Page 19

I’m sipping coffee when Cassian and Noah return to the NIHA office. With the way they barge into the break room, you’d think I was currently being held at gunpoint.

Police officers and NIHA employees turn toward the pair, magnetized as they stride through the door. Next to me, a female hunter says a soft exclamation under her breath.

They are a sight to behold.

But my appreciation is dull tonight, my mind in the past. I bring my hand to my neck, remembering the first night Ethan attacked me—when Noah saved me from the gas station.

And now here we are again.

People try to talk to Noah as he crosses the room, but he blatantly ignores them all. His eyes are locked on me. The man looks like he’s going to kill someone. But—good news—Sam already did that for him.

The police have removed Ethan’s body, and the spot surrounding the couch is roped off with crime scene tape. Apparently, I bled on the cushions.

A paramedic cleaned up my neck. The bite is almost healed, and the bruises from Ethan’s hands are already gone, but there’s a stain on the collar of my shirt that’s impossible to hide.

Gulping, I stand when Noah reaches me, closing my eyes when he roughly yanks me against him. His arms wrap around my back, tightly possessive, and I can hear the rapid pace of his heart.

He’s scared—or he was. Now I think he’s relieved and angry. It’s a volatile combination.

“Are you all right?” he demands.

Physically, I’m weirdly fine. But mentally? That’s a whole different story. The adrenaline has worn off, leaving me feeling panicky and sick to my stomach. One minute, I think I’m okay, and the next, I’m a trembling mess.

“The paramedics took Erin to the hospital,” I tell him instead of answering. “She has a concussion.”

He frowns down at me and then glances around, likely noting we have an audience.

“Adam is okay,” I continue. “Sam knocked him unconscious, tied him up, and left him in a bathroom stall. It took a while for the police to find him.”

I was going to keep Sam’s identity under wraps—the least I could do—but there are surveillance cameras all over the building, and they spotted him as clear as day. I don’t think it’s going to be long before Ethan’s men figure out the tattooed assassin killed their boss.

“I had no idea Ethan would look for you here,” Noah says.

“He put a tracking device in my purse while he was in the hotel room. The police took it, but if you want to see it, they might let you look at it since you’re a VIV.”

“A VIV?”

“A very important vampire.” I try to smile at my feeble attempt at a joke, but my heart’s not into it.

Noah’s eyes drop to my neck, and I look away, casually bringing my hair over my shoulder.

Noticing my reaction, he rubs his hand over my arm. “Let me talk to the police, and then I’m going to get you out of here, okay?”

Again, I force a smile, pretending I’m all right.

Cassian comes over to me as soon as Noah joins an important-looking circle of men. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

His expression darkens when he notices the blood on my shirt. “Ethan bit you again.”

My eyes start to sting, and I stare at my abandoned foam cup of coffee on the table. “Yeah. I think he was trying to remind me I belonged to him.”

Cassian frowns. “What do you mean?”

“You know, the vampire allegiance thing. He said he infected me, so I should honor and obey him.” I try to give him a brave smile. “You should be proud of me—I told him you were the head of my house, not him.”

Cassian’s face goes suspiciously blank, as it has every time I bring up his line.

“Why do you keep doing that?” I demand.

“Doing what?”

“You keep getting weird when I mention your house.”

He looks like he’s going to avoid the question, but he finally gives in. “Sam isn’t one of mine—Sophia didn’t change him. Since he was the one who bit you that final time, you belong to his house.”

“What?” I whisper, aghast. “What house is that?”

“House Sorin.”

“Why does that sound familiar?”

“Because that’s Larissa’s house as well.”

If I were the swearing type, I’d definitely say something really bad right now.

I glance around to make sure no one is close enough to overhear us. Thankfully, they’re all distracted by the murder.

“When were you going to tell me?” I demand.

My conservator looks uncomfortable, like he doesn’t want to be having this conversation. Well, too bad.

“Cassian,” I warn.

“I’ve been waiting for the right time,” he finally says.

I yank him to the side of the room, away from the chaos. “I don’t know those people, but now I apparently belong to them?”

“It’s going to be fine.”

“Do you know them?”

“Not well. They keep to themselves.”

“ Cassian. ”

“I’m working on it.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’ve figured out a way to adopt you into my house, all right? Just give me some time. And for now, we’re going to keep you away from House Sorin so they don’t realize you’re one of theirs.”

“How can you adopt me?”

He sets his jaw, refusing to answer.

“Cassian!”

