Page 65 of Wounded Soul
“Yes, I’m a nurse.”
“A nurse?” He looked a mixture of shocked and amazed. “But isn’t it...? Aren’t you tempted to...?”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Eat my patients?”
“Well... yeah. I mean, there must be so much blood...” He licked his lips, then looked horrified at himself.
Lys took pity on him. “I’ve been a vampire for a long time, Ian. As long as I feed regularly, I’m not tempted to eat anyone I’m treating, no. Just like Jesse here isn’t tempted to snack on any of the homeless people he sometimes helps cook for on a Tuesday night.”
Ian turned his surprised stare on Jesse.
“A story for another time.”
“Yes, quite.” Lys leant back on her hands. “Right now you need to explain to me how the hell this happened.”
There was no getting out of it, and besides, Jesse wanted to tell her. Lys was his best friend; he loved and trusted her above anyone else. He was going to need her help.
So he told her everything, and Ian sat and listened to it all for a second time.
Jesse wondered if it was any easier to hear this time around.
“THAT BASTARD,” Lys spat. “I knew he had a special dislike for anyone you showed an interest in, but I never thought he’d go this far.” She put her hand on Ian’s ankle, and Jesse swallowed the possessiveness that welled up inside him. “I know this life isn’t something you wanted, Ian, nor did you ask for it. But I know Jesse, and please believe me when I say he would never have set out to do this.” She didn’t look at Jesse as she spoke, but he felt her love and her strength despite her being angry at him. “And I’m not quite sure what’s going to happen, but we’ll both be here to help you through it.”
“Thanks. I think.” Ian licked his lips.
Jesse had notice him doing it while he’d been talking, getting more frequent. He’d started to fidget too.
Another sure sign.
Ian was hungry.
“Lys—”
“I know.” She stood, glancing towards the door. “I’ve not fed yet, so it makes sense for me to go. I have a good excuse to be in the kitchen if I run into anyone.”
“Thank you.” Jesse’s shoulders sagged in relief. He didn’t want to leave Ian for even a second. Which was going to become a problem at some point, but he refused to think about that now. “Watch out for Peter. He’s gone to find Michael and Simon to make sure they all have their stories straight.”
“You know he’s going to try something, don’t you?”
“I know.”
Lys shot Ian an apologetic look. “I don’t mean to make you even more anxious than you must already be, but we need to be prepared. Peter only has his own best interests at heart. Ian is a threat he can’t afford.” She stood and smoothed out her jeans. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”
The door clicked shut behind her, and Jesse hurried to lock it again.
“How come she has a key to your room?” Ian asked, expression curious. “Are you and she...?”
It took Jesse a second to realise what he was getting at. “What? No. No way.”
“Thank fuck.” Ian gestured towards the door. “I really don’t fancy getting on her bad side.”
Jesse smirked. “It’s not pleasant.” For a moment he’d thought, hoped maybe, that Ian might’ve been jealous, and wanted to kick himself. Ian’s world had been turned upside down, most of it due to Jesse. He was lucky Ian hadn’t tried to rip his throat out. “But you’re safe. It’s me she’s angry at.”
Ian smiled, and Jesse remembered having that look sent his way when the only thing on their minds was sex. “No, she’s a bit pissed off with you, but she’s furious at Peter.”
“That’s true,” Jesse conceded and hoped Lys didn’t run into Peter on her way to get more blood. Nothing good would come from that encounter, not when her anger was still so raw. Lys had been killed and changed without her consent, not an uncommon occurrence back then, but she’d held on to her resentment all these years. She never mentioned the vampire who’d sired her, but Jesse had always presumed he’d paid for it. She’d never approved of changing people against their will, even before they made the agreement with the VLCD, and Jesse was so fucking thankful she’d believed him when he said he’d never meant to turn Ian. He wouldn’t survive without her friendship.
“What about you?” Jesse forced himself to ask, even though he didn’t particularly want to know the answer. “Anyone going to be missing you tonight or tomorrow?”
