Page 25 of Blood and Bonbons

“So what do you want to do? Leave him an apology note on our kitchen table? ‘Please, sir. This was all just a horrible misunderstanding. The ring jumped out of your codpiece and into my pocket. It was all an accident.’ Never mind the come-hither blood you left on his lips.”

“Hey! No attacking. I wouldn’t have been there in the first place if you hadn’t dragged me there under false pretenses.”

Vena released a long breath. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m being snipey, and you don’t deserve it. I really am sorry for all of this.”

“I know you are. And I wasn’t suggesting we leave a note and his ring on the table, but is that such a terrible idea? I mean, he looked like he came from an era where men prided themselves on their honor. Maybe we could appeal to his knightly code of ethics.”

“A vampire’s knightly code of ethics?” Vena shook her head and parked in a free lot two blocks away from the market.

I didn’t voice my usual complaints about walking even though my legs were still sore from the hike.

“I want to hope for the best, too, Ev, but isn’t it safer to plan for the worst?”

Miles’ phone buzzed in the center console. Vena snatched it up, conveniently pausing our conversation.

“What is it?” I asked.

“A text filled with numbers.”

She turned the phone toward me. The screen showed,“3891622277021444+-.”The numbers didn’t seem to follow any pattern or reason.

“Who sent it?” I asked.

“It’s an unknown number.” Vena blew out a frustrated sigh and pocketed the phone. “Come on. We have a lot to do before it’s dark.”

“We have a lot to do before I have to work,” I corrected. “And since we’re not splitting up, you’re coming to Blur with me later. No arguments.” I wanted her where I could keep tabs on her.

“Actually, hanging out in a public place tonight is probably the safest option. We definitely don’t want to be home after dark.”

We got out of the car and started walking.

“We should get a hotel for tonight, then,” I said.

“Nah. We can go to my parents’ place since they aren’t home. It’ll be safer.”

A couple strolling in front of us and taking up the sidewalk stopped our conversation. Which was fine since I could see the market ahead. The large building’s bay doors were open to allow the flow of foot traffic to come and go.

As soon as we entered, my nose was assaulted by a myriad of scents, both good and bad. I made a face and glanced at Vena, who seemed completely unbothered by it.

Portable vendor stalls crowded the open space between the permanent shops that lined the sides of the building. Even more stalls lined the second floor, a mezzanine of sorts created by the shops below. Natural light flooded the space from the skylights above, adding to the glow from the long industrial pendant lights. Overall, the place wasn’t as dark and shady as I’d thought it would be.

“Come on. This way,” Vena said, taking the lead. She weaved her way through the crowd, heading deeper into the building.

The farther we moved from the door, the seedier the clientele and the merchandise grew. Instead of charms and pendants neatly laid out on tables, caged creatures howled. Several crates were draped with dirty sheets stained with blood.

“I’m two seconds away from running,” I said, clutching Vena’s arm. “And you know how I hate to do that.”

“We’re almost to the cafeteria,” Vena said. “Spawn normally hangs out back there.”

As Vena dragged us toward the bowels of the market, the aisle broke off into narrower branches made of stacked crates, casting us into shadows. She took the one to the right, pulling me further into the dimly lit maze.

The shady sellers at the booths leered at us. We would be sold to trolls for soup bones, for sure.

“You’re cutting off circulation.” Vena pried my hands off her arm.

“Did you see that bloody rag? We shouldn’t be here. I’m never coming here again. There is nothing here worth dying for.”

“Not even information on Miles?”

---