So I ended up watching a lightweight comedy with all of them. None of them laughed at the funny parts, which was funny unto itself. The sound of my laughter alone in the room jarred me, though, as if I was doing something wrong, laughing at something inappropriately funny. I’d never realized that my own laughter sounded so strange… so wrong.
Caesar squeezed my knee. “I think it’s hot.”
How did he always know what I was thinking? I went back to watching the movie, laughing a little bit less loudly, but some of it was just too funny not to really have a good belly laugh after. Apparently, I had the sense of humor of a five-year-old boy.I’ll just own it.
After the movie, Griffin put on a television show with subtitles, and I closed my eyes despite myself. I woke up when Rowan picked me up to carry me to the bedroom.
“You know you can’t stay here.” Ace’s voice roused me as Rowan tucked me into my bed.
Rowan sighed. “This is where I want to be. All of you stay. I’m going to stay, too.”
“They’ll notice if you’re not there. No one is going to take note that we’re not, but you just can’t sleep here, Rowan.”
He made a sound close to a growl. “She’s here. This is where I want to be.”
“I know.”
I lifted my arm, stretching it toward Rowan. “Lie down with me for a little bit and go home before dawn, how’s that?”
“See?” He crawled into bed next to me, still addressing Ace. “You woke her.”
I smiled as I fell asleep.
My alarm woke me, and I rolled over to turn it off. It was morning, and I had to be at work too soon.I need to give myself more time in the morning. Ace sat on the edge of the bed, so I grabbed his leg. He should absolutely not be up. “Why are you awake? It’s not okay when you do this. It has to hurt you. I can feel it.”
He leaned over to kiss me. “I like to have a moment alone with you. Just you and me, just for a moment, so I wait for you to rise, and I get to kiss you. Now I’ll go to bed. Don’t worry about my pain.”
I kissed him back. “Do you need to feed?”
“No, love. I’m fine. Go about your day. I’ll see you later. Have fun at the bar.”
I was going to have fun. Whether they liked it or not.
Seventeen
Ihadn’t been in the bar for more than ten minutes when I wanted to leave. I never had friends in high school before the guys. Well… one friend, who I used to watch television with, but she moved and I never saw her again.Wait… did that happen?Or had she been vampired and killed or something? I groaned. Why hadn’t it occurred to me before then that she might have been harmed?Damn it.
Happy noise filled the bar, but I only knew Stella, and she was flirting with a bunch of goth guys who surrounded her. Practically holding court. I was happy for her, but I didn’t know anyone else, and since I got carded, I sat drinking a ginger ale in the corner. I could leave, but going home so early would be too much of a win for the guys, who didn’t want me to be there.
My boss entered, pale-faced, then proceeded to leave really quickly. I didn’t know what was going on with him. No way he still remembered what happened with Rowan, but he remembered to leave me alone. That was how it worked, unless the vampire wanted you to remember, and I didn’t think Rowan would’ve risked being remembered.
Okay, I would go see what Stan was up to, since it wasn’t abandoning ship altogether to keep an eye on him and my curiosity was piqued.
It wasn’t just because I was bored.
I stopped to say goodbye to Stella, but she was in a zone, and I didn’t want to mess with that. Since I knew she actively pursued a relationship, I didn’t want to risk disturbing her and making them all leave. I really knew nothing about men, or rather not living ones, anyway.
I delayed just enough that I probably missed following my boss, but that was fine. He really just provided an excuse to leave. If I couldn’t find him, I’d go home. Sure, it would mean a lot ofI told you sofrom the people I wanted to hear it from the least, but I’d rather face them in my pajamas so I could forget how I really couldn’t function like other people my age.
Maybe I really wouldn’t have a life in the daytime or nighttime, either. Maybe I was just some kind of vampire hanger-on-er and I’d have to be happy with that.
Or at least glad not to be dead or going through withdrawal.
The night air was cooler—it bit my skin and I wished I’d thought to bring a sweater. Sometimes it struck me as weird, how the weather continued to change, and life continued to go on despite whatever chaos struck my life. Above my head, the light flickered.
“Not having fun?” Caesar asked from where he leaned against my car.
I stopped to stare at him. “I’ve been herefortyminutes. You just woke up for the day. You can’t possibly miss me already.”