Page 131 of Vampires and Violas

But they haven’t returned, not since Cassian took me back to the house and made me take several shots of my prescription.

He didn’t dilute it in juice.

I think he suspects, though he hasn’t said anything. I keep waiting, but he’s stayed silent, suggesting we watch a baking show to pass the time while Noah was at the police department all afternoon and evening. We binged an entire season before Noah dragged himself through the door after midnight, but I don’t remember any of it.

It’s been a long day.

The longest, really.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” Cassian says, and then he peers at me intently. “You doing okay, Piper?”

I jerk my head up, trying to act normal. “What? Yeah. I’m great.”

He and Noah both share a look, and he says, “Right.”

Noah walks him to the front door, and they’re silent for a while. The two are probably sharing a whispered conversation that I don’t care to hear.

Noah returns to the kitchen a few seconds after the door opens and closes. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“I didn’t kill Sam,” he says.

I pull my eyes up to look at him. “I know. I heard you talking. They’re holding him without an option for bail.”

He nods. “Cassian says you’ve been quiet tonight. Do you want to talk about what happened?”

“I can’t believe you actually took out seven guys on your own.”

He smiles, so handsome. “I didn’t. I called Cassian as we were walking into the backyard and put him on speaker so he could hear what was going on. I had a bad feeling something was up. He showed up right after Sam grabbed you, and NIHA and the cops were right behind him.”

“So, Cassian tracked you with the app?”

“Yeah.”

“Handy.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize what was happening sooner.” He takes the barstool next to me, swiveling it so we’re facing. “It never crossed my mind that Ethan’s assassin would be watching you.”

“It’s not your fault. I didn’t realize it either. It was just business as usual, you know?”

“Maybe you should put your subscription orders on hold for a little while.”

I nod, acknowledging people probably won’t be cool with me delivering them during vampire hours anyway. “Yeah.”

We sit in silence, both of our minds heavy with the day’s events.

“Do you think Ethan was working for the house that hired Sophia?”

“I think so, but I can’t figure out how everything is connected. It’s making me crazy.”

“Sophia probably knows. Too bad she disappeared again.”

“Yeah,” he says wryly.

“Why would one of the houses want to work with Ethan?” I ask. “What did he offer?”

“I’ve uncovered quite a few shady business deals. Even before Ethan became a vampire, he and his brother were involved in lots of questionable practices.”

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