Letting out an impatient sigh, Darren held a hand up. “No.”
“Then what are they?” I leaned forward on my elbows, eager to hear the rest. “Come on, don’t hold out on me now.”
“I cannot divulge to you all of our masters’ secrets,” Darren began with a frown. “However, I do believe it is prudent for you to know that Master Rayne’s ability allows him to do more than the others in terms of... privacy.”
“What do you mean?” I cocked my head to the side and then laughed nervously. “He doesn’t have x-ray vision, does he?” When Darren didn’t immediately deny it, I gaped and covered my chest feeling violated. “He has x-ray vision! What the hell? Of all the perverted—”
Darren sighed. “Calm yourself. He cannot see through your clothing. However, he can see into your mind.”
My mouth fell open. I couldn’t find my words or my breath. I kept making a sound like a wheezing walrus that had me holding tightly onto the counter for dear life.
Oh my God. Rayne could read my mind. Raynecould read my mind!
I felt so violated, even more so than if he had been able to see through my clothing. One’s mind was a personal place. A safe haven to say all the bad things you never would say out loud, and to have that intruded upon by someone without you knowing? Why, that was just... just...
“It’s wrong, that’s what it is.” I slammed my hand down on the counter, my jaw clenched tight. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
Darren lifted a shoulder. “It was not important. We weren’t sure if we could trust you, and now that we do, I find it important that you watch what you think around Master Rayne, especially if you would like to keep the Valentine incident to yourself.”
“Well, thank you for letting me know. I’ll be sure to adjust accordingly.” Meaning I’d be giving Rayne an earful and then some next time I saw him. “As for Valentine, well, I haven't responded to any of his notes, and I don't plan to." I drank deeply from my coffee cup to give my rapidly beating heart a moment to calm down. "He'll get bored, eventually."
"Pfft." Darren turned away from the island with his cup, having finished his coffee already. "You clearly don't know vampires."
"Obviously not. Why don't you enlighten me?" I watched him with impatient curiosity. They were just flowers. It wasn't like he was peeping through my window or leaving disturbing messages on my phone. Sure, the guy was a creep, but I could imagine worse stalkers.
"Vampires are predators," Darren started as he washed his cup and placed it in the drainer. "They live for the hunt. The more you deny them, the more they will want to catch you. Never mind that you have never responded to him." Darren turned and faced me as he wiped his hands on a dish towel. "He will see your non-response as a reason to keep trying, and he will. He will get tired of the flowers eventually, of course. However, what he does next might be worse, and you will be begging for the day that all you had to worry about was a dozen posies and a disturbing note."
He tossed the dish towel onto the counter and marched out of the kitchen. I sat there alone, lost in thought until my coffee went cold and a sour taste formed in my mouth. With a sinking suspicion, I stood from the island and walked over to the trash can. With a deep breath, I lifted the lid. Inside were pink posies and a note signed with a V. I didn't read the note but closed the lid and stalked out of the kitchen, not bothering with the mess I'd left behind.