Amber

Over the next few weeks, I continued to work, and in my spare time I hung out with Sarah or Dan. Ever since she accepted that he probably wasn't going to murder me, they got along marginally better.

Dan had been exactly what I needed, a neutral party who I could talk to without constantly avoiding the truth of the world around me. The other humans around me were nice enough, of course, but I could never be forthcoming about who I really was and what I had experienced. Dan had his own loyalties, of course, but he seemed to enjoy being around me more than he cared to use me to gain favour with his queen.

I was happy—or maybe, I could have been happy—if only I could have gotten Alpha Devon out of my head. Unfortunately I seemed incapable of that little feat, so I quietly continued with a feeling of negativity like an anchor dragging me down.

One evening, Dan was sitting in our kitchen. Sarah was home and lazing around, so the two were snarking at each other as per usual when they were in speaking range. I was on the internet on my phone and mostly trying to ignore them.

"You know, Puppy, "Bloodsucker' isn't even a particularly creative insult. All the werewolves call us that when they're being all high and mighty. Shouldn't you try a little harder?"

"Okay, Parasite, anything for you."

"You're such a cute little pup."

"Don't look at me."

"Aw, why not? Are you starting to like me, Puppy?"

"Not in a million years."

"Well, of course not. You werewolves don't live much longer than humans. In a million years you'll be dust. But don't worry, I'll remember you fondly."

"I'll show you who's going to be dust."

I glared at both of them in turn. "Seriously, how old are you two?"

"Nineteen."

"Ninety-one."

"Then you're both old enough to be less annoying."

Sarah glared at the vampire across the counter from her with folded arms. "He's old enough to know better. I'm still pretty much a kid."

He shrugged. "I'm like a baby in vampire years."

"I think being a parasite stunted your mental growth." Sarah cast him a contemptuous glare.

"You know, I think you're right. I'll have to ask my sire if I've changed at all."

"Your family connections are frankly creepy. Someone gives you a bit of blood and suddenly they're family? Like, how do vampires pick their fledglings anyways?"

"Well, contrary to popular opinion, law-abiding vampires usually put a lot of time and effort into choosing who they're going to turn, except in emergency situations. Obviously we don't want to make too many because at a certain point overpopulation would make it too hard to hide our existence from the humans. Plus, it's never a good idea to hunt prey to extinction. So anyway, when a vampire finds a good candidate, they submit a request, and then there are a number of trials to ensure the vampire is a good fit, and..."

I always found Dan's explanations about vampirism to be interesting, because it was so much different than what I'd learned from the hunters. They way they told it, all vampires ran around constantly murdering victims and occasionally turning a favoured plaything with reckless abandon. And the only reason vampires weren't overrunning the human population was because of the dedication of the hunters.

"So, what about rebel vampires, then?" Sarah was curious in spite of herself.

"Well, I'm sure they do what they want, but if they get caught by the queen's forces, it's death at noon."

"Isn't it a problem if their numbers get too high?"

"Of course, but then of course someone always gets sloppy, so then queen's forces find a nest, and they take them out if they're not willing to reform and follow the rules. If the hunters don't get there first, of course."

"So, if vampires take care of their own problems, and werewolves do the same, what's even the point of the hunters?" Sarah asked darkly.

"Why, to protect and represent the weak and defenceless humans, of course," I said, sarcastically. They didn't do much to protect me though, and the more I witnessed the good in different worlds the more bitter it made me about my own past. It had not needed to be like that.

Dan shrugged. "Well, there are different creatures out there with smaller populations. I mean, the fae do their own thing and can be pretty wild, and what about the rarer things in the shadows? I've heard ghouls do some pretty dark stuff."

I shrugged. "As far as I know, the only thing the hunters I grew up with dealt with were werewolves and vampires. And one time there was a lot of boasting when some guy claimed he killed a werebear, but there was never any evidence of that. My family thought the guy was lying." Mr. Lyndon hadn't been impressed and had had a lot to say about the topic.

"Hmm," Dan made a noncommittal sound. "I've never met a werebear."

"Then of course they don't exist, if the almighty ancient parasite has never seen one," Sarah snarked.

"Well, Puppy, I am a lot—"

"Could the two of you please knock it off?" I asked again.

"You're getting more assertive," Dan commented.

"And cranky. What's bothering you?" Sarah asked, her attention also swivelling towards me. She cocked her head.

Oops. Maybe I had been better off when they were bickering. "I'm fine."

"Are you?" Dan asked.

"I hate when you do that," I muttered.

"When I do what?"

"When you do that thing where you respond to what I said with a question," I snapped.

Sarah's brow furrowed as she inspected me. "Are you okay, Amber?"

"I said I'm fine."

"You do look tired," Dan pointed out.

"I haven't been sleeping well, okay? Now could the two of you go back to fighting or something?"

"We're just worried about you," Sarah said.

I was so surprised that she referred to herself and Dan as any sort of 'we' I was caught off guard and said more than I intended. "I just can't get him out of my head, okay?"

Sarah gaped at me. "Him? You mean...?"

I glared at her. "Don't you go running to him and telling him anything. It's just dreams and it means nothing."

She looked indignant. "The only thing I ever tell him is that you're happy, safe, and that we're doing fine here."

Dan was looking at me with that annoying calculating gleam that was becoming so familiar to me. "Are you getting ready to take me up on my offer?"

"Your offer?" Sarah was quick to ask.

I shot him a dirty look.

He shrugged at Sarah. She looked at me.

"Fine. He said he'd take me back to see Alpha Devon. If I ever decide to go."

Sarah was looking at Dan in a whole new light. He looked back innocently. "What? People who give in to it seem a whole lot happier in the long run. I don't know why you immediately assumed I have some sort of malice towards Amber, Puppy."

She crossed her arms. "Well, maybe I wasn't entirely fair. But I just wanted to keep Amber safe."

"Amber can keep herself safe," I pointed out, annoyed.

"As well as any regular human," Dan added, nodding.

I cast him a dirty look. "Thanks for the support."

He ignored my obvious tone. "You're welcome. I call it as I see it."

Sarah sighed dramatically at Dan, and then looked back at me. "So, are you going to go?"

"No."

Dan cocked an eyebrow. "Why not? You're obviously missing him."

"I'm not."

"You are. I can see right through you. You're as translucent as amber."

"Ah ha ha. How long have you been waiting to say that?" I asked.

"A while." He grinned. "But seriously, what would going back hurt?"

"It would get his hopes up." And I might get sucked deeper into the mate bond. I didn't want that. It was bad enough while we were so far apart.

He shrugged. "It's your choice."

"I know." Although it seemed like some impersonal force was coercing me constantly in one direction. I sighed. "Fine. I'll go."

Sarah gaped at me and a wide smile spread across her face.

"Don't you dare tell him. I don't want him getting all worked up." I wanted to see his reaction. Would he be disgruntled like he was when he first found me, or would he be happy to see me?

She nodded vigorously. "I swear I won't."

"And...it's only for a visit." I frowned.

"That's great." Sarah was doing her best to keep her face neutral, but she was brimming with excitement.

"And Dan is coming, since this was his bright idea. I can go on the weekend since I've got three days off. Will there be a problem with a vampire coming to the pack?"

Sarah shook her head. "Devon'll let anything you do slide, one vampire is nothing. Eek! We're going home."

I didn't even bother to correct her. It wasn't my home, but I was glad she was happy.