Blood on Bourbon

9. Morning Interview

Blood on Bourbon

Chapter 9: Morning Interview

Erin Scott

I woke to the slide of silk against my skin, smooth and cool, wrapping me in a lavish bed that wasn’t mine. My eyes fluttered open, taking in the room—Victorian elegance in every detail: dark wood furniture, intricate gold filigree on the walls, and French doors leading to a balcony where morning light filtered through gauzy curtains. I was still in last night’s clothes, torn and stained, but my favorite boots sat neatly by the bed, laces coiled like they’d been placed with care. My head throbbed, and my mind raced, clawing through the fog of memory.

The mansion. The search for Mia. Duncan and Calum led me there, their presence igniting butterflies in my stomach even now. Then the pain hit—sharp and bitter—Mia’s blood, her screams, that pale bastard Laron sinking his teeth into her neck after I’d dared him like an i***t. “Vampires,” I whispered, the word trembling on my lips, my eyes wide with terror. What happened after that? Darkness. Nothing.

The oak door burst open, splintering my thoughts. Calum stormed in, his broad frame filling the space, Duncan trailing behind with his arms crossed, his dark eyes locked on me like a predator sizing up prey. My breath hitched, caught somewhere between fear and that damn pull I couldn’t shake.

Calum dropped onto the bed beside me, the mattress dipping under his weight. “My dear, I’m sorry you had to see that last night,” he said, his voice soft, laced with that Scottish burr that made everything sound too intimate.

“I’m not sure what I saw,” I snapped, my throat tight. “Why am I here? This isn’t my loft. Where’s Mia? Oh God, Mia!” Tears spilled hot and fast, a flood I couldn’t stop. Duncan leaned against the doorframe, his silence heavy. “We couldn’t help Mia,” he said finally, his tone clipped. “But we’ll get another chance. You were our priority. When you fainted, we had to get you to safety.”

“I fainted?” I asked, confusion tangling with my panic.

“Probably just shock, dear,” Calum said, inching closer. He reached out, his fingers brushing my cheek to wipe away tears, but I flinched, scrambling back against the headboard. His touch burned, too much, too familiar, and I hated it.

“Why do you keep acting like you know me?” I shouted, my voice cracking. “Where’s the wooden stake that was in your back, Calum? Where’s Mia? Where am I? What were you all talking about last night? What am I supposed to remember? I need answers now!”

Duncan grunted, a low sound that might’ve been amusement. “Settle down,” he said, his voice a rough command that sent a shiver down my spine. “I pulled the stake out for Calum—brothers do that for each other. The vampire from last night, Laron, holds a deep grudge against all three of us. He’s after revenge. When you and your friends rolled into the city, he seized his moment.”

“Okay, okay, vampire…” I swallowed hard, my head spinning. “And you two are…?”

Calum grinned, a flash of teeth. “Vampires.” He winked, playful despite the madness. Duncan rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed.

“You don’t know or remember because a witch cursed you,” Duncan said, matter-of-fact. “Turned you into a human, wiped your memories. She trapped me and Calum here in New Orleans while she kept you up in New York.”

I blinked, my mouth dry. “I was a vampire, but not anymore?”

“Well, yes...” Calum nodded, looking far too pleased that I was catching on.

“And this other vampire hates me so much he stole my innocent friend and turned her into a vampire?” I asked, my voice rising.

“Basically,” Calum confirmed.

“And a witch cursed me—and you two—for what reason?” I pressed, grasping for something solid.

Duncan shrugged, broad shoulders shifting under his shirt. “Let’s focus on the current state we’re in. We can rehash ancient history later.”

Calum scowled at him. “She deserves to know.”

“Too much information at once can be a bad thing, Calum,” Duncan shot back, his tone final.

“Whatever,” I snapped, tears still stinging my eyes. “What about Mia?”

“We’ve no right to get her,” Calum said, his voice softening. “Once she feeds—if she does—then we can talk to her. But keep in mind, she won’t be the same person you know. She can’t go back to her old life. She’ll be a vampire soon, if not already.”

The words sank in, heavy and cold. Mia—my Mia—was dead to the world we’d shared. Gone. A sob caught in my throat, but I choked it back. “I have to go tell the other girls at the loft,” I said, my voice small.

Duncan straightened, his frame filling the doorway. “Tell them what, exactly? That you’re 600 years old? That Mia’s a vampire? No, Erin, you won’t be talking to them. They left for the airport this morning anyway. They’re gone. I got your things from the loft last night, so you’d have something to wear.”

“And I went and bought you new clothes this morning,” Calum added, grinning again. “Because all your clothes are terrible.”

I stared at them, incredulous. “So I’m just supposed to stay here with you two and try to find Mia, even though she might not need or want our help?”

“Yes,” Duncan said, his tone brooking no argument. “Get up, get dressed, and come have breakfast.” He turned and left, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

I searched Calum’s eyes, desperate for something—anything—to make sense of this. All I found was a gleeful spark, his smile wide and unrepentant. “Am I related to you two?” I asked, grasping at straws, trying to piece this insanity together.

Calum burst out laughing, a rich, rolling sound. “No, lass. See you downstairs.” With a wink, he was gone, leaving me alone in the opulent room.

I stumbled to the adjacent bathroom, splashing cold water on my face, trying to wash away the nightmare that wouldn’t end. My reflection stared back—pale, hollow-eyed, a stranger to myself. I changed into a plain white tee and dark jeans from the pile Calum had left, the fabric crisp and unfamiliar. When I stepped out, the house unfurled around me—a grand, classic New Orleans beauty in the heart of the French Quarter. Lush plants spilled over stone balconies, iron railings twisted in elegant curves, and the decor screamed timeless wealth. What was this new world I’d stumbled into?

My boots clicked on the hardwood as I descended the stairs, my mind a storm of questions. Mia’s blank stare haunted me, Laron’s teeth in her neck, Duncan’s grip on my waist, Calum’s cryptic pleas. Vampires. Witches. A past I couldn’t touch. And me—human now, but not always. The air hummed with secrets, and I was drowning in them, tethered only by the two men waiting below—dangerous, infuriating, and impossibly tied to me. Whatever this was, it was just beginning.