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After removing his shoes, I pull the covers over him. His hand catches my wrist as I’m about to step away, and he mumbles sleepily, “Shower before you get in the bed.”

I tug my arm back. “Excuse me?”

“You smell like her.”

“I smell like who?”

Rhenn yawns, rolling to his side facing the wall. “The human.”

I take a small step away from the bed, watching him curiously. Do vampires get drunk the same as normal people? Because he would have to be completely out of it to not realize I’m the one he’s been talking to this entire time.

Though, if that is the case…

“Why don’t you like her?”

“Babe,” Rhenn grumbles, the word neither a question nor a statement but a warning to drop this conversation.

I pause a moment, now knowing it’s the faerie he thinks is in the room with him. “Um, yeah?”

“You know I don’t like talking about the stray.”

My back tenses, something in my chest sinking. I hate that he calls me that. It makes me feel so worthless, like I’m less than nothing. The worst part is that I can’t even argue against it. Almost every person who’s ever been in my life has left me. I have no one here, and that’s why his words sting so much. They’re true.

Stray.

Hanging my head, I step toward the door, ready to pull it closed when he starts talking again. “She’s worse than I was expecting. Always acting so fucking innocent.”

I know I should just walk away. Rhenn has made it clear from day one he doesn’t like me. But why? Why does he let me stay here if he hates me? What could I have possibly done to make him so angry all the time?

“What did she do to you?” I ask, my voice hard. I’m beyond tired of this back and forth. Just get it out in the open. Tell me what I did.

“She ruined my life.” He pulls the blanket higher up his body. “Now I’m going to ruin hers.”

I stare at him, baffled, confused, and now angry. This guy is absolutely delusional, and I’m suddenly feeling real petty. Rhenn can play mister righteous, but he’s the one who’s making my life miserable, not the other way around. I’m just trying to survive here and get home.

Finding myself in his kitchen, I look around. When my gaze lands on the drawer that houses the silverware, I let out a “screw you” humph and pull it open, eyeing the target.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

RHENN

My head pounds, a vicious ache throbbing in rhythm with my beating chest. I’d blame the half bottle of faerie wine I downed last night, knowing that was far more than any person with half a mind would ingest in one sitting, but that would only be partly true.

The creeping sun climbs through the cracked window, forcing me to roll over, bringing the blanket to cover my face. It’s far too early to be up. My entire body craves rest, desperate for a few more hours to maybe wake up feeling at least a fraction better than I do now. Exhaustion will have to do, however. I don’t want to risk another dream like the one I woke from. One filled with her dark hair and luring voice.

Can’t even escape her in my fucking sleep.

I rub my temples, coaxing the hammering away. It helps, at least enough to get me out of bed. My feet drag across the cold hardwood. I feel like a zombie as I make my way to the kitchen, thinking of only one thing: food. I desperately need something to fill the emptiness of my stomach, and some form of liquid to coat the desert that is my mouth. It takes seconds to down two glasses of room temperature water. I toss the cup in the sink, then pull open the drawer to its left, reaching haphazardly for a fork so I can dig into the leftovers at the back of the fridge. My fingers brush against cool plastic. Drained from a night of drinking, I rip the drawer farther open, scanning the empty space where my forks should be.

What the hell? Turning back to the sink, I check the drying mat, seeing only a single plate.

With a groan, I head for the bathroom, force a shower, and try to find a state of calm.

The water runs down my face in warm streams, washing away yesterday’s grime and nothing more. My head still pounds, the thing looking to take me over still grows, and every one of my problems still encapsulates me.

New day, same regrettable shit.

I pull on a fresh pair of sweats and a clean tee. There’s not a damn thing I have to do today until later this evening, and I’m going to spend it in the solitude of silence in my home. Though, silence never was my friend. It only allows the unrelenting thoughts to speak louder.