Page 49 of A Hint of Delirium

I hiccupped. “Y-Yes.”

He chuckled. “It’s getting late. Maybe you should get some sleep.”

With one last, toe-curling kiss goodnight, I floated to Ansel’s bedroom on a cloud of kiss-fogged air and locked myself inside, my heart pounding so hard, it seemed it would burst.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?

25

VIOLET

When I woke up the next morning, I couldn’t wipe the silly grin off my face. The excitement of seeing Ansel kept me up the better part of the night. I felt like a teenager with her first crush. It was even more intense because I’d never gone through this rite of passage as a teen … namely because all my crushes were one-sided on my part. Which was really pathetic, when you thought about it. I’d never managed to outrun the stigma of beingthe crazy girl.

I tumbled out of bed at first light and darted to the bathroom, where I took the fastest shower known to man. I hurried back into the room and pulled clothes out of the duffel bag, dressing in a flash. Giving myself a quick once-over in the mirror before leaving the bedroom, I took a deep breath and opened the door. I stepped quickly into the kitchen with a beaming smile that faltered when I realized I was alone.

I peered around the kitchen and spied a yellow sticky note on the refrigerator door.

I went to Luka’s bar for some information. Breakfast is on the dining table. See you later. -A

I practically slammed my forehead onto the fridge with a groan. Even though there wasn’t anything remotely romantic about it, a stupid little sticky note caused butterflies to swirl in my stomach.

“I’m a goner,” I muttered as I banged my head again. “I seriously need to get it together.” I shook my head and let out a breath.

Two passionate kisses couldn’t have me falling at the feet of the altar known as Ansel. I might be inexperienced, but I wasn’t a complete loser, either.

“Pfft.” I bypassed the breakfast and grabbed my satchel off the counter. “See if I eat your breakfast.” I paused at the door when my stomach emitted an inhuman growl. “Okay, maybeonebite before I leave.”

* * *

I tookthe train from the city to Queens. I didn’t have any way to communicate with Ansel, so I left him an answering note on the fridge before heading back to my apartment. I knew if I told him where I was going he’d tell me not to go, but I needed to check it out for myself. I hadn’t been back in my apartment since my mother and I were attacked by members of the Ancient Order of Leviathans, and it hadn’t ended pretty. Had the bodies been disposed of? Did someone clean up the blood? Was my apartment in disarray? There were so many questions to which I needed answers. Besides, I worried our landlady would enter our apartment and call the cops, or worse, demand rent.

When the bus arrived in Jackson Heights, I stepped off at the closest bus stop to my house and walked the rest of the way. I watched my surroundings to make sure I wasn’t being watched or followed.

Keys in hand, I jogged up the three steps to my front door and inserted them into the lock, opening the door that led into a small lobby. Everything looked normal, so I closed the door behind me and heard the lock engage automatically. I walked swiftly to my apartment door and opened it, poking my head in first to make sure no one nefarious was lurking inside.

When I saw the coast was clear, I stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind me. At first glance, the apartment looked perfectly fine. Nothing was knocked over or broken, no blood was on the floor. It was as if nothing had ever happened.

“What the hell?” I mumbled as I walked further in. I tiptoed to the kitchen and checked the bedrooms and bathroom, but everything looked normal. “I guess there was nothing to worry about.”

Satisfied that things were back to normal on that front, I left my apartment and locked it behind me. Just as I stepped outside the lobby, I saw three burly men standing on the sidewalk, waiting for me. They were dressed all in black, just like the members of the Ancient Order of Leviathans who stormed into my apartment the last time.

Hmph. I guess they were surveilling my apartment.

“Violet De La Rosa,” the one in the center spoke. He was clean shaven, with a military buzz cut that only accentuated the sharpness of his jawline.

I shrugged. “I don’t know who that is, sorry.” I was about to jog down the steps to bypass them when he spoke again.

“We know you’re Violet,” he accused. “There’s no point denying it.”

I froze. Alec was right; it was only a matter of time before they found me. If they’d managed to find my mother after a lifetime of hiding, they could most definitely find me.

“What do you want?” I gritted between my teeth.

He grinned. “You know what we want. So come with us nicely and don’t make a scene.”

“See, that doesn’t exactly make me want to come running to you,” I grumbled.

“You can trust us, Violet,” he continued, his features softening. “Protecting you is our job.”

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