You need to eat.
Are you monitoring my thoughts?
I felt your energy. It was pulling to me. What’s wrong?
I sighed. I don’t know.
I do. You need to eat.
Yeah, well, I snapped back at him. You’re not here.
He was silent again, until, Do you want me to be?
Yes.
Wait. Still me.
Shit. Also me.
Damn stupid thoughts. I was on a roll.
Still going. Are you already in the area?
I could feel him grinning. Micaela. I’ll never ‘just’ be in the area if you need to eat me.
That sounds so wrong when you say it like that.
I’m aware I’m delicious. You don’t have to hide that you want to eat me.
Stop talking.
He laughed.
Stop laughing. Me.
I can come to you, if you’d like? I’m not in the ‘area,’ but I can be.
He’d do that for me?
Rakon will not shut up if I don’t.
I forgot you can hear everything.
He was silent, again.
Then, I’m letting you decide.
Right. I heaved a deep breath. Yes.
And I closed my eyes so tight, because for some reason, that made me feel vulnerable and I didn’t know why.
I’ll find you.
Okay.
Micaela.
What?
I wasn’t busy the way you thought I was busy. I was in a meeting.
Oh—but he was gone. I felt the connection end on his side, and why did that leave me feeling bereft again?
Stupid dragon. Stupid Kieran. Stupid ‘needing to eat.’ Just stupid, all of it stupid.
I couldn’t wait.17Post-Halloween Party“Hey Nadeem, how’s it hanging?”
Nikki’s hand was on my arm and tightened as Brad came over to us. We’d just arrived, and Cary, one of Brad’s friends, was handing over our drinks. All of us paused at Brad’s arrival. His hair was messed up. His shirt was half-ripped and hanging off him. He was wearing red shorts, and he was all sweaty.
He had a sneer when he greeted me, but the sneer turned to a leer as he gave Nikki a once-over. He opened his mouth—
I beat him to the punch. “Thanks for the party invite, Uncle Cream.”
His mouth snapped shut, and he glowered at me.
Nikki coughed, clearing her throat. “Okay. We’re already off to a great start.”
Brad was looking at our outfits.
Nikki came straight from Bass, so she looked hot.
Me, I was wearing a white dress that had a tie behind my neck. I paired that with thigh-high suede hooker boots. I wasn’t normally a hooker boots kind of energist, but Kieran was coming and sue me. The girl inside of me wanted to look nice.
We’d be having creature-spirit energy sex, so yeah… Hooker boots felt appropriate. The suede classed them up so they were high-end hooker boots. Also, I wanted an excuse to wear them. Nikki was right.
That last year, Jay and I had only been roommates. The year before, we were barely friends. The beginning two years were good, but it’d been a dying relationship long ago. I never wanted to wear these for Jay.
He never earned that privilege.
“It’s a Halloween party. You guys were supposed to dress up.”
Nikki smiled at Brad, her hand running down his chest as she moved closer to him. “I did dress up, for you.”
She had her head tipped up. His was tipped down.
They’d normally be a cute couple if one wasn’t nicknamed Uncle Cream.
“What’s wrong, Nadeem? All this for Jay? Don’t know if you can compete with his new vamp.”
“What?” I frowned.
No. I glared.
Nikki stiffened at Brad’s words and pushed backwards, giving them space. “What?”
“Them?” I asked Nikki, not glaring at her.
She was glaring too, at Brad. “What are you talking about?”
“Them. He’s here. With her.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
He shrugged. “Why you all pissy about it? Chill. I didn’t invite them. The vamp bitch is friends with someone here, and Jay came in with them. I haven’t talked to them either, but he was all over her. Figured that meant they were together.”
Nikki cursed at him before giving him her back and looking at me. “You okay?”
Kieran.
I hadn’t meant to reach out to him, but it was there.
He didn’t answer.
Nice.
Are you okay?
This was dumb. I shouldn’t have called out to him.
Yeah. I’m fine. Just hungry.
He was quiet again, and there was the connection.
I could feel him inside of me, and he was searching me.
What vampire is with him?
I felt his alarm. It was piqued, but he was keeping it at bay.
How was I feeling his feelings so easily now?
I don’t know her name, but it’s the same one he cheated on me with. Brad wouldn’t have said it if it wasn’t true.
There’s other vampires there?
I don’t know. Why are you getting alarmed?
He was quiet, again.
Then, a roar from his end. That was Rakon.
Kieran?!
It’s fine. Leave the party, just in case. I’m almost to you.
Almost? What?
My internal voice was hitching up in my own panic. It was clouding all around me now.
Leave the party? Man. I didn’t know about that. Nikki wanted to come for me, but also for her too. She was studying me, and she reached out. “What do you want to do? You want to leave?”