PlotlumeOn the night of the full moon, my genetic surge hit. I was alone in the villa, desperately waiting for my vampire husband to come home and help me hold it down.
Instead, Caspian sent a voice message: "The Vampire Council suddenly summoned me. I have to go to Rome for two weeks."
I didn't beg. I bit down on my pillow to get through the worst of it.
Late that night, his first love, Annabelle, posted nine intimate photos on her feed.
In the photos, Caspian was drawing blood from his own arm to feed her. The background was a private hot spring estate at the foot of the Alps.
The caption read:
"All I have to do is say I'm dizzy from anemia, and some high and mighty vampire prince will cross half the globe to become my personal remedy."
My eyes went cold. I liked the post.
Less than ten seconds later, Caspian was calling.
His voice was full of panic he couldn't hide. "Aurora, listen to me. Next full moon, I'll stay by your side every second..."
I laughed out loud.
Next year?
We don't have a next year.
1
Two weeks later, the sound of rolling suitcase wheels scraped across the floor in the entryway.
Caspian pushed the door open and walked in, tugging at his tie.
I was sitting at the dining table, finishing the last sip of warm milk in my glass.
"Aurora, go get the blood-draw kit."
Caspian dropped his suitcase by the door and gave the order right away.
"I need seven ounces of warm wolf blood to take the edge off. I've been on a plane for over ten hours. I'm exhausted."
I stood up and carried my empty glass toward the kitchen.
"Did you hear me? I told you to go draw blood!"
I set the empty glass in the sink and refused flat out.
"No."
"What did you say?"
Caspian yanked off his coat and threw it over the arm of the sofa.
"Aurora, what's this tantrum now? Are you still hung up on what happened on the full moon?"
"Didn't I already explain? Annabelle fainted from anemia in the Alps, and I just happened to be passing by and saved her!"
"She's only been a vampire for a few years, and her body is as weak as paper. How could I just stand there and let her die?"
"As the wife of a vampire prince, can't you be a little more generous? Stop glaring at every little thing like some bitter, jealous wife!"
I turned on the faucet. Water rushed over the inside of the glass.
"Mm. Saving someone matters more. I understand."
I shut off the faucet, shook the water off my hands, and turned to face him.
"Is there anything else? If not, I'm going upstairs to tidy up the bedroom."
Caspian froze where he stood. The accusations he had prepared were stuck in his throat.
He stared at me for a few seconds, then dug around in his trench coat pocket for a long time.
He pulled out a plain, old-fashioned silver band and held it out to me.
"Fine, stop acting like you're the one who's been wronged."
"I picked this up for you in Europe as a full-moon apology gift. Take it."
I looked down at the silver ring in his hand.
The ring didn't even come with a box. Its surface was covered in scratches.
Pure silver gives off a sharp smell. Werewolves burn if they so much as touch it.
Only yesterday, Annabelle had posted a photo on Instagram of a blood-diamond necklace in a custom velvet box.
The caption said it was a gift Caspian had bought for her across half of Europe.
And I got a cheap knockoff from a street stall that would burn my skin.
"Thank you."
I pinched the silver ring between two fingers. A burning sting shot through my fingertips.
I turned and tossed it into a corner of the entryway cabinet.
"Aurora, what kind of attitude is that?"
Caspian rushed over and stepped in front of me, visibly furious.
"I bring you a gift out of goodwill, and you won't even put it on? You're brushing me off like this?"
"Since you accepted my apology gift, where's your full-moon gift for me? Hand it over right now!"
I pulled out my phone and opened the messaging app.
"You want a gift back? Fine. I'll give you one now."
I typed in $200 and hit send on the transfer.
"I sent you $200. Go buy yourself two bags of plasma at the hospital blood bank. That should be enough to top off your energy."
Caspian's phone pinged.
He looked down at the glaring $200 transfer on his screen, and his face instantly went dark.
"Two hundred dollars? Aurora, are you tipping me like a beggar?"
He raised his phone and roared at me.