Blood Trial Supernatural Battle (Vampire Towers #1) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,26

his name Dean?”

“Dean who? Theodore is the total hottie who came into work yesterday making business enquiries for his dad’s catering company.”

“Tell me everything. Right now.”

Tommy snorted. “That’s all I have. It’s only been a day. Except… I’ve never felt the floor disappear from under me before. And I did when I saw him for the first time.”

Uhm, oh my god. That was an admission and a half from my bestie. “Is this one for keepsies then?” I stole a look at her.

She tucked her phone away and rearranged her cardigan. “Early days, Basil.”

“Hypothetically speaking, if you still liked this guy a lot after a few weeks, would you have the exclusivity discussion with him?” I’d wanted to quiz her on this subject for a while.

Tommy bit her lip. “I don’t know. I like things to be new and exciting—that weightless feeling at the beginning of a fling. I don’t want stuff to get old and boring.”

Tommy’s parents divorced when she was young. Her mother left Bluff City and rarely contacted her. Was that what bothered my friend? She thought once the honeymoon period was done that people no longer cared for each other?

“I see what you mean,” I admitted. “Though relationships change, Tom. The first few months is all infatuation that doesn’t mean much, even though he’s all you can think about at the time. After that, things get deeper, slower, and you really get to know the other person.”

“You’re basing that off your one relationship with Ricky Pikar when you were nineteen?”

I smiled. “Yes. And Fernando’s Eighth Ab.”

“Marjory never stood a chance,” Tommy whispered, licking her lips. “He had eight abs to start. Then there was that twist at the end where he had ten.”

Husky laughter bubbled up my throat. How the hell was I capable of mirth when the high-rise of doom was looming ahead?

“But Serious Street.” I caught her hand and tugged her close. “Don’t look at relationships as permanent. Look at them as an exploration or experiment. If you don’t like it, then maybe relationships aren’t for you right now—or at all. That’s fine too.”

She brushed a strand of short brown hair off her cheek. “Theodore may be a terrible lay. I won’t hold my breath just yet.”

“That’s my girl.”

I eyed the alcove of Kyros Sky, trying to keep my breathing steady.

“How many levels to this obnoxious fucker?” she asked.

My lips twitched. “The man or the building?”

“From what you told me the man only has one. The building.”

“No idea. I’m on Level 44.”

She entered the alcove. “Let’s check the elevator numbers.”

Uh.

This was the part where she left so I could escape.

I hurried after Tommy, watching as she pushed the call button. We stood in silence as the arrow pulsed, the whoosh of the lift akin to the downward rush of a guillotine.

Ding!

That ding was creeping up the rankings of my most hated sounds.

The doors slid open, and I stared at the beauty within before cursing long and hard in my head.

It was one of them. A fucking bright eye.

“Basi,” she greeted, stepping out into the lobby. “We didn’t get a chance to meet yesterday. I’m Katerina. You’ll tag along with me for the next couple of weeks.”

A glance at Tommy confirmed she was open-mouthed and staring at the goddess before us. And Katerina had nothing on Angelica or him. Her eyes didn’t seem as intense. Muted somehow.

My heart raced, but my head wasn’t pounding in her presence like with Angelica.

“Hey,” I said, aware I had a charade to play along with. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Tommy slid a look at me, waiting for an introduction. Smiling widely, I slipped inside the elevator and studied the numbers.

“Sixty-six,” I muttered at her.

My friend’s brows shot up. There were a lot of high-rises in Bluff City. But even I hadn’t been in one with so many levels.

“Are you ready to go?” Katerina asked, glancing between the pair of us.

Tommy eyed me, a wrinkle appearing between her brows, but I wasn’t dragging her into this mess. No way. I was already cursing myself for using her last name on my forms. None of this, whatever this was, could come back on her.

I swung my hair back. “Sure. I’m ready.”

To Tommy, I said, “I’ll catch you tomorrow. You can tell me how your date goes.”

She blinked a few times, and her obvious hurt kicked me in the smalls. This type of interaction rubbed at scars she’d carried for a lot of years. But I’d rather hurt her a little by