Nancy had been fooling herself to think Kyle would react any other way. What she did- blood work, it was looked down on by society, even more than prostitution was. She presses her lips together, looking down.

Appetite now long-gone, Nancy reaches for her gin, taking a sip. No one had ever flat-out asked her if her self esteem was that low. No one had ever been angry when she told them. Mostly, it was disgust. Maybe that's what this was, too. Disgust with her for being so thoroughly used. Disgust with himself for being her friend in the first place.

Her chest felt empty.

"I'm sorry," she says, her voice quietly, both hands holding on to her glass. "It is different. I'm careful." She put a lot of trust in the vampires that tore into her veins. Very rarely did they betray that trust. If they did, there was a bottle of blood toxin in her purse at all times, along with her magic at the ready.

"It's what I've always done."