Page 84 of Blood Bound (Blood Mafia 3)

Chapter Seventeen

Demi

Later that night, after dinner and making sure my parents are comfortable in their apartment, I lie in bed and stare at the ceiling. I run my fingers through my hair, thinking over everything.

Tomorrow I need to find Evelyn.

Then I’ll have to find a way to keep busy while we wait to hear from Blaze. He said it would take two days. I don’t know if that means he’ll call tomorrow or the day after.

Being totally useless sucks.

“You’re up late.”

I’m not even fazed by Mateo’s intrusion. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, I see he’s right. It’s one in the morning.

“It’s hard to sleep when there’s a psychotic vampire on the loose.”

The speaker crackles. “We’ll get her back, I promise.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Mateo. We don’t even know if she’s still alive.”

Silence.

“You’re right, I apologize.”

Well, damn. That was rude of me.

“No, thank you for helping. I’m in a shit mood.”

I don’t know why I’m talking to him so openly. I blame it on the early hour and the multiple floors between us. The distance helps.

“Do you want me to read to you?”

I close my eyes at how hopeful he sounds. The boss vampire wants to read me a bedtime story. What’s worse? Iwanthim to.

This is entirely messed up.

“Depends on the book,” I say with a shrug, pulling my fingers from my hair and snuggling under the blankets.

“How doesDraculasound?”

I groan. “No.”

“Fine.” I can hear his smile in his words. “The Night Circus?”

My heart skips once. How did he know my favorite book? There’s no way unless he stalked my apartment. I have two copies of the book on my shelves. My parents don’t pay enough attention to what I read, mainly because I read so much, so they wouldn’t know.

“You’re such a stalker,” I finally say.

The speaker crackles around his dark laugh. “You have no idea, Demi.”

I glare at the ceiling. “I think I have a pretty good idea. You have a camera and an intercom in my room. This has got to be stalker level one-thousand.”

“Touché. Ready?”

Adjusting my head on the pillow, I nod. “Do the words justice, this book is magic.”

“The circus arrives without warning.” Mateo’s deep voice brings the story to life. The words themself are haunting, and he’s the perfect narrator for this story.

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