Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
“Sanguis sanguinis mei, ad te clamo. Te ipsum revela et mihi videam,” I whisper. “Sanguis sanguinis mei, ad te clamo. Te ipsum revela et mihi videam.” Just like last time, a circle forms.
“Connecticut,” Devon replies and shuffles through the papers. He has a map of each state as well. I repeat the spell and my heart practically jumps out of my chest because I’m staring at the city where my parents live.
“Hamden,” I breathe. “My parents are alive and live in Hamden, Connecticut.”
CHAPTER 38
My bedroom door opens with such force it startles me, and I’m not a person who gets startled easily. I stab the tip of my finger with the pin harder than I planned since I winced.
“Are you trying to tempt every vampire in this house?” Xavier asks, eyebrows lifting as he takes in the scene he just walked in on. I’m sitting on the floor next to my bed with a map of Hamden in front of me. I had Devon print off a few more maps for me, closer up and more detailed so I can try and figure out what part of the city my parents are in.
“Why, are you finding you’re having a hard time resisting me?” I ask and Xavier moves in with vampire speed, suddenly appearing next to me.
“If I wanted you again, I’d have you.”
I narrow my eyes. “That’s assuming I want you, too.”
He chuckles. “Your heartbeat is telling me otherwise. Or do I have to remind you how your entire body quivered with pleasure against my face?”
Blood drips from my finger to the corner of the map and I blink, shaking my head so I don’t get distracted. Because thinking of how I came two times in a row like that is quite distracting. I want to come three times in a row next time.
If there is a next time.
“What are you doing?” Xavier takes my hand and pulls my finger close to his face. I think he’s going to put it in his mouth and taste my blood. It causes a thrill to go down my spine, and it almost instantly makes me wet thinking about it, which is odd in the hottest way possible.
“My parents,” I start. “I found them.”
“They’re dead, Wren,” he says softly and wipes the blood away with his fingers. He puts his finger over the little pin hole, applying pressure so the wound will clot faster.
“No, they’re not.”
“Wren,” he says a little sternly. “They are. I am sorry you never got to meet them, but you have to let this go.”
“Let this go?” I yank my hand back. “Fuck that!”
“Fuck that?” he repeats.
“Yes! Why do you even care?” I get to my feet, clutching the map of Hamden to my chest.
“I care because I told you they’re dead and you are refusing to listen.”
“Oh, so this is about control? You’re mad I’m not blindly taking everything you say as the gospel truth.”
“I’m not lying about this,” he says and gets to his feet as well. “They are dead, Wren. Vivian and Marco Russo killed them when they followed the orders to bring back a witch so the Order could try and replicate your powers for their own good.”
All I can do is shake my head, too angry for words. I’m not just angry at Xavier, but I’m angry at every-fucking-thing. I spent my whole life trying to fit in and impress the elders. I watched from the sidelines and was pushed away even when I knew I was the best hunter the Order had ever seen.
The people I trusted the most betrayed me, and here I am, standing in the room with a killer, with a man I should easily hate and I’m wrestling with a feeling I never wanted to have.
“I did the spell,” I say, breath quickening. The lights about us start to hum with electricity. “I specifically called for my blood, my family. And it showed me where they are.”
“They are not in fucking Hamden,” he snaps.
“You might know more than the average person since you’ve lived like seven or eight lifetimes already, but you don’t know everything, buddy!”
“Did you seriously just call me buddy?”
“Yeah, buddy. I did, buddy!”
“You need to watch your tone.”
“So do you,” I retort. “Buddy.”
Xavier pinches the bridge of his nose and waits a beat before going on. “They are dead. You need to drop this, now.”
“And what if I don’t? Are you going to ban maps?”
“Why would I—oh, the fucking spell. I’ll ban magic.”
I shrug. “Okay, Daddy Russo.” The insult cuts, and I see the tiniest bit of regret on Xavier’s face for saying that. My nails dig into the map that’s tightly clutched into my hand and I stare right into Xavier’s eyes.
“You are so infuriating!” he growls.
“Infuriating? Seriously? What did I ever do to you?”