Chapter 161

We parted at the door of my room. I heard him walking away and looked over at the white dress Raven had left me. I dug through the room and found a bag full of the things that I had been carried when I’d been taken from the compound. I crossed the room and found the closet full of clothes. They were mostly white or light colors, and a little bigger than me.

I held up the dress Raven had given me in the mess hall. It would be big on me, but not too big. A belt would be enough to make it look okay.

There were new boots in the closet, cute boots, and a little bag with gold coins in it and the compact mirror that Raven had given me.

I thought back to the look on her face in the mess hall. Why would she look like that? I set my jaw and scowled. What difference did it make? She was on Ian’s side. Even if we were sisters, we were never going to have much of a relationship, if any. My place was with Candido. I was a werewolf. She was a vampire. There was no way that we could ever really get along.

My phone chimed. I picked it up and it was a message from Candido.

Are you getting dressed?

I hesitated and decided to be a little naughty.

I was thinking about a bath. I replied and bit my lip. Do you want to join me?

I grinned, waiting for his reply, but he didn’t reply. I set my jaw, tapping my foot as I waited, but nothing came.

Should I just take it by myself?

The phone chimed. There are only showers. They’re downstairs.

I worried my lip. Are you taking a shower?

No.

You sure you don’t want to join me? I asked. I’m twenty now…

A moment later he replied. I’ll meet you at the benches outside. Take your time.

I huffed, almost throwing the phone across the room before grabbing my clothes. I paused as I saw the little collection of toiletries and clean towels. Raven must have left them here for me too. How had she known I’d be staying in this room?

Maybe she and Ian did feel a bit bad about the way that they’d treated me.

I grabbed it all and headed downstairs to the showers. I grimaced at the oddly colored floor, not sure if I should walk across it. Then, I turned on the shower nearest to me. The dial turned blue as I turned it and the water was freezing. I turned it back the other way and the dial turned red. I closed the door behind me and dropped the blanket on the bench nearby. The floor felt clean beneath my feet even if it looked weird.

I showered in the nice-smelling soap and turned it off. As soon as I did, the floor turned dry and a rush of warm air wrapped around me, drying me completely. My jaw dropped.

This had to be something else that the vampires had stolen from werewolves, or something. Maybe Lunae had originally been our land and they stole it from us. That seemed to make the most sense.

I got dressed and headed out to meet Candido. He was wearing practically the same thing that he had been earlier. I pouted at him and before I could ask, he stood and offered me his hand.

“Shall we.”

I looked him over again. He wasn’t clean, but he wasn’t exactly dirty either. He looked pale still, but he was still as handsome as ever.

Besides, we’d never held hands on a date before. I took his hand and pressed closer to him. It felt weird, like he was some sort of runaway and I was someone of importance.

“I figured you be hungry.”

“I would have liked it if you’d joined me in the shower… way more than food.”

His lips twitched. “Don’t push your luck, princess. You’ve still managed to get yourself in trouble on three separate occasions today.”

“That’s all?” I pouted as we reached a gate I didn’t remember seeing on the way to the area.

The guards eyed us, but they didn’t stop us. I felt someone trailing after us. I glanced back at them.

“Why is he following us?”

“Security,” he said. “It’s probably your fault.”

I huffed. “My fault?”

“Biting healers, trying to bite a guard…” He flashed me a tense smile. “You’re a flight risk.”

I huffed at that, but we walked down the street. People watched us, glancing our way and whispering. I didn’t hear what they were saying, but I could feel the way they looked at us.

We got to a restaurant and Candido ushered me inside.

“I was told that this place has the best chocolate cake,” he said.

I grinned and looked up at him. “Really?”

“Just this once, we can just have cake,” he said as we reached the kiosk.

The door opened behind us as the gruff-looking man looked up. He sneered at us, glaring at the collars around our necks.

“Never wanted the chance to serve cake to a fallen wolf,” he said before glancing at me. “And… whatever you are.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Paul,” Raven’s voice cut in. I turned as she walked ahead of us. “Give them whatever they ask for.”

Raven looked back at me briefly. “Don’t cause trouble.”

“I have done anything. He’s the—”

She hissed at me. Red glowing eyes. I felt fear strike through me as I was suddenly cast back into that hazy dream. I could hear that woman cackling.

Raven set her jaw and turned back to Paul. He hesitated but nodded. “As you wish, Princess.”

She put a pile of gold coins on the counter. “For the trouble.”

Raven glared at me meaningfully and left. I heard Candido asking for cake and food. Paul handed it to him and waved us off. He set the plates on a table outside, but I couldn’t help but look for Raven. Where had she gone. I sat across the table from him.

“Hey,” Candido said, pushing the cake towards me. “I’ve never seen you hesitate to eat cake. Weren’t you the one who reminded me that your birthday was recently?”

I looked down at the cake and nodded before looking up at Candido and wrinkling my nose at the large plate of food in front of him.

“That’s not cake.”

“Some of us need more than sugar to function,” he said.

“Are you still recovering?”

“Yes,” he said stiffly. “Slowly.”

“Why haven’t they given you anything?”

He shook his head. “Because it doesn’t suit their purposes.”

I glared at the cuff around his arms. “I bet if those weren’t on, you’d heal faster.”

“Doubtful,” he said and started to eat. He furrowed his brow and my heart jolted.

“Something wrong?”

“No,” Candido said, chewing thoughtfully. “It just tastes different.”

“Like… poison?”

He chuckled. “No. Just different.”

“But how would we even know?”

“Taste it,” he said. “And you’ll see what I mean.”

I eyed the cake warily, then picked up my fork and tried it. My stomach growled with hunger. I almost moaned at how good it tasted, but he was right. It tasted so different than any chocolate cake I’d ever had. It seemed richer somehow. I felt a little giddy at the taste and smiled.

“It’s… really good.”

“I can tell,” he said. His eyes were gentle and warm as he looked at me. “Happy Birthday, Hedy.”

I smiled. “Do I get to ask for a present?”

Candido chuckled. “Depends on what you want.”

“I—”

The compact Raven had given me flashed; the light cut through the fabric of the bag. Candido looked at it. He seemed stiff as I pulled it out.

“What is that?”

“Raven gave it to me…” I said, put it away. “I could—”

“Answer it,” he said. “It might be important… she’s your sister, isn’t she?”

“I’ve never met her or heard of her before that time in the cave… You have to know that, and I’ve never—”

“Just answer the call,” he said softly. “I just… asked.”

My stomach turned. I knew it was more than that. Raven was a vampire. Candido hated vampires. I had to choose between him and them if that was even a choice, and I’d always choose Candido.

I opened the mirror slowly, but there was just a written message on the screen in neat script.

Stay at the restaurant until I tell you otherwise.

I frowned and looked at the message. “She just… said to stay here.”

Candido took another bite. I finished the cake and stood up. “We should go see what’s going on.”

He shook his head. “So it’s not just me you don’t listen to.”

Before I could respond, the air shook. He went still and turned sharply.

“Stay here,” he said, taking off back toward where we’d come from and where a plume of smoke was coming.

I followed after him as fast as I could.