Page 135 of Fangs and Fudge

“Come on.”

She grabbed my arm before I made it to the door and tipped my face so she could see my neck.

“Fucking MC. The bruise on this one is heavy.” She touched the spot right where Cross had kissed me. “It’s still bleeding a little too. Let’s get a Band-Aid.”

I followed her to the bathroom and let her put a round smiley face Band-Aid on it.

“Who knew Shepard had a sense of humor?” she said with a laugh.

“Pretty sure these aren’t for him.”

We left the bathroom and found Shepard at the door. He watched me as we approached, and I saw his nostrils flare.

“He was here?” he asked.

“Yep,” Vena said. “He seems to have a thing for waking Everly.”

Shepard’s jaw muscle ticced as he looked at me. I held up my hands in surrender. “I didn’t invite him, and I told him he shouldn’t be here as soon as I woke up and saw him.”

Shepard let out a long breath and came to me. His fingers slid along the back of my neck up into my hair.

“Everly, it’s not a question of whether you invited him but if you wanted him here.”

“Wanted him here? A vampire in a place filled with werewolves who have the sole purpose of killing vampires? I don’t hate him, Shepard.”

“I know you don’t. I’m just trying to figure out how much you like him.”

“So am I,” I said, knowing that wasn’t the answer he wanted from me.

“And what about me?” he asked. “Do you know how much you like me?”

“Still trying to figure that out, too,” I said.

“Everly’s not stupid,” Vena said from behind me. “She knows you and Cross are having a not-so-subtle pissing contest when it comes to winning her affection. If you were her, would you be ready to hand over your heart when you’re not even sure if the person trying to win it is after it because they like you or because they’re just trying to piss off the person they hate?”

I watched Shepard close his eyes for a moment. He nodded, released me, and looked at me again.

“I understand. For the record, I don’t like you because Cross does. I’ve liked you since the moment you walked through Blur’s doors and asked for a job. I just never thought you’d be open to a relationship with an otherworlder.”

He glanced at the window. “We should hurry if you want to make the meeting.”

Vena and I followed him out the door.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

We arrived at a large cafeteria with food stationed on one end. About fifty men, and a few women, congregated at the many round tables as they waited for the meeting. After a long shift last night and the bloody battle after, I craved carbs, protein, and a ton of sugar. However, I noticed that no one was touching the food yet.

Lisa placed pastries on the food table next to a fruit salad, and my stomach growled.

“We’ll eat after,” Shepard said.

Had he heard my stomach? Probably.

Leading us to a four-top table closest to the food, he said, “Have a seat. This will be over soon.”

I watched as he headed to the opposite side where a small platform was situated.

Anchor detached from a nearby group and joined us at the table. As soon as he sat, Vena scooted her chair over to be closer to him.

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