheelchair out to the car. Like I was the one who ordered the VGO to beat him up.”
This was all news to me. I’d been under the impression that David and Liz were living in domestic bliss. “What did he say?”
She scowled. “That we would never be safe as long as I was vampire. That our life was becoming nothing but endless lies. That he didn’t know how much longer he could keep up the charade.”
“The charade?”
“Well, yeah,” she said in a tone that implied it was obvious. “Everyone David and I know, barring Robert and Marlena, are human. David’s super-close with his family. His parents are always putting on barbecues at their place. All his brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles—basically everyone in his entire family goes to these things. I had to stop going once I turned vampire because they get together while the sun’s out.”
“Makes sense. Unlessyouwant to be the one barbecued,” I said, and Liz laughed hollowly.
“Anyway, David had to start making up stories about why I wasn’t going. The whole ‘she had to work last minute’ excuse can only be used so many times. He hated it, lying to his family.”She shrugged. “I guess he took a hard look at the life he was building with me and decided it wasn’t worth the hassle.”
“What is it, national Dump Your Woman month?” I sniped.
“Apparently.”
“Keep talking,” I said, heading to the kitchen pantry. “I’m just grabbing some aspirin. My head is killing me. You want another drink?”
“No, I’m good. I should go soon. I’m sure you’re tired.”
“Don’t be silly,” I assured Liz when I came back. I popped the aspirin and chugged down another glass of water, which I’d learned was the best way to prevent a hangover. That and not consuming alcohol to begin with. “It’s nice having the company. I doubt I’ll sleep much tonight anyway. I’ve got somebody from the VGO coming tomorrow night to take my blood, so I’m nervous.”
“You don’t think they’ll send Serena?”
It hadn’t occurred to me. “God, I seriously hope not,” I said with a glower deep enough to hurt my face. “I have no idea who they’ll send. Why would the VGO tellmeanything? I’m just a trifling human.”
“If they do send Serena, you should stake her.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
After a moment of silence, Liz asked, “Think you’ll go back to dating human men? Or will you stick with vamps?”
“I haven’t thought about it. I’m so sick of men that I might get a thousand cats and move to Siberia.”
“Now you’re taking things too far,” Liz said with a snort. “At least go somewhere warm with your thousand cats. Hawaii, maybe.”
8
Iwoke the next morning as the sun was coming up.
For a few blissful seconds, my sleepy mind blocked the traumatic events of the previous evening, providing some well-needed tranquility.
My thoughts, unfortunately, couldn’t stay in limbo forever. My pulse quickened and my chest tightened as my new reality came crashing down on me. Robert had not only dumped me, but he’d also cheated on me with a woman he’d claimed he didn’t even know beyond the one time we’d met her. On top of that, I was about to become homeless.
Beyond my pathetic life, Nick had been murdered. Not just murdered,decapitated. Plus, Liz and David, who I’d always viewed as the gold standard of married couples, were getting divorced. Amazing how quickly life can sour.
