Page 112 of Taming the Beasts

“Seriously, stop it with the deep voice,” Grudge said. “You’re giving me the ick. Is that you, Emma? It’s super gross.”

I grabbed the phone. “It’s my fiancé, Callum. You can’t see him because he’s a vampire. Vampires can’t have photos taken or be filmed.”

“Really?” Grudge squinted like he was willing Callum to come into view. “But wait. I can always see Kebe on video.”

“Because she’s lying about everything,” Zoey said. She looked so pleased with herself. “Kebe is not a vampire. She’s definitely something supernatural, but I have no idea what. And I know she murdered those guys! She teleported!”

“What guys?” Callum asked.

“It really freaks me out when the invisible man talks,” Grudge said.

Zoey ignored Grudge and turned to Callum. “Kebe disappeared early Saturday morning. Or late Friday night. However you want to put it. Just in time to make Bennett’s two contacts that knew about the coin disappear before they could tell Bennett what they knew.”

I’d told Callum about Ray and Patrick being missing. I’d just left off Zoey’s theories about it. Because at the time, I didn’t think they were valid. Since there was no way for someone, let alone a vampire, to get across the world, murder two people, and then be back in such a short amount of time. But someone could do it if they could teleport.

I felt sick to my stomach. We’d all been around Kebe. She could have easily offed one of us instead.

“Is anyone else hungry?” Zoey asked. “I’m always starving after solving something. Wait. Oh my God, I’m such an idiot.”

“What?” I asked.

“Remember that first day when we met Kebe? We ate with her at that Italian place. And she went to town on that garlic bread!”

Callum shuddered.

“I can’t believe I forgot about that,” Zoey said. “It’s one thing to grow a tolerance. It’s another to eat vampire poison.”

“I didn’t even notice that she had,” I said. But yeah. That was just more proof.

“After I confronted her last night, I think all the guys believe me,” Zoey said. “But we put it to a vote and they decided to just keep an eye on her instead of torturing her for information. Once they know for sure that she’s a disappearing flight risk though, I think I can sway them to the torture thing. Let’s go talk to them.”

Callum sighed and sat down on the couch.

I knew he was never physically tired. But he looked exhausted right now.

“Callum, I’m sorry. I know you really bonded with her.” I sat down next to him.

“I thought she was like me. I thought I wasn’t alone.”

I ignored the sting of his words and grabbed his hand. “You’re not alone. You have me.”

He nodded. “I’m sorry, Emma. That wasn’t what I meant.”

“I know what you meant. And I get it. I do.” I hated his relationship with Kebe. But it didn’t mean I didn’t understand it. “I’m not a vampire. You thought she was. It’s not something I can bond with you over.” There was a piece of me that was relieved Kebe couldn’t really bond with him over it either. Seriously, screw her for messing with Callum’s head.

“Elias is a vampire too,” Grudge said. “And he’s still out there. So you’re not the only vampire, invisible buddy.”

Callum laughed.

“This is so weird. It’s like a phone call instead of a video call with him. But what’s our plan of action here? Because I’m voting to not torture Kebe. She’s too hot. Unless you want to use lots of rope and some nipple clamps in a sexy way.”

Zoey rolled her eyes.

“We need to figure out who and what she is,” Callum said. He looked at me.

I nodded. It felt good to finally be on the same page about this one last thing.

Callum grabbed my hand and pulled me off the couch. “Let’s head to the bank. I need to talk to your boyfriends, Zoey.”