“A Guild member. He says he’s some kind of rogue vampire?”
“A what?”
“I’m not really sure about that part. It’s not important, I don’t think. The important part is… they want me to bring you in.”
“Bring me in?”
“To the Guild.”
“They want you to betray me?”
“Kinda? But I’m not sure.”
“Which part aren’t you sure about?”
“I’m not sure they’re… the bad guys.”
I walk over to the kitchen counter that separates me from her and brace my hands on it. “I think you should start from the beginning. I didn’t even know about these Guild people until right before I met you. Paul never told me, so I’m not sure what any of this means.”
“Well. I grew up with them.” She sighs, like it’s a lot more complicated than that. “I’m not sure what they are to me, but they used to be my family. Until they sent me to White River, that is.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. They set me up. They told me that they were sending me somewhere safe?—”
“And they sent you straight to me.”
“Yep.”
“Which turns out to be the very short end of the stick as far as deals go.”
She shrugs, but doesn’t disagree.
“So… why are you telling me? Why not just tell them so they can come get me?”
“Oh, they know where you are.” She holds up a finger. “And I didn’t tell them that, by the way. There’s a lounge in the general store in town.” She must read my confusion because she wipes a hand through the air. “Never mind all that. The point is, theycan’t come get you. They’re afraid of you. They want me to talk you into this.”
“Is that what you’re doing?”
“No. I’m not going to talk you into anything. I don’t trust them and I don’t think you should either. I’m just telling you what happened because we’ve got enough shit between us right now, ya know? We don’t need secrets.”
This answer actually gives me hope. “You have no idea how much I appreciate what you just said.”
“Oh, I have an idea.” Then she laughs, letting out a long breath. “I like you, Ryet. I want you to know that. I’m confused, and I feel cheated, and I don’t know if we have a future together. But if I have to choose between you and them? I’m choosing you. I’m not going to leave you for them, even though Tristin promised that they will let me read the books.”
“What books?”
“The ones in the library. I was a librarian for them for the past several years, until you got too close when my grandma was dying and they made me leave. It’s filled with all kinds of information that I was never allowed to know. Things about me. Things that would explain me.”
“And now they’re using that to bribe you?”
“That’s how it feels.”
“What do they want with me?”
“I don’t know, really. Something about babies, I think.”
“Ourbabies?”
