Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 62580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
The moment that those words came out of Corbin’s mouth, I realized that I’d never asked her about the child. How she’d lost it.
“She’s never told you about the baby, has she?”
I shook my head. Not because I didn’t know, but because it was none of his business whether she told me or not.
Corbin nodded once, assuming what he would. “Yeah. That sounds like her. I think she might tell you, though.” He looked at me with concern filling his eyes. “You might be the one and only person that might understand her pain at this point.”
With that, he left, but not without giving me a look that was clear and precise.
Don’t hurt her, it said.
I grimaced.
The problem with not hurting her? That wasn’t possible. I’d already hurt her. I just hadn’t meant to.
CHAPTER 21
So it happened like this…
-A phrase you shouldn’t start a story out with
ACADIA
I felt like a terrible person.
It didn’t matter that Nola leaving hadn’t really been my fault. I felt like it had been.
Con hadn’t accused me of anything, per se, but his refusal to discuss it had been damning enough.
He blamed me, and I didn’t know where to go from here.
I couldn’t really leave. I couldn’t really stay in that room that reminded me so much of the very thing that was hurting. And I couldn’t walk around outside because it was too freakin’ cold and everyone was freaking way the hell out over my control to the point that they didn’t trust it. Not to mention the fact that something had put them all to sleep long enough for me to get outside in the first place.
Hence the reason I was in the library, trying really hard to read a book that I just couldn’t get into.
Though that might have to do with the fact that it wasn’t a romance novel, but a non-fiction autobiography about some man named Jude who wanted to become a woman.
There wasn’t much to choose from in this library. It was more than obvious that it hadn’t been updated in what was likely decades.
“That was a gag gift from Fox.”
I looked up to find Con standing in the doorway, his sweaty shoulder leaning against the doorjamb as he stared at me assessing.
“It’s not very good,” I told him. “Though, it was the most interesting one that was in your whole library.”
His lips twitched. “There are some of the most famous works of some of the most well-known authors in the entire world in this library. What do you mean you couldn’t find something better?”
I could hear the amusement in his tone, and something inside my chest loosened.
“I’m not really a non-fiction reader. Nor am I in the mood to read something that’ll make me cry. Which half of your books would do at this point.”
He frowned.
“I’m ready to talk about last night if you are,” he lied.
I snorted.
“Then why are your fists clenched so tightly that they’re bloodless?” I challenged him. “And speaking of blood, you haven’t fed from me, or me from you, in well over twenty-four hours. Fox told me that most new vampires can’t go more than twelve without deteriorating.”
“Fox is right, under most circumstances,” he agreed. “But we already knew you were a special case.”
“Why am I a special case?” I challenged.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “The fact that you don’t crave the blood that others do is the most confusing, but without being able to draw your labs, things are going to stay confusing.”
I sighed.
“Which gets us to another topic,” I told him, crossing my arms over my upraised legs. “How long are we going to have to stay here?”
I didn’t let any of the fear that I felt about going back into the real world leach into my voice. I was cool, calm, and collected. At least outwardly.
If I let my fears out to play, he’d freak out, and I didn’t want him to freak out on me a second time in one day.
“I’m going back tomorrow,” he answered. “You’re going back when I decide that it’s safe.”
“What makes you think this place is safe?” I asked him. “If it was safe, that woman you’re so obviously freaking out silently about is…” His face went blank. “Yeah, I know you’re freaking out. I deduced that it wasn’t a good thing. You don’t have to hide stuff like this from me. I’m not a child. I’m a grown adult that’s been making decisions for herself for years.”
“And how did that work out for you?” he hissed.
My eyebrows rose.
He cursed.
“I’m sorry.” He exhaled. “There’s a connection I’m missing,” he said, sitting down facing me on the coffee table next to the couch. “I haven’t seen her since the night of the house fire. Then, all of a sudden, my baby is ready to move on to the afterlife, and she’s here to help her along? No, it doesn’t make sense. There’s something more at play here, and I haven’t figured it out yet.”