Page 106 of Blood Match
“Oh, you are, are you?” I giggle, feeling lighter than I have since—
I’m not thinking about Mia now. I’m thinking about this. This is good. I feel great.
“Of course I am. I’m going to do it again. And then probably again,” he says over his shoulder before disappearing out the bedroom door. I sit up, pulling my knees to my chest as I listen to him rummaging around the kitchen.
This is unbelievable!
I don’t even know how we reached this place. But somehow, I think it’s right. I smile as he returns, holding out a tall glass of water. He looks a lot like a tall drink of water himself.
“Drink it all,” he says firmly, then pauses as a sound pings from somewhere nearby. He turns back to me as if about to disregard it, but it pings again three more times in quick succession.
“Is that your phone?” I frown, taking a large gulp of water.
He nods, moving from the bed and bending down to retrieve his jeans.
“Vampires have cell phones?” I raise an eyebrow.
The phone pings again. “Yes, we do.” He winks at me. “What? You think I was born in the Dark Ages or something?”
I giggle again, feeling more girlish than I ever have. “Actually, I thought you were a lot older.”
“And you’d be right.” He settles back on the bed beside me, our arms brushing. I like how he feels against me. “Finish the glass.”
There’s another ping.
“You gonna get that? Sounds important.” I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.
He pulls a face. “Guess I’d better. Or we’re never going to get back to—”
“Don’t say it!” I’m giggling yet again.
“Are you shy?” He brushes a kiss across my shoulder. “Because just a moment ago…”
“Stop!” I laugh. “Just see what they want.”
“Fine, fine,” he grumbles, tugging the device from his jeans pocket and swiping the screen. Suddenly, he goes still.
“What’s up?” I set my glass down on the nightstand.
“It’s…” He doesn’t go on. His thumb is moving, the light glowing up on his face. I can’t help myself; curiosity is eating at me. I peer past his arm to look at the screen.
And my heart stops.
The eyes staring up from the image on his phone are…my own. Or pretty damn close. Dark green. Tormented.
“Mia!” I choke out, horror washing over me. Darick whips his head around to look at me. Before he can react, I snatch the phone from him, staring at the text message attached to the image.
This one might be more to your taste, my friend, it reads.
I drop the phone as if it’s burned me.
“Rowan,” he starts, but I’m scrambling away from him, grabbing at the bedsheet to cover myself as I put distance between us.
“That’s Mia!” I choke out.
Oh God! Oh, my God!
“You don’t understand—”