Page 20 of Just One Bite
“Sorry, I’ve gotten a little ahead of myself. I’m Autumn. I’m a vampire, so I smelled you three right away.”
Autumn has tight shoulder-length curls, light brown skin, and her pearl nails gleam as she opens a note on her phone to start typing.
“It’s Olivia, right?” She points to me, and I nod. Then she moves to the right. “Emma and then Evangeline. Do you go by Eva?”
“Only my sisters call me that,” Eva says. “Do we really need to do an interview? That seems a little—”
“Excessive,” I say.
“Oh, after coming from Groveshire, this place must be a lot to take in.”
“How do you know that?”
“Your father was on the staff. A simple search pulls up your hometown. I imagine the smell of your blood is the reason you three have led such a secluded life. Is that true?”
“I … I guess so,” Emma says. “Our father was very protective of us growing up.”
“Then why aren’t the three of you in The Donor Program? Surely, he’d have wanted to assure you with the protection it brings.”
“Our father let us decide,” I say.
“Will you join the program this semester, you think?”
“Well …” Eva looks at Emma. Emma looks at me.
“It’s no one’s business what we do with our blood or why we aren’t in the program.”
She types it as I say it.
“Even if it’s safer?”
“No. We’re not joining.”
I hear the vibration of her fingertips on the screen even with the roaring of students in the dining hall.
“Autumn, I appreciate your work. But we won’t answer any more questions about our father. Or what we’re doing with our blood.”
Someone has to say it, and Emma will tell her everything, and Eva is easily swayed.
She smiles, and I’m relieved when she isn’t offended, so I don’t have to dig my heel in further.
“I appreciate your honesty, Olivia.” Her eyes are gold and sparkle with what I regard as sincerity. “Would you like to answer any questions about Parker Owens?”
I open my mouth to protest, but as I do, a shadow looms over us.
It’s Darien and two others—all council, and unfortunately, all male—blocking the sun from the window and souring my morning further.No break this morning apparently.
“What a pleasure. The Osborne sisters all wrangled up in one place,” Darien says. His silver hair is tame, and he’s wearing Noxx House purple.Joy.My skin crawls with the memory of his hands in my hair and the pit of hopelessness ashis teeth tore into my neck.
Emma moves to gather her plate, and I grab her arm to keep her from running.
“They can’t do anything to us here,” I say, taking a bite of my muffin. I’m stuffed but need a second to gather myself and decide what to do next.
I have no idea who these people are, but they’re looking at me like I should know. Autumn scoots her phone to the middle of the table, and I glance while I chew:
Silver hair – Darien – vamp/plays well with all
Tall and grumpy – Barrett – Were/Rich
