Page 38 of Dawn Caravan
“No.” Gavin shook his head. “I would have warned you.”
“I know the three of you arepals.” Ben’s voice was bitter. “But if you—”
“Ben, we didn’t know.” Chloe’s eyes were wide. “I know you’re angry with her. And I even understand why, but—”
“But you’re not.” Ben knew that betrayal wasn’t the right emotion, but seeing Tenzin had tossed him completely upside down. “You don’t understand it, Chloe. Don’t pretend you do.”
“Watch your tone.” Gavin’s voice was a low warning. “What the hell do you expect, Vecchio? Were we supposed to be disappointed that she saved your life?”
“Shetookmy life!” His fangs fell. “How am I the only one who sees that?”
Gavin leaned forward, blocking Chloe from Ben’s view. “Did she plan it, Ben? Was it her own blade in your back? Or did she react in the best way she could when everything went to shit?”
“Since Tenzin is the one who kept dragging me into her damn problems and apparently she didn’t want to let me die a normal death, she should have had a better plan when everything went to shit!”
Gavin laughed bitterly. “Dear God, I hope you never expect me to be as omniscient as you expect her to be.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that you expect too damn much of her.” Gavin’s jaw was clenched. “She’s not a fucking god, Ben. She’s a vampire, but she’s human too. You’re too fucking close to see it, and it’s not bloody fair. She did the only thing she could think to do when someone she loved was dying. How do you not fucking seethat?”
Ben rapped on the divider, and the driver rolled down the screen.
“Yes, sir?”
“Stop the car please.”
Ben opened the door as soon as the vehicle came to a halt and disappeared into the night.
11
Ben walked through the pitch-black streets of Bucharest, a spring drizzle falling on his shoulders and dampening his hair, which fell onto his forehead in dark wet curls. He couldn’t stop replaying Gavin’s words in his mind.
She’s a vampire, but she’s human too… She did the only thing she could think to do when someone she loved was dying.
No, no, no, no. She could have taken him to the hospital. She could have listened to him. He’d begged her so many times—
If you think your hate will prevent me from doing what it takes to keep you safe, then you do not understand me at all.
Ben heard human footsteps behind him, at least three sets. He smelled their breath tinged with vodka, and their blood.
Yes. A fight was exactly what he wanted.
Ben turned right into an alley and allowed the men to follow him closer. He slowed down, waiting for them to approach.
They shouted something in Romanian. He recognized a few words, but they were slurred. All three were very drunk. Ben turned, his hands shoved in his pockets, and the men came to a stop.
One of them, the stumbling one on the right, blinked slowly three times; then with the instincts of the truly drunk, he turned and walked back down the alley.
“Idio?i,” he shouted.
Well, that didn’t need any translation.
Ben stood at the end of the alley, calmly waiting for the men to get tired of mumbling insults at him and laughing.
The one in front held out his hand. “Tourist,” he spat out in English. His head was shaved and he wore a military-style jacket with dirty medals all over the front. “Hey, tourist. Give me your money, ass hole.”
“The accent needs some work.” Ben was relieved he had some human jackasses to distract him. “I guess I can’t say anything though. I don’t speak a lick of Romanian,stronzo.”
