Page 61 of Blood and Buttercups

“For Ethan, yes. For you, no.”

Max makes a choking noise, continuing through the pile, which includes the prescription info that I added to the stack when I got home from the pharmacy.

Noah jerks his head toward the paperwork. “That reminds me, we still need to make an appointment with your dietitian, and you’ll want to start your support group soon.”

“Okay, I’ll go to the dietitian, but I’m not sitting in some lame support group.”

Noah sighs. “Piper, I know it sounds?—”

Max holds up a hand. “Just…stop talking. Both of you.”

I swallow, shifting my weight from one foot to the other, watching my brother. He’s about to lose it.

Suddenly, he picks up his phone. “What are you doing?” I ask urgently, stepping forward. “You can’t tell anyone.”

He evades me easily, holding the phone up to his ear and swatting me away when I get close. “I’m at Piper’s. She’s claiming her doctor told her she’s a vampire.”

“No!” I hiss. “Max!”

“Okay.” He ends the call.

“I can’t believe you told Mom and Dad,” I say, feeling betrayed. “They’re going to come home early from their vacation and completely freak out.”

“It was Olivia.”

“Oh.” I process that for a second, and then relief hits me. “I’m not supposed to tell her.”

“Too late now,” Noah says tonelessly.

I turn to the hunter, growing nervous. “Am I going to get in trouble? Will theyarrestme?”

“This is ridiculous,” Max mutters.

Noah frowns at my frazzled brother. “No, but you have to keep your brother from running his mouth about all this, or they might arresthim.”

“Don’t tell anyone else,” I command, scowling when Max turns his back to me and runs his hand through his hair. “I mean it.”

My phone buzzes with a call, and I know who it is before I even glance at the screen.

“Oh look, it’s Olivia.” I hit the accept button, preparing myself. “Hey.”

“So instead of telling Max you’re sick, you told himyou’re a vampire?” she says without even saying hi.

“I am a vampire.” There’s silence on the other end, and I decide it might be best to keep pushing forward. “Okay, not a full-fledged vampire. I’m pre-vampiric. I’m not, like, contagious or anything.”

“That’s not funny.”

“I didn’t think so either, especially when the doctor started talking about blood smoothies.”

“Piper.”

“I have the blood prescription in my fridge, Olivia. It’s freaky as heck. And that’s not all. Because I tested positive, I’m now registered in some system. They’ve even assigned me a bodyguard because my vampire is a stalker.”

“Conservator,” Noah corrects again.

“Seriously.” I meet his eyes. “Embrace it.”

Olivia’s still silent.

---