"Am I doing it right?" Amy asks when her horse comes up near me. I was so deep in my thoughts that I almost forgot I had a lesson.
"Yes, honey, but keep your legs in the stirrups," I yell after her. This girl learns so fast; I must be an outstanding teacher.
I smile. I’ve walked around the stable all day smiling. Alexa probably thinks that I'm insane. Or maybe that I really like my job, which is true, by the way. But the reason for my smile is entirely different.
I'm in love.
Raphael told me to come for dinner tonight at seven-thirty. He told me to bring Marie if I wanted to. I said no, not until I told her everything. For some reason, I’m sure she’ll be thrilled, and not only because she’ll be immortal and get rid of her cancer. But mostly because she always believed in such things as vampires, while I honestly didn’t.
I’ve decided not to wait until seven-thirty and go over earlier to help Raphael with the meal. I know he loves to cook; that's what he told me in the morning when I woke up in his bed after sleeping for almost ten hours. He made pancakes for me, saying that it was my last dream, and from now on, I won't fall asleep any longer.
I won't miss sleeping, to be honest. I’ve always thought it was a waste of time.
When our lesson is over, I run into the changing room to get to Raphael's house faster. I already miss him so much I can't wait to get there.
I drive fast, impatiently waiting to see him.
I stop suddenly just before his house. I see Raphael, my Raphael, getting out of his car, holding a woman in his arms.
Another woman. My heart stops when the image of them appears in front of me. This woman is sleeping, maybe unconscious, and he's holding her bridal style.
Exactly as he was holding me yesterday after dinner.
I remind myself that he has a sister, but he also told me that she's out of town for a couple more weeks.
That can't be happening. I close my eyes, trying to get rid of the picture of them, but it's all in vain.
When I open my eyes again, they're already gone, disappeared inside of his house.
How could he do this to me? Taking my virginity and turning me into a vampire and bringing another woman into his home? Is that why he insisted that I come not earlier than seven-thirty, even after I offered to help him? I thought he was just being polite.
I can't believe it. My head starts spinning; even though it's impossible, vampires' heads do not spin. They have no blood flow.
Was he lying to me all of this time? That I'm his mate and everything.
I feel like I'm going to cry, but I can't squeeze a tear from myself.
I guess vampires don't cry.
Chapter Twenty-One
Raphael
Something's wrong. And it's not only because Beatrice came back from Italy betrayed by our worst enemy, besides with a broken heart. My first thought was to kill that bastard, but she stopped me. I can understand her; she's in love. Even though she's perfectly aware they will never be together.
Something's wrong with Katie. She was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago, and she's never late. She said she might even come earlier.
What if she regrets everything that happened between us? What if she now wants to take it back but can't? She's a vampire now, and it's forever.
I have to see Katie. I have to tell her that I love her. I wanted to say it to her today, but she was in a rush. She overslept and wanted to check on Marie before work, so she didn't even finish her breakfast. She only drank the blood that I gave her, with a thirst I'd never seen before. She's a newbie. She's gonna need a lot of blood; I know that; I've been there.
Beatrice is finally calmed down a little. She's now in her room, reading Jane Austen. That's her favorite author, and I know that reading calms her down. This morning, she was so tired that I had to carry her to her room after everything. I've never seen her this devastated. Not since our parents died.
I take my jacket and leave the house to check on Katie. I've already called her like a thousand times, but she didn't answer.
The road is slippery, and the rain won't stop coming, but I drive as fast as I can. I hope everything is okay with Marie. That's the only reason Katie might not answer my calls.
I bang on the door loudly, but no one opens it. I repeat again and again, but it's all in vain. I stand on the porch of their house, soaked from the rain and terrified about the only person I've ever loved in this world besides my sister.