Oops, My Vampire Ex Wants a Do-Over!

The sedatives pulled me under, and I drifted off. I’m not sure how long I was out, but someone was holding my hand when I woke up.

Lucian sat in the chair beside me, scowling at the blackened veins snaking up my arm. “You should’ve told me you were hurt instead of sulking. How did you even get this injured?”

Seriously? Out of everything he could say, he made it sound like I went out looking for trouble. Me? Sulking? Unbelievable.

I yanked my hand away and turned my head, refusing to look at him. I risked everything to be with him, and somehow, he made me feel pathetic about it.

If he hadn’t stood me up yesterday, leaving me waiting in the square for hours, maybe those hunters wouldn’t have had the chance to tear me apart.

Lucian sighed. “Look, I’m sorry I couldn’t show up. I had a lot to deal with. If I could turn back time, I would’ve flown to save you.”

He sounded genuinely regretful, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. This was his pattern—pulling me close only to push me away again.

I never expected him to be the kind of guy who’d neglect his lover and then try to make it right with sweet words. Maybe, deep down, I always knew, but I was too stubborn to admit it.

When I didn’t respond, he sighed again. “Does it hurt a lot?” he asked.

A long silence hung between us before I finally answered, cold as ice, “It doesn’t.”

The door suddenly swung open, and I recognized her by her scent alone.

“Lucian, we can’t keep the elders waiting. We have to go now.”

Elsie glided in, looking so enchanting that if I didn’t know better, I’d have sworn she was an elf.

“Oh!” Elsie gasped when our eyes met. “You’re awake.”

Her expression quickly shifted to one of concern. “Sera, how careless can you be? Do you have any idea how worried Lucian was? He searched for you frantically for hours.”

“That’s enough, Elsie. We’re leaving,” Lucian interrupted, standing up.

Elsie’s smile returned as she looked at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes. When she glanced back at me, her gaze was ice-cold, brimming with that deep-seated hatred she always had for me.

Lucian gave me one last look. “We’re not done talking. I’ll be back later.”

I nodded, watching as Elsie threw me a smug smile before following him out.

I sat up, mulling over my choices. Part of me wanted to call him back, but what would that change anything?

In the end, I stayed silent, watching the door close behind them. I decided to wait for his return. Well, I should’ve known better.

Lucian never came back during the three days I spent at the clinic.

On the day of my discharge, Kris picked me up. I didn’t want to risk going back to my apartment, so I crashed at her place and tagged along with her to work for a few days.

“Girl! I get it. He’s a great catch. But you seriously need to move on from that red flag,” Kris said as we prepped the bar for the night. She couldn’t take my brooding any longer and made me spill.

“There are plenty of good vamps out there. Romance doesn’t mean you have to end up with a pureblood,” Kris added, her tone matter-of-fact.

I tossed the rag onto the table and faced her. She gave me that knowing look, and I had to admit, she made a lot of sense.

“You’re right,” I sighed, picking up a glass to wipe. “I should’ve bailed before I let myself sink this low.”

It wasn’t like I hadn’t thought about it before. I had. But I was too greedy, too hopeful to pull back when I first saw the warning signs.

Kris paused restocking the drinks and came over, giving me a comforting pat on the back. “We know it’s gonna be tough, but it’s better to do it now than later.”

I took a deep breath, memories of our good times flashing through my mind. Yes, we were happy, but that wasn’t our reality. A half-breed like me could never be his eternal mate.

“Tell you what,” Kris said, trying to lift my spirits. “A little birdie told me there’s gonna be a blowout party here this weekend. I can ask some friends to hook you up.”

I was about to respond when I felt my blood freeze. I looked up, and there he was—the devil himself, locking eyes with me.

Did he hear?