Page 96 of Loving A Vampire Is Total Chaos

Truth be told I’ve been so hyper focused on finding Celine I didn’t even think about others that might be missing her. I sent an email to her captain, feigning illness, because I know how much Celine’s job means to her, and I didn’t want it to be jeopardized just because my crazy ex is holding her hostage somewhere.

I wrack my brain for what to tell Ava but can’t come up with anything believable. She’ll sniff a lie out in seconds. She’s a bit of a blood-hound like that.

“Ava.” I grip her shoulders. “Celine’s been kidnapped.” Immediately her eyes go wide and she tries to buck out of my hold.

“What? Kidnapped?” she screeches, eyes large and round with horror. “Why haven’t you called the police?” I hold her steady and try to calm her down which is laughable since I’m certainly not calm myself.

“We can’t go to the police,” I say slowly, trying to make sure she takes in each word I say. “I can’t tell you why, but you just have to trust me. I’m doing everything in my power to find her.” Her light blue eyes fill with tears. “I swear Ava, I will get her back.”

I loosen my grip, and she starts to pace the length of the room.

“You know how batshit you sound, right? My best friend got kidnapped a week ago, but we can’t call the police? You, a man who she’s been dating not long at all, is telling me to trust you to find her. For all I know,youcould be behind her kidnapping.” She throws her thin arms in the air. She pales, slapping a handover her mouth. “Oh my God. You killed her, didn’t you? And now you’re going to kill me? Oh, this is bad. Real bad.” She paces the room.

“I would never harm a hair on Celine’s head, and you know that, Ava.”

Midnight trots over to me and I pick him up to drape over my neck as a cat scarf. Ava watches the interaction and ceases her pacing.

Her bottom lip trembles with the threat of tears. “This is the kind of shit that ends up on Dateline. What aren’t you telling me?” She takes a defiant power stance and stares me down.

“God, Ava I don’t have time for this,” I growl. If I could have a headache right now I would. She’s so goddamn persistent.

“Make time for it, buster!” She pokes me in the chest—hard for a human. “You’ve got another thing coming if you don’t think I’ll go out and find her myself. I’ll also tell the police like you should have from the beginning.” With a harumph and flourish of her pink dress she makes for the door. “I’ll make sure you’re the first person they come looking for.”

Closing the door before she can blink, she gives a wide-eyed stare.

“How’d you get over here so fast?”

“Listen,” I sigh, knowing I’m about to tell yet another human my truth. It’s weird to share this with people after so long of avoiding humans unless I’m killing them for their heinous acts. “You can’t do that, because it’ll be a death sentence for Celine.” I guide her over to the couch and encourage her to sit. “She’s been taken by vampires.”

Ava purses her lips and blinks her owlish eyes at me. Then she bursts into raucous laughter.

“Oh my God, you’re psycho! You definitely killed her or else I’m going insane. Maybe I hallucinated this whole thing,” she mutters the last part to herself.

“Ava,” I say her name carefully. “I’ma vampire.” I flash my fangs at her to further prove my point, and a scream of fright rips out of the petite woman “We can’t involve the cops because there’s nothing they can do.”

She holds a hand over her rapidly racing heart.

The surprise slowly wears off and she seems oddly calm. “Huh. That explains a lot. How you always seem to be everywhere and why you look like you.” She gestures a hand at me. “Too hot for your own good.”

I grin. “You think I’m hot?” I shake my head. Now is not the time to let my ego get the best of me. I need to focus on the most important thing and that’s the fact that she’s no longer freaking out. Apparently thinking I’m a murderer is a deal breaker, but a vampire is fine. “That’s it?” My voice raises a few octaves. “You and Celine have something wrong with you that you both accepted that so easily.” I’m baffled by this pair.

“Have you met you?” Ava sputters. “It makes too much sense and who am I to question the ways of the world. I’ve always thought there was more to it than we know.”

A sense of relief comes over me that there’s someone else that knows my secret. Maybe life won’t be so isolating and lonely moving forward.

“I’m helping you look for her.” Ava stands and hikes her purse up her shoulder.

“The hell you are,” I sputter.

“Yes, the fuck I am.” She goes toe to toe with me, hands on her hips. She stands on her tiptoes, trying to give herself the illusion of more height.

“What does she see in you?” I bicker. “You’re an argumentative energizer bunny.”

“What does she see inyou?” she retaliates. “Red hair, glasses, and a stupid necklace?”

“You take that back,” I gasp in outrage. “Celine loves my chain. Especially when she grabs it so I fuck her harder.” I stick my chin in the air.

Midnight’s tongue darts out at her like he’s defending my honor as well.

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