Blood and Snow 9: Love Bleeds (2 page)

We broke apart, and Cindy sniffled.

“What’s wrong?”

“Merde,” she swore in French, dabbing at her eyes. “There’s something I need to tell you. It’s about me… and Gabe.” She looked down, fiddling with one of the buttons on her sweater.

I grabbed her hands. “I know. I heard you. It’s—” I paused to really consider my feelings. Yes, I loved Gabe. He was special to me. My first crush, my first love. I should’ve been more upset. Gabe and I, we’d considered going all the way. He’d touched me in a way no other boy had. He’d said he loved me, disobeyed his father for me… because of the way he felt about me. Pain shot through my body.
I’d killed his father—Oberon. Whether I had feelings for him or not, Oberon’s death would always stand between us.

I swallowed, planting a smile on my lips. It was better for everyone if Cindy and Gabe were together. Shaking her hands, I said, “It’s okay. Really. I’m happy for the two of you. A powerful witch and a chayot—what a combination.”

She glanced up, worry etched along her brow. “I think I love him, Snow.”

Her words were like a knife in my heart. “Well, then he better be sweet to you. Treat you like the amazing girl you are.” I grabbed a brush from the bathroom counter. I didn’t want her to see I was emotional. Even though I knew the two of the
m
together was for the best, the idea of Gabe kissing someone else hurt. “I need a haircut.”

She took the brush, and carefully ran it through my wet hair. “A trim, I think. Maybe some blond highlights,” she said gently.

I watched her reflection. Our matching baby blues met in the mirror. It was obvious she felt bad about her and Gabe. Not bad enough to stop seeing him, but at least conflicted. I sighed. “No to the highlights.”

She laughed. “You’re right. You’re hair’s perfect. Sit, and I’ll braid it.” I sat in an ornately cut wooden chair with a tight padded seat cut from the same material as the couch in the bedroom.

A change of subject was in order. “This is Professor Pops house, right?” Without moving my head I glanced around the bathroom—the walk-in shower made of slate tiles accented with white shells. The bathroom walls were pinstriped white and pearl white. Large red towels hung on a heated towel rack next to the shower. Matching hand towels hung to either side of the double sinks set in a black marbled countertop. The toilet was behind its own door, which was closed. A large tub with silver jets was under a window. Next to the tub was a tall white shelf filled with extra towels, bath salts, bubbles, and other toiletries. 

“Yeah.” She wrapped the ends of my hair in
an elastic
. “How about some red?” Without waiting for a response, she tapped my hair, and said a word I’d never heard before. “
Rubios
.”

There was a slight tingle at my scalp.

“There. All done.”

“Thanks.” I went to the sink, and brought my braid over a shoulder. One of the three sections was red. The end of my braid rested just above my waist.

Two years, I thought.

Out loud, I said, “Cool.” I picked up a red toothbrush, thinking everyone was overdoing the whole red-is-my-new-favorite-color comment.

“Right,” she said, grasping my braid and flopping it on my back. “Love the shirt, too,” she said with a chuckle.

I snorted. “Yeah, Dorian’s a comedian.”

She wiggled her brows. “So, do you prefer drinking from guys, girls, or um, does it matter?”

Chapter 4

I squeezed some toothpaste on my toothbrush. Of course it mattered.
I’d rather eat regular food tha
n drink from Cindy. I didn’t know if it was the kind of magic in her blood, or what. Silindra hadn’t been able to stand dragon blood, elf blood, or troll blood. Maybe I was as picky about my blood as I’d been with food. I didn’t need to tell Cindy that though. She might take my revulsion to her blood personally, and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

Shrugging, I said, “Both are good.” I shoved the toothbrush between my teeth, lathering my mouth with bubbles.

Her eyes grew big. “Really?”

I nodded, spit, and rinsed.

“But…” She wrapped a hand around her neck.

“You’re safe,” I said, flipping off the bathroom light.

She inhaled ragged breath. “Okay, good.”

I hid a smile. 

“This used to be Dorian’s room. Remember?” Cindy flourished her hands toward the bedroom walls, and continued, “Everything used to be covered in Patriots paraphernalia. The walls were a different color. Also, it smelled like dirty socks and,” she paused waving a hand in front of her nose, “dude sweat.”

I smiled, spinning in a slow circle, seeing the room the way it used to be. Of course I remembered. I spent the night here after I was bitten.

An ache formed in my throat.

Gabe, I thought, but shook thoughts of him away.

He was the leader of the chayot. He was supposed to kill me, but went against his father. Then I killed Oberon, his biological father.
An unforgiveable sin.

Whether Gabe forgave me or not, I would do everything in my power to protect him—those I loved, from the Vampire Queen.

Sharra’s words …
“Stay asleep, Snow. Because if you wake, I’ll hunt down, and destroy everyone you care about, starting with that dimwitted child leader you call Gabe. That’s right, dear one. I’ll kill him first.
”
… 

Her threats lit my veins with worry.

“Snow?” Cindy touched my arm, bringing me from my reverie.

“Before all the Patriots décor, he was way into astronomy. A large telescope used to stand in front of that window. When we were little, the guys and me stayed up late to check out the constellations. We saw lots of shooting stars.” I
edged
the bed, stepping over the red velvet cake stain on the carpet.

“Yeah, I’m sure when you were around it was all about the stars. After you went home…” Cindy let her words trail off.

“What do you mean?” I asked, peering back.

She gave me a look, one that said,
duh
. “They’re boys, and Dorian had a telescope. I’m guessing they checked out the neighbors… probably even you.”

“What? No they didn’t.” I walked over to the window, touching the glass. It was cold against my warm fingers, and my fingertips left foggy prints. Outside, the sky shone bright blue. All the trees stood stark and bare, like knotted appendages.

