“Do you really wanna know?”
“Please. You don’t have to carry this alone. I’m still your best friend.”
He sucks in a breath, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Foxx went into a rage. It was rough. Violent. He told me he would make sure I would never forget who I was with. Stuff like that. I tried to get away, but he was so damn strong, Ev. I couldn’t budge. I couldn’t do anything. Foxx drank from me until I was too weak to fight, then he bit me over and over again to inject his venom.” He points to his neck, arm, and legs. To scars that I couldn’t see in the dim light but knew would be there.
“Did you know what he was doing?”
Jericho nods, still without looking at me. “I figured it out, yeah, but like I said, I was too weak to stop it. Couldn't even turn my head away when he…” He grimaces, wiping at his lips like he wants to get rid of the memory.
I want to wash it away too. I want to washallof this away. Without even thinking about it, I reach for his arm, but he jerks away.
“Don’t. Don’t pity me. It was my fault.”
“Don’t say that.”
“I went willingly, Evan.”
“No, you didn’t! You tried to stop it, and he didn’t. So don’t you dare try to lighten what he did to you! He’s a monster.”
He’s quiet for a long moment, reaching for another rock to roll between his fingers. He’s probably wishing for a pencil right now. It’s what he always used to twirl when we talked.
“How long did it—” There really is no delicate way to talk about any of this, is there? “I mean, how long were you…”
“How long was the transition?”
I nod.
“I don’t know. All I know is Foxx stayed in the room with me until it was done, then forced me to drink some of his blood. Not a lot. Just enough to heal me. He said that if I told anyone what he did, he'd hunt me down and finish the job.”
“Did you?”
“Fuck no. I was terrified. Besides, I was still too weak to do anything, so I went back to the hotel and slept. Woke up the next day with a hunger for blood and a new set of teeth.”
He looks at me through his dark lashes, then turns around, creating distance. I want to follow, but I don’t. Deep down, I know what he’s about to say.
“I killed three people that day, Evan. And there have been three more since, if I count the guy at your house.”
I fold my arms over my chest. I figured Jericho would’ve hurt people after being turned, even killed some. But that many? It’s hard to fathom.
“That's something I won'teverbe able to undo.”
“But you’re different now, Jer,” I say. “You’re more in control. I can see it.”
In the blink of an eye, Jericho has his arms around me, his face at my throat as he bends me backwards. Blood pounds in my ears as I feel his teeth graze along my skin, sending chills up my spine. A rushof fear and adrenaline, and something else—something I can’t quite place—surges through me.
“I’mhardlyin control,” Jericho whispers, his breath warming my skin. “You need to remember that.”
I put a hand to his side, becoming acutely aware of how close we are. His lips are warm against my skin, his hips against mine. I can feel him everywhere.
I swallow hard.
“Then save it for Foxx,” I say, hating the tremor in my voice. I don’t want to sound afraid, because I’m not. I trust Jericho, even if it makes no sense. “He’s the one who’s after you.”
Jericho slowly pulls away from me, licking his lips.
From bloodlust?
“Do you know why he won’t let you go? Or is that just how covens work? He turned you, so he thinks he owns you?” If only schools taught vampire hierarchy.I wouldn’t feel so stupid right now.
