Page 39 of This Blood That Binds Us

“Zoning out like that. Where do you go, and why can’t I come to your planet?” Presley said, pulling on a highlighter-yellow pullover.

I hated that sweatshirt. Mostly because it was blinding, but also because he insisted on pairing it with the weirdest clothes possible. Presley hated matching, but once he was in second grade, we pretty much gave up on trying to get him to dress any differently. Zach resolved to beat up anyone who made fun of him for it, and Luke didn’t stop him.

“Where are you going?” I said, removing the papers stuck to my arm.

“I met some girls who invited me over to their sorority party. You should come. They have a pool.”

“We have a pool,” I said.

“Yeah, but this pool has women in it.” Presley ruffled up his curls, eyeing himself in the big, over-the-top mirror hanging on the wall opposite of me. “Unless you know any hot guys with an ounce of personality, then I’ll swing over there instead.”

“Aren’t there plenty here?”

“Yeah, but they’re all aggressively straight and not nearly as cool as me,” Presley said, putting on his shades. “You wanna come?”

“I’m not going. I have to study.” I turned back to the books sitting in front of me.

I had numerous finals to keep me busy, and that’s all it was. Just to keep me busy. I wasn’t exactly champing at the bit to start a career I could never advance in. Back in Brooklyn, I wanted to become a veterinarian. But I was stuck looking like a twenty-year-old. I didn’t have much hope for that future anymore.

Plus, the newfound information of an unknown vampire on campus had me on edge, not just the immediate threat to Kimberly but also the possibility that, should my brothers find out, they would flip. All the effort we’d put to settling in and making a home here would fly out the window.

Presley laughed. “Whatever. Do your thing. We can all play Warzone when we get back.”

He had truly never worried about anything, but I wasn’t sure if I admired that quality or if I hated it. Nothing ever fazed him. Not even the sudden realization he was a vampire. Not moving across the country. Not having to hide from people who wanted to hurt us. He was still right as rain.

“All right, I won’t be gone long. Three hours tops. Tell Mom and Dad I have GPS on my phone, and I’ll check in every thirty minutes,” Presley said before he disappeared toward the foyer.

Glass clanking against stainless steel broke my concentration. The sun was going down, and it cast a shadow into the kitchen where a few of our housemates were cleaning up their dishes. I looked down at the mechanical pencil in my hands. Somehow, I hadn’t even noticed.

I adjusted my sore butt in my chair. Piles of notes buried my textbooks. The grandfather clock chimed from the living room, and I looked at my phone. How long had I been studying? It didn’t feel long, but hours had passed without my recollection.

I tried to focus back on my text book when a soft cry rung in the air. The sweet scent of blood flooded the room. The smell slapped me in the face. It was easy to identify, not only because of how potent it was but also in the way it lingered in the air, sucking up the potential for any other odors. Once it hit the air, I’d be smelling it for a week.

I got up quickly to follow the scent to the kitchen. A housemate stood with a bloody towel in hand, drops of blood dripping onto his flip-flops.

“I cut myself,” he said, a little too calm.

His face was familiar, but I wasn’t recalling a name. To me, he was the guy who loved to wear tank tops.

He checked his hand again. “It’s not that bad.”

The water drained the crimson smudges. I was frozen. Not because I couldn’t control my thirst but because I didn’t have a lot of experience with emergencies.

Luke pushed past me, seemingly from nowhere, and grabbed another towel. Within seconds, Luke came to the tank top man’s aid.

I almost didn’t realize he was dripping water all over the kitchen and in swim trunks.

“You’re definitely going to need stitches, man.”

Luke’s voice was calm. Reassuring. My frozen muscles thawed, and I walked over to help.

“W-What do I need to do?” I said.

“Just hold pressure here while I wrap this.” Luke smiled at me reassuringly and grabbed the clean towel before wrapping it around the guy’s hand.

Tank top guy’s teeth ground with each bit of pressure, his heart rate skyrocketing as he let out a slow breath.

Luke turned to the guy’s friend who was still looking at us dumbfounded. “Are you going to take him, or do I need to?”