“Patience, bunny.” Just to be annoying, he pats my head. “I’ll reveal everything when it’s time.”

“Never mind, I don’t want to be in your stupid house anyway.”

Cassian laughs. “You lost blood. You’re going to need an extra dose tonight.”

Suddenly chilled even though Miami is freaking hot, I hug myself. “I feel so gross,” I admit quietly. “I can’t believe Ethan managed to bite me again.”

His eyes flash. “If he weren’t dead, I’d kill him.”

“Did you see the security footage?” I ask quietly. “There’s a camera in this room. It caught the whole thing.”

That feels gross, too. There’s a video of my attack—a record of it happening. I’ll never be able to put it behind me because it will always exist in some digital record.

Sensing I’m near my breaking point, Cassian wraps his arm around my shoulders. I lean against him limply, arms hanging at my sides. We exist in silence, two vampires tired of the world we’ve found ourselves in.

A few minutes later, Noah joins us.

“Why don’t you two head back to the hotel?” Cassian suggests, giving my arm a brotherly squeeze and then letting me go. “I’ll finish up here.”

The police give us the okay to leave, and Noah and I head into the balmy night. Once we’re in the car, my anxiety grows. I twist my hands around my purse strap, feeling like I’m about to have a panic attack.

“Talk to me,” Noah urges. “Tell me what’s going on in your head right now.”

“I don’t know what to say,” I admit. “It feels like I should apologize, but I can’t figure out why.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. If anyone should apologize, it’s me. I’m the one who left you there.” We stop for a red light, and he looks over at me. “Are you okay? Like actually?”

“I probably should have taken the self-defense training a little more seriously.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“I don’t know if I’m okay. I’m relieved Ethan’s dead. I’m ashamed he bit me. I’m a little?—”

“Ashamed?” Noah says incredulously, cutting me off. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“I know, but I feel…” I don’t know how to put it into words. “I feel tainted, just like I did the first time he attacked me.”

Wordlessly, Noah reaches for my hand. He’s wrestling with guilt—I can feel it. But I don’t blame him. He left me with two hunters and a bunch of security guards. I should have been safe.

I clasp his hand tightly, not letting go until we’re back at the hotel.

When we walk into the room, it’s freaking hot again.

“Why do they keep turning it up?” I moan, heading over to the thermostat and glaring at it.

“I think it’s broken,” Noah says. “I’ll ask someone to come look at it tomorrow.”

Just like earlier, I feel an internal dam breaking—but this time, it’s not anger that flows out.

I sink into a chair by the table and drop my head in my hands, unable to hold back frustrated tears. Noah kneels in front of me, looking helpless. His jaw works like he wants to say something but doesn’t know what.

“It’s been a really bad day,” I say, like my tears need some explanation.

“I know.”

“And it’s really hot in here.”

He offers me a sad smile. “It is.”

“I’m going to get ready for bed.”

Noah rises, stepping aside so I can stand up. I close myself in the bathroom, focusing on my routine and trying to feel normal. I strip off my shirt and throw it in the trash, not wanting to see it ever again, and then pull my hair back into a ponytail.

As I wash my face, I study my neck. The bite is already healed. All traces of Ethan are gone.

But I still feel him.

I turn from the mirror and yank on the shower handle, feeling the need to wash off properly. Maybe I can clean away this feeling.

Shuddering when I step under the scalding spray, I drop the temperature and get to work. Using a washcloth and hotel soap, I scrub every inch of my skin until it’s pink and angry.

I don’t realize I’m crying until I’m kneeling in the spray, trying to catch my breath.

He’s dead , I remind myself. Ethan can never touch me again. I picture him lying on the break room floor, motionless.

But then I think of his wild eyes and how terrified I was.

My thoughts grow darker and more morbid the longer I stay here. I’m spiraling, reliving the horror of the night over and over. The whole ordeal must have happened quickly, but it feels like it lasted an eternity.

Every time I close my eyes, I see Ethan’s face looming over mine, his features twisted with hate and madness.

“Piper,” Noah calls through the door.

I jerk my head up, getting a face full of water. “Yeah?” I sputter.

His concerned tone makes me think it’s not the first time he’s called my name.

“You okay? You’ve been in there a long time.”

I’m not okay, and I can’t lie and say I am this time. But I manage to shut off the water.

“Piper?”

I open my mouth to answer, but the tears flow harder.

“Cover up,” he commands. “I’m coming in.”

