Recover: Book 2 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

50: The Dangers of Deceit

The fog hung low in the air as we forwarded out the next morning, car packed and ready to head to the stop of all stops: Donegal. But even if the sky was dreary, the green rolling hills were a spectacle to see, glistening in the sunbeams that struggled to shine through the misty air.

We had a place booked right by the castle ruins for a whole week in case it took a while to figure out how the activation works. I just hoped it was enough time... Figuring out magic without a handbook was more than difficult.

But as I threw the final bag into the boot of the car—Ben still inside doing a final sweep of the place for any missed belongings—I couldn't help but keep stealing glances at her exposed collarbone. A new, large bruise adorned her skin. And either Ben had resorted to violence in the wake of their fight or... they had already made up.

Based on the lovey dovey looks they were sharing, I already knew it was the latter.

"What?" Ollie demanded after the millionth glare I shot at her neck.

"You didn't take long to forgive him," I grumbled, as though she owed me anything. As though she owed us anything...

She started tying her scarf around her neck as her cheeks flushed crimson. "He apologised," she mumbled.

"How's he going to learn?" I snapped at her. She always knew how to hold her ground on a silent treatment with me. Like that time Ben called... before we made up and she took my towel off...

Lukas! Don't go there, my mind warned.

"He said he's going to do better," Ollie said, avoiding eye contact with me as though she too didn't believe his promise.

Scoffing at her and knowing if I continued to stand there talking I would say something I regret, I walked away from her, climbing into the passenger seat and slamming the door shut.

· · ───── ∘☽༓☾∘ ───── · ·

As I washed the dishes after dinner while Jayce, Ben, and Ollie forwarded off for showers and the retreat of their quiet bedrooms, Erica quietly approached me in the kitchen.

"Hungry?" she asked me.

Brows furrowing, I looked down to the dishes I was currently washing with remnants of our meals still intact. "No?" I said.

"I mean for blood," she said.

I shook my head. "I'm fine."

"Lukas," she said. "It's been three days since your last feed."

"I'm fine."

"Don't starve yourself. That will make it worse."

Sighing, I dropped the plate I was scrubbing in the sink, wiping my hands before I turned to her. "Come with me," I whispered. 

Grabbing her hand, I pulledher out onto the balcony, away from the others who may be listening in. 

With the door closed behind us and the frigid air our only eavesdropper, I said, "I know what you saw that night concerned you, but I assure you it was a one-off thing."

"One-off things lead to two-off. I know you've been really agitated lately, and I can't have you have a death on your hands, Lukas. It would destroy you and—"

I cut her off with a held up hand. Little did she know, I already had multiple deaths on my hands destroying me. Anja being the one I still carried in my heart. "Ben is feeding from Ollie these days. So I'm going to feed from the animals."

"But—"

I held my hand up again. "You said only one vampire can terrorise livestock. Considering Ben isn't, I will."