Page 92 of Her Dark Salvation

“Sophie!” Anna exclaimed and handed a big glass of red to me over my shoulder.

“It’s okay. I think she likes me.”

“She likes anyone who pets her. She’s an absolute attention whore.” Sophie intensified her kneading. “Sorry about your pants.”

I waved it off. “I like cats. They like me. Always have. There was a stray who used to come around our apartment when Gina and I were kids.”

The wine was more acidic than I preferred but the alcohol had an immediate soothing effect. Especially with the cat on my lap and Anna’s warmth at my back. They all conspired to create a sense of comfort and home.

“The wine isn’t nearly as good as the ones I’ve had with you.” She rested her hands on my shoulders and started massaging my stiff muscles. “But I like it. Gets the job done.”

“It’s perfect.” I tipped my head back. “This is perfect.”

She bent over and kissed my forehead. “I’m glad you came over. I thought you might—” Her hands froze. “Marco?”

“Hm?”

“You have… There’s blood on your shirt.”

I glanced down to where Anna fingered my collar. “Huh. Don’t worry. It’s not mine.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew I’d fucked up.

She came around the end of the couch and sat facing me, folding her hands in her lap. Knowing Anna, they’d probably started shaking. “Whose is it?” Her question was small and tentative, and it squeezed my heart.

I’d promised myself I wouldn’t lie to her, and I planned on keeping that promise. “Someone’s. I don’t know. I needed to feed.”

Her face fell as if she suspected as much, but hoped I’d come back with a different answer. “Oh.”

That “oh” stabbed me through the heart and nearly killed me. She wasn’t angry or raging or throwing a fit. She just sat there, her hurt and disappointment wrapped up in a sad little “oh.”

I was the biggest fucking asshole on the planet.

“Who—Who is she?”

“It’s not important.”

“It’s important to me.”

“I really don’t know. I didn’t use a Source. It came from a bag.”

She lifted her eyes, and they were glassy with unshed tears. My heart broke, the look on her face twisting the knife.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said softly. “You could have fed from me. I would have let you.”

Goddammit. I ran a hand down my face. The day was already fucked. Might as well finish it off. “No, Anna. No, I couldn’t.”

Her eyebrows drew together. “I don’t understand. I gave you permission.”

“I already told you. I don’t feed from people I’m fucking.”

She blinked and gave her head a quick shake, a flash of anger visible through the hurt in her eyes. “Is that what we’re doing? Fucking?”

I winced. “No. I mean, yes, but that came out wrong. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“How did you mean it?”

What a nightmare. My capacity to deal was already hanging by a thread after watching my tightly controlled world unravel. This conversation was sure to make it snap.

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