Page 7

I walk into my house at half-past five, exhausted. We’re home later than expected, and I missed my afternoon dose of blood. I feel edgy and ravenous, even though I had a rare steak for lunch.

Noah’s not here yet, but he texted a few minutes ago and said he’s on his way.

I head toward the kitchen, and Cassian follows behind me.

“You know what I just realized?” I say. “We still don’t know who Ethan’s original contact was—the person who told him about Sophia. Before he met her, before he met Alfred, he must have had an acquaintance who was entrenched in all this.”

Cassian sits on a barstool, rests his elbows on the counter, and places his chin on his steepled hands. “You’re right. We should probably figure that out.”

I open the fridge and reach for my prescription blood. “It sounds like Alfred’s house is the one Sophia was involved with, though. But if that’s true, why would Sophia talk about them in front of Larissa?”

“Maybe Larissa and Alfred broke up?” Cassian muses. “But no. Sophia said it wasn’t the Staulington line.”

“No offense, Cassian, but Sophia’s moral compass is slightly skewed.” I close the fridge and join him at the counter. “It’s possible she was lying.”

“I won’t argue with that, but Jameson is a good friend. If he were trying to destroy me, I think I’d at least know why.”

“I don’t suppose you had an affair with his wife or something dramatic like that?”

“Only once.”

“What?” I nearly fumble the bottle.

“Of course I didn’t,” he scoffs. “Jameson and I are fine. Though I might call him later and see if he’s heard anything about all this.”

I nod absently, holding the prescription bottle up to the light.

“Why are you scowling at your blood?” he asks.

“It’s almost empty. I didn’t realize I was so low.”

“Do you have a full dose?”

I grab a juice glass and pour the rest of the blood into it. “About half.”

“Call in your prescription. I’ll pick it up for you.”

I roll my shoulders, feeling off. This gnawing sensation isn’t pleasant.

Cassian studies me. “You took your medications this morning, didn’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“Tell me how you’re feeling right now.”

“You butted your way in as my conservator. Are you my therapist, too?”

“I just don’t want you to eat the neighbors, bunny.”

I growl, tossing back the nasty scarlet liquid and then rinsing my mouth. It helps a little, but not enough.

“I feel hungry,” I finally answer. “But I’m not. So snacky, maybe? And it’s making me feel kind of…caged?”

He nods solemnly. “It takes a few months to get the dose right. You might need to make another appointment with Dr. Martin.”

“When I was transitioning, the lack of blood didn’t make me feel like this. It just made me sick.”

“Technically, you’ve had enough blood to keep your body systems running well. Just not enough for…” He frowns like a man who doesn’t want to tell a woman she’s acting hormonal.

I cross my arms. “Is that a nice way of saying I’m crazy ?”

“No,” he says soothingly, but his lips twitch with a smile. “You seem perfectly stable.”

The front door opens, distracting us both. It’s a welcome sound—my favorite, really.

“Piper ran out of blood,” Cassian says when Noah joins us in the kitchen. “I’m going to pick up her prescription for her.”

“I haven’t called it in yet,” I remind him.

“Well, get on it. They close soon.” He heads for the door, jingling his keys. “When I get back, we can talk about Alfred.”

A few seconds later, the front door closes.

“Hey,” Noah says when we’re alone, looking good enough to…

No.

“Hi.” I swallow as I pull my eyes away from his neck.

“I have buffalo blood in the fridge,” Noah points out.

“I’m fine.”

He crosses the space, smirking in a way that’s both annoying and hot.

Or maybe just annoyingly hot.

“You seem fine.” He sets his hands on my shoulders, rubbing gently as his honey-brown eyes stray over my face. “Did you have a good day?”

“Cassian almost choked the life out of Ethan’s brother, and we might have found a property we’re interested in.”

Noah raises his brows. “You found a property already?”

“I would have thought the other bit would have caught your interest first.”

“Cassian texted me about Alfred and Larissa earlier.”

