Page 84 of Vampires of Eden

The queasy sensation intensifies. Thrumming in my nature and veins along the underside of my skin. It makes me hot, so I push the duvet away.

Doesn’t help. I’m blinking, feeling the internal heat beginning to swelter and my heart rate speeds up, pounding in my ears. A sharp pain slices through my abdomen and I wince and sit upright because being horizontal isn’t making it better.

On the edge of the bed, from head to toe the fire burns hotter inside. Not in the contented, trickling way it did whenever I was around Oliver. Not even in the soft electric way it brushes across my skin when I’m with Daniel. This is… uncomfortable. Completely separate from anything I’ve ever felt.

I try to take deep breaths, but the sharp pain strikes again. Wincing, I place my hand at the top of my navel in a meager attempt to quell it. It’s utterly pointless, because the fire suddenly swells inside, furious and painful as if my entire being—my body, organs, nature and flesh—are rejecting this blood that I’ve swallowed.

My eyes widen as the lukewarm liquid comes back up and spews out of me. Uncontrollably and in violent spasms. By thetime it loosens its hold, I’m delirious and sitting with blood on my chin—wet stains splotched on my pajamas, palms and on the carpet in front of me.

Nothing like this haseverhappened before. It’s horrifying and disgusting. I’m dizzy but I’m thinking that I… I need to do something. Clean this up or call someone. I need help.

The pain slices through my body again, so hot and fierce that my mind goes black. I feel myself falling backward against the bed. And then, that’s all there is.

Emptiness. Nothing but darkness and pain.

CHAPTER 20

Daniel

“Have either of you heard from Alexander?”

Sunday morning, I’m standing in the kitchen of the safe house and looking at Roland and Kat as they hover around the table, which, by the way, looks great with the new wood stain.

“Not yet,” Kat says, pulling some buttery-smelling pastry out of the oven with her mitts. “He should be here by now. It’s unusual for him to no-show. He’s always so good about letting us know if he can’t make it or if he’ll be late, and he said he would come to help out today.”

“I haven’t heard from him, either.” Leoni called him Friday night and made the offer for him to stay with us at the vineyard. She said he seemed receptive over the phone, and that he would think about it and get back to us.

But he hasn’t.

I even texted him last night to follow-up. No response. We’ve talked through and mostly resolved the situation with his eyes alighting, so there’s no reason for him to ignore me.

“I have Raphael’s number in my phone in case of emergencies,” Roland says, bringing two mugs of coffee over tothe table. “Should we check in with him or give it more time? Do you want coffee?”

“No thanks to the coffee but yes to Raphael’s number, please? Let’s check in.” I step over to the table where Roland has set the mugs down and picked up his mobile.

As he taps away, he glances up, grinning. “You two have come a long way.”

“Yes,” I agree. “I no longer despise him based on my own prejudices. It’s progress.”

Roland snickers through his nose. “I’m glad you got that straightened out. Here.” He shows me his phone screen and I copy Raphael’s information into my contacts.

“We’re thinking about an opening date for the clinic,” he says quietly.

“Oh yeah? Are we that close to being ready?”

“We are, thanks to you and Alexander—now all we need is to finish setting up the clinic room, and to hire someone to help Kat with blood draws and inventory.”

“That’s not such a big deal this early on,” Kathryn chimes in from the table. Her rust-colored coffee mug nestled between her palms. “I can handle those things myself as long as our patronage is pretty low.”

“We don’t know what kind of response we’ll get though, do we?” Roland says, setting his phone back down. “I’d really love to hire a psychiatrist.”

Stepping toward the door, I consider. “Is there one in Eden? You might have to hire someone from the outside for that.”

“True,” Roland says, taking a seat opposite his mate. “Looking for any type of therapist in Eden is like trying to find a werewolf—they don’t exist!”

“Says the vampire,” Kathryn jests. “Humans didn’t know that we existed for centuries. I think the werewolves are more discreet than us.”

Roland shakes his head. “They don’t exist. I’m not arguing with you about this today.”