Page 19 of Blind Bite (Best Fangs Forever #1)

Chapter Nineteen

Not long after he left, Jamie returned with a stainless steel cup with a lid and straw.

“Here, Dove.” He offered me the drink.

Tentatively, I took the cup from him. Whatever laid within its contents was a mystery.

“You really expect me to blindly trust you? Couldn’t get the job done, so let's poison the poor girl to finish her off?” My words were my shield in this situation I had yet to figure out how to get out of here alive.

My bag sat across the room on the desk, my blood spilled over the entire surface.

If I could somehow get to it, I could call 911 and Amelie.

But I wouldn’t be able to reach the door before one of them grabbed me.

No, I needed to follow along, let them leave me alone and then I could make a move. I just needed to survive until then.

“Honestly, I’d hoped you weren’t stupid enough to believe douchebags like James, but unfortunately I must insist that you drink what’s in the cup,” Felicity said.

I quirked a brow as I slowly brought the straw to my mouth, I knew very little about Felicity, but every word that flowed from her mouth screamed no nonsense.

Despite her less than cheerful expressions, I didn’t think she would waste her time with me if she didn’t feel like she had to.

I took a deep breath to steel myself before sipping whatever this was.

The drink was warm, but tasted so rich. I suppressed a moan as I continued to down the concoction.

It was unlike anything I had ever had before.

I felt my energy begin to return to me. Before I made my escape, I needed to know what this was and where to get it.

I was sure I could no longer live without it now that its flavor has graced my tastebuds.

The pair exchanged a loaded glance as they watched me finish the drink, handing the empty cup back to Jamie.

“What was that?” I asked, running my tongue over my teeth. There was a strange, new sensation in my mouth—a pressure behind my canines.

Felicity crossed her arms and shot Jamie a withering glare. “Tell her.”

“Tell me what?” My voice rose an octave.

Jamie shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at the ceiling. “Christ, Felicity, do we have to do this now?”

“Yes, we absolutely have to do this now.” She marched over and jabbed a finger into his chest. “You created this mess. You clean it up, starting with explaining things to her.”

I watched them bicker like I was witnessing a tennis match, my patience evaporating. “Hello? Almost died here. Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?”

Jamie sighed dramatically. “Fine. You’re a vampire now. Congratulations. Welcome to eternal life. Don’t go in the sun. You can eat garlic if you don’t mind the bad breath. Drink blood. The end.”

My jaw dropped. “I’m a what?”

“A vampire,” Felicity said, sounding bored. “James bit you and then—because he’s an irresponsible ass—nearly drained you completely and let you ingest some of his blood.”

“I didn’t let her taste my blood. She fucking bit me!”

“Does it fucking matter when the end result is the same?” Felicity demanded.

I laughed. It started as a giggle and grew into hysterical cackling. “Right. I suppose you’re also the Tooth Fairy as well.”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “Run your tongue over your teeth again.”

I complied. There they were—fangs. Actual fangs. I jumped up from the couch and stumbled to the nearest reflective surface—a decorative mirror on the wall. Except...

“I won’t be able to see myself,” I whispered, terror rising in my throat.

“That’s a myth,” Jamie said dismissively. “The mirror thing. You’ll show up in photos too, before you ask.”

He was right. My hair was a tangled mess, clotted with blood. The bite marks that should have marred my neck weren’t there. And two fangs adorned my new smile.

I spun around. “This can’t be happening. Vampires aren’t real!”

“Says the girl who just downed a cup of AB negative and grew fangs,” Jamie muttered.

My stomach lurched. “That was blood? I drank blood?” Why wasn’t it revolting, what was wrong with me? I sank back onto the couch, my head spinning.

Felicity sat beside me. “It’s part of the deal. The thing that we crave tends to be utterly delicious. Things get easier. The transition is the hardest part.”

“Transition?” I squeaked. “Oh my god, am I going to fucking sparkle in the sun?” I didn’t want to look like some glittering pixie every time I went outside.

Jamie paced the room. “Your body is changing. You’re dead, but alive.

You’ll need blood to survive. Sunlight will burn you—like turn you to ash.

Even filtered it can hurt like hell. Silver’s reserved for our fluffy friends.

Crosses and churches are bullshit. Stake through the heart will kill you, but it would kill anyone.

Continue to breathe even thought you don’t need the oxygen anymore.

Being undead does have it’s perks sometimes. ”

“This is insane,” I mumbled.

“It might be easier,” Felicity said, “if we stage your death.”

“WHAT?” I jumped to my feet.

“Standard procedure,” Jamie said with a shrug. “Fake your death, disappear, start over somewhere new every few decades when people notice you’re not aging.”

“No!” I shouted. “Absolutely not! I can’t do that to my parents. Or Amelie. They’d be devastated!”

“It’s cleaner that way,” Jamie argued.

“I don’t care! I’m not faking my death!”

Felicity shot Jamie another look. “There are other alternatives, but we’d just be delaying the inevitable.”

Jamie threw up his hands. “Fine. Whatever. Pretend you’re sick for a few days. Stay inside. Don’t go out at all. Don’t eat food—you’ll just throw it up right now. And for God’s sake, don’t bite anyone.”

“How am I supposed to explain this to people?” I gestured wildly at myself.

“You don’t,” Jamie said flatly. “That’s the first rule. Humans don’t know about us.”

“But I was human until you made me your midnight snack!”

“Look, I’ll reach out once I’m ready to deal with...” he waved vaguely in my direction, “all of this.”

Felicity stood up, fury radiating from her. “James Alexander Everthorn, you can’t just throw her out the door!”

“What do you want from me, Felicity, teach her Vampiring 101? I didn’t exactly plan for this!”

“Then maybe keep your fangs to yourself next time you’re feeling frisky!

” she snapped. “I’m not cleaning up after you this time, James,” Felicity said.

“This is your responsibility. If you’re gonna send her home, you better give her enough blood to last until you decide to help her understand what her life is now.

” She turned to me and handed me a business card.

“Here’s my number. Call me if this idiot ghosts you—and trust me, he has centuries of experience ghosting women. ”

“At least I’m consistent,” Jamie muttered.

“So, I’m just supposed to pretend everything’s normal while I’m secretly a blood-drinking monster?” I asked, voice cracking.

“Welcome to adulthood,” Jamie said with a smirk. “Faking every day until you figure out what you’re supposed to be doing.”