About a Vampire by Lynsay Sands

time she was at least dressed.
    â€œWere you not dressed the last time you woke up in a strange bed?” Gia asked curiously. “That sounds an interesting story.”
    â€œYou have no idea,” Holly muttered, swinging her feet over the side and grimacing as she noted that while she was still wearing the black dress pants and the red blouse she’d donned that morning, or what she presumed was that morning, they were a complete and utter wrinkled mess.
    â€œI can help with that. Your clothes I mean,” Gia announced.
    Holly peered at the woman solemnly. Gia’s eyes were twinkling as if Holly had just said something amusing. Since she hadn’t, the expression was a bit unsettling.
    Repressing her amusement, the woman offered an apologetic expression. “My apologies. When I said that sounds an interesting story, you reacted by—­”
    â€œBy saying you have no idea,” Holly interrupted. “I know. I am awake, I promise.”
    â€œYes, you did, but you also thought of the last time you woke up in a strange bed,” she explained. “That was an interesting story, by the way,” she assured her with amusement and then mimicked in a deep voice, “ ‘You have won a lotto of sorts. The Bricker lotto.’ Yeesh, idiota .”
    Holly’s eyes narrowed. “Are you saying you can read my thoughts?”
    â€œOh yes,” Gia assured her. “For instance, right now you’re thinking, “Holy shit, Justin was telling the truth about immortals being able to read minds and stuff.” She nodded solemnly and assured her, “Yes, he was. You haven’t yet gained the ability and are new to our ways, but I assure you it’s a skill necessary to our survival. Although,” she added with a twinkle in her eyes, “I do understand your thinking me a rude bitch for reading you like this.”
    Holly slapped a dismayed hand over her own mouth. She never ever cursed. Well, okay, rarely ever. But she would definitely never call someone a bitch. Not out loud. She was constantly editing her thoughts when she spoke to avoid such things. Diplomacy and politeness had been drummed into her from the cradle. She couldn’t edit her thoughts, however. They just came as they were and yes she had thought Gia was rude to read her mind like that. Although she would deny the bitch part to her grave and hadn’t meant for her to hear that. “I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean—­”
    Gia waved off her apology with a laugh. “I’ve heard worse . . . and so will you once you learn to read minds. Mortals never guard their thoughts. They don’t realize anyone can hear them. They look at ­people and make snap judgments and have throwaway thoughts that could be terribly hurtful if you let them.” Expression growing solemn, she warned, “You will hear many unpleasant things from mortals once you start to be able to read minds. When you do, you have to try not to take them personally, at least from the ­people who do not know you.” She paused briefly and then added, “As for the ones who do know you . . .” Gia grimaced and then shrugged. “You will learn what they really think of you.” Reaching out, she patted her arm. “Even the ­people who love us occasionally have unpleasant thoughts about us. It can be very painful . . . which may be good. It makes it easier for many turns to break away from their families.”
    Holly frowned. She had no intention of breaking away from her family, and she really didn’t think they would have hurtful thoughts about her. She had very loving and supportive parents. They were tight-­knit; they’d had to be. All they’d had was each other while she was growing up.
    â€œSo you have never had an unpleasant thought about anyone you love?” Gia asked, raising her eyebrows. “You’ve never thought your mother was