Page 33 of Betrayed in Blood
Then she was gone.
The piece of paper was still there, but the tea service had disappeared with her. I was back in my room. On one hand, I was able to confirm that dreamwalkers had their own language, and Colantha could help. On the other, she was still keeping something from me.
Devon had tugged on a string when he began his search for dreamwalkers. Then he tugged another one when I came along. With every step he took, he tugged more strings. I stared at the paper. Everyone was worried about the impact theDe første dagewould have on vamp society. I thought it meant freedom for the dreamwalkers. Was it possible that once all the strings had been pulled, it would unravel both species? Not just a civil war within vamp society but a world war among vampires and dreamwalkers? Would the shifters join with the dreamwalkers?
Maybe I just needed a drink and someone to talk me off the ledge. I stood, my legs a bit shaky. Ginger was with Lucas. Lyra was probably still in her room. I picked up my cell and was halfway to the door when I remembered Devon’s suggestion to call my mom.
I sat on the edge of my bed and made the call. It answered on the second ring.
“Cressa?”
“Hi, Mom.”
A huge, breathy sigh. “I wasn’t sure whether to call. Are you alright?” There was background noise, the sound of a door closing, and the voices faded. She must have people over.
“Can you talk?”
“Yes. Your sister has friends over.” She barked out a nervous laugh. “There always seems to be people here now.”
Christopher was a stickler on who we could invite to the house. He might have just wanted to control the number of teenagers in the house, but still, now that he was gone, those rules no longer applied.
“I wanted to call before now, but Devon thought it wiser if I waited until the police cleared me.”
“I understand.”
“I know you’re still grieving, but at least you can put some of this behind you now.” My voice dropped. “How he died.”
She laughed, and it was scornful. “Christopher was greedy and mixed up with the wrong people. He put all of us at risk. In some ways, he still is.” She paused for a minute, and I didn’t miss the importance of what she’d just said as my mom sucked in a deep breath. “His ending isn’t a surprise, and what little grief I had for the man is long gone.” She chuckled. “Maybe I’m just in my anger stage.”
I laughed with her. “I could see that.” I rubbed my leg and glanced out my window. “How’s April?”
Silence.
“Mom?”
Her voice lowered to a whisper. “She’s still very angry with you. She thinks whoever you’re living with paid off the police.”
I rolled my eyes. What had I ever done to April to make her like this?
There was a loud voice and a knock.
“They’re looking for me, I need to run.”
I stood. “Mom. Are you okay? Who are these friends of April’s?”
“I love you, dear. Don’t call me, I’ll call you. Okay? Just until April calms down.”
Then I heard the door open and voices.
“Who are you talking to?”
It wasn’t April’s voice. It was a male voice.
The line went dead.
What the hell?
Then Mom’s words came back. “He put us all at risk. In some ways, he still is.”
