Page 3 of The First Year Continued
“We said we wouldn’t tell anyone and we meant that. We’re in this together.” I reassured all of them. Mostly Roxy. Our mate. We had a new bond now. One of blood.
Did her bite count as a mark? No. It was made with vampire fangs.
Besides, she wasn’t exactly in her right mind when she did it.
“I would understand if you did.” She blinked back tears. “I would understand if you all left and never spoke to me again. What I did was unforgivable.”
“You weren’t yourself. The responsibility lies with the vampire who bit you first. Hell, even the shifters are responsible for making us go to war. None of this is on you.”
If anything, her expression darkened even more.
“If it’s okay with you, we’ll spend the night here. Odin’s not strong enough to get to our room without being noticed and we want to make sure you’re good as well.” Sol looked genuinely concerned about me.
“You do?” She perked up a bit. “Even after this?”
“Always, Roxy. We’ll always look after you.”
We found places to sleep. They all insisted I stay on Desi’s bed and made spots for themselves on the floor, Roxy in her own bed, of course. The lights were turned off. Silence took over.
“Roxy?” Evander said.
“Yeah?”
“Are you…can you still feel your wolf?”
I hadn’t thought to ask her that. Did he think drinking blood had turned her fully vampire? Smart to ask.
A pregnant pause hung between us. “Yes,” she finally answered. “My wolf is still there. She spoke to me. She’s not gone. Thank the goddess. That means I’m still a shifter, right?” Her cheeks, which had been flushed, paled. “A shifter and a vam—”
“Shh,” I tried to comfort her. “Let’s get some sleep. We all need it after tonight.”
Chapter Two
Roxy
They violated all the rules by staying with me, but I was so grateful. Desi had stayed with someone else—I wasn’t sure who, but I’d heard Sol talking to her in the hallway, sending her away. Another broken rule, but since she probably landed with another girl, she’d be able to claim they were studying for whatever class they shared.
And I had no desire to send the males away. Fearing to be alone, I was more than relieved when they announced they were all staying. Just one, I’d have had to turn down because I didn’t trust myself not to attack again. And it seemed I had extensive strength, if I’d been able to hold Odin in place while I drank from him.
It wasn’t something I’d planned or even seen coming. One moment, I was me, and everything was chill and happy, the next, my fangs were sinking into Odin’s throat, and I was drinking his blood.
When the hell did I get fangs? Or start drinking blood?
My twin bed was not exactly roomy, something that made me sad because I craved the nearness of all three of them, but also relieved.
What if the fangs came back?
Never imagining I’d get any sleep, I no sooner closed my eyes, than Sol was shaking my shoulder. “Roxy, you need to wake up.”
“No. Tired.” I rolled onto my stomach, bringing my pillow with me to cover my head.
“Sorry, sweetheart.” He sat on the edge of the mattress and rubbed my back with such gentleness, I nearly melted. “If we don’t go to class, we’re going to have bigger problems.”
I let him guide me onto my back again and pushed to sit against the headboard. “Bigger than me becoming a vampire and eating all my friends.” I grimaced. “Sorry, drinking them. That’s about as big a problem as anyone could have.”
“You’d think.” He eased the covers down and tugged me onto his lap. “But we’re not sure exactly how the venom is affecting you, and I hesitate to say you’re fully a vampire.”
“Why not? I sure acted like one last night.” My gaze fell on Odin, still asleep in Desi’s bed and pale as milk. “Look at my victim.” A dreadful thought followed that horrible word. “Oh goddess. Did I turn him as well? Is he a vampire now too?”
