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“I was thinking, maybe I can convince you to move back in with me after last night.” I try my luck, but I’m greeted with silence.

Looking at Celine, I see her frozen in place, fork held in the air but not touching the food. It’s a comical freeze frame with her jaw unhinged and eyes wide in shock.

“Are you that wowed by my art? I’ll pat myself on the back for that one.” I do just as I say and continue to eat my pancakes.

“What is this?” Her tone is hard which has me wary.

“Pancakes?” I reply earnestly.

“I fucking know that.” Celine’s brown eyes meet mine and she finally lowers her fork. “This smiley face. I’ve seen it before.” The cogs in her brain are spinning and for a second, I don’t know what she’s getting at. Then I understand.

I level her with an even-keeled look and say nothing else as she continues to work through it in her brain. I was going to tell her eventually. I thought she might even be proud of my work.

“It was you?” she asks it hesitantly like she doesn’t want to believe it.

Setting my plate down, I cross my legs, interlocking my hands around my knee.

“You?” Celine repeats again to herself and sets her uneaten food on the side table. “Fucking say something, Zavier!”

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” I respond because I truly don’t.

“You kill people!” she shouts and stands up while quickly wrapping the comforter around her nude body. “I didn’t want to believe it was you when I started to suspect, but it is!”

“You’ve known I kill people.”

“But not crazy serial killer murder spree killing people.” She throws her hands in the air and grabs clothes out of her closet before stomping to the bathroom.

“Only the bad guys,” I reason.

“Seriously?” Celine calls from the bathroom.

It’s not like I wasn’t going to tell her eventually but it’s also not a natural conversation to have. Maybe it would’ve beenbetter to tell her myself before she found out, so it came from me. It was careless to draw on her pancakes like that, but I can’t help it that she makes me lose any sort of rational thought when she’s near me.

Celine storms out of the bathroom, yanking a brush through her tangled hair. I want to cringe at the hair she’s ripping in the process and brush the delicate strands myself, but I don’t think she’d take too kindly to it at the moment.

“It’s not just the killings, it’s that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me. I’m not an idiot. The puzzle started to come together that it was you and part of me has known this whole time but wantedyouto be the one to confirm it.” She looks heartbroken and it crushes me.

“I was going to tell you eventually, but learning I was a vampire, and your mate seemed like a lot to process on its own. Telling you I kill bad guys on the side for fun didn’t seem like the best time.”

She scoffs and levels me with a look.

Throwing the brush on the bed she leaves the room to quickly change and then grabs her purse from a coat rack by the front door. She shoves her feet into her boots and makes to the grab the door handle.

“Oh, hell no.” I sprint over to her, and she jolts at the speed. “Where do you think you’re going?” I bite out.

“I need space,” she sighs, and I can see the hurt and confusion in her eyes. “Please, Zavier. This whole vampire and mate situation is a lot to take in and finding out the serial killer I’ve been investigating is actually my boyfriend takes the cake.” Tears well in her eyes and she wipes them away angrily. “I’m not rejecting you, that’s not what this is, but for right now I need to be away from you. Don’t fucking follow.” She holds up a finger that shakes. “I know you love to follow me everywhere but this time I’m telling you don’t fucking do it.”

“Celine.” Her name leaves me in a sad whisper.

Fuck, this isn’t how I wanted this to go. I don’t know how I expected it to go, and if I’m honest with myself I hadn’t given much thought to telling her anytime soon and I guess that’s a poor reflection on myself.

“I just need space,” she reiterates.

Watching her walk out the door is singlehandedly the most painful thing I’ve ever done.

CHAPTER 39

CELINE