Page 52 of Ashvale: The Vampire's Thrall

"One of Colin's friends. Dean or something?" she said, voice hoarse from screaming as she'd nailed herself to the ground.

I had no idea what anyone's name was but I nodded anyway. It made sense that Colin's friend group were at the centre of this mess. But the real question was where were they getting the drugs from? I couldn't imagine they were intelligent enough to cook up something like that by themselves.

"Is Emerson okay?" Novalie asked after a second and I nodded.

"Yeah, I don't know if it's just her excellent control or if it's because she was turned and not born, but it doesn't seem to be hitting her as hard. I left her with Hayes."

A low snarl left Novalie at his name and I tried not to retaliate, pushing my instincts down sharply, knowing it was the drugs and not her that was in control.

"Sorry," she rasped and I smiled.

"Don't worry about it. What was it you took, anyway? Powder? Pill?"

"Powder." She squirmed against the forest floor, the leaves rustling beneath her as she fought against the hunger coursing through her. "Promise me I can rip off Dean's head."

"I promise." The words seemed to soothe her and I grinned.

I sat there with her for hours, shushing her when she whimpered, and it was only as the sky began to lighten that she slumped back against the ground, the feverish glaze clearing from her eyes

"I think it's over," she said weakly, and I immediately ripped the branches and blade from her, pulling her body into my lap as I pressed my wrist to her mouth. She had lost a lot of blood, and if she didn't feed immediately then this would all have been for nothing.

Novalie groaned as her teeth sank into my arm, and I stroked her hair back from her face. The colour returned to her cheeks after a few minutes, her wounds healing over with the aid of my blood.

"I'm going to rip him apart," Novalie said a few seconds later, placing a palm on a nearby tree as she swayed.

"Sleep first," I said with a snort. "Murder later."

ChapterTwenty-Five

"Remindme what we're doing again?" Rowan asked as we sat at a table watching Dean and his loud group of friends laughing and shoving each other like extras in a teen movie a few tables over.

"You're going to buy drugs," I said simply and Emerson snickered.

"Why me?"

"Because Emerson and Novalie have already spoken to him and they all tend to run away when I get close." I smirked as I caught the eye of one of the vamps on Dean's table and flashed my fangs at him, snorting when he paled.

"See? That one nearly just wet himself. "

"Fine." Rowan sighed. "Wait a couple minutes and then follow me."

Dean, or whatever his name was, stood up and walked out with Rowan a few minutes later and we all shared a look before hurrying after them. Probably conspicuous, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Let them know we were coming for them.

Are you up to mischief?Hayes’ voice drifted to me and I felt a rush of warmth.

Maybe.

His laugh made me feel strangely gooey, but at Novalie's raised eyebrow I refocused on our mission.

Rowan had taken Dean around the side of the castle, partially hidden around a curve in the wall, but when he saw me coming his face whitened.

"Is this the guy?" I confirmed as I looked to Novalie and Emerson. They nodded, Novalie's eyes gleaming with her lust for revenge.

He tried to run and Rowan grabbed a fistful of his shirt and slammed him against the stone wall.

"Thank you," I said, pleased as I swapped Rowan's hand for my own. "We just have a few questions for you, Dean."

"Dane," he muttered and I raised an eyebrow.

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