battle of wills we’d engaged in was over. Ethan swiftly climbed off me and left the bathroom without giving me a second glance.
“Everything’s fine. Let’s go over to my house and continue our conversation,” I heard him say to Rita as he descended the stairs. I lay there, supremely annoyed with myself that I’d let him get to me.
I should never have let him heal me with this blood. Now I was going to have to deal with being connected to him for months. It was bad enough having to be around him in general. With the blood connection, it was going to be ten times worse.
After a few minutes, I managed to drag myself out of the tub and to my bedroom, which I was currently sharing with my friend Amanda. Living with Finn was only ever supposed to be temporary, but he’d agreed to let me stay until I could figure out a way to save my dad. I sat down on the edge of the bed and ran a hand over Amanda’s hair.
After I returned her to her parents’ house, she’d fallen off the wagon again. Lucas found her passed out in an alley two weeks ago, and I’d taken it upon myself to get her clean. Rita’s mum, Noreen, was a healer, and she whipped up a batch of special magical tea that I had Amanda drink three times a day. The stuff worked miracles. Gone were the dark circles under her eyes and the desperate need to be bitten. Amanda was almost ready to go home. Now I knew why Rita and her mum had so many loyal clients. Their spells and concoctions really worked.
I climbed into bed next to her, laying down and riding out the high from Ethan’s blood. I rested my head on my pillow as pleasure took over, my every pore tingling. Wow, this was insane. The feeling radiated through me, wiping all worries from my mind.
This could certainly become addictive.
Somewhere along the way, I fell asleep, dreaming of what might’ve happened if Rita hadn’t interrupted me and Ethan while we battled it out in the bathroom.
I didn’t intend to, but I slept through the night and half the next day. Ethan’s blood had completely wiped me out. Amanda came into the room as I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. She was dressed as she sat next to me on the bed, looking fresh and vibrant. She was practically back to her old self. Although, it also meant she recently had her eyes re-opened to what was really going on in this city. When she was deep in her addiction, she was too out of it to fully comprehend what was going on. Plus, her memories kept being wiped by the vampires who fed from her.
“Have you been out for a walk?” I asked, noting the rosy glow to her cheeks.
“Yes, I went shopping with Noreen and Alvie, then we had lunch at a sushi restaurant.”
“Sounds fun. You look good.”
She nodded. “I feel good. I think I might go home tomorrow. See my parents. They’ve been worried about me.”
“Of course. I’m sure they’ve missed you. I’ll be sorry to see you go, but you’re all better now thanks to Rita and Noreen.”
“I can’t thank all of you enough for taking care of me. I’m never stepping foot near a vampire again so long as I can help it.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Does that include Lucas?”
Her cheeks flushed a little before she replied, “Yes, that includes him. I’m an addict. I have to cut myself off completely. It’s the only way.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that.” I pulled her into a hug. At least one thing had gone right lately.
“Tegan!” Finn called from somewhere downstairs. “Are you awake?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“Good. We’re having a meeting in the living room in ten minutes. The vamps are on their way over.”
A rush of anxiety went through me. I wasn’t ready to see Ethan again so soon, not after the fireworks of last night. Finn appeared in the doorway, eyeing my bed head.
“Oh, you can wipe that judgemental look off your face. I needed to sleep.”
“It’s late evening. You’ve been asleep all day,” Finn commented.
“And your point is?” I shot back, feeling snappish. “What’s the meeting about?”
Finn folded his arms across his chest. “Rita mentioned what happened to you yesterday, about the riot and how you think it had something to do with Theodore. We’re having a meeting to discuss that possibility.”