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147 Ava: A Vampire’s Goodwill (1)

147 Ava: A Vampire’s Goodwill (1)

The familiar voice comes from behind us. Spinning around, I find Sister Miriam standing in the doorway, exactly as I remember her. Pale skin. Dark hair that seems to swallow light instead of reflecting it. Eerie red eyes that seem to glow in the soft light of the

room.

It occurs to me that the curtains are all wide open, letting natural light into this space. And she visited during the day when we first met.

I really need to learn more about vampires. My lack of knowledge might get me killed.

“How did we get here?” I ask, hating the slight tremor in my words.

It isn’t every day that you open your eyes and realize you’ve been magicked to another place.

Sister Miriam smiles, but there’s something unsettling about the expression. It doesn’t quite reach her eyes. I remember, now, how her face doesn’t really move with her smiles. “You called for me, did you not?”

147 Ava A Vampire’s Goodwill (1)

Each graceful step brings her closer, and I step back, bumping against the warmth of Selene’s body. At least I’m not alone.

It’s almost as if she’s gliding rather than walking.

“I must say, I’m impressed. Not many have the ability to reach me in such a way.”

My brows come together in confusion. “I don’t understand. I just lit the candle and thought of you, like you said.”

“It takes more than just a candle and a thought, child. There must be power behind it. Power that you clearly possess.”

She moves closer to me, and I fight the urge to take another step back. There’s something about her presence that both terrifies and intrigues me. “What do you want from me?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Sister Miriam tilts her head to the side, studying me with those unnerving eyes. “The question is, what do you want from me? You called for me, after all. There must be a reason.”

Itaka a doan broath truingt

la Ave & Vamps Goodwi

sent a letter to the Westwood pack, warning me about danger.”

“That danger is now passed.” She looks me over, the gesture more dismissive than anything else. “You seem to have made it out in one piece. There’s no need to

call me.”

did you try to save

head tilts slowly to the other side. Sometimes, she has an inhuman grace. At other times, it’s like she’s a robot with bad programming, moving in ways that

look unnatural.

reason to do a good

Of course there doesn’t need to be a reason, and yet it feels like there

to be upset, Selene observes, way too calm for our current situation. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh

Shit.

Yeah, he is.

candle still

a fire

Ava A Vampire’s

in her general direction. “Come. It is

showing different times. I reach into

Nope.

No phone.

if I had

is going to microchip

follow Sister Miriam to dinner, even if it should only be lunch time. You watch

you know I was coming today?”

the unusual ability to

she says, leading us into

long oak

filled only

quick count shows twenty chairs along

A Vampire’s Goodwill (1)

the table.

sneezing hard. Old blood, she murmurs. It always

makes its way down my spine, and Sister Miriam pulls a chair out at the fair

so, sitting

come for

with a faint smile. “Don’t worry. No one will harm you while you are in

it, looking incongruous as a

doesn’t even blink, only motions

park my butt into

selected.

strange woman as she crosses to

the far end of the room swing open, revealing

18:12

5/8

Vampire’s Goodwill (1)

carries a covered platter, the scent

air.

Sister Miriam announces, her voice

setting an ornate dish before me. “Bon appétit,” they murmur, their voices soft yet

through the doors, leaving