“Ha. Ha,” I teased sarcastical y. “Actual y, I was thinking of coming over for a visit tomorrow night. You game?”
“Sure, but why wait? Is it too late to come over tonight?
Isn’t your mom passed out by now?” At my silence, she leapt to the wrong conclusion. “Sorry. That was in poor taste.”
“No, don’t worry about that. I’m just thinking,” I explained, glancing at Bo who hadn’t moved an inch and was stil giving Cade the stink eye. “Can I cal you right back? I need to check on something.”
“Yep. I promise not to take off in the car until I hear from you.”
I chuckled. “Good to know the town is safe.”
We hung up and Bo final y dragged his attention away from Cade.
“That was Savannah. She wants me to come over. What do you think?”
Bo shrugged. “I don’t see any problem with that.”
“Since I’ve had some…some…”
“Human blood,” Cade provided from across the room.
Both Bo and I sent him a withering look. Cade held up his hands as if in surrender and turned his attention back to Annika.
“Since I’ve had that, she should be safe around me, right?”
“I think so, but if you don’t feel comfortable, maybe you should wait.”
I flicked my fingers as I pondered.
“Wel , I real y need to tel her what’s going on, especial y since Trinity said that she’d seen Heather there. I was going to tel her the other night, but Sebastian cal ed and I didn’t get the chance.”
“If you’re concerned about your thirst, I could go with you.”
“Would you? That way if she doesn’t believe me, maybe she’l believe you.”
He shrugged again.
“It’s worth a shot.”
I cal ed Savannah back and told her I’d be there in about ten minutes, but that I’d come to her window. She was curious, of course, so I explained that I wanted to talk to her in private. I think she was stil a little suspicious, but she agreed without further question.
Rather than take any risks with the car, Bo and I jogged the distance and ended up getting there in half the time.
Speed was one of the greatest upsides to being a vampire.
I crept through the grass and approached Savannah’s house. Bo hurried around to the side of the garage to wait in the shadows.
Savannah must’ve been literal y at the window waiting for me. She slid the glass up just as I was drawing near.
I was immediately hit with the tantalizing scent of her blood. Even from around the corner, Bo must’ve sensed or smel ed my reaction because I heard him whisper too faintly for Savannah to hear, Mr. Hearst. Between the comical nature of his timely reminder and the reminder itself, I quickly brought my focus (and my body) back under my firm control.
I also silently thanked Cade for his blood donation, the thing that would most effectively keep my friend safe from my wayward appetite.
I approached Savannah. Even in the darkness I could see the flawless texture of her skin as if we were standing in broad daylight. Her hair was a more vivid red than I remembered and her eyes sparkled like chocolate diamonds. She real y was a beautiful girl and I hated to be the one to have to bring my sweet friend bad news.
“This is awesome! I’ve had more visitors through my window since I met you than I have my whole life,” she teased quietly.
“How did you know I was here?”
“I could hear you,” she explained, lest I forget how heightened her sense of hearing had become. She stepped back from the window, presumably so I could climb through.
“I’l stay out here.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Come on in.”
“No, seriously, it’l be safer for you if I stay outside. Trust me.”
With that, Savannah approached the window again, her porcelain brow puckering in worry.
“Why would you say that? What’s wrong?”
“Savannah, I’ve got to tel you something and I know it’s going to sound crazy, but it’s very important that you keep an open mind and try to give me the benefit of the doubt.”
“Are you an alien? Because I’m not one of those people that think Superman was a freak. I’m down with al the—”
I chuckled, interrupting her before she real y got going.
“Savannah, I’m not an alien.”
“Are you sure because I—”
“I’m positive. But there is something that I have to tel you and it is about me. And Devon. And your mother.”
Savannah’s frown deepened as she leaned on the window sil .
“What about Devon and my mother?”
I had to wonder briefly if she was already suspicious that something was amiss. Something about the way she asked, the way she half-turned her face away, as if she wasn’t quite sure she wanted the truth. Of course, it could’ve been my imagination, too; it was a wel -known fact that it worked overtime on flights of fancy.
“The night we were attacked, did you think it was a little strange that Lars was so strong? And Trinity?”
“I don’t—”
“I know you’ve started to remember bits and pieces of that night, Savannah. And there are other things that don’t add up either. Like you being able to see Devon and al of a sudden your dead mother starts appearing to you.”
“But what does that have to do—”
“We’re vampires, Savannah. Al of us. Bo, too. Trinity was, but she’s gone now,” I said, my throat closing up over the last words.
“Vampires.” Savannah said it matter-of-factly, as if she didn’t believe a word I said, but her eyes shone with a twinge of fear as she looked blankly past me. “Is that the best you can do?”
“I’m serious, Savannah.”
“So am I. You came al the way over here to visit me and feed me this line of unimaginative crap?”
“It’s not a line of crap. It’s the truth.”
“And you expect me to believe you?”
“I was hoping you’d at least give it some thought.”
“Of course I won’t give it any thought. It’s ridiculous.”
“Wel , you’re making a huge mistake, because it’s not ridiculous. It’s true.”
At Savannah’s pause, I realized her disbelief was not ironclad.