Page 38 of Forsworn By The Vampire
A little over a week had gone by since the night I spent at Jamal's, and I was still trying to figure out how he'd figured me out. I tried to go by The Purple Fang a few times, but was denied access at the door. I'd left quietly each time without causing a ruckus. It was probably better if I didn't force my way in there. I'm not sure I'd want to see what was surely going on. At least I knew he couldn't feed from anyone else, so, eventually, he would have to come back to me. Right?
Having Mike still at my place didn't do me any favors. The night Jamal had kicked me out, I'd run home and spilled my heart out to him. I knew Mike had a thing for me, but I was confident our friendship would be more important.
I was wrong.
Mike listened without interruption when I told him everything that happened, from Jamal saving me in the cemetery to the way things had been left between us. He didn't console me or berate me for trying to trick him into accepting our mating. As a matter of fact, he didn't say anything at all. He just made a sound of disbelief and went back to the couch, refusing to talk to me. Although later that day he did break his vow of silence long enough to tell me to let him know as soon as the threat of the djinn was taken care of and he could leave.
The only one who would talk to me was Lizzy. And even though I'd never gone out of my way to be friendly with her, I was beginning to think maybe I'd misjudged her after all.
"So, Aunt Judy and the rest of the gang are coming back today?" she asked.
We were at Ancient Magicks, the place I'd stolen the dagger from. The dagger that was now hidden in my apartment. Although she wouldn't know that. I don't think she ever goes into the secret room in the back unless she's forced to. I'd brought her a coffee and a pup cup for her old dog, Wiggles. Bending down, I held it for him while he lapped up the whipped cream. "Last I knew," I told her. "No one has called or anything to tell me otherwise."
She stopped counting out her cash for the till and gave me a strange look.
"What?" I asked her, then patted Wiggles on his little black head and threw away his empty cup.
"They haven't called you? Like, not even to update you on what's happening with the Seattle coven or anything?"
"Nope." I tried to play it off like this was a normal thing, even though it totally wasn't. My aunt always checked in when she was out of town. But I knew they were okay because I knew from Lizzy that Alex was checking in with Kenya a few times a day, but if he was telling her anything, she hadn't said.
So that left me with the only possible reason no one had been in touch with me, and I didn't have to be a mind reader to figure this out.
They know.
"You don't think that's odd?"
One arm wrapped around my middle, I chewed my thumbnail and stared out the window of her shop. Tourists strolled by, drinks in hand and decorated with beads for the holiday. It was only late morning and it was already a balmy day. The temperature was supposed to reach the high sixties by that afternoon.
"Angel?" Lizzy called my name loud enough that I got the impression it wasn't the first time she'd done it. "What's wrong?"
Despite the fact I was wearing thick leggings, flats with socks, and a long sweater, I couldn't stop the shivering that started somewhere in my gut and spread out to the rest of my body. "I have to tell you something," I whispered.
Glancing at a group of people who were peering into the display window, Lizzy took my arm and pulled me behind the curtain that separated the storage room from the rest of the shop. When we were out of sight of the general public, she turned toward me. "What's going on? What's wrong? If this is about Jamal, he'll come around--"
I cut her off with a wave of my hand. "No. This isn't about him. Except for the fact that he's going to hate me even more than he already does when he finds out."
"I don't understand."
Looking at my newly discovered cousin, dark eyes filled with concern--concern forme, someone who's been a complete bitch to her most of the time--I lost what little control I'd been keeping over my emotions. "It's all my fault," I cried as the tears I'd been holding in for what seemed like a lifetime spilled over and flowed down my face.
"What is?"
"Everything! Kenya almost dying...Alex almost dying...everything!" And then I burst into tears.
Ducking out of the room for a moment, Lizzy showed back up with a box of tissues and handed me one, which I gratefully took from her. Wiping my face and blowing my nose, I tried to get my shit together enough to tell her.
"It's okay," she said. "Take your time. The customers can wait."
"I can't talk here..."
Grabbing my hand, she pulled me to the back corner of the storage room and moved the rolling shelves out of the way. "Open it," she told me, indicating the hidden door. "This room is spelled, right? No one will hear us."
I chanted the spell to open the door and went inside with her. With a wave of my hand, I lit the candles placed throughout the stone room. The misery I'd been holding at bay for all of these months burst from me like water bursting through a dam. "It's my fault he's here, Lizzy."
"Who?"
By the way she was looking at me, I think she knew. But I told her anyway. "The djinn. Marcus."
