Confusion flashed in her bright doe eyes while she worked to comprehend my meaning. “Oh! You mean because of my parents? Yeah, I’m fine. I figured they were dead.”
A small sound escaped me and my jaw dropped. Had I heard her wrong? She must have realized how callous she sounded, because she quickly added, “I was so sad last night that I cried myself to sleep. It’s out of my system now.” Her tone held zero sincerity. How could anyone be over their parents’ deaths in a night? Shock! That’s how! I finally realized. That was the only explanation.
I glanced over at Leo; he wore a perplexed frown. Good; it wasn’t just me who found the entire exchange strange. Shaking his head, he walked back toward the kitchen, muttering under his breath. I thought I caught the word “fool,” but I couldn’t be sure.
She’s not right in the head, Max mumbled. And she smells . . . off.
I shot a disapproving look at the giant dog. Of course she wasn’t right in the head. She’d just found out both her parents were murdered by vampires!
With a heavy groan, Max dropped to the ground in front of the fireplace and closed his eyes. I knew he was still listening intently.
“What’re you reading?” Valentina asked, eyeing the book I still clutched. Before I could answer, she spied the deck of photos sitting on the coffee table. A picture of Caden sat on top. “Oh. He’s hot!” She reached over to grab the photo. The sleeve of her black shirt slid up, revealing what looked like a fresh burn on her forearm.
“What happened?” I exclaimed, wincing as I leaned in to inspect the wound, at least four inches long and two inches wide. A large red X was branded in the center.
She quickly pushed her sleeve back down, mumbling, “I got too close to the wood stove.”
I winced again. “Do you want Leo to look at it? I’m sure he could help you.” I started to rise, ready to fetch the warlock for his magical healing powers.
“No, I’m fine!” She vigorously waved Caden’s picture in front of my face, forcing my focus away from her arm. “Who’s he?”
I smiled shyly. “That’s Caden.”
“Is he a vampire?”
I hesitated, then nodded.
“He’s really good-looking. Does he have a girlfriend?”
“Um . . . ” Yeah, me. Except he tried to kill me. Inconsequential point, really. What was he to me now? A boyfriend-in-waiting with a bad habit he needed to kick before he could be anywhere near me? How pathetic. I felt my cheeks flush.
“Oh . . . ” She smiled knowingly. “Too bad for me.” She leaned back on the couch, crossing her arms behind her head. Her wound didn’t seem to bother her and she certainly wasn’t acting like she’d just found out her parents had been murdered, even if shock was numbing her reaction. She seemed . . . triumphant.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked again.
“Yup! Hey, do you know why we’re here?” Valentina shifted in her seat. “I’m assuming that witch, Sofie, is involved, but I have no idea why.” I heard bitterness as Sofie’s name touched her lips, but it was so brief that I barely noticed it.
I grimaced. “Because of me.”
Valentina’s thin, perfectly-shaped eyebrow arched.
“I’m so sorry,” I blurted under a wave of guilt. “It’s my fault you’re here and that your parents are dead. I was supposed to bring a vampire back for Viggo and Mortimer so they could—”
Hey! Max’s sharp warning cut my words short. Don’t tell her a thing!
I turned to regard the paranoid werebeast. “Seriously, Max, who’s she going to tell out here?”
She’s on a need-to-know basis and she doesn’t need to know.
When I turned back, Valentina’s eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. I realized what I must look like to her. “I’m not crazy! I really can talk to him,” I said.
“How? I mean, I knew he wasn’t normal but . . . ” she whispered, looking at the dog with a mixture of intrigue and concern.
Look who’s talking, Max grumbled sarcastically.
“Telepathically. Well, only one way. I can hear him in my head but he can’t hear me. I haven’t figured it out yet. Anyway, no one can explain it. It just happened.”
“But, you’re . . . human, right?” She continued in a whisper, her brown eyes still wide.
“Yes.” I added with a chuckle, “At least I think so.”
“Wow. That’s the coolest thing!” she exclaimed. “Does he have any other special powers? Is he magical?”
“I don’t know if magical is the right word for him. But he does regenerate like a human vampire and he doesn’t age.”