Tangled

164

164

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?

1 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

with

"What do you mean?"

blood contract. You resisted. It resulted in a half-bond, but that seems to have dissipated, since it was not reciprocated. That might be why your memory's

thralls from Sister Miriam's

Ah, them.

Ick.

definitely don't want to be one of

don't feel any different," I offer cautiously. "No desire for

blue eyes are distinctly contemptuous. Contracting and turning are

Oh.

"Then what is contracting?"

succeeded between Lycans and vampires. The attempt has always

don't think it succeeded, she says, still sounding hesitant. But I don't

memories are still hazy, but he called

twitch.

summon the words in my nightmare. "He called

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

a number. I don't,

A number?

isn't important. Is there anything else horribly life-altering that you'd like to tell me right now?" Selene is quiet for a moment, presumably while she thinks things. through. I can't think of anything at

Grabbing it, I check the time. Two

and

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

the message, I click onto Lucas'

Mom. Fell asleep. I'll call you in the

promised to call him at every opportunity and haven't held up my side of things. If this relationship is going to work between us, I really

has.

always work

I'd resolved to do

at Selene. "Okay. My magic. You were thinking

There is one person who might be able to

though

My phone rings

Lucas.

in a

you.

could

go back to bed. But a smile curves

anyway.