Page 117 of Blood Lovers

“So.” She sucks in a long breath to get these words out. “You made me and Ryet.”

“Yes. He’s the first. And you are his feeder. You will bring him to maturity. He will need you for many months.”

She looks away, frowning again.

“You will love him. And he will love you.”

“He’s going to eat me.”

“And you’re going to beg for it.”

“It’s… sick.”

“It is. But also… erotic. You know that, Syrsee. You’ve felt it. And if you need a little reminder…” I bite my lip and lean across the table, turning her head towards me. She resists, refusing to look at me. Knowing that I will kiss her and give her a taste of my lust. “This is the greatest gift I can give you. And you will say no?”

She pushes my hand away and gets up from her chair. “I’m not going to drink you.”

“But you will drink Ryet.”

She shakes her head. In complete denial.

So I give up.

I don’t need to convince her. She will feed off us. And she will love it.

Just as I think these thoughts, the sound of a helicopter fills the room. It shakes and rumbles when it lands. I push back from my chair, walk over to Syrsee and gently place my hand in the small of her back as I lick the blood from my own lip. “Come now. It’s time to go home.”

“Wait.” She pulls away from me, faces me. “You said Ryet will need me for many months.”

“Correct. You are his lifeline into this new existence.”

“But…” And now she looks worried. “But what about after that? What happens after he reaches maturity?”

“What do you mean? He will be one of two of the new American Vampires.”

“No.” She’s irritated. “What happens to me?”

I shrug. “You… do whatever you want. Hopefully the Darkness finds you and we have a baby. But…” I shrug again. “You can do whatever you want after Ryet’s needs are taken care of. We won’t need you after that.”

“What? You just… after all that… pursuit? You just…”

“Dear girl, it wasn’t you I was after. It was him. And once he is complete, he will be… different.”

“Different how?”

“He won’t need you anymore. He will need me. He will feed from me. We will only feed on each other after that. He and I will be the first of many. And we will be strong.”

Then I turn and walk to the stairs that lead to the helicopter. Letting her stew in that final bit of truth on her own.

It was never her.

It was always just… him.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - SYRSEE

Door number two, please.

Where to start? I mean, which betrayal should I consider first? Because this is my life. Nothing but a big, long lie.