I nod, distracted. My eyes stray back to my boyfriend’s throat, and I swallow. Noah’s pulse thrums at a steady beat, but it’s getting faster. Just like mine.

Drawn in by it, I step a little closer.

Watching me, eyes slitting like a contented cat’s, he murmurs, “Careful.”

“I am,” I answer absently. But my fangs press against my gums, annoying and persistent.

My hunger changes to something else, something a little more familiar. “Cassian said my fangs might not come in until I bite someone.”

Noah makes a noise in the back of his throat.

“But you didn’t have to, right?” I ask. “You said you’ve never bitten anybody.”

“I haven’t.” His voice has grown darker, deeper.

“So…how did that all get resolved for you?”

He steps back, avoiding my eyes as he rubs his neck. “Are we really having this conversation?”

I cringe, wishing I hadn’t asked. But I did, and now it will eat at me if I don’t know. “Did you almost bite someone?”

“Yeah.”

“Because you were hungry?”

Noah chuckles like this is getting absurd. “No.”

“Oh.” I turn around, feeling weird. “Okay.”

He steps up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and setting his chin on my shoulder. “You’re the only girl I plan to bite, Piper.”

Heat pools in my stomach. Because my knees are feeling a little wobbly, I casually grasp the counter. “I’m sure that’s what all the vampire guys say.”

Noah chuckles and turns his head, brushing his lips over my neck. “We’re not in a hurry. I’m here for the long haul. Maybe I can help a little, though.”

I go still, my eyes fluttering closed as the warmth of his lips travels my skin.

“Can you feel your fangs now?” he murmurs.

“Yeah,” I breathe, clutching the counter a little harder.

His mouth travels to my pulse point, warm and soft, and his hand moves to my side. “Do they hurt?”

“They ache,” I admit.

He kisses my neck, making my skin tingle. “Do you want to?—”

But I’ll never know what Noah’s about to ask because his freaking phone rings .

He pulls back to check it. Looking at the screen, he says, “It’s Daniel. I’m afraid I have to take this.”

I nod, swallowing.

He clears his throat before he answers the call. “Hey, Daniel. What did you find out?”

When he wanders into the living room, I take a deep breath. Slowly, the pressure in my gums subsides, becoming annoying instead of painful.

A text message makes my phone vibrate, distracting me from my irritation at being interrupted.

Cassian: Have you called in the prescription?

Piper: Sorry, I forgot. I’ll do it now.

With a sigh, I go through the pharmacy’s automated phone prompts. By the time I’m finished, Noah is done with his call, and he’s returned to the kitchen.

“Did Daniel figure out where Cassian’s mystery phone call came from?” I take two of the painkillers Dr. Martin prescribed.

“No, but he’s located Alfred.”

“Was he missing?”

“His family is based in Boston, but he’s rarely home.”

“So…where is he?”

“Miami.”

“As in Florida?” I ask, startled.

“Is there more than one?”

“I don’t know, maybe. What’s a vampire doing on the beach?”

“An excellent question—one I’m going to personally find the answer to.”

I don’t like the sound of that at all.

“You’re flying to Miami?” Uncomfortable, I shift my weight to my other leg, trying to act casual and not like a clingy girlfriend. “When?”

“As soon as possible. How long will it take you to get ready?”

I blink at him, processing the question a little too slowly—probably thanks to my blood shortage. “I get to go, too?”

Noah smiles, and it’s the adorable, affectionate one I love so much. “I’m not leaving you here alone—not with all the craziness we’ve experienced this summer.”

Normally, I’d be ecstatic. But my building excitement is tempered by irritation—because I have the opportunity to fly across the country to a summer paradise with the vampire of my dreams, and I can’t go into the sun .

“What’s with that look?” Noah asks, studying me.

“What’s the point of going to Florida if you can’t even visit the ocean?” I ask sullenly. “I’ve already done that, and it wasn’t great.”

“When did you go to Florida?”

“I was with Kevin, and we were visiting his family in St. Augustine. We never even made it down to the beach. We toured the historic area, ate out a few times, and then flew home.”

