Page 11 of Rescued By the Vexed Vampire

Bethany’s expression shifted, though. Her initial shock was fading, replaced by something else—defiance. Her shoulders squared, and she met my gaze head-on, as if silently telling me she wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

“Let’s talk,” I said, keeping my tone cool. “Privately.”

Without a word, Bethany turned on her heel and marched toward the back office. The makeshift office I’d been assigned was nothing short of an insult, crammed with broken filing cabinets and dusty old ledgers. I hated that space, just like I hated this whole situation. If there was a hell for vampires, it wasn’t made of fire and brimstone; it was managing a failing candy shop in the middle of a horribly delightful small town.

I followed her, catching Alice and Noah exchanging another glance—one that clearly said, Poor Bethany. They assumed this was going to be a professional reprimand, nothing more. If only they knew.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind us, Bethany spun around, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Her big blue eyes, now flashing with anger, met mine, and her fury hit me like a gust of wind.

“What the hell did you do to me?” she demanded, her voice shaking but fierce.

I frowned, taken aback by the sheer force of her words. “Excuse me?”

She yanked down the collar of her shirt, exposing the pale skin of her neck. My eyes immediately zeroed in on the twosmall puncture marks that marred her otherwise perfect skin. My stomach dropped. The bite marks. My bite marks.

Shit.

“I woke up after what felt like the worst hangover of my life,” she spat, her voice rising in volume with every word. “I’ve got these,” she pointed at the bite marks, her voice thick with accusation, “and worse—I can’t see myself in the mirror anymore. What did you do to me?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. Before I could respond, Bethany grabbed the small mirror off the wall—a dusty old relic that had probably been there for years—and angled it toward us. Her movements were frantic, desperate, and when the light hit the mirror, it showed exactly what I had feared.

Nothing. No reflection.

Neither of us appeared in the glass.

Double shit.

Bethany’s frantic breathing filled the small office as she stared at the empty reflection, then back at me. Her eyes blazed with fury, and I could practically feel the heat radiating off her. “Well?” she demanded, her voice trembling with rage. “Explain this.”

I stared at the mirror for a long moment, the weight of what I’d done settling over me like a lead blanket. I had bitten her. I had turned her. I had made a colossal mistake.

“Bethany,” I said, my voice low, almost apologetic. “This is...complicated.”

“Complicated?” she shrieked, her fists shaking as she took a step closer. “You’ve turned me into a...a...”

“Vampire,” I finished for her, my voice barely above a whisper.

She recoiled, her eyes wide with disbelief, and her hands dropped to her sides as if the weight of what I’d said had knocked the wind out of her. She stood there, chest heaving, her mind struggling to process the truth.

“No,” she said, shaking her head violently. “No way. This isn’t happening. You don’t get to just do this and then expect me to accept it.”

I couldn’t blame her for her anger. Hell, I would have been just as furious. But as much as I wanted to downplay it, there was no undoing what had been done. I’d been careful for so long, centuries of control and discipline, never letting a single bite go too far. But with Bethany...something had changed.

“I didn’t mean to,” I said, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “I’ve had plenty of women before…more than I can count, but I’ve never done this. I’ve never turned anyone.”

She froze, her breathing still heavy, but her anger seemed to waver, replaced by something softer, more vulnerable. “Then why me?” she demanded, her voice quieter now, laced with hurt rather than fury. “Why would you bite me if you’ve never done this before?”

I hesitated, the memory of being in bed together flooding back into my mind. The way she had tasted, the way her skin had felt under my hands, the way I had been drawn to her like a moth to a flame. I had wanted her in a way that was completely foreign to me, something deeper than just hunger. Something primal.

“There’s something about you,” I admitted, my voice rough. “I don’t know what it is, but you’re...different. Enticing. Sweet. I couldn’t resist.”

Bethany stared at me, her eyes narrowing, as if she didn’t quite believe me. “So that’s it? I was just a snack you couldn’t resist, and now I’m stuck being a vampire for eternity because you have no self-control?”

I winced at her words, knowing there was truth in them. “I made a mistake,” I said, my voice softening. “I admit that. And I’m sorry.”

She stamped her foot, her anger flaring up again like a match struck against stone. “Oh no, you don’t get off that easily! I’m not just going to accept this. There has to be a way to fix it.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, frustration mounting in my chest. “There isn’t,” I said quietly. “It’s too late. You’re a vampire now. Like me.”

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