Cynthia Leitich Smith - Blessed

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or, if real, are used fictitiously.

Copyright 2011 by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Cover photograph copyright 2011 by Elena Fantini
Cat Calls copyright 2009 by Cynthia Leitich Smith
First appeared in Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists, and Other Matters Odd and Magical, published by Candlewick Press.
Reprinted by permission of Curtis Brown, Ltd.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.

First electronic edition 2011

The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

Smith, Cynthia Leitich.
Blessed / Cynthia Leitich Smith. 1st ed.
p. cm.
Sequel to: Tantalize.
Summary: Even as teenaged Quincie Morris adjusts to her appetites as a neophyte vampire, she must clear her true love, the hybrid-werewolf Kieren, of murder charges; thwart the apocalyptic ambitions of Bradley Sanguini, the vampire-chef who blessed her; and keep her dead parents restaurant up and running before she loses her own soul.
ISBN 978-0-7636-4326-3 (hardcover)
[1. Supernatural Fiction. 2. Restaurants Fiction. 3. Vampires Fiction. 4. Werewolves Fiction. 5. Orphans Fiction. 6. Austin (Tex.) Fiction.]
I. Title.
PZ7.S64464Ble 2011
[Fic] dc22 2010038697

ISBN 978-0-7636-5448-1 (electronic)

Candlewick Press
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Somerville, Massachusetts 02144

visit us at www.candlewick.com

Have you damned me? I wondered, staring over my shoulder at the lanky devil in dark formal-wear. The one with honey cream sauce on his collar and blood on his tie, the one whod so newly remade me into the same kind of monster he was.

It was past 2 A.M . in the dining room of my familys Italian restaurant, and moments earlier, Id agreed to a fools bargain. To drink deeply from the throat of the boy lying beneath me, the boy I loved, on the condition that if I could wrench myself away before taking his life, the seductive fiend known as Bradley Sanguini would concede defeat, leave us in peace, and abandon Austin, Texas, forever.

Brad understood the thirst, the intoxication, far better than I did, and hed acted like I had no shot at it.

Lost in the salty red mist, the sweet satisfaction, for a few moments, Id feared he was right. But somehow Id torn myself from the blood, the bliss. And won.

Now Bradley gaped at me, slack-jawed in amazement, before recovering enough to offer a saucy wink. Baby, he said in a rumbling voice, I underestimated you.

His full lip curled, and the vampire chef turned away to slip through the crimson velvet drapes separating the dining room from the foyer. Seconds later, I heard the front door open and gently shut.

Good riddance. In that moment, I didnt give a damn whether the monster kept his word, whether that was the last Id see of him. It was enough that he was gone for now.

Then Kierens whispers drew my attention. Kieren Morales, my best friend and true love it sounded like he was praying. And why shouldnt he have been? He gleamed with sweat. His hands and neck had been savaged. It was a miracle that I hadnt killed him.

Hey, I whispered, lets get you cleaned up.

Youll have to move off me first. Offering a wry smile, he added, But only if you really want to.

Kieren never teased me that way, never dared to flirt another sign of a surreal night. Or maybe he was just too wrung out to self-censor what he was really thinking.

I blushed, suddenly hyperaware of my position, half straddled across him on the bench of a black leather booth.

Bracing myself with one hand on the table, I pushed off and then helped Kieren sit up. Most of his shirt seams had burst, the material falling from his shoulders in tattered wet ribbons. The top button of his jeans had come undone.

How much blood had he lost? A lot. Too much? I couldnt take him to the ER, and not only because a medical exam would out him as a human-werewolf hybrid.

Kieren was a prime suspect in a murder investigation, the result of a simple but effective frame job by Bradley that had drawn on human prejudices against shape-shifters.

Whats more, I couldnt call in Kierens Wolf mama, even though shed trained as a healer. As far as the Moraleses knew, their eldest had already ditched town en route to a Wolf pack that was supposed to protect him. Kieren wanted them to go on thinking just that.

Brads obsessed with you, he began. We cant expect him to just

Give up? I suppressed a sigh. Even if Brad didnt leave us alone, he still couldnt force me to love him. Maybe not. Okay, probably not. But I have supernatural power of my own now, and, Kieren, you cant watch over me forever. Brave words, especially since I wanted nothing more than for him to go on doing just that.

The front door opened, and we froze. The pastry team wouldnt arrive for hours, and besides, they used the kitchen entrance. I darted to the nearest wait station and snagged a steak knife.

Its all right, Quince, Kieren assured me. I recognize the scent

His pal Clyde stumbled in, flailing to extract himself from the heavy drapes. Clyde was a little guy, a sophomore with salt-and-pepper hair. He was also a wereopossum, from a long line somehow related to a giant Ice Age marsupial.

Put mildly, he had issues with my newly undead status.

Brandishing a battle-axe nearly half his size, Clyde took in Kierens bleeding neck, bleeding hands, and ragged clothing before turning toward me. Back, you demonic hussy! Step away from the Wolf!

I blinked at that. It was endearing, Clyde coming to Kierens defense. Usually when confronted with danger, the Opossum played dead.

I took a step forward. Easy now...

Baring tiny, sharp teeth, Clyde swung the blade my way, almost losing his balance. Back, you unholy

Enough! Kieren said. Can it, Clyde. Its Quince, got it? Shes still Quincie.

Clydes glare disputed him, even as it lingered on the bustline of my T-shirt. Oh, yeah? Was she still Quincie when she was sucking your blood like a Slurpee?

I let her bite me. With a grimace, Kieren stood, shaky in his black cowboy boots. We had our reasons. The rest of the damage, I did to myself. He raised his square jaw. I thought youd be halfway to Matamoros by now.

I, uh... Clyde broke eye contact. Your moms van is parked out back.

Kieren took a deep breath. Fine, you can wait for me there.

Clyde set the axe on a nearby table. Youve got three minutes, he said. Then Im calling your mom to drag your hairy ass out of here. I mean it, Morales.

A moment later, Kieren and I were alone again. Returning the steak knife to the wait station, I fought to wrap my mind around what was happening. Did Clyde say three minutes? Only three minutes?