Page 39 of Ouch! My Vampire Doms Don't Sparkle
Mullet’s grasp has gone slack during his shock over seeing his friend shot.I take advantage of that and yank his arms away from my neck and shoulders, slithering down his height to crumple on the ground next to Dub.
With a strangled gasp, Mullet falls next to me, his eyes open and unblinking.An arrow pierces his chest, too.
I remain where I am, breathing hard.What the hell just happened?For a long moment, I stay low in case the danger hasn’t passed.Then I lift my head a fraction to peer around and listen hard.
There’s no sounds other than what I’d expect: traffic from the streets beyond the alley, the laughter and conversations of humans, and twangy guitar music coming from a nearby bar.
After another thirty seconds pass and nothing happens, I sit up and slowly stand.My guard is up, but no one is around.Who shot the arrows?I look up at the tall brick buildings around me, searching the fire escapes for a shooter, but there’s nothing.No one waits at either end of the alley, either.
The two attackers are turning to dust before my very eyes.All that will remain of them, and of Maxim, is their clothing and belongings.
The guy who saved me, whoever he is—it’s like he was never here.
I check my phone.Shit.I’m covered in alley garbage.I reek.I’m going to be late to Gaius’s banquet, and I have to shower and change my fucking clothes.
Autumn
No way will I answer the phone when Dale is calling.Is he trying to make sure this is Clarissa’s ex-boyfriend, Greg?Because obviously it isn’t.Lucky for me, there’s no voicemail recording, no way for Dale to figure out that Clarissa was lying to him.
If she even still is lying.She could’ve changed her mind after hanging up and told him the entire truth.
My insides twist and turn, my gut churning.
The rear door bangs open and I jump up with a yelp.“Will?”
No answer.My lungs seize up and I can’t breathe.It has to be Will.It can’t be anyone else, can it?
Move, Autumn…
I dive to the floor next to the bed, my fingers digging into the pile of the carpet.If the intruder is a vampire, they’ll know exactly where I am, there’s no hiding—
“Autumn.There you are.”Xander’s voice.
I pop up to peer over the top of the bed.
Xander drops a duffel bag on the floor and strides toward me with another bag slung over his shoulder.His clothes are smudged with dirt or grease, and there’s a tear in the knee of his jeans that doesn’t look like it was meant to be there.
“Why are you on the floor?”he asks.
“I—” I don’t know how to answer without sounding like a scaredy cat.A littlemouse.So I just shake my head.“Never mind.”
He looks me over with those dark brown eyes.“You’re all right.”
“Yes.Um, what’s going on?Aren’t you going to the blood banquet with Will?”
“I am.And so are you.”
I can’t have heard him correctly.“What?”
“I need to show Gaius we’re not afraid,” he says, pulling me up so I stand in front of him.“I brought you a dress to wear.”
“You—what?You really want me to go to the banquet?”
“Yes.”He throws a garment bag on the bed, turns around and leaves Will’s room, already pulling his shirt over his head and picking up the duffel he dropped.“I’m going to shower and put on clean clothes.Be ready in ten minutes.”
Ten minutes?To get dressed for a banquet?
“Where did you get the dress?”I ask after him.
