Page 33 of Blind Bite

“What the hell—” his expression changed when he saw me. “Christ, you look terrible.”

I stood there, seething. “Gee, I wonder why. Maybe because you did this to me and then abandoned me and can’t be bothered to answer your phone.”

“I told you the basics.”

“That’s not enough!” My voice raised in a hushed tone. “I need help. I need to know how to function before I turn into a monster.” I took a deep breath. “I almost attacked my best friend tonight. I don’t know how to control these urges. I’m a danger to her and everyone around me.”

He crossed his arms. “You’re a danger, regardless of what I teach you.”

“Oh, like you? You owe me, Jamie.” Tears threatened to spill. “You said you’d take responsibility, so do the right thing for once in your life.”

He quirked his brow. “Who said I’ve never done any good in my life?”

“Call it a lucky guess.”

A hum rumbled from his throat as Jamie turned away, walking deeper into his home. My heart sank. He was dismissing me. After everything, he was just going to?—

“Are you coming in or not?” He called over his shoulder. “Because I don’t need my neighbors seeing a hot mess on my doorstep when they go to grab their morning papers.”

I stepped over the threshold, following Jamie into a sprawling living room that screamed old money—leather-bound books, antique furniture, and artwork that probably cost more than my entire education. It had the same atmosphere as his office. The hunger made my vision swim, turning the elegant space into a kaleidoscope of blurry shapes.

“Sit down before you collapse,” Jamie ordered, disappearing through another doorway.

I sank into a leather armchair, digging my nails into the armrests to keep from following the scent of him—that strange smell that was somehow comforting in its familiarity.

He returned with a blood bag and a crystal tumbler. “Drink this. Slowly.”

My hands trembled as I took the glass. The first sip was heaven—relief flooding through me as the burning in my throat subsided. I drained it too quickly, but could feel my sense of control returning.

“Easy,” Jamie warned, refilling my glass. “You’re going to make yourself sick.”

“Why didn’t you answer?” I asked when I could think clearly again.

“I’ve been alive for centuries. I don’t do babysitting.”

“You could have at least?—”

“What? Left you a manual? ‘What to Do With Your Shiny New Fangs’?” He ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I didn’t plan this. You weren’t supposed to bite me and ingest my blood. Never mind surviving the turn.”

My lack of response caused him to sigh. “I guess if I want you to stop being a pain in my ass, we’d better get started. First things first, a hungry vampire is a rabid vampire. Always maintain a blood supply if you don’t want to bite everything in sight...”

As the hunger receded, I took care to memorize every word. I refused to allow myself to become a monster who had nearly killed her best friend for a midnight snack. This idiot was, unfortunately, my lifeline to living a mostly normal life. If he’s managed to make it this long, surely I could too.

Right?