Blood & Tears (Jane #3) Read Online Free Page A

time."
    She got quiet for a moment, her
fingers loosening their grip on mine a bit. "The last time he came,
though, we didn't really talk. He was only here for two days and he
spent most of the time with Joe. I wanted to talk to him so badly,
but he was too busy. And then he married you and never came
back."
    The last held no accusation, no
anger. It was pure, unadulterated defeat. She felt she had lost the
game and it was no one's fault but her own. No tears streaked her
face, but I could tell that she had cried plenty over Steven, and
not just for his death.
    "I'm sorry," I
whispered.
    The gasp that escaped her lips
almost made me grin. She had completely forgotten who she was
talking to. Shaking her head, she removed her hands from mine and
placed them in her lap. "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. It's
mine. I grew too attached. I do that a lot."
    I reached down and took her hand
back. "It's not your fault. We all do it. I've had my share of
unrequited loves, too. Not that your love was misguided. If I
hadn't come into the picture, who knows what would have happened
with you and Steven."
    There was another awkward silence
between us, but it wasn't as loaded and uncomfortable as they had
been before. A barrier had been broken down and I could feel the
trickle of friendship making its way through. I decided to risk it
and ask her something very personal.
    "How did you end up here? And in
charge of the dormitory, no less?"
    Her soft locks bounced as she
raised her head and smiled at me. "Funny story, really. I used to
live in Texas a few decades ago. I—"
    I held up a hand. "Wait a minute.
A few decades? You don't look more than twenty-five, and you're not
a vampire. I've seen you leave during the day."
    She grinned, her smile stretching
literally from ear to ear. I'd never see such an expression on her
face, but it was such a look of pure joy that at that very moment I
made it my life's mission to see that she smiled a true,
unencumbered smile as much as possible. "Let me finish,
silly."
    I held up my hands again, but this
time in surrender. "Alright, it's your story. Please,
continue."
    "So," she said as she scooted
around on the floor, getting more comfortable. "I was in Texas,
going to college. I've always been really shy, so I didn't go out
much at night. But one night, Dr. Zhivago was playing at the
theater, so I went. It's always been one of my favorite books, and
I adore the movies, too. It was dark outside when it finished. I
took the long way home so I didn't have to walk through any of the
alleys that were so scary at night." She laughed a little, bitter
laugh. "Didn't do me much good, I guess. I was almost home when I
was attacked. I don't remember much about it. I know there were two
or three men, but I don't know what they did. I don't think I want
to know. All I remember is waking up on the ground. My clothes were
torn. I couldn't move. I knew I was dying. I could feel my heart
failing and I couldn't breathe well enough for it to do any good. I
saw a shadow beside me and felt a hand on my cheek before I passed
out again.
    "When I woke up, I was home again.
The sun was shining on my face from the curtain my mom had opened
and I felt like it was all a bad dream. I had a few bruises and my
muscles were sore, but nothing major seemed to be wrong, so I had
breakfast with my parents as usual and went to school.
    I was sitting in my room that
night when Victoria showed up at my window. She told me what
happened—that I'd been beaten almost to death, that my neck had
been broken and my lungs were pierced, that she was a vampire and
had given me her blood. I didn't believe her. Why would I? I didn't
feel like a vampire. I felt fine. I had been out in the sun and
though I did start to burn quicker than normal, it wasn't anything
extreme. So I told her to leave and she did.
    "Weeks went by and I noticed
little things that seemed different. I could hear better, see
better. I was stronger. The sun seemed brighter and