Page 110 of Bite of Passage
“Oh, my,” Val said in mock horror before she fell against the counter giggling.
“I was a half bag into the disgusting swill, which did nothing for my hunger.I didn’t realize it wasn’t whole blood, but packed red cells.Drinking them alone is like drinking coffee grinds instead of the coffee.I don’t recommend it.The chief lost it.I’m talking high-pitch girly screaming.I spewed blood everywhere.”
Val bent over at the waist, emitting snorts of laughter.
“The screaming surprised the hell out of me, but after I spewed, it got worse.I decided to attempt persuasion, and I overdid it.The guy’s probably still walking around the hospital like a drooly zombie who can’t remember his name.”
“Oh God, Gemma.That’s…” Val wiped tears out of her eyes.
“Did you know you can’t un-do persuasion?I tried.A second try makes it worse.I have no clue how long the persuasion lasts.A day?A year?The rest of his life?I ruined a brilliant surgeon’s life.The guy might never remember his kids.I did that.My fault.So, logically, I put in my notice.Actually, I outright quit.”Gemma covered her face again.“This vampire thing sucks.”She glanced up.“Stop it.This isn’t funny.”
“You’re right.Not funny.”Val swiped at both of her eyes, but burst into laughter again.She held up a hand and took a few breaths.“You are hands down the coolest being I’ve ever met.I’d love to have some of your abilities.Well, maybe not the blood hunger part.”
“I’m not biting you.I don’t think I’m allowed to turn a witch.So, you can’t be like me.”She sniffed the smoothie and almost vomited.Pushing it away she muttered, “I’m so hungry.”
“Why not go to the dangerous part of town and kill someone doing something illegal?No one will miss them.”
“Straight from the source?Humans… That’s gross.Besides, I don’t want to kill anyone.”Gemma shuddered before laying her head on the counter.“I’m a complete failure as a vampire.”
“You’re still learning.You’ve still got a few hundred years, maybe a thousand, to figure it out.”
“Oh, God,” she moaned.“I’ll die of starvation long before that.”
“Stop being a drama queen.You’re hungry, and you’re horny.Time to start dating again.”
“I’d have to update my app profile to say ‘if I bite you, I’ll have to kill you.’”
Val crinkled up her nose as if considering it.She shook her head.“You’ll get crazies who’ll be into kinky stuff.Joking aside, you need to move on.Forget Skarde.You’re young, immortal, and beautiful.Maybe there’s a vampire underground you can tap into here.”
She rolled her head on the countertop.I will not cry.Not again.“I need to go back.I’d rather die over there than live alone over here.I can’t let something like today happen again.Let’s also not forget what happened yesterday with the witch in the restaurant.So many people got hurt when she attacked me.”
Val sipped her smoothie.“You rocked.I taught you well.You don’t need some alpha macho vampire who tried to get rid of you to take care of you.Maybe he already moved on.Did you think of that?Sounds like he has a weakness for sex.Do you think he could go twelve weeks without?”
That hurt.
“He doesn’t deserve you.He made you feel worthless.Then, at the last possible moment, he had regrets.”Val picked a scrying glass off the counter and flipped it over.“Forget him.”
Gemma’s throat tightened.“Sending me back here was his misdirected way of saving me.”
“You didn’t need saving.You need someone who’s not a mess, someone who has his shit together and sees you for how incredible you are.”
“I don’t think I would’ve survived the past few months if you hadn’t let me move in after we set my apartment on fire.I’ve learned so much about magic.But…I still want him.”Her chest clinched at the same time her stomach rumbled.“His blood tasted incredible.And the sex… Oh, God, I miss it.Maybe if I saw him one more time, I could get closure and accept that we never had something special.”
“I can’t make a portal.”Val rinsed the blender in the sink.“I’m not sure I would even if I could.”
“Could you arrange for me to have a few minutes to talk to him through a TV screen or mirror?”
“Girl, you want far more than a little chat.You’ll try to get to him the second you have a chance.It’s selfish, but I like having you here.I’ve never had a friend who’s weirder than me.”
“You said I was cool, not weird.”She smiled at Val.
“You’re both.”
Talking to Skarde through the TV…
She sat up straight.“That’s it.I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before.The DVD.Maybe it’ll give me a final episode so I can see into his life.Maybe talk to him.”Maybe I can go across.“I bet the disc is still in my external hard drive.”Thankfully, she’d grabbed that and her computer before burning down her place to cover up the witch’s attack.
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