She knew exactly how it must have looked, showing up the next morning in the same dress, her hair a sweaty, matted mess. The truth was, it was a walk of shame, but not the traditional kind, although she’d had her share of those as well.
Mal appeared in the kitchen hallway and the worry in his eyes faded as he rushed forward to hug her. “What the hell happened? Are you alright?” His words fell out in a rush.
Ava pushed him off. “What the hell happened? You tell me, Mal, you were supposed to...” She followed his gaze to Connie, who was watching them intently.
“Let’s take this outside, shall we?” Mal’s voice was controlled.
Ava did her best to smile and hugged her brother warmly, if only for Connie’s sake.
“Connie, would you mind doing a pickup from The Bean Machine?” he said as he dug his hands into his pockets and produced his wallet. He offered her a fifty dollar bill.
Connie grabbed the money and shot him a suspicious glance. “Of course, Mr. Reynolds.”
The way she said it was so distinct, Ava wondered if she wasn’t really saying: ‘Yes, I will kill you if you let her out of your sight.’ Connie muttered another string of Chinese curses as she headed for the door.
Ava backed up just a fraction. “Thank you, Connie. I promise I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.” She did her best to smile as she walked to her bedroom.
“Meet me outside when you’re ready.” Mal nodded at her.
Ava shut her door, relishing in the familiar feel of her inner sanctum. The events of the previous night came flooding back to her: Mal’s late arrival, Octavius Boracelli’s thrall, the warmth of Cassius’s arms. Her mind, usually so very clear and focused, fell apart from the weight of it all, and Ava dropped to the floor in a heap against the door, her head in her hands.
Chapter Thirteen
Focus, Ava. She glanced at her reflection as she pulled her dress over her head, letting it fall to the bathroom floor. She closed her eyes, only for a moment, applying the mindfulness techniques she’d mastered over the last seven years.
Even the best have moments of weakness. You know what you’re up against now.
She stepped into the shower and let the water cascade over her, taking a deep breath to steady her mind. The small bite mark on her wrist shimmered in the beams of sunlight flickering through the bathroom window. It stood out in stark contrast against her pale skin, like a crystal caught in the sun. The memory of that night came crawling back, as it so often did.
Her eyes traced over the scars running across her thighs, scars she would never be able to cover up despite how well they’d healed. She let the hot water cleanse her of it all—the memories, the thoughts, and her own sins.
She remembered the knife cutting into her flesh, drawing a steady stream of blood, like sap leaking from a tapped tree. She’d almost died from the blood loss, but somehow...
She’d never quite remembered all that transpired after she had lost consciousness. She’d awakened in her dorm room, patched up with gauze and cleaned from all the dirt and debris of that frat house basement. Her wrist had been sore and she’d had a dull ache in her leg, where she’d been cut. She’d assumed she’d been taken to a hospital, or at the very least the Campus Health Center, but Cassius never talked about that night, and she did not press him. She was more than content to let things lie, not eager to push him for a revisit. After all, the memory was still so vivid to her.
She braced herself against the stone tiles as the hot water rained against her skin and, suddenly, she let the tears come like a storm. The frustration, the truth, the memories—the sheer impact of it all was exhausting.
Cassius had saved her life. Again.
DAMN IT! She balled her fist and slammed it against the tile in frustration. Cassius was right. She had put herself in danger, but she knew without a doubt she’d do so again.
According to Jasmine, Cassius had never intended on claiming a mate, ever, and yet, for some reason, he’d cashed in his chips on her. And he’d waited seven years...because...he thought she’d simply ask him to turn her? But why?
After she had learned the truth about what he was... She’d never shown any interest in becoming one of his kind. She may have given him permission to save her but she had not known what that truly meant. All she knew at that moment was that she would have done anything to live. She’d given him no indication she was interested in vampires—they weren’t even human, not really.
Would it have been better if he had left her there for the frat vamps to devour like a keg of beer? While her boyfriend’s corpse rotted alongside her?
Her fingers spread the shower gel over her skin and she swallowed through her tears, her breath catching.
Octavius had asked Cassius why he had left her defenseless, why he hadn’t laid claim to her permanently and turned her...or consumed her like a cherry slush. She’d often wondered the same thing, knowing the sands of the hourglass were nearly up. It couldn’t be as simple as he wanted her to ask him. There had to be more to the story.
But Ava didn’t want to think about Cassius or the reflection of his beautiful features in the windowpane of his bedroom. She didn’t want to think about his voice, smooth like velvet, his soft lips on her wrist, or the image of him trailing his warm tongue along her arms and neck or above her navel.
She didn’t want to think about his fangs pressing into her jugular, his heavenly thrall or how fabulous his ass looked in those ripped jeans, barefoot in the kitchen.
So she did what she always did when the thoughts assaulting her became too much.
She closed her eyes and pushed them down, deep into her core. And as her hand found its way between her legs, she focused on one thing, and one thing only—release.
Chapter Fourteen
“I spent half the night trying to hunt you down but I came up with nothing. I was worried!” Mal swallowed nervously.
“What happened, Mal? I thought you had my back.” Ava sat down in the large Adirondack chair, the heat of midday saturating the air with its humidity.
Mal looked tired, the corners of his mouth down turned. “Brittani caught me on my way to the restroom. She wouldn’t shut up and—”
“I almost died because you were flirting with Bambi? For Christ’s sake, Mal, can you keep it in your pants for one freaking day!” Ava put her fist to her mouth before she said something she’d regret.
“I figured you’d be able to hold your own until I got there. It’s not like you're helpless; you’ve killed your share of vamps before.”
She couldn’t believe his tone. She wanted to strangle him. “That’s true, but I was attacked by Octavius Boracelli, the freaking master vamp of the coven!” She shot him a murderous glare.
“My intel said nothing about the master vamp traveling with them. If I had known—”
“Save it, Mal. If you had known he would be in the crowd, you’d have rubbed blood on me like perfume.” She rolled her eyes.
“I know you think I don’t give a shit, Ava, but you’re my sister. You’re the only family I have left. Whatever you believe, I would never put you in a situation I didn’t think you could fight your way out of, and I certainly wouldn’t have asked you to come with me if I had known.” The look on his face was sincere and remorseful.