Page 58 of Club Blood

"We should probably go inside now before youtrulykill this vampire." I tsked, taking in her shocked features and pointing towards the safety of the estate.

"Your arms!" Cece exclaimed as we jogged towards the mansion. I ignored her, knowing it looked far worse than it felt. When we'd hit the steps, Warren practically fell into the shade with a sadistic shout of laughter. He threw his stake to the ground.

"You fucking psycho," I laughed with him, noticing that his injuries were far worse than mine. He was nothing but cheerful, though. Cecelia looked at us like we were crazy. I wondered how often she'd get to see me this way; I was practically high off of the rush of the sun, giddy, even.

"I, uh, Warren?" she asked tentatively, running a hand delicately across his boiled skin. Warren looked down at it, eyes narrowed in pain.

"I'm okay, Queenie," he reassured her, "We're not that easy to kill." I shook my head and rolled my eyes as he spit across his hands, wiping his saliva across his arms.

"You're so dramatic," I said, making way towards a long table along the entryway wall and grabbing for a vial similar to the one I'd used on Cecelia last night.

"You're one to talk," he retorted, pointing vaguely towards my own healing arms. It was ugly, red and blue boils bubbled as the swelling in my shoulders tried to deflate with each passing second.

"I was in the shade. You, my friend, were not. Use the damn vial."

"Listen, I'm trying to impress Cece. Let me have this, Merc."

"Consider me thoroughly impressed," Cecelia sounded worried, the end of her sentence turning up in a frustrated, uncertain whine. Warren's face softened.

"I'm okay, Queen," he said, "Pinky promise."

Even still, Warren took the vial and lathered himself in it. I could hear his sigh of relief almost instantaneously.

"Do you need a vial, too?" Cecelia asked me, still looking diligently over my own sores. I shook my head.

"No, I'll be okay, they already look much better."

She'd known enough now about the healing properties to let the subject drop at my confirmation. Did that mean she was trusting me?

"Come on," I hedged, "let's put away your tools."

We walked together in silence through the house, finding my special room easily. It wasn't as if I was never here, I practically lived in the lush room full to the brim with weapons that would make any criminal drool. This room was a comfort. As I settled into a familiarity that came from years of use, I grabbed the stake Cecelia had picked up from the ground and placed it back in its holster on the shelf. Red lights illuminated it, causing its intricate, ornate silvers to sparkle against the walls.

It wasn't until I caught myself admiring its beauty that I realized Warren had left us again. Whether it was to gather the rest of the weapons or leave us to a moment of peace, I wasn't sure.

"How was your training?" I asked quietly, turning to face her and taking her hand with my own, my thumbs swirling circles across her fingers. All the bravado and confidence she had in the garden was quickly forgotten and abandoned, leaving nothing but a nervous blush in their wake.

"It was okay, I guess," Cecelia stammered. I forced my mouth into a hard frown.

"Stop that," I said gently, "None of that with me." Cece turned her head and faced a wall of particularly brutal weapons. Even that seemed preferable to that of my face.

"Were you there the entire time?" she asked in accusation. I laughed, my head falling backward and delight sparkling my voice.

"Fear not, little flower. I was not there for long. I only watched a bit, and thank Gods I did. Could you imagine if I wasn't there when you were about to stake my Second?"

I could tell my joke did not hit the way it was intended. Cecelia looked genuinely worried as her face found mine once more.

"He told me to!"

"Oh, I know that. Stubborn fool." I let her hands drop to her sides and ran fingers along the rows of shelves in this glorified chamber of torture. Something about the sharp knives and hungry cleavers filled me with continued confidence. I'd desperately needed this after feeling so defeated by Narcissa's deceit.

"You did well, from what Ididsee."

"Not well enough. I know Warren was going easy on me."

"He was, but no vampire would ever expect you to have that much awareness. They expect humans to be weak. Underestimating you will be your leg up, if it comes to that."

"And if it doesn't, you'll be waiting in the bushes ready to jump out and save me?" Her tone was light and airy, but I nodded solemnly.

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