Page 48 of Ashvale: The Vampire's Thrall

There had been two more bodies found that week—one in the woods completely drained and the other was only discovered because the living vampire awoke as an undead and nearly murdered the living vampire next door.

"Plus, with the debut coming up so soon, I think all the undead vampires around won't help with controlling bloodlust."

My thoughts churned as I lay there quietly, thinking about Emerson and Novalie and Rowan—we'd told them about our suspicions and had received varied responses back: Fear (Emerson), Doubt (Rowan), and Intrigue (Novalie).

I cleared my throat and voiced one of the things that had been bothering me for the last few days. "It doesn't make sense. It has to be more than one vampire because I killed Colin," I rolled my eyes at the name. "And the bloody footprints in the hall were very different to the ones in Carys’ room." At the question I could feel from his side of the bond I added, "I snuck in before Elowen could scrub all the evidence away."

"So something is happening to increase the bloodlust of several vampires—but not all of us. What could be affecting them?"

"The food?" I suggested and Hayes shook his head, hair rustling against the pillow.

"No, otherwise one of us would have experienced it at some point too."

"Maybe it’s a bloodline thing?" I was doubtful though, it seemed unlikely that some kind of mental instability or disease wouldn't have been found before now if it ran in the sire line.

"I doubt it," Hayes said, echoing my thoughts.

"So it must be something they’re voluntarily doing then. Or something they don’t realise is being done to them," I mused. "We’re in an academy full of nineteen-to-twenty-year-olds. Maybe we’re overlooking the obvious.”

"Drugs?" Hayes sounded surprised and I chuckled.

"I knew you weren't just a pretty face." I rolled to face him, tracing the outline of his silhouette with my eyes in the dark. "Humans get bad batches of drugs all the time. Do you think it's possible?"

"Maybe, I'll have to ask Cal."

I scowled at the reminder of the mage. My control was improving. Slightly. But his methods still left much to be desired. "So theoretically, as long as we don't take anything we shouldn't then we should be alright."

"Unless whoever's dealing is actually dosing," Hayes said, a darkness in his voice that made me scoot closer, draping one leg over his.

"Do you think I made a mistake with Emerson?" I asked, changing the subject to avoid whatever darkness lurked in Hayes’ memories. "Turned vampires are rare, right?"

"I don’t think it will ever be a mistake to try and help someone the way you did." I smiled a little at his words, pleased. "Besides, you technically made history."

"I did?"

"In several ways," he said, and it sounded like pride in his voice. "You might be the youngest person to ever turn another through bite or blood, but you've also technically started a new sire line."

I blinked, floored. "Wow."

"Yeah. So whatever does or doesn't happen at the debut ball... Emerson will always have a home with you, and vice versa."

"And you," I interjected without thinking. "Um, I mean, if you want."

He was quiet for a moment and I worried I'd upset him somehow. "I'd like that."

I blew out a quiet breath—we were already tied together intrinsically, but it was different tochooseto tie ourselves to each other. "How did you meet Cal, by the way? You said you knew him when you were young."

I wasn't sure if it was an effort to share more that made him finally answer, or if it just felt safe to be vulnerable in the safety of darkness, but I could feel the pain in Hayes when he answered. "He's indebted to my family, so I've known him for as long as I’ve lived—the only time we've been apart was when I was living my mortal life."

"He's like family, then."

Hayes shrugged. "He didn't start out that way—but now he's all I have left.""

I wanted to ask more, a million questions burning inside of me, but I could also feel exactly how this was hurting him, so I just kissed him on the cheek and let my eyes slide closed.

"I'll try to be nicer to him then."

Hayes’ quiet chuckle followed me into sleep.

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