Page 60 of Taste of Fate

We shared tea and some more laughs that eased the ache in my chest until the exhaustion became too much. The last thing I felt was Bea covering me with a blanket, and some whispered mutterings of, “if only Kalix could knock some sense into him.”

Chapter 22

Tavia

Amy didn’t pick up her phone when I called that afternoon, which I thought was strange until I remembered she needed to keep her phone hidden. She was probably finishing up some chores for the day and would call back when she returned to the trailer.

I occupied myself with tidying up Bea’s apartment as quietly as I could. It was the least I could do since she was letting me stay indefinitely.

We had slept several hours in the morning, and she remained fast asleep. Her place was much smaller than Cyan’s, basically a studio with only a nook for her bed rather than an actual bedroom.

I washed and dried the teacups we’d used in the morning when I came over, which felt like so long ago already. My sleep had been fitful and I was still exhausted from crying and heartache, but couldn’t keep lying awake.

My phone buzzing with Amy’s returned call was a welcome distraction. Even though I wasn’t looking forward to rehashing what happened with Cy a second time, talking to her always lifted my spirits.

I answered the call, keeping my voice low so to not wake Bea. “Hey, Ames.”

“Tavia! We need help! Oh God, they’re swarming the compound! They just attacked us out of nowhere!”

It took a moment to register that the voice wasn’t Amy’s, but Robin’s. And she was in full-blown panic mode.

“Robin! What’s going on?”

“Vampires, I think. I don’t know, it’s daytime. But they’re running around biting and mauling people! They’re crazed and out of control, like wild animals!” A sob escaped her and hit me right in the heart. “I think some people are already dead.”

My feet moved as if they had minds of their own. I was barely aware of leaving Bea’s apartment. “Where are you? Where’s Amy?”

“We’re in a cellar. A group of us are hiding, but…” Another sob wracked through her. “Amy…Amy got hurt.”

I stopped walking and my stomach dropped through the floor. “What? Is she okay?” I realized too late how stupid that question was. “Is she…alive?”

“Yes, but Tavia honey, it doesn’t look good. She’s bleeding really badly. We need help now.”

The phone nearly slipped from my hand. With Amy’s heart condition, her life was in greater danger than most people’s would be.

My best friend in the world was dying while I stood dumbstruck in the middle of the hallway.

I forced my feet to move again, trying to form rational thoughts, basic plans of action through my rising panic.

“I’m getting help right now, Robin. It’s going to be okay. You…you’re keeping pressure on her wound, right?”

“She has multiple wounds but we’re doing our best.” Robin let out a shuddering breath. “Do you want to talk to her? In case…”

I tried to swallow the thick knot in my throat, but it wouldn’t budge. “Yes. Please put me by her ear.”

There was a shuffling noise on the phone and then the faint sound of wheezed, shallow breathing.

“Ames, it’s me.” My feet had taken me to a door. I wasn’t sure whose it belonged to, but I raised my fist and knocked furiously anyway. “Don’t try to talk. I’m on my way, okay? You don’t have to worry. I’ll be there soon and…and you’ll be all better. I promise, Ames. Just hang on.”

I pounded at the door again. “It’ll be okay, sweetie. I love you, okay? I’ll be there as fast as I can. Goddamnit, fucking open up!”

My knocking turned into furious punches and kicks. I was losing it because I could not afford to lose Amy. Finally, a lock unlatched and the door swung open, revealing a disheveled, shirtless Thorne. The vampire leader snarled at the sight of me but I went off before he could tear into me.

“There’s an attack on Sapien. People are badly hurt and hiding out. We need to help them. I think it’s—it’s the drae addicts. Please, the clan needs to go right now.”

Thorne blinked at me, then looked at a clock on a side table. Why the fuck wasn’t he rallying his people and fucking moving?

“It’s another hour until dusk.” He didn’t even bother to sound apologetic. “We can’t do anything until night falls.”

---