Night Kissed (Chosen Vampire Slayer #1) - Mila Young Page 0,56

have him endless piss me off. These small steps were progress as far as I was concerned.

As I toweled myself dry, I glanced in the mirror, briefly contemplating the figure I saw there. An old soul corralled into a comparatively young body for eternity…if all went according to plan. I barely remembered what it was like to be mortal in this suit of flesh, to feel the warm blood running through my veins. Had I lived more richly due to the impermanence of it all?

My reflection and I smiled at each other. No, of course not. What a foolish notion. The two greatest enemies of the mortal man were time and death. I had conquered both. Now my foes were strictly tangible, not concepts hiding out in the furthest corners of my mind. And that meant they could all be soundly defeated.

The house, being old and drafty, had a distinct, salty chill when the sun was down. I preferred it, personally, and on occasion I retired entirely devoid of clothing. The sensation of settling into cool, grainy soil was one I had taken a long time to embrace—it was hard to process how much the meaning of a grave had changed after turning. But on this night, rest had to wait. I slipped into some clothes—wincing at the sting of newly forming raw skin rubbing against cloth—and retraced my steps downstairs.

The aftermath of our latest brawl was impressive, in its own uncivilized way. The floor was littered with shards of glass, some of which had melted into iridescent disks on the floor. Most of the cabinet doors in the kitchen hung open, their contents either strewn about or simply broken. The refrigerator, which none of us used much anyway, no longer hummed; it and the stove had been marred by a scorch mark that splashed across the back wall as well.

I couldn’t help but be amused. Were we no better than a pair of squabbling children fighting over a toy? But even as I had the thought, I understood the depth of my investment. However much I indulged Seth’s wildness normally, my anger had been a lot more real than usual. I had found a flower, and he had plucked off the bloom.

Not that it mattered at the moment. He had gone off alone, and the house was still a mess. If not for my attention to image, I might have been happy to leave the second floor in ruins. But the Seattle clan still had their eyes on me. It wouldn’t do to have my personal dwelling fall to pieces.

The footfalls pattered down the corridor behind me as I swept up the debris on the tile. I recognized her before she spoke a word; in fact, I had felt her moving toward me.

“Orion?” She said my name cautiously, as if she thought it might summon someone other than me. Or perhaps bearing partial witness to my dust-up with Seth had convinced her to fear me.

“What do you want?” I asked her tersely. “Did Seth leave you wanting?”

She frowned at my back when I glanced behind me. “Don’t be a prick. I just came to check on you.”

I shot her a derisive glance, but she was already examining the state of the kitchen and the living room beyond. “Feel free to atone for your pleasure in any way you see fit.” As a tactful suggestion, I took a washrag from the sink and tossed it over my shoulder at her.

She stepped toward me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize we had any kind of deal at all, let alone an exclusive one.” There was a pause. “I also didn’t realize I’d be cleaning your house for free.” On her way past me, she looked me over in what I assumed was supposed to be a disdainful way. Then her eyes flicked over the exposed burns on my neck and arms, and she stopped. “Hey, wait. You’re hurt.”

“And you expect me to believe this concerns you?” I laughed. “Don’t mock me, Veronica. I have no need for your pity.”

“Ugh. Let me see your arm.”

I eyed her closely. “Most kidnapping victims wouldn’t go out of their way to aid their captor.”

“Well, you haven’t killed me yet,” she quipped. Then she said, “Judging by the dents you made in the sheetrock here, I figure you’re not just mad at Seth.”

Hearing his name in her voice made me bristle. Veronica felt the tension and paused. “You should wrap that.”

“It’s unnecessary,” I told her. “In a

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