Page 115 of Bite The Terror That Feeds

It was barbaric. “I’ve traveled long and far. I need to rest.”

My father gave a slight nod. “We shall speak soon.”

“And you will tell me the truth.” My eyes stared into his, seeing a man who wasn’t my father, not even my kind. “The whole truth.”

* * *

I slept alone in my tree house, and in the morning, I woke up to the sound of rain. It was gentle and quiet, little drops hitting my rooftop. My window was open, so it was louder than it would have been otherwise.

It was great to be home—but I’d never felt more alone.

I stared out the window and watched the drops grow along the roof’s edge until they released. It was a cloudy day. I could tell by the dim light that pierced the forest canopy. I was amazed that a single journey had changed who I was so much that I wasn’t the same person as the one who left.

I didn’t know her anymore.

I got out of bed and started my day with a shower and a cup of coffee. Then I made myself breakfast, a cup of fruit along with a hot bowl of oatmeal. All the windows were open, so the rain fell directly on top of me, all around me.

My moment of peace was disrupted by the knock on the door.

There was no one I wanted to see right now, so whoever it was wasn’t welcome company. “It’s open.”

The door opened, and Toman emerged, dressed in the garb of his commander status. The rest of us wore white while in Evanguard, but the commanders wore forest green, their plates outlined with gold.

I didn’t rise from my chair. Didn’t offer him anything.

He helped himself to the seat across from me.

I drank my coffee as I stared at him.

Tense silence passed. He finally spoke. “I was worried about you.”

“Well, I’m fine.”

“I asked your father if I could send an army to retrieve you.”

“Why didn’t you assume I was dead?”

It took him a while to answer. “I just knew you weren’t.”

I drank my coffee again.

“Are you alright?”

“I said I’m fine.”

“You’re different.”

Different in every way imaginable. I set down my mug and looked him straight in the eye. “I slept with someone.”

His reaction was glued in place, like he refused to show any emotion.

“This engagement is over.”

It took him a long time to recover from the shock. “Please don’t tell me it was a vampire…”

I never answered.

“You were a prisoner—”