Page 13 of A Vampire Bewitched
Maybe because they were each other’sonlyfriends.
Even when they were really young, and their mom would take them to the park, they never played with the other kids. It’s not that they didn’t want to, but the other kids always kept their distance.
The girls never understood why the other kids acted so weird around them. They would lie in bed at night in the room they shared, long after they should have been asleep, and whisper to each other about the “mean kids”. And how they didn’t need them anyway. They had each other.
As they got older and started school, nothing changed. They were shunned, avoided, and sometimes made fun of. They were never invited to sleepovers, or asked out on dates. They were always the last ones to be picked for teams in PE class, and only ended up on a team at all because the teachers made them.
“Special” is what Mom and Dad told them, when they asked what was different about them.
“Freaks” is what the other kids at school said about them.
They weren’t picked on, or bullied, or threatened by the other kids. If they had been, Emma would’ve felt more normal, but they weren’t any of those things. They were just ignored. The other students, and even some of the teachers, acted like they weren’t even there. It was like they were invisible, and no one else saw them. They only saw each other, and it created a bond between the two girls that nothing could break. Except death. But Nik was right. If Keira were dead, Emma would know.
And she would do whatever she needed to—even trust a complete stranger—to find her.
Chapter 8
Seattle, Washington
Shea scowledas Christian threw himself onto the oversized leather couch by the window overlooking the city. He propped his head on one end and his dirty boots on the other. The only female vampire on Luukas’ council, she was also the only one who cared about things such as clean furniture.
“Hey! Easy on my furniture, manwhore.”
His amber eyes flashed as he sat up. “Why? It’s not likeyouever bring any dates home to see it.”
Shea shrugged. His barb stung a little more than it should have, though she’d be damned if she’d let him know it. “I just like my house clean.”
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Is Dante coming, or what? I’m really getting tired of constantly waiting on his ass. I have things to do.”
“Like blow all your money at the strip club?” She plopped down next to him before he could respond, just far enough away that they didn’t accidentally touch. “Let’s not fight, C. Fun as it always is, we have other things to worry about right now.”
“Speaking of which…like, seriously, where the hell is Dante?” He reached over and smacked her jean-clad knee affectionately.
Biting back a hiss of pain caused by his casual touch, she only said, “He’s on his way up. Give him a minute.”
Shea leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees. She was tired of having this same conversation with Christian over and over again.
Christian mimicked her position, turning his head to look at her. “What the hell is up with him, Shea? You’re closer to him than all of us. What’s his deal?”
She sighed inwardly. It looked like they were going to have it anyway.
“I really don’t know,” she told him honestly. “He’s been like this since Luukas was taken. Hell, we’ve all been affected one way or another.”
“Well, sure, but you don’t see me living underground like a creature of lore. We don’t have to do that anymore.”
“He feels safe down there…if a bit wet.” Shea smiled and changed the subject. “So, who’s the floozy of the moment for Christian the Lady Killer?” She threw a hand up. “Don’t tell me! Let me guess her name. Candy? Bambi? No? Wait, I know, Porsche!”
“Lay off, Shea.” Christian got up and wandered over to the kitchen counter separating the two rooms. “You know you’re just jealous.”
Shea regarded his broad, muscular back, hunched over the counter as he thumbed through the newspaper she’d left lying there. She wasn’t kidding when she'd called him a manwhore. Did he ever tire of the endless parade of females sashaying in and out of his life?
The bastard was right, though.. Shewasjealous, though she would never admit it. She hadn’t had a male companion since Luukas disappeared.
Something had happened to her that day. She’d first noticed it when Nik had gathered them all together to let them know their Master had never returned from his meeting with the she-bitch. After he’d filled them in, she’d gone up to him to give him a hug, show some support. But as soon as his arms had gone around her to return it, an excruciating pain had blasted down her spine, shooting out her limbs and hitting every nerve ending along the way. She’d pulled away with a hiss, and the pain had immediately gone away. Assuring Nik she was fine with an apologetic smile, she’d hurried out of the room, and hadn’t purposely touched any male since.
Strange, but it seemed toonlybe males who affected her, no matter the species. Now, she fed exclusively on females. Sometimes she even fucked them, just to have some skin on skin contact, but she’d never admit it to her comrades. She didn’t need the harassment. She wasn’t gay, just lonely.
And she definitely didn’t want to give the guys she hung out with any fuel for their sex lives. They were like her brothers, and she’d worked hard to build that relationship with all of them. She didn’t want to ruin it by stirring up their girl on girl fantasies, with her as the star.