I reach around the shower curtain and grasp hold of a towel. It’s soft and fluffy, nicer than the cheap ones I have at home. Still kneeling, I wrap it around myself, covering all my important parts just in time.

Noah pushes through the door and then nudges the curtain aside. When he sees me huddled in the tub, tears streaming down my face, he shoves it the rest of the way. The curtain rings slide on the rod, making a metallic noise that echoes in the small, tiled space.

I look up at Noah. He’s in soft workout shorts and a T-shirt again, ready for bed.

“Tissue?” I manage, knowing I’m a mess.

He frowns as he grabs several from the box on the metal shelf above the toilet and hands them to me. Then he kneels his big self outside the tub, resting his elbows on the ledge. I can tell he’s hating himself right now, but he doesn’t say anything.

“He wanted to kill me.” Tears stream down my face, hot and ugly. “Even though I remembered Cassian said I wouldn’t die by choking, I thought he might accomplish it.”

My hair is stuck together in a wet, tangled mess at my back, and it’s saturating the towel. Water runs down my face, mingling with my tears.

“Can you hand me another towel?” I ask.

Immediately, Noah rises and fetches a rolled one from next to the tissue box.

I open it up and drop my face into it. “I forgot to bring my clothes in.”

“I’ll get your suitcase.”

Noah comes back a minute later with my bag. “I’ll step outside.”

“Okay.”

As soon as I’m alone, I dry off and pull on my sleep shorts. Through the door, I say, “I’m tired of being a damsel in distress.”

“We can do more self-defense training,” Noah answers.

I choose a camisole with a built-in shelf bra and pull it over my head. “We probably should, but that’s not what I mean. I just want people to leave us alone.”

Noah is quiet, which means he’s probably drowning in guilt.

I hang up the towel and open the door, finding him waiting on the other side. “Let’s go to bed.”

I take an extra dose of blood, as Cassian instructed, and then crawl under the covers.

Thanks to the night’s events, our sleeping arrangement is the least of my concerns. It must not be high on Noah’s list either, because he shifts in close behind me and pulls me against him like he’s settling in for the night.

“Is this okay?” he asks, his breath against my neck.

“Yeah.”

It’s more than okay—it feels safe. I close my eyes, exhausted from the long day. Crying left me wiped out. I feel drained now, hollow even.

But Noah’s warmth reminds me I’m alive and loved. Ethan tried, but he couldn’t take that from me.

I wake when the bed shifts and pry my eyes open. It’s morning, according to the sun. We didn’t remember to close the drapes last night, and dangerous sunshine edges toward the bed.

“Hey,” Noah says groggily, rolling toward me.

I slide my hands between my cheek and the pillow. “Hey.”

“How are you feeling?”

I think about the question. “Better.”

Yesterday was turbulent. I screamed, I cried—I got out a lot of pent-up emotions. They were growing like magma in a volcano, until finally, I erupted.

When I went to sleep, I was an empty shell. But now, I feel renewed—like I’m getting a fresh start. Finally, Ethan only exists in my past. He can’t haunt us any longer.

And that’s not the only good news.

I sit up. “I can go outside today.”

“What?” Noah’s eyes follow me.

“I’ve been on the daylight medication for twenty-four hours.” I leave the bed and look out the window, enjoying the sunshine as it warms my shoulders. “Cassian said I can go outside for a little bit today, as long as I’m careful and wear sunscreen.”

“That’s right.” Sprawled out on the bed, Noah stretches his well-muscled arms over his head, capturing my whole attention. “Let’s get dressed, and then we’ll find some breakfast.”

My heart gives an extra thump as my gaze trails over him. There’s something dangerously appealing about a handsome man lounging in white bedding.

Noah must notice my reaction because he goes still. His eyes sweep over my face, and there’s a question in their amber depths.

His hair is delightfully sleep-rumpled, and dark stubble shadows his jaw. The man is pure, unadulterated temptation.

He ends up clasping his hands behind his head, staring at me with a satisfied male smile. “You should stop.”

I swallow. “Stop what?”

“You can’t look at me like that and expect me to behave—I don’t have that much willpower left. You’ve nearly depleted my stores.”

A second passes, then several more. I turn my back to the balcony window, giving him my full attention. “Maybe I don’t want you to behave.”

Eyes locked on mine, Noah slowly sits up. He swings his legs over the side of the bed and rests his forearms on his thighs. He contemplates me for long enough, I begin to feel flushed.

After several long, heated seconds, he jerks his head, inviting me over. “Then come here.”