Chapter 164 Ava: Blood Contract?

"Come along, kitten. You and your friend, too. I'll give you the freedom he can't. I'll give you the knowledge she won't. Come, Ava Grey, Ward of the Witches. You seek a home, and I have one to give."

A scream rips from my throat as I thrash against the sheets, gasping for air. Fear is a heavy weight pressing down on my chest, crushing me, stealing my ability to breathe.

In the darkness behind my eyelids, crimson eyes bore into me, glowing with malice. Moonlight glints off razor-sharp fangs as a sinister voice whispers in my mind.

You'll be begging me to fulfill our contract. Don't worry, kitten. I'll come back for you.

I jolt upright, heart hammering against my ribs. Sweat plasters my hair to my forehead. The room slowly comes into focus—dark walls, the dresser on the other side of the room, Selene's furry form at the foot of the bed. Her head perks up, ice-blue eyes studying me with concern.

Ava? Are you alright? Her voice echoes in my mind, gentle and worried.

"I..." My voice comes out raspy and I swallow hard, trying to wet my parched throat. "I had a nightmare."

Selene cocks her head, fluffy ears twitching. About?

"It's hard to tell." Trying to grasp the wisps of memory that dance just out of reach is like grasping for smoke. "I feel like I'm forgetting something important. About what happened right before Lisa was taken."

Selene goes still, her ears flattening against her skull. When she speaks, her mental voice is hesitant, almost wary. What do you remember, Ava?

"The vampire. Fighting. Pain."

But why did I hurt, exactly? Why is this suddenly so fuzzy?

I frown, sorting through the hazy images in my mind.

The Mad Prince, Selene murmurs.

"Right." My head clears again. "He bit me. I remember that. It was weird, and…" I shake my head, frustrated. "There's something else. Something I'm not remembering."

A flash of Selene's voice screaming in my head returns, and I jerk toward her. "You were yelling at me."

Yes, she agrees cautiously. What else?

"He said—I would beg him to fulfill our contract soon."

Selene's quiet for a long moment. If it helps, I don't think you have a contract with him yet.

"What do you mean?"

seems to

you mean, blood

thralls from Sister Miriam's

Ah, them.

Ick.

don't want to

any different," I offer cautiously.

are distinctly contemptuous. Contracting and turning are two

Oh.

"Then what is contracting?"

time, Selene sounds unsure. It has never succeeded between Lycans and vampires. The attempt has always killed one or

still alive. So, doesn't that mean it

says, still sounding hesitant. But I don't know enough to

memories are still hazy, but he called me

twitch. I don't

words in my nightmare. "'He called me by name. Ava Grey… Ward of the

head cocks and her tail swishes in agitation. I don't know what that

a number.

A number?

wave her off. "It isn't important. Is there anything else horribly life-altering that you'd

can't think of anything at the moment. Though I have been thinking about

it, I check the time.

missed calls, and

that just came in. I don't remember giving my number

message, I click onto

seeing Mom. Fell asleep. I'll

things. If this relationship is going to work between us, I really need to put in more effort. Just like he

always work as

resolved to do

deep breath and shaking off the guilt, I glance at

teacher. There is one person who might be able to

My phone rings.

Lucas.

a

about you. Worrying

dog could roll their eyes, I'm pretty

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