Page 85 of Blood Sport

“You need to be careful, Ev,” he says softly, lowering his voice so Jaylen can’t hear, but I know he can. “I can’t lose you too, okay?”

I soften at his words, my resolve slipping. Sometimes I forget that I wasn’t the only one traumatized by our parent’s death. My brother may not have found their bodies, but he was there for everything else—the police reports, the funeral, the media wanting a statement, and the knowledge that we have to live life without them. It’s a hard pill to swallow, not just for me, but Miles, too. So, I understand his need to protect me, but sometimes, he needs to protect himself, too.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I promise, reaching out to squeeze his hand resting on the bed rail, “You won’t lose me, Miles. We’re in this together.”

He nods, unable to meet my eyes, instead choosing to stare at the mattress. “Just… if you need a ride home at any time, please text me first, okay? I don’t want you on that death trap ever again.”

I nod. Getting into an accident on Jaylen’s bike is a reminder of why I was hesitant to get on it at first. But it isn’t enough for me to swear off it all together. I enjoy the way I feel when I’m riding with him—weightless and carefree. It’s something I haven’t felt in a long time, and I want to hold onto that feeling for a little while longer.

Miles turns to his best friend who hasn’t moved from his spot in the corner of the room. “You watch yourself, Black. I don’t want to catch you with my sister ever again, you hear me? She’s off limits, or did you forget about that?”

Jaylen’s jaw ticks as his eyes meet Miles’s hard stare. I can tell he wants to say more but ultimately decides to let it go. His features soften and he sighs, clearly not in the mood to argue with my brother.

“I hear you loud and clear,” he says quietly, which is unusual for him. I’ve never seen him this… quiet, with a sad expression on his features that I can only interpret as guilt.

Miles doesn’t say anything as he turns his back to him to face me. I can hear him speaking to me, but all I can focus on is Jaylen when he turns his ocean eyes to me, holding me in place. He mouths, ‘I’m sorry,’ before he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans and walks out the door.

My mind is a jumbled mess as I try to make sense of everything that has happened tonight—the accident and the tension between my brother and Jaylen. Miles continues to speak, but all I can focus on is the nightmare I had before I woke up, his voice fading into the background of my mind.

It was another warning, I know it. Why else would my subconscious reveal the detail that my parents also had upside-down crosses carved into their foreheads like the victims in the ‘70s and the ones in the present day? They’re all connected, I know it now.

My parents were murdered by the same person, or at least a copycat killer. I don’t know for sure that the victims in the ‘70s were vampires, but the ones happening currently were. So, now my question is: why were my parents murdered in the same way when they’re not vampires? And who the hell is behind the killings?

I don’t know the answer to either question, but I’m determined to find out. I’m closer than ever to finding out the truth about what happened, I can feel it.

28

Jaylen

Evie: Hey. I just wanted to check in again to

see if you’re doing okay. I haven’t heard from

you since the night of the accident. I just…

want to know that you’re okay.

I run a frustrated hand through my hair, re-reading her words until my eyes start to sting.

Fucking hell. I hate that I’ve been ignoring her texts for the past week, but I can’t bring myself to respond. Images of her lying on the wet asphalt with blood trickling down her arms and legs from deep gashes have haunted my every waking thought since the accident. All I can think about is when I called her name and she didn’t move a muscle. She didn’t even bat an eyelid.

For a split second, I had thought I lost my sweet angel. And if that were the case, I don’t know what I would’ve done with myself. Well, I know what I would’ve done, but it’s not something I want to think about.

I should’ve heard that fucking car coming toward us, but I was too focused on getting her home and out of the rain.

When she didn’t respond, it took everything in me to not pick her up in my arms and use my vampire speed to rush to the hospital. But there were people walking on the street who saw the whole indecent. A lovely older couple rushed over to help. I could have easily compelled them to forget they saw us, but I forced my mind to slow down and take a second to think about what Evie would want. It didn’t feel right running around town like a bat out of hell with her in my arms. If she was conscious at the time, I’m sure I know what she would’ve told me to do.

I’m not sure if I made the right call to inform Miles of what happened when Evie got taken away in the ambulance with the older couple watching on. I knew he would’ve been pissed that I was alone with his sister and got into an accident, but I know Evie would’ve wanted him there when she woke up. So, I put my feelings aside and did right by her.

And now I’m dealing with the consequences of that decision.

“How long are you going to wallow in guilt?” Ethan asks from where he sits at my desk, spinning on the chair with his eyes trained on the ceiling.

I drop my phone onto my chest and close my eyes. “For as long as I want to.”

“You’ve got to forgive yourself at some point. It wasn’t your fault.”

My eyes snap open to look at Ethan who has now stopped spinning on the chair, his eyes on me. “It was my fault though. I’m the reason we crashed. I’m the reason she ended up in the fucking hospital.”

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