The Demon's Song - By Kendra Leigh Castle Page 0,66

the family room for the hundredth time. When he’d agreed to get her out in the sunlight, she’d assumed he meant the next day. Instead, tomorrow had stretched into a series of tomorrows, until three days after he’d made her the promise it seemed obvious that Phenex was trying to convince her that spending extra time aboveground wasn’t worth the trouble. At this rate, she wasn’t even going to make it to work on time. Did he think trapping her down here was going to make her like it better?

That would only be true if depressing her into a catatonic state would count as “better.”

It wasn’t all bad. It wasn’t even mostly bad, if she were being honest with herself. Dru had arrived on her doorstep more than once to entertain her when Phenex needed to meet with one of the other Fallen, and Justin’s sister was a refreshing challenge to all her preconceived notions about what a vampire might be. It was good to have found a friend here. Especially since yesterday’s visit with Sara, her elusive newly immortal ex-roommate, had decreased her friend count by one.

That had been bittersweet. Sara had decided that not only did she like being a vampire, but that she had almost no interest in her old life. Though their conversation had been friendly enough, Sofia didn’t miss that she seemed to be included in her friend’s list of things to leave behind. And though Sara swore she’d let her mother know that she was fine, just busy, Sofia felt sorry for the woman.

The most awkward thing had been the offer Sara had made right before they’d gone their separate ways.

“You know, Sofia…I could make you a vampire, too,” Sara had said, her eyes beginning to gleam an unsettling shade of red. Phenex had warned her to be careful, that fledgling vampires had a harder time controlling their blood lust. He’d stationed himself right around the corner in the next room in case anything went wrong. But he hadn’t needed to worry. Sara hadn’t been violent when Sofia refused her. Just disappointed.

“That’s sweet, Sara, but I think I’ll stick to being human. There are things I just don’t want to give up.”

Sara had shrugged, looking disgusted, and risen to go. “Suit yourself,” she’d said, heading for the door. “If you ever decide that the trade-off is worth it, let me know.”

And then she’d been gone, without ever thanking Sofia for having saved her life long enough to allow her to become a vampire in the first place.

It was a hell of a way to find out a friendship had run its course. And it hadn’t helped Sofia’s mood that Phenex had actually looked disappointed that she’d refused Sara’s offer.

Terra Noctem was dark and interesting and beautiful. But it wasn’t the sort of place she would ever choose as a home, no matter how much she liked some of the other people in it. Especially Phenex.

Even when he was trying to make her late for work again.

She looked at her watch, ran a hand down the front of her scrubs to smooth away imagined wrinkles, and then tipped her head back to sigh. This time, she might finally have to call in. And since it was last-minute, she was going to get her ass chewed. Just another day she’d barely get to see.

Phenex had shown her that there were things she could actually enjoy about his world. Why couldn’t he let her share more of her own with him?

The front door opened just when she was getting ready to go hunt him down. He’d gone over to ask Meresin something, an errand Sofia was glad not to join him on. Meresin had made himself scarce since Dru had frightened him off, and what Dru had told her about him didn’t make her feel any more at ease about the dangers he might pose. Meresin, it seemed, didn’t like to be touched. Dru didn’t know why, but it only reinforced Sofia’s perception that there was something terribly broken about him.

Especially because the thing he hadn’t forgiven Dru for was nothing more than a simple, impulsive kiss. One that Dru seemed more than a little fixated on herself, actually.

“Sorry,” Phenex said, immediately filling up the space with his presence. “I was taking care of something. Took longer than I thought.”

Sofia sighed with a mixture of irritation and affection. “It’s fine.”

Another voice caught her attention as a familiar blond head poked around the corner of the door. “Yes,