Page 65 of Heathens

Sometimes, I feel like the things that make me who I am are just puzzle pieces of the people I’ve lost. My mother’s dimples, my dad’s nose and broad shoulders.

“Sure, it’s a crazy amount of money, but the emphasis is on the crazy! How do you know he’s going to hold up his end of the bargain?” Ruby’s voice gets higher in pitch. “Do you know what he’s done to people? To other vampires? Kirby says he bit a guy’s tongue off.Off, Sofie! Pulled it out by the fucking root and sucked on it like a fruit roll-up!”

“I think Kirby has an overactive imagination.”

“You know he’s a vampire, right? Or did you miss those big signals, too?”

She’s not wrong. It seems absolutely insane to be putting my trust in one of them, especially outside of the protection of Nox, but Rene showed me even that has its limits. And Dominic… he’s not the same. If he wanted to hurt me, he could have. Maybe not in the club, but in the alley? He could have drained me dry and left me for dead. He’s not in this for a quick drink, he wants more.

Our apartment buzzer interrupts my half-formed retort. The thing sounds more like an air raid siren and Ruby jumps, clutching her chest.

“Jesus Christ!”

Nobody comes here anymore, so whenever the thing rings, it scares the shit out of us.

We’re hyper vigilant. Every creak at night sounds like a vampire trying to get in. We put bars on the windows and four locks on the doors. There are weapons under our beds and we’re always prepared for the worst.

But this time, I know who’s standing out front waiting for me. My heart races and I snatch my bag off of the counter, double checking I packed my gun just in case things get out of control. I even have a small silver dagger strapped to my thigh, half for some extra protection, and half because I’m pretty sure Dominic is into that shit.

Ruby jumps off of the counter and stops me in my tracks, fixing one of my flyaways. Her brows are scrunched together and she’s chewing on her thumb nail. Our eyes meet in the mirror and I smile.

“It’ll be okay.”

“Make sure you come back, okay?”

“I will,” I reply, turning around to kiss her on the cheek. “I’ll be at the club tomorrow night. He promised.”

Ruby sticks out her pinkie finger, and we link them, giving three little shakes. It’s our little pact when things get serious.

“Can’t break the promise now, no matter how good that vampire dick is.”

Another buzz and I glower as I head toward the door.

“Jesus fucking Christ, I’m gonna kill that guy.”

I look at Ruby one last time, giving her a small wave.

The second the door shuts behind me, my heart is in my throat. Dominic was playing on my turf before. I have no idea what he’s like on his own and in his own territory.

When I reach the lobby of the apartment, I spot a man in a black suit with slicked back blonde hair waiting for me just outside the foyer. He’d look like a surfer if he weren’t so pale. Maybe he should borrow some of Hunter’s self tanner.

He’s shorter than Dominic, with muscles that threaten to bust right through his suit. His face is twisted up, like he can’t choose between scowling and wincing as his foot clicks impatiently against the tile. I can hear thetap tap tapthrough the glass doors as he checks his watch, huffing every few seconds.

“Hi!” I call out, pushing the front doors open. “I’m so sorry, I was–”

“Mr. Duncan doesn’t like to be kept waiting,” he snaps, jaw ticking with irritation.

I frown, exhaling softly as I adjust my purse.

“Okay, dickweed, chill the fuck out,” I mutter under my breath as I follow him over to an unmarked black car.

The warm air wraps around me like a blanket, along with the smell of trash that’s become a permanent fixture in Santa Cruz. If you want fresher air, you have to go to the mountains and brave the less civil vamps and some of the most fucked up humans you’ve ever seen.

The man opens the passenger door for me and I slip inside, buckling my seatbelt as he strolls around to the driver’s side and climbs in. I watch him adjust the rearview mirror and glance behind him to make sure we’re alone. I’m not sure if that makes me more or less nervous.

“Dominic pays you well to do this, I take it?”

“I’m here to drive, not to talk,” he growls, thrusting the key into the engine and turning it over.

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