“Kevin sucked,” Noah says, not terribly concerned about speaking ill of the dead.

“Yeah.”

“We’ll go at night. Isn’t that a thing people do—moonlit walks on the beach?”

Uh…yes, please.

“Do you think we’ll have time?” I ask. “This is a work trip, after all.”

“We’ll make time.” He says it like it’s a solemn vow.

“Cassian doesn’t seem to think so, but do you think Sophia was working with Alfred’s house?”

“I’m not sure.” He stretches his neck like he’s already dreading dealing with the man. “But even if House Staulington isn’t directly connected, I suspect Alfred knows which line is trying to keep Cassian off the throne. He has a lot of shady friends.”

“Do you think it’s weird Larissa didn’t mention they dated when his name was brought up?”

“I don’t think it’s weird—I think it’s suspicious.”

“Sophia would have known, too.”

Noah nods, wearing that look he gets when he’s thinking about work.

“Not that a trip doesn’t sound great, but why don’t you just call him?”

“I won’t be able to get info out of him over the phone.”

“What exactly are you planning to do to him?” I ask nervously, remembering the unique brand of persuasion Cassian used on Hunter earlier.

“Don’t worry about it. Do you have anything you need to wrap up before we go?”

“ Don’t worry about it ? You can’t make me stop worrying by telling me not to. Exactly how dangerous is this guy? He doesn’t sound like the most wholesome vampire.”

Noah’s pensive expression slowly morphs into a cocky smirk. “I’m good at my job, Pip.”

I point a finger at him. “No.”

“Pepper?” he says innocently, just to be ornery.

“You’re about to be homeless.”

He crosses the space and wraps his arms loosely around my back. “I promise I won’t rough him up, okay?” Then he grins. “Much.”

“Is Cassian coming with us?”

“I haven’t called him yet, but most likely.”

“Then you probably won’t have to.”

Noah laughs, but then his smile dims. “Will it hurt your business if you take a few days off?”

“Not really—Olivia has been picking up the slack since I entered the final stage. Now that kids are heading back to school, she’s getting fewer hours at the ceramic studio, so I don’t think she minds. Plus, I have a reliable boarder who always pays his rent.”

Noah smiles. “All right. I’m going to see if I can get plane tickets for tomorrow.”

“NIHA isn’t going to care that you’re taking off?”

“This is my job,” he reminds me. “Work trip, remember?”

“You can claim the expenses on your taxes? Handy.” I pause. “Wait. Do vampires even have to file taxes?”

“Yes,” he says with a chuckle.

Bummer.

“And NIHA will pay for my travel expenses,” he continues, “so I imagine they can deduct them.”

“Huh.” I tap my finger to my lips. “I wonder if there’s a legitimate business reason for a flower farmer to go to Miami. How expensive are plane tickets?”

“Don’t worry about it—I’ll cover it.”

I set my hands on my hips. “I am a grown woman, capable of paying my own way.”

“That’s cool.” He grins, adorably wicked. “You want to pay my way, too?”

“Never mind. I’ll own my damsel in distress status. When you book, I would like a room with an ocean view, okay? Don’t go cheap on me.”

Noah crosses his arms as he leans against the kitchen island. His amber eyes become slightly hooded as he asks, “Do we want two rooms…or one?”

He’s joking. But my heart, scandalous thing that it is, skips a beat.

“Two.” I swallow. “Obviously.”

Noah offers me a lazy grin. “Obviously.”

“You said no biting until we’re married,” I remind him.

“Maybe we should get married.” He raises his eyebrows, teasing me.

“That’s a foolish thing to say to a woman.”

“Is it?” He heads for the living room. “I’m going to look for flights. Why don’t you start packing?”

“Noah,” I protest. “You can’t walk away now.”

“Don’t forget to bring your swimsuit,” he calls.

And…he walks away.

I stand here, an edgy vampire, tempted to look up nighttime beach weddings on Pinterest.

My life has gotten so weird.