Page 121 of Vampires and Violas

Maybe. We won’t know for sure until I go in for the blood test on Monday.

It’s Friday now. In light of recent events, Noah took a few personal days off so we could do Camp Vampire.

Thankfully, we have to go home tomorrow so I can prepare and deliver the flowers for Kayla’s daughter’s birthday party.

Noah helps me up, and I shamelessly lean against him.

“Do I need to carry you?” he asks.

“Oh, absolutely.” I give him a wobbly grin. “Take off your shirt first, though.”

He rolls his eyes and wraps his arm around my shoulders. “I think you’re fine.”

In true Noah fashion, he’s keeping his promise to my father. He hasn’t kissed me since we all shared breakfast, and this is the most we’ve touched since they left.

I hate it.

I hate it so much.

We enter Cassian’s humble castle through one of the back entrances. The place is posh—gleaming wood floors, heavy velvet drapes, and cream-colored walls with a Venetian plaster finish. You know, the works. The decor is tasteful Coloradan, with mountain landscapes and large stone fireplaces.

I’ve only been here three times—first, when Cassian made Ethan confess, and then twice while Noah was in Denver.

A maid smiles when she meets us in the hall. “Good evening, Mr. York, Ms. Edwards. Can I get you anything?”

“Would you ask the cook to make Piper a blood smoothie and bring it to the room she’s staying in?”

“Of course,” she answers, like it’s perfectly reasonable and not at all weird that Cassian has an entire staff at his beck and call—andourbeck and call while we’re here.

“I feel bad for the pig,” I say to Noah as we walk up the stairs.

“Why?”

“Being used for target practice isn’t a very majestic end, you know? He could have been the centerpiece for a luau. Had a shiny apple in his mouth.”

Noah peers down at me. “You’re acting a little loopy.”

“Probably the virus. It’s affecting my brain.”

He doesn’t respond to my joke, maybe because the theory is more accurate than he wants to admit.

“Am I going to be able to eat cucumbers still?” I ask. “I wasn’t ready to give those up yet. I needed to prepare.”

“Second-stage vampires can almost always eat plant-based foods, but there is a chance you’ll develop a few sensitivities.When I entered the second stage, I developed an intolerance to tomatoes and peppers.”

We make it to my room, and Noah pushes open the door. I’m not in the same one as before—this time, Cassian gave me a suite with a full bathroom.

But it’s not next door to Noah’s room, which really is a shame.

“I’m so dizzy.” I stagger over to the bed and fall flat on my back.

Oh. Soft.

“Do you think Cassian buys mattresses stuffed with unicorn down?” I ask.

“There are two problems with that as far as I can tell. One, unicorns have hair, not down. Two, they don’t exist.”

I close my eyes, hoping the room will stop spinning. “Vampires didn’t exist a few months ago, and look at us now. I dated one, you know.”

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