Page 35 of B Negative
“You’re saying you think he convinced a witch to wipe every vampire’s memory at the incursion on instinct?”
“First off, he’d have to convince the whole goddamn coven to pull off a spell like that. And, yes. I do. But I’m not certain. We need to do some digging, and I think I have just the cover to get us both in the library without anyone suspecting a thing.”
“Go on,” I said, attention fully on Sunny’s profile as she pulled onto the highway. “Hey, hold on a sec. You’re heading toward the compound, not the tower.”
Sunny cast me a quick glance. “I know. I have to pick up something from the compound before we return.”
“Ah, gotcha.” I settled into the hard bolstered sport seat. “So what’s the plan?” I asked.
“Well, I’m supposed to be preparing for my role as a new mate. A mate to a vampire who has had considerably more life experience than I have. So, if I’m in the library at all hours of the day and night, researching old vampire customs and traditions, well, it’s just because I want to make sure I do everything just right for my new mate. And if my friend is there by my side to help me, well, that’s just ladies spending time together, right?”
“Damn, Sun. I like the way your head works.”
“We’ll get this sorted, no problem.”
I wanted to believe her. Wanted to be hopeful. But I wouldn’t just yet. I wasn’t about to get my hopes dashed again when some unforeseen issue blew in and cocked everything up.
I decided to change the subject. “So, we haven’t really talked about your attitude about being Titus’s mate, Sun. Honestly, it’s the last thing I expected from you.”
Sunny flipped down her sun visor, coppery locks whipping behind her as we raced down the highway. “Titus likes unusual things. One of a kind items, which may or may not hold monetary value.”
“Yes, Julian was saying Titus liked to collect things. He also warned he might try to collect me.”
Sunny cast me a quick glance. “I’m the last of the River line, Eden. One of the oldest vampire families in the new world. And to Titus, when I was a part of his tower, that was unique enough that he tried to…” Sunny paused, searching for the right words. “He tried to add me to his collection.”
“What does that mean exactly?”
Sunny’s shoulders shook as she relived whatever haunted memory played in her mind. “I don’t know precisely. I only know the creepy, oily feeling of his attempts to do so.”
That I could relate to. I’d described Titus exactly the same way. “Has he successfully ‘collected’ any other people?”
“Not to my knowledge, no.”
“OK, so how did you go from thinking he was oily and creepy to being fine with being his mate?”
“Yeah, it’s the strangest thing. The mate bond locking in place gives a person a sense of rightness. He’s my mate, and with that, I have every assurance a vampire can have that another is right for them. Besides, I’ve spoken to him since rising, and we’ve agreed to take the bonding process as slow as needed. He realizes this is strange for me.”
“Yeah, but does he still squick you out?”
“Not really, no. If I recall those times in the past, then yes. But now, it’s all different. He’s mine. I’m his. Honestly, I could have done much worse.”
I guess so. But that didn’t keep him from still squicking me out.
Sunny squealed to a stop in front of the compound gate where B stood waiting for us, a large duffle slung across his body.
I rolled down the window and B rolled his eyes as he hunched to talk to us. “You might have mentioned you brought the Z4, Sunny.”
Baffled, she replied, “Why do you care what car I drive?”
“Christ, Sunny. It’s a two-seater. We aren’t all going to fit.”
“Whoa, whoa, hold on. Where are we taking you?” I asked.
“He’s coming with us to the tower,” Sunny informed me. “Now get up and arrange yourselves some way to make this work.”
B and I shared a glance. “Sun, the only way this works is if we strap some skates to B’s feet and tow him over the bridge.” I pointed to the back of the car. “There isn’t even a hump back there, Sunny. It’s literally my seat and then the trunk.”
“Oh, just sit in his lap, Eden. It’s not that difficult.”