Page 53 of Twisted
Leo narrows his eyes, confused.“How are you living under a rock?”
“I don’t have a phone or internet.”
“Fuck,” he swears.“You’re a prisoner.”
There’s no logical way to disagree with him because Iama prisoner.Shit, maybe I’m getting Stockholm syndrome, too.“I just need to remind Xavier to give mine back.It’s only been a few days.Right?”I close my eyes as I move my head back and forth.“I don’t even know.”
“Here,” Antonio says and gives me his phone.I open up TikTok and do a quick search.The incident is trending, along with several hashtags alluding to wanting to be bitten by Xavier.He does look good in a suit.
The first video I watch was recorded from someone across the room.It was one of the young vamps and a human of the same “living age” recording a trending dance together.They stopped dancing and flipped the camera around when the hunter grabs the woman from behind.In just seconds, Xavier and I are inside and he pulls the hunter off.
There are a few more videos from people who started filming from there, and the comments are mostly full of thirsty women—and a few men—talking about how they want Xavier’s hands around them the same way.A small thrill goes through me when I see a handful of comments saying how lucky the new Mrs.Malus is to get to “hit that” every night.Little do they know my brother-in-law is also supposed to hit that as well.
“So fess up,” Larissa says.
“Fess up to what?”Antonio asks her as I hand him back the phone.
“To what happened last night,” she goes on.
“You want to know what they did in the bedroom?”Leo makes a face.“Fuck, Liss.”
“No,” she scoffs.“The last thing I want to know is what the little vamp-tramp was up to with her monster husband.”
“Hey,” I interject.“You don’t have to be such a bitch.”
“Oh, I’m a bitch?”She raises her hands and looks at our brothers as if expecting them to defend her.
“You are being a bitch,” Leo says almost apologetically.“And that’s crossing a line, sis.”
“I meant,” Larissa starts again, saying each word slowly.“Fess up to that stunt last night.Those hunters, who are missing, are good hunters.They wouldn’t have pulled something like that if they weren’t ordered to.And there are no official orders telling them to pose as vampires and attack a human.”
“Why in the world would I tell hunters who have never liked me, I might add, to try and start a bloodbath at an event I was at?”My eyes widen as I stare at her.“That makes no sense.”
“Exactly, it makes no sense,” she insists.
“Whatever those hunters were up to is between them,” I say.“It was a dumb idea because, no matter what, people would have figured out they weren’t vampires.”
“Unless the purpose was just to get the bad press,” Leo says, thinking aloud.“One vampire attacking a human at an event that’s supposed to promote how well humans and vamps can coexist kinda proves that we can’t coexist.”
“We shouldn’t have to,” Larissa spits.“They’re monsters.”
“Look,” Antonio says, using his oldest-brother voice.“Arguing over what should and shouldn’t be acceptable in the world isn’t going to get us anywhere.Those hunters will answer to the Order for doing something stupid.The issue here is making sure Wren is okay and trying to figure something out.”
“I could run away,” I say, making a big effort not to mess with the GPS tracking bracelet I’m wearing so my siblings don’t notice.“I could use magic to get out of the house.But then what?”The words tumble out of my mouth.“The Order will be pissed, and I can’t imagine Xavier will just let it go.Where would I go?The Order has hunters everywhere.”
Silence falls over us and Antonio just shakes his head.“I-I don’t know, Wren.I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I tell him.“It will be okay.”
“Your workout clothes cost more than all three of our outfits combined,” Larissa presses.“I think you’re fine.”
“Yeah, I’m married to a vampire millionaire.Or maybe even a billionaire.I don’t know.”
“Do you get half if you file for divorce?”Leo tries to joke and I half-smile.Suddenly, I get hit with emotion.I love my brothers and Gia so much.And I even care about Larissa, as much of a bitch as she can be.
The Order didn’t make an arrangement for the Russos to give up the witch they’ve been running experiments on.They deviated from the plan, and violating anything the Order says has consequences.It always does.It’s only a matter of time before this catches up to them.
“I should go,” I say.“Before anyone notices us talking.”
