Chapter 37: A Bloody Extraction

“You’re a monster,” Lily cried, enjoying the flash of hurt in Gavin’s eyes. She cursed herself for being such a fool, for believing that Gavin was anything but the blood-thirsty animal that everyone insisted he was.

“I did you a favor," Gavin spat back, his grip tightening. "Don't you understand? You'd already lost them. The vampire slayer was too late. Once Alfonso infected you, they were dead to you. You would never have seen them again."

"I hate you," Lily shrieked, twisting her body to get away from him, but he held firm, his gaze unwavering. Lily, out of spite, met his gaze, her eyes burning with hatred.

"Don’t blame me for speaking the truth,” Gavin said. “I told you that I never lie.”

“He is telling the truth,” Penelope offered. “He’s a jerk, but he’s right about your parents. You wouldn’t have been allowed to stay with them. Past experience shows that, in the end, they wouldn’t have accepted you, no matter how much they loved you.”