Page 22 of Awakening the Dhampir

I glanced up and nearly smacked my forehead on his chin. He backed up an inch or two.

“Yeah, and we have things to sort out,” I said. “Don’t you and your wolf have conversations? I’ve seen the way your eyes change when he wants to be heard.”

Elliott smirked, and I nearly melted. His smile was almost as potent as Kenrid’s.

“I get emotions and instincts from him,” he said. “It’s probably a good thing he can’t talk. He’d be swearing at me all the damn time.”

“I guess I hadn’t considered it that way,” I said, biting my lower lip, something Mallory normally did. Hmm … Were my compartments that weak? I didn’t have the mental capacity to even consider the question. “Anyway, she and I need to sort stuff.”

Kenrid slid his hand into mine, and I looked at him. A tiny crease wrinkled his brow. He was worried about something. Probably me.

“Come back to us,” he said.

Why was he …

Oh, right. He’d seen me retreat into my mind to sort things a few times. He always worried that I’d get stuck there, but I was pretty sure I wouldn’t need to do that now. My dhampir wasn’t like the personas I’d created.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I promised. “I’ll even keep my eyes open, if that helps.”

He raised an eyebrow at me, and the little furrow disappeared. Good enough.

All right, answer the question, I said to my dhampir. She really needed a name. It felt insulting to just call her dhampir.

I’m in your head, silly fae, she taunted. I can see all your memories. You had a good childhood. Nothing like the stories Kenrid told of the other dhampir.

Yeah, I said, sadness blooming in my chest. I miss my family.

We’ll see them again.

The promise in her voice made my heart hurt.

How can you say that? I asked. We’ll be hiding from everyone for the rest of our life.

Not if we convince them that we’re not dangerous.

I considered her words, letting my gaze dance between the men surrounding me. Could we convince them? And if we convinced these four, what about the rest of the supernatural world?

I like your life, my dhampir said. I want to be part of your family. I want to feel their love the way you do. And I want to see Kenrid naked. Can you imagine how beautiful he is?

My face flushed. A wave of desire rolled through my body as I imagined—maybe my dhampir imagined—Kenrid’s bare chest and his naked …

“Are you okay?” Elliott asked, his voice a low rumble.

Heat ran up my neck and burned my ears. “I think I need some space,” I said, my own voice a little higher than I liked. “I’m cooking with you two so close.”

Elliott chuckled. “Care to share with the class what you two are whispering about?”

I refused to look at him. There was no way I was sharing. I shook my head and picked at the seam on my borrowed sweatpants.

We’ve already had a glimpse of the wolf, my dhampir purred, shoving the memory of Elliott’s bare chest at me. If the demon’s impressive upper body is any indication, the rest of him must be tantalizing.

Oh my God! Would you stop? I pleaded. We have to stay with these guys for the foreseeable future. I can’t be lusting after them. Neither can you.

I pulled my hand away from Kenrid’s and pressed both palms over my eyes. I knew my face was as red as a tomato. The aching need between my legs increased with each of my dhampir’s thoughts.

Silly little fae, do you not feel them lusting right back?

No! We could not have this discussion right now. This was one of those alone time discussions. Let’s go back to convincing everyone we’re normal, I said.

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