Page 28 of Bane of Hate and Silver (Primordial Inheritance #1)

Burnt Pages

J ules arrived home late that night, Monica was already there waiting on her. “I know, I’m sorry. Work ran late,” Jules said as she entered the lighted house.

“It’s fine.” Monica was stretched out across the velvet sofa, an empty pizza box, dirty napkins, and two glasses littered the coffee table. “Tai just left. So, it’s seriously fine.” Monica winked.

Jules made an exasperated-sounding sigh as she passed through the living room on her way to her bedroom.

She wanted to change out of her work clothes.

Monica bounced off the sofa and followed her.

Jules slipped out of the slacks and cardigan and into a pair of shorts and a tank top as Monica plopped down on her bed. “So, spill,” Monica demanded.

“Spill what?” Jules asked, feigning innocence. Secretly, she’d been hoping Monica would forget about the odd moment earlier concerning Luca.

“Don’t play dumb. It won’t work.”

“Monica,” Jules began.

“Don’t Monica me!” she nearly shouted as she sat up into a cross-legged position. “Why won’t you just tell me what you’re hiding?”

“It’s not my secret to tell,” Jules told her. “Not all of it anyway,” she added, sprawling across her bed beside Monica.

“Then tell me the part that is yours.”

Jules threw her hands over her face and groaned. She could do it. She could trust Monica completely, no doubt about that. Still, hesitation prevailed. Telling Monica meant that it was no longer just a secret she and Luca alone shared.

“Juliana Bristow,” Monica said sternly, “am I your best friend or not?”

“Fine.” Jules dropped her hands back onto the bed and rolled over on her elbow, facing Monica. “I’ve been seeing Luca.”

Monica shrieked. “I knew it. You had so much chemistry that night. I can’t wait to tell Tai.”

“No.” Jules sat up, a little startled. “Monica, you can’t tell anyone. Not your parents, not Tai… especially not Tai. It has to be our secret.”

“But why?” Monica almost whined. “It’s just Tai.”

Jules slid into a sitting position. “That’s the part that I can’t tell you,” Jules admitted. “I’m sorry Monica, but please, no one can know.”

Monica pressed her lips together, considering for a moment.

“Alright,” she said finally. “The best friend over boyfriend code will be honored,” Monica said with a teasing tone.

“But you have to at least tell me one thing.” The look on Monica’s face was mischievous at first, but then turned genuine. “Are you happy?”

Jules thought about the changes that had happened to her since Luca’s arrival in her life. The years before she’d been content, confidant, comfortable.

Since Luca, she’d felt things that she’d never expected to. Excited, elated, and yes, happy. She was happy in a way that she’d believed was never meant for her. The kind of happiness she’d only read about.

Jules sighed, but then a ridiculously wide smile spread across her face. “So very happy,” Jules almost gushed. “I think I could love him.”

“What?” Monica shrieked.

Jules slapped her hand over her mouth. “I can’t believe I said that. This is the first time I’ve had any kind of romantic feelings in…”

“About three-hundred years.” Monica finished her statement for her. “You do know that you’ve known him for less than a week?”

“That’s crazy right?” Jules asked. “I think I’m going completely insane.”

“You could do with a little crazy now and then.”

Jules covered her face again. Knowing she must sound like a love-sick fool, but Luca was worth it.

Monica laughed and crawled closer. She put her arms around Jules in a hug.

Jules accepted for a moment until her mouth got too close to Monica’s neck.

The vein pulsing under the warm caramel skin drew her attention.

Warm, flowing… Jules wrenched herself free of Monica and was on the far side of the room in an instant.

Pressing her palms against the wall to ground herself, then sliding down it. “I’m so sorry.” She whimpered.

“How long has it been?” Monica asked, sounding a little shaken, but not nearly as shaken as she should.

“Too long.” Jules’s head dropped between her knees. Holding the breaths she didn’t really need anyway. “Gabriel and I worked on carnival prep through lunch.”

“Hang on,” Monica got off the bed and left the room. Jules knew where she was going. Grateful Monica knew what to do in these situations and hating it too.

Jules’s head shot up when Monica reappeared.

“You’re out of blood.” Monica stopped in the doorway, leaving space between them.

Jules stared, wide-eyed at Monica. And then she remembered it was true.

She’d drank her entire home supply after her all day sleep on Sunday.

