Page 19 of Tempting the Dhampir

One by one, the ladies say their good nights and follow Edmond as he leads them to the east wing.

I grab one of Cece’s hands and pull her into the far corner of the room. “You okay?”

“Sure. It’s a lot of information, but everyone is trying their best to resolve it. You?”

I take a moment to think about it. “Yeah,” I say, taking a deep breath before continuing. “It’s definitely a lot, but I’m not getting bad vibes from anyone. I’m sure this will all blow over soon.”

Cece gives me a knowing smile. “You and Everett sure seemed to hit it off.”

“He’s so hot, isn’t he?” I whisper, fanning my face with my free hand.

“I think you two suit each other so well. I was watching you, and your chemistry is off the charts.” She emphasizes the last three words.

I give a closed-mouth squeal before I say, “Yeah, his banter is great. And he’s actually really nice.”

Cece’s eyes soften, her voice gentling as she says, “I could see that. Are you coming to bed?”

I look over at Everett, who has sprawled out on the couch—arms wrapped around the back, legs splayed arrogantly—looking way too relaxed for someone who has just been told he’s magically tied to a stranger for the foreseeable future. Yet, for some reason, I’m rather reluctant to move away from him.

Looking back at Cece, I say, “In a minute. You head up first.”

She squeezes my hand and gives me a wink. “See you soon, little sis. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

As she starts walking away, I call after her, “You’re only twenty-six and less than two years older than me. Don’t play the big sister card now.”

Cece’s laughter rings out, and she gives me a wave over her shoulder as she glides off toward the bedrooms.

Still smiling, I shift my gaze to Everett.

“So,” he drawls, one brow cocked and a smirk playing along the lines of his mouth, “your room or mine?”

Chapter ten

Everett

The look of utter indignation on Sadie’s face at my proposal is priceless. I obviously didn’t intend for us to room together, but she doesn’t need to know that. She’s just so fun to play with, and I can’t resist teasing her.

I would like to officially thank the fates for their masterful plotting.

“Pft, you’d be so lucky,” Sadie replies sarcastically.

“I can only hope,” I shoot back, and Sadie rolls her eyes at my forwardness, an indulgent smile pulling at her lips as she sits down next to me—keeping a respectful distance.

“Not to change the topic or anything”—she raises her eyebrows—“but I’m curious about how your magic rings work.” She points at the black-gold design on the index finger of my left hand.

I shift in my seat so I can face her more directly. Together we look down at the enchanted emerald at the center, glinting in the low light from the lamps scattered around the great room.

Spinning the ring with my thumb, I say, “Our glamour rings dull that sense of magic that monsters exude. They are imperative to our secrecy when living among humans. I can pass as human on an average day, even with these minor fangs that don’t retract, but most of the other guys can’t,” I explain, thinking of Jasper in his monster form and how frightened some people might be if they met him on the street like that.

Sadie reaches out and brushes a finger over the emerald. “Do you wear it daily?”

“Yeah. It’s just become a part of me now. It was gifted as a graduation present. We don’t have to wear anything while at school because the wards shield us from humans. The guys took theirs off on this trip since we thought the wards would hold here too.”

“Sorry, I guess?” Sadie says uncertainly, brows knitting.

I’m enjoying her company so much that when she tilts her head and scrunches her nose adorably, I shift in my seat again, readying myself for whatever question she’s formulating in her mind.

She surprises me when she says, “Before I go to bed, tell me, why do you all speak so formally all the time?”

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