Evan hesitates, then closes his mouth around the wound and sucks. I can hear his heart racing, feel every rapid breath against my skin as his body fights to survive. The gentle pull of my blood makes my cock ache. Makes me want to dig my fingers into his hair… and I absolutely hate myself for it.
I cannot feel things for Evan again. I justcan’t.
After a few strong swallows, I pull my arm away and lift his shirt again to examine the wound. It takes a few seconds for the flesh to begin stitching itself back together, but when it does, my shoulders relax. Thank the stars and moon and all that is holy.My friend will live.
Still a little weak, Evan reaches out to wipe something off my chin, and my stomach sinks when his hand comes away streaked with crimson.Well, shit.
How many times have I imagined the moment when Evan finally learns what I am? Dozens, at least. But none of them had involved me killing someone right in front of him. None of them had him looking at me likethateither. Like I’mnotsome sort of monster…
I'd always hoped for that. Hoped, but never truly believed.
Taking a steadying breath, I force my gums to relax, sheathing the deadly daggers before checking Evan’s injuries one more time. His skin is warm under my touch, yet almost fully healed. “Are you okay?”
He’s quiet for a moment, still studying me. “I know what you are, Jer.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
He clears his throat, voice coming out a little raspy. “I've been looking for you for six months. Well, longer actually, but I've known for about six months.”
Add that to the list of things I never imagined.“How?”
He pulls away to sit up, turning on his hip so he can still see me. Blood is smeared across his mouth, his blond hair mussed, and those damn blue eyes pierce me right in the heart.
He’s just as beautiful as I remember.
“Davey Wright,” he says.
I rock back on my heels. “No.Yousent him?”
Evan rolls his eyes. “Yes, and if you hadn’t been so fucking reactive, he would have told you why he was there! I hired him to find you, not kill you. And that guy,” he gestures to Dead Guy on the floor behind me, “has been on my tail ever since.”
I open my mouth to reply, but what can I say? I’m sorry doesn’t feel right.
Shame coils in my belly, spreading out to my chest. Evanknows.He knows what I am and what I’m capable of. And worse? He knows what I’ve done. He’sseenit.
Silence passes between us as unspoken questions swim in Evan’s eyes. I have longed for this moment since I was turned, regret eating at me for leaving Comstead, but now that I’m here, I have no idea what to say. I can’t tell him the truth; it would haunt him worse than it haunts me.
Instead, I look away.
“I saw you once,” Evan continues. His voice is strong but somehow broken too. “About nine months ago in Prodigy. You were blinded to everything around you, and you looked, I don’t know… lost, I guess. It scared the hell out of me, to be honest. I’ve never seen you so conflicted. I wanted to get to you, but the street was too busy. By the time it cleared, you’d completely vanished. Without even a trace, you were gone. But that's when I knew for certain something had happened. So, I hired Davey, and after two months of searching, he finally found you… drinking from someone at a club.”
His soft tone surprises me. I always thought Evan would be disgusted that I drink blood now, but it almost sounds as if he understands. That can't possibly be true, can it? Can my best friend really be okay with what I am now? A dangerous vampire?
“Davey left as soon as he realized you'd been changed. He doesn't trust vampires, and I guess he had good reason not to when his sister was killed by one.”
I swallow hard. If Evan knew how many peopleI’vekilled…
“It took a lot of convincing to get him to go back, and then you just fucking killed him!”
“Because I thought he was going to kill me! I had a shit night when he tailed me, Ev. I had enemies chasing me. Real ones. I thought he was one of them.”
“I know.” Evan shoots a look at the man behind me. “But so do I now. Or did, I guess.”
My breath hitches. “Are there more after you?”
He shrugs. “Not that I know of. I think Davey owed that guy money or something because as soon as he heard I was his last client, he came after me to pay up. He’s been tailing me for two months.”
If Evan expects an apology for killing Davey or the guy behind us, I don’t give him one. Davey shot me with a sedative. How was I supposed to know he wasn’t the enemy? Still, I hate what I’ve done, and what I am, but more than that, I hate that I hurt Evan. He was, andis,the only person I care about, and I hurt him in the worst way when I disappeared.