Cindy edged beside me, and pointed. I knew before she said anything the direction she was headed. Her breath clouded the glass. “Yep, there’s your house. And I believe that’s your room.”

I followed her gaze. “They wouldn’t do that.”

“Um, yeah they would.”

“But only in the winter. When leaves are on the trees his view is blocked.” I said the words, but a flush ran the length of my body. I thought about whether I’d changed or done anything embarrassing with my curtains opened. At the moment my room was dark, making it difficult to see inside. But I wondered how the view changed with my bedroom light on. “No way,” I added.

“Tell yourself what you need to.” She went to the bed. “
Abreegis
.
Totalis
.” The covers and pillows organized themselves. The comforter had cake crumbs on it, and Cindy bent over, wiping them off. “Ta. Da.” She had a please smirked on her lips.

“Awesome,” I said, admiration at
her magic abilities overflowing.

She beamed. “After your father left, Dorian and Pops agreed this should be your room.” A hand went to her mouth, and her face fell. Mine did too.
My heart c
rashed into the pit of my stomach. “I’m sorry… about your father. I’m an idiot,” Cindy whispered.

I didn’t respond, focused instead on fighting back the sudden tears filling my eyes. My father. Why did he leave? Had he stopped believing in me?

Did he ever believe in you, my inner voice
seethed.

I wanted to trust he had.

Cindy patted my arm. “He was so sad,
Snow
. Broken. After your stepmother left, he quit doing anything, except drink. A lot. We think,” she stopped, placing my hands in hers. “We hope he went to get help. He left a note…”

I took a deep breath. It was nothing new. He hadn’t been around in a long time. “It’s okay. I know he worried.” I went to the door. I needed to get downstairs stairs. The guys, Christopher, and Professor Pops were waiting.

“Come on. We’d better go make sure the guys haven’t killed each other.”

“Wait.”

I turned. “Yeah?”

“You sure you’re okay with Gabe and I?”

Relationship problems were the least of my worries. “Of course.”

I
changed my mind
though.
I wasn’t sure I could see Cindy and Gabe in the same room yet.
“Can you ask Christopher to come here? I need to talk to him alone first.”

“You sure?” she asked.

“Yeah.” The idea of spending time with my Hunter sent my blood racing. What I really wanted was his blood.

Chapter 5

While I waited, I checked out the closet. It was huge. A whole other room with white walls, and clothes hanging everywhere. I recognized some of them, as well as the perfume bottles that’d been on the dresser in my room. T-shirts in every shade of every color hung on one rack. Underneath were lots of jeans, hanging by fabric and shade. To the left were drawers, which I opened and found a dozen different sunglasses. The drawer under that held beautiful scarves. Then belts. On the other side were more drawers situated next to cubbies filled with the Converse Professor Pops gave me for my birthday. Inside those drawers were socks, watches, and jewelry. Another rack held my dress from the Masquerade Ball, and coats, as well as more dresses. Across the room was an overstuffed red chaise. On either side were more drawers that contained bras and undies.

“Good grief,” I whispered, pulling out a lacy fuchsia bra with matching undies. The tags were still attached, and they weren’t cheap. “This is crazy.”

“
Hellooooo
?” Cindy called rounding the corner.

“Oh,” I responded, quickly tossing the obscene undies back in the drawer.

“Were those?” she began, but I shushed her as Christopher stepped into the closet.

“Hey, Frosty,” Christopher said.

Cindy snorted.

“Hi,” I responded shyly. To Cindy, I asked, “
Wanna
meet at Warehouse Video later?”

She shook her head. “I wish, but the place shut its doors a few months ago.”

“No,” I cried, slamming the drawer shut harder than I planned.

“It’s so sad. The guy who owned it closed the shop and moved to St. Bart’s. At least that’s what my mom said.” Cindy opened a drawer and pulled out a teal scarf.

“That’s awful,” I agreed, watching Christopher watch Cindy with an amused expression.

Warehouse Video, better known as “our house” had been around forever. Cindy and I started going there years ago. All the high school kids went for coffee, videos, and snacks. Mainly though, we used it as a hang out… a place to call our own.
Our house.

“Dang. What else did I miss?” I was struck by the knowledge that life continued on. It didn’t matter whether I was around to witness it or not. Two years. It felt like a lifetime. I forced back my sadness.

Cindy tied the scarf, and adjusted it while watching her reflection in the mirror that ran the length of a wall. Finally she said, “Nothing too important. I missed you though. Terribly.” She sighed and hugged me. Unwinding the scarf, she placed it back in the drawer. “I’ve got to get to work. Come by the restaurant when you get a sec.”

“I will, if it isn’t too late.”

She squeezed my hands. “I’m working all day tomorrow too.”

“Okay.” It always surprised me—impressed me really, that Cindy worked so hard even though her family had money. Her other friends thought working as a waitress in an Italian restaurant was beneath her—certainly beneath them. Cindy seemed to enjoy it.

When she reached Christopher, she punched him in the arm. “Be nice, or you’ll regret it. I’ll conjure warts on your nose, and other places, if you catch my drift,” she said pointing to the front of his jeans.

Christopher snickered. “Got it.”

“I’m not kidding, vampire Hunter. I’ve got skills.”

I
raised
an eyebrow. Apparently Cindy knew all about everyone, including Chace aka Christopher aka my Hunter. And she was threatening the vampire Hunter with genital warts.
So c
harming.

Gabe probably filled her in, I thought.

Christopher pointed his first finger at her, like his hand was a gun, and made a
chk-chk
sound with his mouth.

Cindy gave me one of her looks. This one said, ‘I can’t believe I ever thought this idiot was hot.’

I shrugged.