Through our delirium, Kassy and I hadn’t even heard her leave. And for the time being, nothing else existed outside of what was in that room—peace with the one I had turned.
“Sleep now. We can feed once you recover,” I said.
Even as my mind began to drift, my thoughts came back to Zee and her silent disappearance. I’d have to thank her for the room later. Properly. Privately. Until then, I took my own advice, and as I drew in a contented sigh, I slept.
Chapter Seven
By the time Kassy and I had woken up and had our fill of blood, it was later in the evening. Still a little drunk from our last meal, we slowly made our way up the stairs, bumping into walls and railings whenever we got the chance. The smile on my face didn’t last long. As soon as we reached our floor, I knew Corvis would be waiting for us outside our room.
The smell of dried blood and sewage filled the halls and cascaded down through the stairwells. And while it wasn’t the odour he usually wore, it stank of the other covens, underground passageways and stale rain. Kassy noticed it, too—pausing once we got to the top step.
“It’s Corvis,” I explained, opening the door to our hall. “Business as always.” I forced a smile but was pretty sure she could see right through it.
For whatever reason, Kassy didn’t ask. I didn’t speak after that, mentally untying the knot in my stomach. I wasn’t sure what was worse—knowing Corvis had brought news from the other leaders or not knowing just how bad things actually were.
And you’re about to find out.
Corvis turned to face us, his eyes weary from travel. I drew in a deep breath. It was something I never envied him for. He had to fix whatever the coven screwed up, and in most cases, he had to fess up for it to the other leaders. I could only imagine how frayed his nerves were, and I stepped lightly as we reached the door to our room.
“Where have you been?” Corvis growled as I unlocked the door.
“In the den with—”
“I told you to stay here—”
“In the hotel. ” And weren’t you the one who mentioned the blood dens in the first place?
I lowered my voice and led him along with Kassy inside before locking the door behind us. “We never left.” I crossed my arms over my chest as Corvis refused to sit. “I told you we needed to feed. What else did you expect us to do? Starve? Wait for you to get back? Then what, huh?”
I hated when he looked at me like that. Always judging. It never failed to put me on edge, even if I hadn’t done anything wrong.
Corvis’ eyes darkened. “I can see feeding hasn’t improved your mood.” He stepped closer to me so Kassy wouldn’t hear.
I watched her go into the bathroom and waited for her to close the door before continuing. “It’s kind of hard when you keep judging my every move like I’m some kind of kid.”
Corvis raised his eyebrows, and damn it, if he didn’t wear that ridiculous grin he got anytime he hit a nerve.
“You know what I mean,” I said. “No matter if you’re my creator or not, I have a right to make my own choices.”
“Then tell me, who did you drink with today, hmm?”
Like you have to ask. I bit my tongue but decided to play along. “Zee was with us for the better part of the morning. Ask her if you must know.” Not that I haven’t told you myself already.
Corvis’ posture stiffened, and he lowered his gaze.
Something’s wrong.
I swallowed around the lump forming in my throat. “What? What is it?”
“Alex…” He glanced back over his shoulder at Kassy as she stepped out of the bathroom. “Zee’s dead.”
I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Every sound, everything in the room, felt like it was a million miles away. Corvis had brought news like this to me before, but either because of the deaths happening all over Boston or the rogue vampire he had yet to address, his approach was cold.
I choked out a series of words that must’ve been in
“Sleep now. We can feed once you recover,” I said.
Even as my mind began to drift, my thoughts came back to Zee and her silent disappearance. I’d have to thank her for the room later. Properly. Privately. Until then, I took my own advice, and as I drew in a contented sigh, I slept.
Chapter Seven
By the time Kassy and I had woken up and had our fill of blood, it was later in the evening. Still a little drunk from our last meal, we slowly made our way up the stairs, bumping into walls and railings whenever we got the chance. The smile on my face didn’t last long. As soon as we reached our floor, I knew Corvis would be waiting for us outside our room.
The smell of dried blood and sewage filled the halls and cascaded down through the stairwells. And while it wasn’t the odour he usually wore, it stank of the other covens, underground passageways and stale rain. Kassy noticed it, too—pausing once we got to the top step.
“It’s Corvis,” I explained, opening the door to our hall. “Business as always.” I forced a smile but was pretty sure she could see right through it.
For whatever reason, Kassy didn’t ask. I didn’t speak after that, mentally untying the knot in my stomach. I wasn’t sure what was worse—knowing Corvis had brought news from the other leaders or not knowing just how bad things actually were.
And you’re about to find out.
Corvis turned to face us, his eyes weary from travel. I drew in a deep breath. It was something I never envied him for. He had to fix whatever the coven screwed up, and in most cases, he had to fess up for it to the other leaders. I could only imagine how frayed his nerves were, and I stepped lightly as we reached the door to our room.
“Where have you been?” Corvis growled as I unlocked the door.
“In the den with—”
“I told you to stay here—”
“In the hotel. ” And weren’t you the one who mentioned the blood dens in the first place?
I lowered my voice and led him along with Kassy inside before locking the door behind us. “We never left.” I crossed my arms over my chest as Corvis refused to sit. “I told you we needed to feed. What else did you expect us to do? Starve? Wait for you to get back? Then what, huh?”
I hated when he looked at me like that. Always judging. It never failed to put me on edge, even if I hadn’t done anything wrong.
Corvis’ eyes darkened. “I can see feeding hasn’t improved your mood.” He stepped closer to me so Kassy wouldn’t hear.
I watched her go into the bathroom and waited for her to close the door before continuing. “It’s kind of hard when you keep judging my every move like I’m some kind of kid.”
Corvis raised his eyebrows, and damn it, if he didn’t wear that ridiculous grin he got anytime he hit a nerve.
“You know what I mean,” I said. “No matter if you’re my creator or not, I have a right to make my own choices.”
“Then tell me, who did you drink with today, hmm?”
Like you have to ask. I bit my tongue but decided to play along. “Zee was with us for the better part of the morning. Ask her if you must know.” Not that I haven’t told you myself already.
Corvis’ posture stiffened, and he lowered his gaze.
Something’s wrong.
I swallowed around the lump forming in my throat. “What? What is it?”
“Alex…” He glanced back over his shoulder at Kassy as she stepped out of the bathroom. “Zee’s dead.”
I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Every sound, everything in the room, felt like it was a million miles away. Corvis had brought news like this to me before, but either because of the deaths happening all over Boston or the rogue vampire he had yet to address, his approach was cold.
I choked out a series of words that must’ve been in
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