down my arms.
The solid oak door is stained dark. It matches the rest of the wood inside the manor. Large bay windows are to the right of the front door. With stained-glass windows, the moonlight sends a rush of cool gray splashes of light into the parlor. With the room lit, I see the bookshelves, the fireplace aflame, and the tiny table with a half-played game of chess, which now gathers dust.
The front porch wraps around the left side of the manor. It cascades almost completely to the backyard, ending at a comfortable gliding porch swing. I imagine sitting there, enjoying the silence, the darkness, the calm.
I sigh, gripping the handle of the front door, and twist. Just as I suspected, the main level is vacant. Even Amicia has retreated to her room. Silently, I thank the gods for this moment of peace. If I’m going to explain myself, I should speak with Jasik first. One at a time, I will prove my innocence.
Without a farewell, the vampires push past me and ascend the stairs to the second floor. The only vampire who stands beside me is Jasik. I follow them into the adjoined sitting room and watch their retreat. Just as Malik rounds the corner at the first stair landing, he glances over his shoulder. We make eye contact, and in the split second he looks at me, I see his disappointment. He’s upset with my actions and fearful of what I might do next. Before I can react, he’s gone, rounding the corner and disappearing upstairs. With each stride, his steps grow quieter until I can’t hear him at all.
I don’t dare look at my sire. Instead, I kick at the floor, scattering dust with my shoe. I crinkle my nose at the sudden intrusion and wait for Jasik to speak.
When the silence becomes too much to bear, I succumb to the pain in my gut that’s growing stronger by each passing second. Heading straight for the kitchen, I bypass the dining room and walk through the butler’s pantry. I push open the door to the kitchen with far more force than necessary, and it smacks against the wall. I wince as wood makes impact with tile.
The kitchen is as barren as the rest of the house, with no one to invade my thoughts. I thought I wanted to speak with Jasik alone, but his disappointment in me is making it hard to breathe.
Opening the refrigerator, I bypass a mug and tear through the packaging with my teeth. I slurp the cold, thick substance, sucking down every droplet until the suction of plastic is too much to bear. I repeat this process until I’ve drained several blood bags. I lick away the coating on my teeth, and with a full belly that soothes my nerves, I face Jasik.
My sire is leaning against the kitchen wall directly across from where I stand. With one foot kicked back resting against the floorboards, his arms are crossed, and he’s watching me closely. He doesn’t speak.
Watching the frustration and anger cross his face breaks my heart. I never meant to upset him by keeping so many secrets.
Unable to stare into his eyes any longer, I close the space between us and slide my arms through his. Loosening his grip, he allows me to wrap myself around his torso, and I rest my head against his chest. Closing my eyes, I pretend today is just another day. We’re not at war with the witches, the hunters aren’t angry with me, and Liv isn’t missing. Briefly, Will doesn’t exist, but when I open my eyes again, the reality of my world sinks in, and I pull away from Jasik.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
“For what?” Jasik asks, eyes hard. He wants honesty, and I’m prepared to give it to him, even if that means upsetting him further.
I sigh. “Last night, when you came into my room, I was having a nightmare.”
He nods. “I suspected you were.”
I usher him over to the kitchen table and take a seat. He follows me and rests his arms on the tabletop. The tension in his shoulders is starting to ease, and I just now notice the exhaustion in his eyes. It seems I’m not the only one experiencing sleepless nights.
“Thing is, my nightmare was real,” I say. “I mean, it wasn’t a nightmare at all.”
He frowns, thoroughly confused, and waits for me to continue.
“Spirit witches can visit the astral plane. That’s where I was when I first met Will,” I