Page 97 of Vampires of Eden: Oliver
I’m fed so regularly in life that it rarely ever gets this far. The blood is always just… there. I don’t think I’ve ever been deprived of this basic need before.
Not having it is terrifying.
Sitting up straight, I shake my head, then slap my cheeks. “Keep it together, Oliver. You can do this.” I have to stay calm. Freaking out helps nothing.
First, I need to shower and dispel the grimy dungeon dirt, rat feces and old blood from my skin and hair. I stand from the desk chair and walk over to grab the suitcase that Camille packed for me. After laying it flat against the creaky wooden floor, I unzip it.
The moment I flip it open, Aries’s handmade suit is staring me in the face. Neatly folded, elegant and hauntingly blue. My hybrid camera, the extra film and the three photos that I took of me and Aries are tucked in the corner just beside the suit. My latest writing journal is there, too.
Without warning, I burst into tears. Happy ones—but nervous, too? Relieved? I’m such a mess lately. A volatile roller coaster of emotions. I should message Camille and thank her again.
I wipe my eyes with the backs of my hands as I return to the desk. I reach over and grab my phone from the surface, and as I sit down in the chair once more, I tap open the messaging application. I navigate, looking for Camille’s name, but then pause. Another name catches my attention first.
Alexander.
In the silence, I stare at his name while biting the inside of my cheek. The achy tiredness beats all over my body like a hard baseline. The soreness in my throat is dry and inflamed, and even my retracted incisors are steadily throbbing.
Is it fair for me to call Alexander and ask for his help when I’ve fundamentally betrayed him? We were supposed to be married in a few days. Bonded for life. Surprisingly, he seems to have genuinely wanted that outcome. All this time, I thought his behavior was an act. An elaborate show for the wide audience of our snobbish aristocracy.
Now? I know that he was sincere.
Regardless, I’ve said “no thanks” and run away. I’ve told him as much to his face. To add insult to injury, I’ve been sleeping with another vampire behind his back for the past month.
With what nerve can I ask for Alexander’s help now? And why should he help me? I obviously don’t deserve it. There’s no way.
Swiftly, I flip my phone face down onto the desk, then take a deep breath. I can’t do that—I shouldn’t burden him with the choices I’ve made. I’ll figure this out, somehow. There has to be another way…
Right?
ChapterTwenty-Seven
“We need something like an investor or spokesperson, you know? Someone with power and influence to support this project.” Kathryn sits back against the chair in a huff, folding her arms over her empty dinner plate. Her tightly coiled hair is parted on the side and artfully styled in chunks. She looks as if she’s wearing an elaborate crown. “That’s the only way we’ll ever truly get this clinic off the ground.”
“But that would take a miracle,” Roland adds, standing from the wooden table and gathering our plates. I get up as well, collecting the silverware to help. “Because—Wait, you—No, your grace! You don’t need—”
“Let me help, please?” I ask, offering a smile. “It’s the very least I can do.” I’ve only been at the safe house for a few hours, but Kathryn and Roland have already shown me such sincere kindness. I still can’t believe how lucky I am to be here.
Roland nods, but exhales a sigh. “Excuse me for being frank, but this is so freaking weird. Having a purebred here and… acting like it’s normal.”
I chuckle. “Some of us are capable of normalcy, believe it or not.”
“You hardly touched your food,” Kathryn chimes in, concerned. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
Trembling and trying to conceal it, I wave a hand. “I’m fine, never mind me. Roland, you were saying? It would take a miracle?”
“Yes,” he says, casting a suspicious glance my way. “It would take a miracle to find a vampire in Eden with capital and influence that’s also willing to help us launch this development. To help us change the narrative surrounding ranked vampires—that it’s good foreveryoneto support those who are in need, and not shun them for being different or ‘lesser.’ But there are no vampires like that in Eden.”
“Except maybe you?” Kathryn smiles.
“I’m honored that you think so,” I admit. “But I’ve never had any ‘power’ or ‘influence’ to speak of—especially not now.” I can’t even figure out how to feed myself, and the dry itch at the back of my throat is becoming unbearable. Also, my incisors are pounding. I feel like hell, which is why I couldn’t eat. “What about outside of Eden?”
“We’ve accepted some external support, but Roland and I have decided that it would be better to have someone on board from the inside,” Kathryn says. “Having a purebred or ranked vamp from an outside aristocracy intervene in such a provocative endeavor will seem like an attack—like someone coming to Eden and meddling with our culture. We don’t want to create strife. We want to slowly change minds.”
“That makes sense,” I tell her, walking over to the sink with silverware clutched in my fists. As I approach, Roland is there. He looks me over yet again.
“Forgive my saying this but… you look a little gray.”
“I-I’m alright, don’t worry—I’m just tired. It’s been a crazy couple of days.” Jesus Christ. Is my vision getting blurry? “I think I’m going to lie down for a while.”
