Blood Draw: Book Two of the Blood Type Series (complete)

The Last Word

I found Josiah leaning against the foyer wall, the leather sole of his boot tapping a steady rhythm against the veining plaster. He glared at me beneath a pair of ruddy brows.

"I was told I should thank you," I said. One brow rose in answer. "For helping me out tonight," I added.

"A truly heartfelt sentiment," he replied.

I inhaled deeply, repressing the urge to rip out his jugular. Why did he have to be so difficult? Josiah's eyes pinned me to the spot with the ferocity of his gaze.

"I am much stronger than you, so whatever it is you are thinking—"

"How would you know what I'm thinking?"

"I only know that I can feel your emotions."

"Then I suggest you do us both a favor and stay far away."

"Calmly, Miss Ehlert."

Conrad Abernathy's cautioning tone came from behind, along with a restraining hand on my shoulder. "And might I advise the same of you, Mr. Butler? After all, you are her sire. You must remember that you have a great responsibility for her welfare, both physical and emotional. Like any parent, you must set a good example."

"He is so not my parent," I said.

"Thank God for that," Josiah replied.

"Just imagine," said Mr. Abernathy. "In another fifty years, the two of you will be great friends, laughing about the early days when you did nothing but quarrel."

"I highly doubt that," I said. Thankfully, Thomas appeared at that moment jangling a set of car keys in his hand, saving me from further awkward conversation.

I remained silent during the drive home. Thomas seemed to sense my need for solitude and let me fume, uninterrupted. Even though I had willingly chosen this path, that didn't mean I wasn't entitled to complain. I had been a vampire for three days and already screwed up by almost committing a major crime. I hated feeling angry and on edge all the time, and it was little consolation that Josiah and I were feeding off one another's emotions. It only made things worse to know that I was linked to him.

"Is that why June didn't want you to turn her?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Thomas glanced at me, his face in shadows. With no moon, it was still dark this early in the morning. "I'm not a mind reader, Blake. What are you talking about?"

"Was June afraid that if she became a vampire, things would change between the two of you? Because of all these emotions?"

"Because of my affections for her, June is privy to what goes on in the vampire world, possibly more so than any other human," Thomas explained. "She sees the good, as well as the bad. The bond between maker and progeny is strong, yes, but it is not always healthy. Many a maker has killed his progeny to sever the ties."

Swallowing hard, I recalled watching a documentary during freshman year about how wild animals sometimes kill their young. I hoped Josiah was a more civilized vampire than that and wouldn't resort to such extremes. Then again, weren't we all just predators in human skin? We were wildness itself, barely contained and held in check by our moral code.

"People and vampires go to great lengths when desperate," Thomas added. "We are very much alike in that way."

"And June loved you too much to risk ruining what you had."

Thomas pulled into my driveway and cut the engine before turning to me. "For that, I consider myself very lucky. She's always been the stronger of us. If I had it my way, June would have been made a vampire years ago."