Page 21 of The Vampire Oracle

“Wish I had rich boyfriends to pay for things,” Cozen muttered, looking at my flesh and making sure everything was still intact for a new arm.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I corrected.

“Yet. I see how he looks at you, P.”

I looked over at him at my nickname. He was focused, eyes locked on my shoulder. The Cozen I knew wasn’t like this. He was awkward, short, and stubby and had the worst attitude. Now he seemed calm, though nothing could piss him off. We were probably both living better than we ever had before in this house. He sat up, finally realizing I was staring.

“What?”

Then I remembered Jade and the attack she led on the Oracle Academy. “Jade’s alive.”

“What?!” His dark brows pulled together, lips pulling down in a frown.

“She’s a vampire, Coze.”

He froze, staring at me.

“She didn’t even recognize me.”

“Are you sure? How—”

I sat up, nodding. “I spoke to her. Her voice. Her looks… Everything was the same.”

“W-we watched her die… right before us.”

I nodded. It was weird. I felt comfortable around him with my arm off, but I guess it wasn’t too weird. He was there when I lost it, crying and begging me to stay awake. We were kids, barely knowing what the word alive meant, yet we had to grow up so fast. Jade cared for all the kids, making sure we were fed and clean, even though she was a kid herself.

My eyes teared up thinking about her.

She was the only family I had left, and the moment I watched her die, I broke.

“How could we be sure it’s her?” Cozen asked in a whisper.

“No one believes me. I have to find a picture or get blood or something. I know it was her. I know my sister.”

He leaned in, reaching up and brushing the tears from my face. I stared at him, realizing that’s what he used to do when we were kids. “We will figure this out. First, let’s get you your arm. Okay?” he sighed looking at my old arm. “It’d be cheaper to buy one, you know.”

“It’s not my money,” I muttered.

He shook his head laughing. “Look at you being spoiled. Finally.”

I blinked at him. “What do you mean finally? I don’t deserve this. I just… I met Abel, and we connected, and then Beck and I… the others… I didn’t know if they were rich or anything. I don’t deserve their kindness.”

“Why not?”

“I was fucked up kid. I made you get hurt and Jade… She deserves to be here if I had to pick between us.”

Cozen sighed. “Well. You’re here, so we have to deal with you.”

I smirked.

“Viper asked about you… asked if you were doing good and better hunter than he was.”

“I’m the best.”

“Yeah?”

His hand brushed my fingers on my left hand, looking at the tattoos across them.