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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHANEL

T he silence that followed our toast felt familiar and comfortable.

Something fundamental had shifted between Morgan and me since her transformation.

Our friendship was deeper now. It was built on experiences that transcended normal human bonds.

The weight of my secret pressed against my chest, demanding release.

“I did something this morning.” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Something I never thought I was capable of.”

Morgan sat her bloody glass down to give me her full attention. Her gaze was more intense than it used to be. It was a side effect of her transformation that I was still adjusting to.

“What happened?” She asked.

I leaned forward, dropping my voice even lower, as though we weren’t alone in the VIP section. “Zand took me to this crematorium that he owns. Marisol was there. She was strapped down, paralyzed by some kind of serum.”

Morgan’s eyes grew large, but she didn’t interrupt me.

“Have you noticed that some of the security guards have weapons? It’s a gun with some kind of serum that immobilizes vampires.”

“Yeah, that Glock that they started wearing?” Morgan knew exactly what I was talking about.

I continued. “Yeah, I thought it was just a regular gun.”

“I did too, but why would they carry a gun when they don’t need them for humans? I didn’t even think about it at first.”

“Me either.” My words were coming faster now. “Harlen shot Marisol with that special gun that paralyzes vampires. Then he took her back to this crematorium.”

“Oh, okay. That’s where he was when he told me he was doing a job for his brother.”

“He told you that?”

“Yeah, he said he would meet me here when he was done. I came here and just waited for him to come back. I was asleep when he finally got back to The Castle. If Harlen took Marisol there. Did he kill her?”

My fingers gripped the stem of my wineglass tightly. The memory of the basement filled my mind, the clinical lighting, the sterile smell, and Marisol’s terrified eyes.

“Harlen didn’t kill her. He just left her there. When I showed up with Zand, he gave me a choice.” I said, meeting Morgan’s gaze steadily. “I pushed the button that sent her into the fire. I watched her burn. I didn’t look away.”

I waited for her reaction. Morgan nodded slowly, and a smile of satisfaction settled on her face. “Good.” She simply said. “She deserved it for what she did to you. For what her brother did to Craig.”

“I thought I’d feel, I don’t know, guilty? But all I felt was relief.” I twisted my engagement ring. “Is that wrong?”

“No way.” Morgan answered with no uncertainty.

“That’s survival. That’s justice. Not court justice, or street justice, but vampire justice.

” She paused, then added. “That’s what she deserved.

She could’ve kept her human ass in Bloomington.

She came here and got the business. After everything she did, she didn’t deserve to be a badass vampire living forever and never aging. ”

“She’s dead now and when Teresa realizes she’s missing, we have to be ready for her.”

Morgan leaned back in her chair. “My maker grabbed her, and you took her out. That’s the kind of payback I’m trying to serve to that bitch that threw me off a balcony.”

I wanted to tell her how sorry I was, but I didn’t want to sound like a broken record. “Is he here, Harlen?” I asked, because I hadn’t seen him all night.

“Yeah, he’s either with Zand or Natasha. Harlen’s been teaching me about how things work around here. Who’s running this and that?” She gestured vaguely with one hand. “Harlen’s been sleeping here at The Castle and I’m thinking of staying here with him.”

“Why?”

“He doesn’t feel safe at the apartments alone. Not with Teresa and her people still out there. I don’t want him to be alone and he wants me around so he can keep an eye on me.”

I consider this information. “You’re going to stay with him?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral. But I didn’t want to lose my friend.

Morgan affirmed. “For now. He’s teaching me control and how to be what I am now.”

“I understand. I’m going to miss you.” I whined.

“I’m still going to see you. You gotta fiancé now. Y’all need some time alone.”

“Alone with the vampire security guards!” I belted. There was always a vamp somewhere near me. I guess I should be grateful for all the protection.

“Josh and Matt are damn near family.”

She was right. “Yeah, I’m just complaining for no reason.”

“I’ve been doing the same.” She said, gesturing to her transformed body. “I’m done mourning what I’ve lost. I didn’t choose to be a vampire, but I’m choosing to embrace it.”

Her words were exactly how I was feeling at the crematorium. I wanted to embrace this stronger version of myself. I was done with the scared me. Like Morgan, it was time for us to just accept the life we had now, and the women that we had become.

“I think that’s brave.” I told her honestly. “Embracing change instead of fighting it.”

Morgan’s lips curved into a grin. “It’s not bravery. It’s practicality. I can’t go back to what I was, so I might as well make the most of what I am.” She leaned forward. “Besides, there are perks.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t get cramps, or a period anymore.”

“Girl, you stupid.”

“My stupid vampire ass can wear white anytime I want to, and not worry about having an accident. And all the money I’m going to save not buying tampons, diva cups and pads with wings. I don’t envy you.”

“You never ever wear white.” I reminded her.

