“It should be here in two minutes,” I told Finn.
“Oh, okay.” He sighed with relief. “Thank you. I don’t even know why I didn’t call one myself.”
I rubbed his back, and he leaned into the touch. Internally, I was screaming with joy, but on the outside, I stayed calm and collected. Finn needed someone right now, and though I was the worst person for the job, I was here, so I’d step up.
“You said you vomited blood. I imagine that was pretty scary for you. It’s only natural for you not to make the most logical decisions in such a stressful situation.”
Finn nodded, his shoulders relaxing a fraction, but his face was still tight with worry. “I guess you’re right. Thank you. Oh, uh… do you want to exchange numbers so I can pay you back?”
I blinked at him.
“I’m coming with you,” I told him in no uncertain terms. Since I’d revealed myself to him, I might as well stay by his side. That way, I could make sure the doctors took his problems seriously. Especially since I didn’t trust Finn not to downplay his symptoms.
“Oh.” Finn bit his lip. “Thank you, but I don’t want to ruin your night. I don’t think spending hours in the ER with me is what you imagined you’d be doing tonight.”
Ha! No, no, it wasn’t. But having him close once again, no matter the circumstances, was more than enough.
“I like spending time with you,” I said, giving him a reassuring smile. “And I don’t think you should be alone right now.”
In the end, Finn didn’t put up much of a fight.
It might have been because of his exhaustion or the fact that a part of him didn’t want to be alone in the hospital, but he didn’t protest at all when I climbed into the Uber too. And he only protested a little when I climbed out after him at the hospital. And when the nurse led him to a room, well, by then he was shaking like a leaf and way too nervous to tell me to fuck off.
Fortunately, the doctor took his symptoms seriously, immediately admitted him, ordered a gastroscopy, and had his blood drawn.
By then, Finn told me to go home, and as much as I didn’t want to, making a scene in front of the hospital staff seemed unwise, so I had no other choice but to agree.
Outside the hospital, I checked my phone.
Seven messages and three missed calls.
Fuck.
Things appeared to be urgent.
I sighed as I hit the callback button.
The bass of the music vibrated through my body, though I hadn’t entered the club yet—a steady, quick rhythm that doubtlessly had the crowd writhing on the dance floor. To me, however, it was grating on my nerves, shredding the last ounce of patience I had to pieces.
Never in my existence had I imagined returning to CRAVE so soon, yet here I was, slowly approaching the line in front of the dark red brick building that used to be a warehouse a long, long time ago.
Blue light bled through the old overhead windows, the shadows licking at the buildings across the street. Even out here, the air was heavy with the smell of alcohol and sweat.
The people in line were giggling and chatting, seemingly unbothered by the cold as they waited to be let into the seedy hell they called a club.
Fortunately, I didn’t need to bother waiting. The bouncer, a vampire himself, knew to let me in. Well, I guess he had orders to let all paranormals in, as I’d never ever seen one standing in line.
“Thanks,” I said as he pulled aside the heavy velvet curtain to let me in. A wave of noise and smells assaulted me. If I’d thought it’d been bad out there, it was so much worse in here.
I walked a couple of steps along the small hallway, then stopped to gather my bearings.
Clubs were literal hell to me. They were tolerable once I got used to them, but for the first few seconds, it was just too much for my senses. Too much noise, too many smells, too many heartbeats calling for me at once.
Why some vampires loved places like this so much was a mystery to me. Sure, there was no easier way to find a snack for the night, but to me, putting up with this environment just wasn’t worth it.
After a while, I adjusted to all the noise and headed further in.
Bennie had been clear. Go directly to the bar, Aries would be waiting for me.
