Page 73 of Feeding Frenzy

“We can’t leave her,” I croaked. What if I did manage to get her to swallow my blood? What if she would turn?

“I’ll send someone for her. We have to get inside before human authorities arrive.” The finality of his statement forced my lips together.

TWENTY-SIX

catalina

“You guys didn’t giveup on me!” I shouted, pacing back and forth. She would be okay, right? I sat on the cushion of the rounded couch across that Pepto pink room, where one of the vampires placed Maddy.

Her body hadn’t moved from the bed. She lay so still. Asher sank next to me, his palm rested on my back. He patted me in soothing circles.

“Cat, this happens with humans?—”

“Stop trying to pacify me,” I shouted, getting back to my feet to pace. “She mattered, she wasn’t justa human.” Asher looked chagrined.

Ren gripped my arm and dragged me toward the room. I stumbled after him as he shoved me inside, guiding me until I faced Maddy’s limp body. A bandage was wrapped around her neck, covering the injuries.

“What are you doing?” I hissed, fighting to get out of Ren’s grip. Tobias shoved Ren back and broke his hold on me.

“Being rough about it will get you nowhere.”

“She’s in denial. Andthatwill not help her.”

I glared up at him. Bastien was suddenly in front of Ren. As the two biggest males, watching them glare at each othershouldn’t have looked as intriguing as it did. Ren shook his head and put his hands up.

“Breathe in her scent, Catalina,” Tobias said gently, bringing me back to him. I licked my lips and shuffled closer to the bed. Maddy had been cleaned of all the blood, I wasn’t sure who did it, but Talia ordered it before she left to collect Sydney.

I breathed in as Tobias asked me to.

A putrid scent slapped my senses. I gagged and clasped my hand over my mouth, holding my breath again. It was a mix of rotting cabbage and spoiled milk.

It hadn’t worked. I couldn’t change her. Her body was already decaying. I could tell in the dip of her cheeks and the hollow of her eyes.

“That’s cadaverine, skatole, indole, putrescine, and hydrogen sulfide. Bacteria create it during decomposition,” Bastien said, his voice coming from right behind me. “It will only become worse with each hour that passes.”

My lip trembled and I closed my eyes, turning into Bastien’s arms. He rubbed my back, and I let a sob out into his chest.

“Sires, we handled human law enforcement,” a female voice called from the threshold of the room. Handled was a pretty way of saying they compelled them all.

Bastien stiffened and he suddenly snarled toward the interloper. He pulled me into his side, backing us up until he was flat against the wall. His eyes held none of that sharp intelligence that was usually present when his mind was. I held onto his arm.

The female vampire with multicolored braids disappeared as fast as she had arrived. I peeked up at Bastien and his head still swiveled around. I wasn’t sure how long he would last this way. Some ‘moments’ stretched longer than others. I hooked my arm with Bastien’s.

“You should rest before the girl arrives,” Tobias murmured.

I smiled wryly.

“Vampire, remember?” Resting did nothing for me.

“There’s a bath in there and you should take Bastien in there while he’s . . . like this.” Tobias waved a hand. “There are too many vampires around you and it’s not a question about ‘if’, but ‘when’ he will attack one of them.” I remembered how crazed he’d been when I first encountered him. He’d not allowed any of them near me either.

“Okay,” I muttered. I hated how defeated my voice sounded. Jax frowned down at me and he turned to guide me to the bedroom. Bastien trailed after me, my grip not loosening on him.

Asher no longer lounged on the round couch. Jax lead me to the door across from the pink room. Upon opening it, I was surprised at how normal it looked. Just a simple bed with a ruffled bed skirt and a quilt.

I pulled Bastien inside with me and peeked over my shoulder. Bastien’s red eyes were fixed on me. This side of him, instinctual, and rash, held a soft spot for me.

“The shower is over here.” Jax turned right and through a rounded alcove. I followed the sound of the sputtering shower.

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