“That’s true. But the new me is going to start wearing white.”

“I’m going to have to see it to believe it.”

“I want Teresa to pay for what she did.” She changed the subject back to our nemesis. “I want her to suffer.”

The vehemence in her words should have frightened me. After this morning, after pushing that red button, I understood it all too well. I tasted the hunger for retribution and the need to see justice served, no matter what.

“It’s going to happen.” I said quietly.

“I know Zand runs everything around here. I’m going to ask him to let me have a chance to take her out.” She confided in me.

The ferocity in her words would’ve been foreign to the Morgan I knew before. She was the carefree party girl with the ready laugh and easy smile. This new Morgan spoke of vengeance with a conviction. Her eyes, those unnaturally bright gray eyes, flashed with a purpose that bordered on predatory.

“Morgan, I don’t want anything to happen to you. You’re a new vampire and Teresa has been one for some time. You changed and you have to get used to the new you.”

Morgan tilted her head and looked at me with that new intensity. “You’ve changed too, you know. The old Chanel would never have pushed that button.”

Her observation struck home. “Maybe we’re both becoming what we need to be to survive in this world.” I said.

“Maybe.” She agreed.

“I’m happy you’re still alive, and I want you to stay that way.” I said, the words inadequate against the enormity of what’s happened, “and I’m sorry that being my best friend has cost you so much.”

“It’s not your fault. This is basically just how life was supposed to turn out.”

“How can you say that?” I asked, searching her bright eyes for any sign of resentment. “You died, Morgan. You had your entire future ahead of you, and now?—”

“And now I have a different future.” She finished for me. “One with superhuman strength and a blood diet.” She attempted a smile. “I’m here. I’m different. I’m dealing with it.”

Her pragmatism surprised me, though perhaps it shouldn’t. Morgan had always been adaptable. She rolled with the punches in ways I never could. The fact that she applied that same resilience to her literal death and resurrection was both impressive and heartbreaking.

“By the way,” I said, shifting topics. “Donna has been calling me. She’s worried about you.”

Morgan winced. “I know. She’s left me about twenty voicemails. She’s so damn extra. I’ll call her back soon. I told her I was on an extended vacation. Some bullshit about needing time alone after Craig.”

“And she believed that?”

“Donna? Hell no.” Morgan laughed. “But she pretended to. That’s why her worrisome ass keeps calling you trying to see what I’m doing.”

“What about your family?” I asked carefully, knowing how close Morgan was to her parents and younger brother. “Have you talked to them?”

“I talked to them yesterday. Made up some story about my job, giving me more work, and I needed to stay here in Chicago to meet new clients.” Her finger traced the rim of her glass, a habit she carried over from her human life.

“My mom was disappointed I didn’t come home to visit before my fake workload got heavy, but she understood. ”

“When will you go see them?” I questioned.

“Not until Teresa is dead. It’s too dangerous for them and for me. I could be followed.” She looked down at her hands. “I’m still learning control. And what if Teresa follows me there to hurt them? I can’t go back now. Maybe a month or two and only after she’s dead.”

“I understand.”

“Besides,” she continued. “I’ll have to lie to them, make something up, and I need to be better at lying.”

“I don’t want us to change.” I blurted out. “I mean, I know everything has changed, but I don’t want us to change. You and me.”

“Coco, girl. We won’t.”

“How can you be so sure? You’re a vampire. I’m engaged to a vampire. Our lives are insane.”

“Because we’ve been through too much to let vampire bullshit come between us.” The curse word was refreshingly normal. It was a piece of the old Morgan shining through.

“Promise me something.” I said, turning my hand to clasp hers properly. “Promise we won’t let vampire business affect our friendship. No secrets, no hidden agendas.”

“I promise.” She said, quickly and reassuringly, “I will always have your back, Coco.”

“And I got yours.” I replied, feeling something settle within me. “Which means we tell each other everything we learn about these vampires. All the stuff, the politics, the secrets, all of it.”

“Deal. No more being kept in the dark. If I hear something from Harlen or the others, you’ll be the first to know. For real, you’re the only person I fully trust.”

“And if Zand tells me anything important, I’ll share it with you, too.” I promised.

The seriousness of our pact felt almost ceremonial, a covenant between friends who were moving into our new hot girl era.

“You know, this means you have to tell me every gory detail about how Zand proposed to you.”

“It was literally when I was executing Marisol.”

“Child, it sounds so twisted when you say it like that.”

Morgan was right, of course. There was no going back to normal, no pretending that our lives hadn’t veered into territory that defied comprehension.

All we could do was move forward together, one human and one vampire.

This was our new reality show, and we probably couldn’t sell it to Bravo, but I bet the Zeus network would sign us up right away.

Our friendship was the only thing we had left from our old world.

And somehow, that made even the darkest parts of this new life seem survivable.