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Lila
AS SOON AS THE RECEPTION was over, Zoe and I began to head in the direction of her house.
“Can any vampires smell me right now?” I asked as we passed the woods. After everything that had gone on in those woods, I wanted to avoid them at all costs.
“No. I have your scent hidden,” she assured me. “But don’t worry. We’re not going into those woods. You can get to my cottage by cutting through the woods, but I prefer not to take that path.” She opened a gate. “This path takes us into town. This is where most of the other members of the coven live.”
“You live near the other vampires?” I asked.
Zoe shook her head. “No, my cottage isn’t quite in the village. It’s sort of in between the village and the castle. It has a little path that takes me directly to the beach. I actually love it.”
“How did you end up here, anyway? In Deadwood, I mean.”
“It’s a long story,” she murmured. “One I would rather not go into right now.”
“Got it,” I replied, nodding understandingly.
A long, awkward silence passed between us. Finally, as we began on another path, Zoe complained, “I don’t even know what made Sebastian think this would be an ideal arrangement.” Her gold eyes darted over to meet mine. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I don’t like you, because I do. It’s just that I’ve lived alone longer than I can remember. I don’t even know how to live with someone.”
My lips remained in a flat line as I followed after her. “He made it clear that it’s only going to be a temporary arrangement—just until he gets back from looking for his father.”
Of course, it felt like that was what my whole life was lately: a temporary arrangement; it had become a constant back and forth of where I was least likely to be killed at any given time, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could do this for—especially if I was going to be away from Sebastian more often than not.
“Well, you will be safe here, at least,” Zoe assured me. “It will take some adjustment on my part, but we will figure it out.” She paused for a moment and then added, “You can stay here for as long as you need to.”
“Thanks,” I replied. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate her offer to allow me to stay with her. It was just that I hated feeling like I was an inconvenience to everyone, Sebastian included.
Zoe stopped in her tracks, and her eyes scanned the length of my neck. Then her eyes drifted up to meet mine. “You aren’t wearing the pendant I gave you.”
My hands flew to my neck. She was right. The pendant was gone.
“It must have fallen off,” I realized out loud. I shot her an apologetic glance at her. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to lose it.”
“Don’t apologize to me. The pendant was to benefit you.”
“I don’t understand.” I shook my head. “What was it for?”
“It was for your own protection.” There was a dismissive tone behind her voice, like she didn’t want to talk about it. But I wasn’t willing to drop it that easily, not until she explained to me what was going on.
“How was it going to protect me? Tell me, Zoe. What do I need to be protected from? Besides the obvious.”
She sighed. “The pendant would have prevented any vampires from linking to your soul once they drink from you. It would have helped keep your emotions and, essentially, your location protected from them.”
“So now if a vampire drinks from me, they’ll always be able to find me,” I realized out loud.
“Bingo. Unless I’m able to make you another pendant before any vampires try to drink your blood.”
I frowned. “But what about the other girls?”
She narrowed her eyes at me questioningly. “What about them?”
“You gave them the same pendant, but Sebastian has already drunk from them. Why did the other girls need the pendant, Zoe?”
She sighed. “I don’t have the time to explain all of this to you right know, but it was for their protection, too.”
“How don’t you have time? We have all night,” I insisted.
“Actually, we don’t.” Zoe glanced over at me. Pulling her key out of her purse, she handed it to me. “This is my cottage.” She motioned to the little brick cottage. The yard was lined with a variety of colorful flowers. The cottage looked like it’d been taken straight out of a fairytale. “I need you to go inside. Don’t worry. You’ll be safe here.”
“Where are you going?” I questioned.
“To meet someone.”
“Are you seriously just ditching me for a guy right now?”
“Don’t be so dramatic,” Zoe replied with an eye roll. “I’m not even dating anyone. I need to meet an old friend. I don’t know how long it will take. As soon as I get back, we’ll talk about everything,” she promised.
“Fine,” I grumbled as I unlocked the door. “Can you at least take this invisibility spell off of me?”
“Now?” she asked exasperatedly.
“I’d like to be able to look at myself in the mirror.” And if Zoe never came back, for whatever reason, I didn’t want to be invisible forever.
She focused her gaze on me in concentration. Moments later, I looked like my usual self again.
“Thanks.”
“No problem. I’ll be back.”
I watched as Zoe continued down the pathway. As I went into her cottage, I couldn’t help but think about how strange it was to be going into her home without her there. It felt like I was violating her privacy.
I promised myself that, no matter how badly I wanted to, I wouldn’t snoop.
At first glance, Zoe’s living room looked just like a human living room. She had two gray microfiber sofas, a large TV, and a lamp that looked like it was made of crystal. There was a wooden coffee table, which was covered in loose papers.
I was just about to sit down on the sofa when I heard movement behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder, and my stomach clenched.
“Well, there you are. I’ve been waiting.” Alessandra stepped into the room.
“How did you find me here?” I asked, swallowing hard.
“Did you think Zoe is the only witch around here? My coven has a witch, too.” She laughed and then took a few steps closer to me. “I knew you were still alive. I knew that Sebastian lied to me—that he was really protecting you. I just couldn’t figure out how he was doing it. But then it hit me: an invisibility spell. So, I had my witch do a spell of her own—a spell that would allow me to see anyone who was under an invisibility spell. I watched you leave the wedding with Zoe. I took the long way so I could get here unnoticed.”
“Are you going to kill me?” I asked. “Because if you are, I’d rather you just get it over with. Just remember that if you kill me, Sebastian will know it was you who did it and he’ll probably hate you forever for it.”
“Forever is a long time, my dear.” Her red lips curved into a smile. “And of course I’m not going to kill you now. I wouldn’t want to get blood all over my wedding dress.”
“Then what is it you want?”
“I want to get you far away from here. The best form of torture that I can think of for both you and Sebastian is to hide you somewhere he’ll never be able to find you. In the meantime, I’ll give him subtle clues that you’re alive.” She grinned. “It’s a brilliant idea.”
I fought back angry tears. “You’re sick. You know that, right?”
“So I’m told.” She smiled again. “Before I transport you somewhere Sebastian will never find you again and where I will personally ensure you will die a painful death, there’s something else I’ve just been dying to do.”
My stomach dropped.
I didn’t even need to ask what it was, because I already knew. And just the idea of what it would mean—that our souls would be linked, that she would be able to sense my emotions and my location—made me feel sick to my stomach.
Alessandra pulled her lips back, revealing her shiny white fangs. “I can’t wait to taste your blood.”