Page 19 of Liberty

She bit her lip, her eyes roaming over me. “Daylight?”

“All the time,” I responded.

“But the longer we go between feedings, the more sensitive we are to it. As a general rule, we like to avoid it when we can,” Ellis added.

“Garlic?”

“One of my favorite foods,” Sterling said.

“Hmm.” She made a sound in her throat as she pondered the news, then took another chip.

“If you’re trying to kill us, take the head. Or silver to the heart. It’s the most humane,” I offered.

“And you think you deserve humane, even as you murder and take people’s blood?” she countered.

“Killing people isn’t our intent, and if we can avoid it, we do.” I didn’t have to read emotions to know her thoughts. The feelings that came along with this life were torturous, especially to those who still clung to what little morals they could.

“Then, how do you eat? Or is it drink?” She was taking this all receptively well. I imagined a complete and total freak out.

“Intoxicated people with permission or blood banks.” Sterling shrugged, then he reached for a chip. She held out the bag to share with him.

“I knew it!” she said after a long minute of silence passed. When we all looked at her, waiting for her to proceed, she said, “I knew vampires were real. I mean no offense, I didn’t want to believe it to be true, but I knew it all along.”

She stood and brushed her hair out of her face before grabbing her heels and walking gracefully toward the door. I was mesmerized by her hips, too infatuated with their sway that I nearly didn’t register her intent. “Where are you going?”

“Home.” She didn’t bother looking back.

“You can’t go home alone; it’s not safe.” I would budge on nearly everything she wanted or asked for, but her safety was off the table. I wouldn’t change my mind.

“Then someone needs to follow because I’m not about to process all this without my blanket and a strong drink.” Then she left the room, not even bothering to shut the door behind her.