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"Alh more pain?"

"No…" His eyes flashed "…just pleasure"

"Wha—"

His mouth was on my neck before I had a chance to utter any ainst the base of my throat

I bucked off the bed as a sweet sensation of euphoria washed over me

When he pulled back, his eyes were so bright green it hurt to stare directly at hi you"

"Yeah…" I ed to push the word past my stunned lips "It was"

He moved off the bed at epic speed and was already at the door when I blinked for a second time "Stephanie will be in to help you shower and dress We'll discuss your… duties… when you've regained soth"

"Wait!" I blurted

He paused at the door, his hands digging into the wood "Yes?"

"Am I still human?"

He burst out laughing and turned "Of course… still weak, still fragile, still very much… human"

"Oh…" I nodded,since I'd learned that a bite could turn you or worse, kill you "…that's good, right?"

"Depends on who you ask, I suppose" He shrugged and shut the door softly behind him

I was too tired to focus on what that cryptic sentence may have meant and didn't have time to mull it over like I typically would because Stephanie burst through that sa, "You lived!"

Did that ht I would die?

"Good for you" She nodded "Things are finally looking up!" She clapped her hands and dropped a set of clothes onto the nearby chair "Let's get you showered and looking your best so you can start producing little vampire babies"

I felt my stomach drop "Wh-what?"

"It was a joke" She winked "Well, the va better I'll have Alex in here a bit later to stabilize you and—"

"Stabilize me?" I repeated "What?"

"It's what he does" She nodded "He's a siren — irls feel calm when all they want to do is pull their hair out and scream I'd do it, but it only works on h It's like taking a Xanax, only it feels way better"

"I don't want to feel drugged," Iin places I didn't know even existed "I think right now I just want a shower"

Stephanie shifted on her feet "He didn't hurt you… did he?"

Well, my physical body was intact, butfelt wrong Like I should be happy, elated even, rather than depressed and rejected