Page 105 of Waltzing With Witches

Abe drops a soft kiss with the slightest hint of teeth on my shoulder. “I know,” he murmurs into my skin, trailing those teeth up the side of my neck.

When I shudder, Betmal chuckles. “Well, I’m staying at the Annabelle, but I’d love to catch up soon. And I’d love to know if you’ve spoken to your mother about your resignation. Something tells me she doesn’t yet know.”

Abe wraps both arms around my waist and pulls me to his chest. “I updated her on the Wesley situation this morning, but I’m saving that particular call for after dinner. I thought Morgan might enjoy delivering the news with me.”

Betmal’s dark eyes flash conspiratorially. “You are absolutely wicked. I love it. Evenia will lose her mind.”

“Would you like to come to lunch with us?” I blurt out without thinking.

Shit, what am I doing?! This was supposed to be a romantic celebration, I imagine.

“I couldn’t possibly,” Betmal says with a shake of the head.

“Please do,” Abe rumbles. “Morgan and I will celebrate privately afterward.”

Oh, sweet Jesus. Something about the way he said that has me rubbing my ass a little harder against his front.

Betmal inclines his head and gestures up the hall. “After you, my sweets.”

And somehow, in that moment, I don’t mind that Abe’s father has a nickname for us. Because finally—finally—things are going my way.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

ABE

Is what I feel happiness? It can’t be. Happy doesn’t begin to describe my current sentiment. It’s not warmth and sunshine and joy. It’s something deeper, something laced with darkness and inlaid with sunlight.

As Morgan, my father, and I stride down Main toward Herschel’s Fine Dining, I ponder the events of the last day.

I’m free. We’re free. The weight of responsibility and my illness was so heavy, so brutal, I didn’t realize how truly terrible they were until they were gone.

But now? The future is bright.

Herschel himself holds the door open for us, a grin on his big face. His smile falls only slightly when he sees Betmal. But if Father stays in town for a few days, he’ll win everyone over. He’s always at his most charming without Evenia and Aberen around.

In all truthfulness, I’m certain there was never any love between the three of them. At least not for Betmal. He shared some of their story once. Now, I find myself wondering if he could formally split from them and perhaps find a mate who would appreciate him for all his gifts.

As Herschel leads us to our table, I grab his elbow. “Please get started with Betmal. I need a moment with my mate.”

He inclines his head. “Of course, Keep—err, Abemet. My pleasure.”

That’ll take some getting used to. But the Keeper title belongs firmly to Arkan now, and I can’t imagine a better male for it. I’ve watched him over the last week. He’s good, kind with the Evertons in a way I wasn’t capable of being.

I grab Morgan’s wrist and pull her into the dark entryway inside the front doors. When I press her to the wall and bring my thumb to her lips, she sucks softly on the pad.

“I wanted a moment with you,” I admit, leaning down to breathe in her scent. Moonlight. Whiskey. Cherries. “You smell delicious.”

Morgan’s throaty laughter rumbles against my lips. “Know what I thought of?”

I press a kiss to the hollow at the base of her neck. “Tell me.”

“You can bite me now,” she whispers. “We don’t have to worry about that anymore.” She presses her hands to my chest, her black magic warming my skin through my tee. “It’s gone, Abe, for real.”

Heat spears through me, my fangs elongating as I drag my lips to the side of her neck and give her a playful nip.

“Oh, Christ!” she grunts. “So hot.”

I bite softly, then a little harder, letting venom fill my fangs for the first time in decades. My dick is a steel rod between us as I infuse the slightest bit of venom into the bite.

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