them, three males and two females.
“Penelope!” The red head was at the very back of the line and she looked up sharply, tears pouring down her cheeks. Thin silver chains circled her wrists with the end held in Carter’s tight grip.
“Tessa, what the hell is going on? Help me, please!” Tessa turned and grabbed Harper's arm, his eyes sad as he stared at her.
“Harper, what the hell? Get Penny out of there now.” He drew her against his hard chest and she struggled, trying to pull away.
“Tessa, relax. Nothing is going to happen to Penelope, she’s for you. You don’t have to drain her, just a little drink.” She shook her head violently and he dragged her off into the corner of the bar, the crowd of vampires staring and whispering among themselves. “Tessa, stop. It has to be done. You have to tie yourself to the coven or they will never accept you and you don’t want that. Being an outlaw is hard and no one ever lives longer than a few years. They will hunt you down and I won’t be able to stop them.”
“Why, Harper?’ she sobbed, tears glistening in her dark eyes. “Why Penny? And why didn’t you warn me not to bring her? If I had known-“
“If you had known you never would have come and you had to be here. I promise you, nothing bad will happen to Penny. It isn’t like one little taste is going to kill or change her. She’ll just be a little dizzy and she’ll sleep extra well. I promise.” He drew her into another hug and this time she didn’t resist. “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you…but I had no way of knowing you would bring Penny. Her lot was cast the moment she stepped into the club tonight, I'm sorry. If you want, after its all over I can make it so she won’t even remember.” Tessa numbly shook her head and looked up at him.
“No, no I can’t do that to her. I won’t mess with her mind like that. It’ll be alright.” Harper smiled brightly.
“Absolutely.”
The ceremony was simple enough. Penny was last in line so they had to wait for the four couples ahead of them to finish. Penny cried quietly the whole time, her green eyes widening every time someone got bit and passed out. All the vampires seemed to be enjoying themselves, drinking their fill then rejoining the crowd to laugh with their immortal friends while their human snacks were dragged off into the back to rest till the end of the night.
Finally it was Tessa's turn.
Harper announced her name once more but she refused to meet his or Elijah’s gaze. She walked calmly to Penny whom she hugged tightly, a small forced smile on her face.
“Tessa, please don’t.” Penny's voice was quiet and strained, her face white as snow. Her heart was beating so loudly that Tessa could hear it clearly over the noise of the club. A small sob broke from her friend and Tessa almost started to cry.
“Trust me, Penny. I have it under control. Really I do.”
“You’ve been a vampire for like a week! You’re full of shit.”
“Penelope.” Tessa took her hand and kissed the inside Penny's wrist. “Trust me.” This time Penny didn’t say a word, looking away and refusing to watch. With a little sigh, Tessa felt her mouth fill with her needle sharp fangs. She ran her tongue over them before quickly biting the tip of her best friend’s index finger. Penny jumped and gave a little yelp, staring with wide eyes. Tessa gave a long pull at the small yet steady flow of blood before straightening and glancing over at Harper. “I’ve had enough.” His mouth dropped and Elijah started laughing in earnest, an arm over his middle. “What? You never stated any specifics on where to bite or how much to take. So I'm finished. Penny and I would like to leave now.” Elijah’s laughter grew louder and Harper's silence more pronounced. “And I’d like for Elijah to take us home.” She turned to look at him and his laughter slowly dropped away, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“What?” Harper took a step forward, glancing quickly
“Penelope!” The red head was at the very back of the line and she looked up sharply, tears pouring down her cheeks. Thin silver chains circled her wrists with the end held in Carter’s tight grip.
“Tessa, what the hell is going on? Help me, please!” Tessa turned and grabbed Harper's arm, his eyes sad as he stared at her.
“Harper, what the hell? Get Penny out of there now.” He drew her against his hard chest and she struggled, trying to pull away.
“Tessa, relax. Nothing is going to happen to Penelope, she’s for you. You don’t have to drain her, just a little drink.” She shook her head violently and he dragged her off into the corner of the bar, the crowd of vampires staring and whispering among themselves. “Tessa, stop. It has to be done. You have to tie yourself to the coven or they will never accept you and you don’t want that. Being an outlaw is hard and no one ever lives longer than a few years. They will hunt you down and I won’t be able to stop them.”
“Why, Harper?’ she sobbed, tears glistening in her dark eyes. “Why Penny? And why didn’t you warn me not to bring her? If I had known-“
“If you had known you never would have come and you had to be here. I promise you, nothing bad will happen to Penny. It isn’t like one little taste is going to kill or change her. She’ll just be a little dizzy and she’ll sleep extra well. I promise.” He drew her into another hug and this time she didn’t resist. “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you…but I had no way of knowing you would bring Penny. Her lot was cast the moment she stepped into the club tonight, I'm sorry. If you want, after its all over I can make it so she won’t even remember.” Tessa numbly shook her head and looked up at him.
“No, no I can’t do that to her. I won’t mess with her mind like that. It’ll be alright.” Harper smiled brightly.
“Absolutely.”
The ceremony was simple enough. Penny was last in line so they had to wait for the four couples ahead of them to finish. Penny cried quietly the whole time, her green eyes widening every time someone got bit and passed out. All the vampires seemed to be enjoying themselves, drinking their fill then rejoining the crowd to laugh with their immortal friends while their human snacks were dragged off into the back to rest till the end of the night.
Finally it was Tessa's turn.
Harper announced her name once more but she refused to meet his or Elijah’s gaze. She walked calmly to Penny whom she hugged tightly, a small forced smile on her face.
“Tessa, please don’t.” Penny's voice was quiet and strained, her face white as snow. Her heart was beating so loudly that Tessa could hear it clearly over the noise of the club. A small sob broke from her friend and Tessa almost started to cry.
“Trust me, Penny. I have it under control. Really I do.”
“You’ve been a vampire for like a week! You’re full of shit.”
“Penelope.” Tessa took her hand and kissed the inside Penny's wrist. “Trust me.” This time Penny didn’t say a word, looking away and refusing to watch. With a little sigh, Tessa felt her mouth fill with her needle sharp fangs. She ran her tongue over them before quickly biting the tip of her best friend’s index finger. Penny jumped and gave a little yelp, staring with wide eyes. Tessa gave a long pull at the small yet steady flow of blood before straightening and glancing over at Harper. “I’ve had enough.” His mouth dropped and Elijah started laughing in earnest, an arm over his middle. “What? You never stated any specifics on where to bite or how much to take. So I'm finished. Penny and I would like to leave now.” Elijah’s laughter grew louder and Harper's silence more pronounced. “And I’d like for Elijah to take us home.” She turned to look at him and his laughter slowly dropped away, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“What?” Harper took a step forward, glancing quickly
Similar Books
