I wanted to punch him in his pretty face so badly.
I grabbed the plastic bag out of his hands, taking out the toothbrush and paste and then began digging through the random assortment of clothing balled inside. “What is all this?” I asked.
A faded band t-shirt, some jeans that would have been big on me, gym shorts, a pink sparkly tank top with a rainbow emblazoned on the front, and a pleated, plaid mini skirt.
He shrugged. “It’s four in the morning; I couldn’t exactly go shopping. And like I said, I never met her. I didn’t know her size, and this was the best I could do with what I had.” He continued to stare at her. “She’s cute. What did she do?”
“Get out,” I growled.
He held his hands up in submission and slowly backed out of the room. “Got it, alpha, damn. Well, um, call if you need anything else, then. Sorry again for wasting your time earlier.”
Arlen left, the door quietly clicking shut behind him, and I took another deep breath.
I had to separate my feelings for Sage from the need to see this through. Because even if it felt like every cell in my body was screaming at me to help her run away, I just couldn’t. I selfishly didn’t want to die.
And that made me feel like the biggest piece of shit in Lundaria.
After another hour, a nurse came in with her medicine and care instructions, then disconnected Sage from the machines.She told me I should go fuck myself as she left, and I couldn’t even be mad.
“Where are my clothes?” she asked, one hand gripping the hospital gown closed behind her.
I gave her the bag from Arlen. “Here. I know it’s not much of a choice, but I wanted you to have one.”
Her cheeks blushed. “Oh, thanks. I think. Um, do you mind stepping out then?”
I nodded and went outside, leaning against the door as I listened to the rustle of plastic and fabric. Then the sound of running water told me she’d found the toothbrush, and a couple of minutes later she came out of the room.
She’d chosen the band t-shirt and the mini skirt.
Even her legs had bite marks on them, and my gaze narrowed in anger.
She saw me staring and started to fidget. “I know it’s not pretty, but the other bottoms didn’t fit.”
My eyes snapped up to her face. Did she think I found her hard to look at?
I did, but not for the reasons she was thinking.
I reacted on instinct, pulling her into my chest and wrapping my arms around her tightly. She fit perfectly right under my chin, and I rested it on top of her head. “You are exquisite. The only thing I wish I could change is how we met. Why couldn’t Ravaric have nudged me in your direction five years ago, hm? Or maybe Hecara’s to blame,” I chuckled.
She breathed me in, relaxing her body against mine, and I felt her heartbeat begin to steady. The heart that first belonged to someone else.
Then she pulled back slightly, lifting up on her tiptoes to kiss me on the cheek. “I blame Sanguiel.”
I burst out laughing, hugging her again. “Yeah, it’s all his fault. Fucking vampires.”
“Fucking vampires,” she repeated on a sigh.
14
The Deal is Done
“You should sleep,” I said as we made our way to Noctis.
We’d been on the road for hours, and all she’d done the whole time was look out the window from the front passenger seat.
Normally, I made my bounties sit in the back, but I wanted her close. I wanted to be able to reach out and touch her. Pretend she was my girlfriend, that we were just going on a fun road trip.
And that this wasn’t a death march.