The blood she’d consumed after waking up this morning should have lasted her another three weeks.

Anxious and jittery to see Gabriel after all their arguing, she had over indulged.

Gabriel had some at home and there was some in her office at school.

She’d meant to bring some home with her.

It couldn’t wait until morning, and she couldn’t stay here.

If she stayed, Monica could end up dead.

Drinking from Monica was the last thing she’d ever want to do.

Not trusting her ability to stop feeding before every last drop had slid down her throat.

Without delay or explanation, Jules bolted past Monica and out her front door.

Leaving her car in the driveway, she opted for the faster option.

With every ounce of vampire strength and concentration, she ran.

Luca woke abruptly to the sounds of shouts and slamming doors. I need a new place to live , he thought to himself. He then pulled himself into a sitting position and shook his head just as his bedroom door burst open, slamming against the wall behind it.

“Luca, let’s go!” Ben instructed from the doorway. “Now!” he added when Luca didn’t immediately hop out of bed.

“Okay, okay,” Luca griped but began to do as instructed. “Couldn’t whatever this is have waited until morning?” Luca muttered to himself grumpily as he stood. He stretched noisily and headed toward the commotion.

“What’s all this about?” he asked Kip, who he met at the top of the stairway.

“Something big, I gather,” he said, springing down the stairs ahead of Luca.

Luca yawned, following at his own drowsy pace.

The pack had gathered on the back porch. This was unusual, but Luca figured it was due to the houseguests, now unavoidably awake in the living room.

Swinging the screen door open, he joined the others. To his surprise, Kyle was among them. “What are you doing here?” he whispered to his friend.

“I was once again summoned, so here I am?” Kyle said quietly, but with a subtle amount of annoyance in his voice.

Luca yawned.

Neither of them were concentrating on Carson’s intense, hushed tones until Luca heard something that yanked his focus to his Alpha’s overly excited speech.

“What did he just say?” Luca asked Kyle, who shrugged.

“This means that thanks to Jed’s stake-out, we know where the vampire is at this exact moment. So now, the time has come,” Carson said, balling his hands into fists. “Tonight, we end the demon for good!”

Jules hadn’t slowed her pace until she’d gotten far enough away from Monica, and all other human life, to be safe.

Running across the school’s parking lot, she noted a few abandoned cars but had given them little attention.

It was assumed carpooling students would retrieve them in the morning.

Patting down her clothing, Jules swore. She’d forgotten her badge for the entry pad.

Changing her mind and going to Gabriel’s to get some blood was the smart option.

Explaining to him that lack of forethought had caused her to run out, felt like a less desirable option to breaking and entering into her place of employment.

Besides, if she changed course now, there would be no choice but to go back through town. It was too much of a risk.

Chuckling at her own recklessness, Jules ran at full speed toward the building. With a running leap, she launched herself up the side of the building, grabbed onto the ledge, and pulled herself over.

The roof was littered with years of old beer bottles and half-smoked cigarettes.

Ignoring this, Jules walked to the small skylight over the cafeteria and loosened its bolts.

“Ouch!” The last bolt left a nice little slice in her index finger.

She sucked on the cut momentarily and then lifted the Plexiglas window off.

Slowly lowering herself over the edge feet first, she dropped onto one of the long tables below.

Her feet making no sound, but the screech of the shifting table reverberated around the cavernous room.

Familiar with the darkened passages Jules chose a route that avoided the security cameras, slipping through the teacher’s lounge and the back side of the gym.

After a few long minutes, she reached the far side of the school, and the library.

Once inside, Jules rushed through the stacks to her office.

Not bothering with the key to the padlock in the refrigerator, Jules yanked it off the small, white door and opened it.

Bypassing the glass she ripped the bag open with her teeth.

With every gulp, the desire to kill her best human friend dissipated.

Back in control, relief flooded her. Only after the entire bag was drained dry did she realize she was being watched.

A pair of dark eyes stared at her through the outside window, and he was snarling. Jules recognized the Alpha of Luca’s pack instantly. Unsure of what his next move would be, she waited.

He raised his face to the sky and let out a long, deafening howl. It was a call to battle.

Jules spun, preparing to run, but found the door to her office blocked by two other members of Luca’s pack. They stood panting and snarling at her. “Your time is over, Demon,” the shorter of the two said. He twitched, betraying his nerves.