Page 97 of Suck This

CHAPTER 21

So it happened like this…

-A phrase you shouldn’t start a story out with

ACADIA

I felt like a terrible person.

It didn’t matter that Nola leaving hadn’t really been my fault. I felt like it had been.

Con hadn’t accused me of anything, per se, but his refusal to discuss it had been damning enough.

He blamed me, and I didn’t know where to go from here.

I couldn’t really leave. I couldn’t really stay in that room that reminded me so much of the very thing that was hurting. And I couldn’t walk around outside because it was too freakin’ cold and everyone was freaking way the hell out over my control to the point that they didn’t trust it. Not to mention the fact that something had put them all to sleep long enough for me to get outside in the first place.

Hence the reason I was in the library, trying really hard to read a book that I just couldn’t get into.

Though that might have to do with the fact that it wasn’t a romance novel, but a non-fiction autobiography about some man named Jude who wanted to become a woman.

There wasn’t much to choose from in this library. It was more than obvious that it hadn’t been updated in what was likely decades.

“That was a gag gift from Fox.”

I looked up to find Con standing in the doorway, his sweaty shoulder leaning against the doorjamb as he stared at me assessing.

“It’s not very good,” I told him. “Though, it was the most interesting one that was in your whole library.”

His lips twitched. “There are some of the most famous works of some of the most well-known authors in the entire world in this library. What do you mean you couldn’t find something better?”

I could hear the amusement in his tone, and something inside my chest loosened.

“I’m not really a non-fiction reader. Nor am I in the mood to read something that’ll make me cry. Which half of your books would do at this point.”

He frowned.

“I’m ready to talk about last night if you are,” he lied.

I snorted.

“Then why are your fists clenched so tightly that they’re bloodless?” I challenged him. “And speaking of blood, you haven’t fed from me, or me from you, in well over twenty-four hours. Fox told me that most new vampires can’t go more than twelve without deteriorating.”

“Fox is right, under most circumstances,” he agreed. “But we already knew you were a special case.”

“Why am I a special case?” I challenged.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “The fact that you don’t crave the blood that others do is the most confusing, but without being able to draw your labs, things are going to stay confusing.”

I sighed.

“Which gets us to another topic,” I told him, crossing my arms over my upraised legs. “How long are we going to have to stay here?”

I didn’t let any of the fear that I felt about going back into the real world leach into my voice. I was cool, calm, and collected. At least outwardly.

If I let my fears out to play, he’d freak out, and I didn’t want him to freak out on me a second time in one day.

“I’m going back tomorrow,” he answered. “You’re going back when I decide that it’s safe.”

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