Vampires Never Get Old - Zoraida Cordova Page 0,16

what he’s asking. “Same as everyone, I guess.”

“We’ve all got different reasons. Jasper did it for revenge, me because we didn’t make state and I thought I wanted to die.” He chuckles under his breath, like he can’t believe he was ever so foolish. “Willis lost his mind after they killed his wife, and Silas…”

“Why did you have to murder your family, though?” I ask quickly, cutting him off. I’m not sure I want to know why Silas did it. What if it’s for terrible reasons? Reasons worse that wanting a family, not wanting to be alone.

He blinks. “You think I killed my family? For this?” he asks, incredulous. He laughs a shallow, wheezy laugh. “Five blood bags, one for each of you and two for me, Silas told me.”

A shiver runs across my neck. “Silas wouldn’t say that.”

“What do you know about Silas?” he scoffs. “He’s taking it easy on you, don’t know why, what makes you so special.” He swallows noisily, eyes lost in memory. “He didn’t go so easy on me.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

Before he can answer, Silas comes to the door.

“You made it,” he said, his smile expansive, like I’m on time to his party. “Come on in.” He ushers me through the entrance, leaving Dru to follow. I hear him turn the lock behind me. I look back, alarmed.

“So we aren’t disturbed,” Silas says, arm sliding around my shoulders as he leads me in. “I think you know everyone,” he says, gesturing around the diner. Dru with his bat and Willis and Jasper on stools, leaning against the counter.

“Listen,” I tell him, voice steady with the words I practiced in the car on the drive over. “I know what this is about. What you are.” Thinking of what Dru said moments ago, I add, “You don’t have to be easy on me.”

Silas pauses, leans his head to the side like he’s listening.

I go on in a rush. “I figured it out. What you said about Jason not bothering me anymore, and before, saying you’d kill him if he laid a finger on me again. And I know the stories, about the massacre. And Dru’s family.” My eyes cut briefly to his. His face is stony, giving nothing away, and for a minute I think maybe I’ve misunderstood, that what I’m saying likely sounds certifiable, but I barrel on anyway. “And I want you to know I’m okay with that. I’m okay with … sharing a meal.”

Silas waits until he’s sure I’m done talking, and then he smiles. “I knew you’d come around, Lukas. Nothing wrong with going easy on a man who’s had his fair share of troubles. Some people just need to ease into feeding.”

Feeding. I shiver despite myself. The way he says it makes it somehow more real. But I tell myself that Jason deserves it. He’s been cruel to me my whole life, would probably kill me if he had a chance, so maybe I’m just beating him to the punch. And if that means I get to stay with Silas, with the Boys …

Willis and Jasper stand up to reveal a body laid out on the counter.

I expect to see broad football shoulders. Annoying chestnut hair. Terrified blue eyes.

But instead I see dark roots, the glint of rhinestones, hazel eyes too wide.

“Neveah?”

I gasp, fall back a step as she whimpers, eyes pleading with me. Willis runs a hand through her hair like he’s petting a dog.

“Shhhh,” Silas says, holding me in place, his grip like a vice. “I thought you said you were ready.”

“Don’t hurt her,” I say, turning to him. I grasp at his shirt, begging. “I-I thought you meant Jason. Or the Toad Twins. Not—”

My breath catches in my throat.

Not the only person in town who actually tries to be nice to me, not Neveah with her community college and her trailer and her blue nails. Who let me drive her home. Who tried to help.

“We’re not going to hurt her, Lukas.” His voice is quiet. Firm. And for a minute, I have hope.

“You are.”

My stomach plummets. I shake my head no, horrified.

“If you want to join us, you have to share a meal.”

“I know! I’m here, aren’t I? At the diner.”

“That’s not the kind of meal we eat, brother,” Jasper says. I look over and he’s picking at his teeth, his fangs, with a long fingernail.

“Don’t you get it?” Dru cuts in harshly. “You either drink her blood and become one of us, or you get