Page 76 of Twisted

“Mental health issues don’t go away when you’re turned?”

“No.”He brushes my hair back.“Why are you so interested in this?”

I bring my shoulders up in a small shrug.“It’s interesting.Dying sounds so scary.So final.But it’s not and having to live—in a sense—with the same problems you had before isn’t something I even thought about.It’s probably not something most have thought about.I’ve heard a lot of people talk about being turned and waking up undead like it would solve all of their problems.”

“In a way, I suppose it could,” he says.“Though now the process is a bit more complicated since being undead isn’t the same as legally dead.Back in my day, you could fake your death and clear your debts.”He playfully nudges my arm.“And get out of a marriage or anything else you didn’t want to do.”

I laugh softly.“Yeah.Nothing beats not doing housework like laying cold and unmoving on the floor.”

The wind blows, bringing with it the scent of rain.

“How did you beat your addiction?”I ask.“Is there some offshoot of AA for vampires?”

“There probably is now,” he says and looks up at the sky.It’s the weirdest thing, standing here with Xavier like this.He’s being vulnerable and it’s making me see him in a new light.“Physically not being able to consume anything mind-altering forced me to change the way I dealt with things.And you do get a new perspective when you wake up undead.”

“In a good way?”

“Yes.”He tips his head back down, dangerously close to mine.I inhale deeply and blink a few times, wanting to feel him against me.He inches closer, knowing how much I want him right now.“What is so special about this Mexican restaurant?”

“Nothing, I suppose.The chips and salsa are good, and they have good veggie fajitas.It’s the nostalgia of it, really.”

“You miss your old life because it was familiar, not because it was good.”

I make a face and lean away from him.“That’s presumptuous to assume.”

“You didn’t know any better before.A makeshift raft can look like a luxury cruise ship when you’ve been treading water and that’s exactly what you experienced.I am right.”

“No, you’re not.You might think you’re better than most humans, but you don’tknowbetter when it comes to what’s going on inside my head.”

“Fair,” he agrees but doesn’t look like he’s going to change his mind.Xavier was just so open and honest and real with me before being a condescending asshole.It’s so confusing, but maybe that’s just his nature because he’s a vampire.Or maybe he’s just an asshole.

“Everything has been turned around, but there were good moments,” I start and then shake my head and take a step back.“Why am I even defending myself to you?I lived my life, not you.”

“Thankfully.”

“Oh, shut up.”

He just flashes a cocky grin and it’s only then I realize his fangs are showing.“It’s a two and a half hour drive to Asheville.We should go.Do you need to change?”

“Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing?”I ask, motion to my body.My wardrobe is still a bit limited, and I ran out of athletic clothes after my workout this afternoon so I’m wearing one of the black dresses I bought.

“Not at all.You look beautiful,” he tells me and sweeps his eyes over me, letting his gaze linger as if he’s mentally undressing me.

“It’s a new moon tonight,” I say.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“We’re going to the Blue Ridge Mountains,” I say slowly, waiting to see if he has any sort of reaction.“In Appalachia.”

“I’m not following.”

“Hmm, it seems the big bad vampire doesn’t know everything.Appalachia is cursed as fuck.It’s like a beacon for monsters and dark energy.”

“Home sweet home for you.”

“Seriously.There’s never a shortage of something to kill.”

“We’re not that different, you and I.”He speeds closer again, taking me by the waist.My hips press against his and a rush of warmth goes between my legs.“You rationalize your kills as morally acceptable.”