Bittersweet | ✔️

Forty-Five

My phone rings. At first I hear it, but I don't realize it's the phone that is making noise, and that I should pick it up. I finally do before it goes to voicemail.

I see Zane's name.

"Hello?" I say weakly. My head is still full of thoughts of murder that it's having trouble concentrating.

"Vee?"

"Oh, hi," I say. His voice soothes me a bit. He sounds the same to me, even though he killed Glitter. I can't believe it was just a few hours ago when I saw him in the parking lot, completely unaware of what happened with Jared and Glitter. I don't know if I expected that to change him at all. It probably meant nothing to him. I shouldn't be surprised. But I am, a little. I can't think about him as someone who could kill with no guilt, even though that's what a vampire hunter is trained to do. It's still a little unsettling.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," I say. I touch my head. I think I'm getting a headache. "Sorry—I was just thinking about something." He sounds so warm. I still can't believe he killed someone. I wish I could ask him about it. I'm dying to know how it happened, what he felt. If he felt bad. If it renewed his hatred of vampires. "Zane, you're safe, aren't you?"

"Huh?"

I should have known the question would confuse him, but if I know he is safe, then I won't worry so much. Dusk knows what Zane did, and I'm not sure what he or the others are going to do with that knowledge. If Dusk cared about Glitter even a little, so he claims, he'll want revenge even more. It just reminds me that things might end soon, and I' m scared about what that might be.

"You're safe, where you are?" I say.

"Yeah, I guess. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah." I take a deep breath. I can only trust that his instincts as a hunter will keep him safe. That's all I can count on. Like cornered animals, vampires will strike as soon as they feel threatened. And Zane's kill will make them feel threatened. They might not be so hesitant about keeping their distance. I can't really know right now.

"Do you want to do something tonight? Ivana just left so I'm free if you want."

I take a pause like I'm actually considering. "Yes, sure. Yes."