Page 21 of Blood Secret

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because… I know. I only needed somebody to confirm.” I tapped my chest with one finger. “I knew it in here for a long time. If anything, it’s a relief to hear it out loud. I’m not crazy, and it’s not just a matter of me being a spoiled brat whose Mommy and Daddy didn’t understand her. The way she always made me feel.”

“It’s not easy, being different.”

I laughed. “No. It’s not.” I could’ve kissed him just then, if he didn’t freak me out so much.

Those eyes. I would never get used to them. “You have the same contacts in your eyes as the people from the club,” I observed, since I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“What are contacts?”

“Okay, just stop that.” I stood up and rubbed my arms briskly. “I know you think you’re funny and you’re having a good time messing with my head, but enough’s enough. I can only stand so much of it in one night.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Fuck off!” I blurted out as I spun on him. “Look, I don’t know who sent you—”

“Your birth mother. Along with a few others.”

“Fantastic. Great stuff. But that doesn’t mean you get the right to screw with me. Stop acting like you don’t know about normal, everyday stuff and start being real.”

He stared at me for a moment, before his mouth fell open in understanding. “Right. You don’t know anything. I keep taking for granted that you do.”

“Great, more bombshells. Like I want to hear more. This is a fucking joke.”

“You use a lot of profanity.”

“No shit,” I sneered. “What is this? The olden days? When women weren’t supposed to use dirty words?”

His eyes narrowed, and I had a flash of memory.

The way he pulled that girl’s head off. It wasn’t enough to disable her or even kill her. He tore her goddamned head off and tossed it aside like a ball. And he was in my apartment, with only me, and I had just pushed a little too far.

I didn’t want him around me anymore. He was bad news.

“Thank you for helping me tonight and for telling me about my history. It’s time to leave now,” I announced as I walked to the door.

He beat me there.

One second, he was sitting on the edge of the bed.

The next, he was standing in front of me with his back to the door, arms folded over his chest.

I jumped back like he was made of fire, scrambling, and my ass hit the floor with a solid smack.

I didn’t feel it.

“How did you do that?” I whispered.

“Do what?”

“You know what. Don’t play innocent. How did you get from there,” I pointed to the bed, “to there?” I pointed to him.

“I walked. Just the same as you did.”

I shook my head. “Not that fast. There’s no way you couldn’t walked that fast. Nobody can.”

---