“No, I don’t want to be coddled,” I sulk.
“Liv, you are clearly vulnerable to this thing. It knows how to manipulate you. What if I hadn’t been here? What would have happened if I hadn’t walked in here when I did?”
I gulp. I would have had sex with It. I really do need to get myself under control. This is ridiculous. “All right, point taken,” I mumble.
“We need to keep you safe,” CK says softly. “I will get Cade to work up a rota.”
“No, that isn’t necessary,” I say again.
“Aefre. Just do as you are told for once. Please,” he says with his world-weary sigh.
“Fine.” I sigh myself. I slump back to the bed and stare out of the window. “Wait. It’s light out.”
“Yes, it’s morning,” Cole says.
“What time?” I look at the clock and it says 8 AM.
“I came to bed at 9 PM. I slept for eleven hours?” I ask incredulously.
“That thing drained you of quite a bit of your energy last night, my love,” CK says, sitting on the bed. And you didn’t feed. You shouldn’t be surprised.”
“No, I suppose not. Would one of you get me some blood, please? I’m starving.”
“Ah, now that I can help you with. I have someone here for you. Well, in my suite at least,” CK says.
“Oh? Well would you mind getting them?” I say as he doesn’t make a move.
“I am staying right here with you. Nico can bring him up,” he says as he messages someone, presumably Nico.
“This doesn’t fit into my plans of a vacation time,” I grump.
“Tough shit,” he says offhandedly. “You may wish to put some clothes on?” he adds as there is a knock at the door followed by whomever it is just coming in anyway. Seriously, we need some boundaries around here. I hear Nico and summon up some clothes, nice and casual again today. Loose fitting and barefoot.
“Liv, sweetie. Are you sure you are okay?” Cole says.
“Just peachy,” I say with a bright smile. I feel like crap though. I am still tired, and my heart is breaking over this thing taking over Fraser’s body. I must get to him as soon as possible. I make a sneaky plan to try and get to the other world just to track him down. To see for myself if he is still alive.
CK strolls in with none other than Ramon. My feeding buddy from Ponte.
“Buongiorno, Liv,” he says with a big smile and I smile back at him.
“Ramon. How nice to see you,” I give my sire a pointed look and he shrugs.
“You said to revise his job description. He is here now at your beck and call.”
“No, CK, I told you I don’t want that,” I whine at him.
“You need it whether you like it or not.”
“Not,” I say and then suddenly remember something. “Oh, crap. I don’t think I ever let Simone know that I wasn’t coming back to New York.”
“Taken care of,” Jess says, also just strolling into our bedroom carrying my iPad. “We have spoken to her and told her, her Feeder services are no longer required, unless we are back in New York, and we also sorted her out a severance package.”
We? “Wonderful. Thank you.”
“No worries. There are some things we should sort out when you are ready,” she says, standing in the small patch of sunlight over by the window.
“Feed first,” CK says. “A bit of privacy, please.”