Page 27 of Blind Bite
My hand flew to my neck, expecting to find the wound, but my fingers felt nothing but smooth skin. I looked down at myself. Splotches of blood littered my black dress.
“Oh, my god.” The room spun. “You attacked me. What?—”
Jamie took a step forward, hands raised in a placating gesture. “Lilith, I need you to calm down?—”
“Calm down?” My voice shot up several octaves. “You tried to kill me!”
I grabbed the nearest object—an expensive-looking figurine that sat unassumingly on a side table—and hurled it at his face with surprising force. He caught it effortlessly, which only terrified me more.
“Lilith, please?—”
“Don’t touch me!” I screamed, backing myself into the corner of the couch.
“For heaven’s sake,” Felicity pushed my attacker out of the way. “You’re absolutely useless, James.”
She approached me slowly, like I was a frightened animal. “Lilith, I understand you’re confused and scared. That’s normal. But I need you to take a deep breath so we can have a little chat.”
“Normal? Nothing about this is normal!” My hands were shaking uncontrollably. “I should be dead. He—he bit me, he fed off of me.”
A sharp pain twisted in my gut, doubling me over. It wasn’t like anything I’d ever felt before—it was primal, consuming, like my entire existence centered around this urge.
“What did you do to me?” I whispered, pressing a hand against my stomach. My skin felt cold to the touch. “Something’s wrong with me.”
“You’re just hungry,” Felicity said, her voice unnervingly calm.
“What’s happening to me?” My voice cracked as another wave of hunger tore through me. The smell of the bar owner's perfume began to overwhelm me. The room smelled as if it were soaked in alcohol and something rich and metallic that made my mouth water.
Jamie and Felicity exchanged a look before the woman shooed him out the door, sending him to retrieve something from her office.
“First things first,” Felicity said, turning back to me. “We need to get you something to eat. Then we’ll explain everything.”
Chapter Nineteen
Not long after he left, Jamie returned with a stainless steel cup with a lid and straw.
“Here, Dove.” He offered me the drink.
Tentatively, I took the cup from him. Whatever laid within its contents was a mystery.
“You really expect me to blindly trust you? Couldn’t get the job done, so let's poison the poor girl to finish her off?” My words were my shield in this situation I had yet to figure out how to get out of here alive. My bag sat across the room on the desk, my blood spilled over the entire surface. If I could somehow get to it, I could call 911 and Amelie. But I wouldn’t be able to reach the door before one of them grabbed me. No, I needed to follow along, let them leave me alone and then I could make a move. I just needed to survive until then.
“Honestly, I’d hoped you weren’t stupid enough to believe douchebags like James, but unfortunately I must insist that you drink what’s in the cup,” Felicity said.
I quirked a brow as I slowly brought the straw to my mouth, I knew very little about Felicity, but every word that flowed from her mouth screamed no nonsense. Despite her less than cheerful expressions, I didn’t think she would waste her time with me if she didn’t feel like she had to. I took a deep breath to steel myself before sipping whatever this was. The drink was warm, but tasted so rich. I suppressed a moan as I continued to down the concoction. It was unlike anything I had ever had before. I felt my energy begin to return to me. Before I made my escape, I needed to know what this was and where to get it. I was sure I could no longer live without it now that its flavor has graced my tastebuds.
The pair exchanged a loaded glance as they watched me finish the drink, handing the empty cup back to Jamie.
“What was that?” I asked, running my tongue over my teeth. There was a strange, new sensation in my mouth—a pressure behind my canines.
Felicity crossed her arms and shot Jamie a withering glare. “Tell her.”
“Tell me what?” My voice rose an octave.
Jamie shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at the ceiling. “Christ, Felicity, do we have to do this now?”
“Yes, we absolutely have to do this now.” She marched over and jabbed a finger into his chest. “You created this mess. You clean it up, starting with explaining things to her.”
I watched them bicker like I was witnessing a tennis match, my patience evaporating. “Hello? Almost died here. Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?”
