CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TEN
“L iv?” Cole asks in concern.
I come back to the present, holding the bloody rose in my hands, tears falling silently down my face at the memory.
“This is really affecting you, isn’t it? Devon being gone. I’m sorry that I didn’t take it seriously.”
“It’s okay,” I sigh. “You can’t know what it feels like to be abandoned in this way. Is he okay?”
“Yes, he’s fine,” Cole says, now with understanding. “Everything will be okay. He will come back. I promise.” He gives me a guilty look. “I was winding you up about Jess before. She means nothing to him. She’s…well, I don’t really know. She figured out what he was, he didn’t set out to tell her.”
“Oh,” I say, somewhat relieved. I was getting used to having him to myself. I can’t even remember if I ever have. I was as sure as I could be that he hadn’t been with anyone else since Cole came onto the scene, and while I’m more than curious if that is the reason for it, this Jess bitch has completely thrown me. “Has he said something about when he’ll come home?” I ask hopefully.
Cole nods hesitantly and says, “All he’s said is he needs time to sort his shit out, but he will come back. Okay? Will you leave him to deal now?”
“Yes, I will.”
“Good. Put the rose down now, Liv. Whatever Cade’s blood does to you, it isn’t good.”
I place the bloody rose back in the basket and hand it to him. “Get rid of it.”
He nods and takes it away. He’s gone for a few minutes, so I assume he is taking it outside. I sit and await his return. Agitated in this unfamiliar place, I get up and even though it is still afternoon, I light my candles, the old-fashioned way, gaining comfort from the small task.
But I need more reassurance, so I call my sire. He answers on the first ring.
“Everything okay?”
“No,” I say woefully.
“What is it, my love?”
“I am… ergh… I’m still not doing very well after Lance… the memories…” I trail off and there is silence.
I grasp that he doesn’t know about my pain, as I couldn’t tell him.
“Aefre, I’m sorry. I should have been here for you, knowing what you went through.”
“I’m okay. I just needed to hear your voice.”
“Did you light your candles?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want me to come there?”
Yes. But I say, “No. I’m okay.”
“Does he know how much you are hurting? Cole? Does he know?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
“Devon does, but he left me,” I start crying again and within seconds, CK is by my side holding me, crooning to me, pulling me under his spell.
Cole walks back in a few moments later and sees me in tears in my sire’s arms and his anger flares up. This is the first time that they have been in the same room together since Lance’s.
“She needs me,” CK says bluntly.