Page 36 of Awakening the Dhampir

“I think so,” I replied, letting a smile slip.

“If you’re sure?” he asked again.

I swallowed hard. “Yeah. I’ll stay on my side.”

Kenrid smiled. I rushed to get beneath the blankets while he pulled the curtains closed and turned off the lights. A moment later, a wave of magic fell over me, and my ears popped.

“I’ve warded the room,” Kenrid said. “No one can get in or out. If you want to leave for anything, tell me first.”

I nodded and yawned again. Kenrid stepped around to his side of the bed and grabbed the edge of his shirt. I rolled over so I couldn’t see his bare skin. I already wanted a repeat of our kiss, but it’d be stupid to jump into a relationship right now.

Keep telling yourself that lie, my dhampir chided.

Shut up and go to sleep.

The mattress shifted with Kenrid’s weight, but true to his word, he stayed on his side. I fell asleep way faster than I thought I would and dreamed of the man next to me not staying on his side of the bed.

Chapter 14

Damon

My eyes popped open, and it took several moments for me to realize where I was and why. My arms tingled beneath the pillow I’d apparently been hugging. I probably hadn’t moved since I'd collapsed on the bed. How long had I been sleeping?

I rolled over and sat up, stretching my arms and wings. The clock on the nightstand said three o’clock. I couldn’t believe I’d been out for so long. We’d stopped at six yesterday evening. I’d barely made it to the room before I lost my human form and collapsed.

A trickle of unease had me off the bed and rushing for the door between the bedroom and living area. I hadn’t even stayed awake long enough to ensure Lorna and Kenrid made it to the room. Visions of Kenrid losing against an unknown foe, followed by Lorna’s death or worse, had my heart rate soaring. I couldn’t believe I’d abandoned my brother that way, leaving him to defend my mate on his own.

If something happened to either of them, I’d never forgive myself. The door swung open on quiet hinges. Even with the lack of light in the common area, I didn’t miss the two forms sleeping on the sofa bed. I let out a sigh of relief.

I shouldn’t have doubted Kenrid. Lorna was his just as much as mine. I moved farther into the room and looked down at the pair. The fae lay on his back with Lorna tucked into his side. Her head rested on his bare chest, and her fingers splayed over his stomach. As expected, his glamour was gone.

There was no hint of sex in the air. The fae were not shy about their sexual encounters. That Kenrid hadn’t ravished her was a little shocking. After the many waves of desire we suffered in the truck, Lorna surely would’ve accepted such an invitation.

A pair of emerald green eyes suddenly glowed in the dark, and I thought I saw a flicker of fear. Kenrid had no reason to fear me.

“Is she okay?” I whispered.

“Yes,” he replied, glancing down at our sleeping mate. “How are you?”

“Better. I won’t leave you in this position again, where you have to defend her alone,” I promised. “I should’ve insisted on stopping earlier yesterday.”

Kenrid nodded but didn’t argue with me. He knew I wouldn’t accept any excuse he tried to offer in my defense. It was irresponsible, and we both knew it.

“I picked up toothbrushes and stuff from the lobby,” Kenrid whispered. “There’s pizza in the mini-fridge if you want it.”

“If you two are going to chat, I’m going to the bedroom,” Lorna grumbled.

Kenrid and I both smiled. Mine was more a baring of my fangs, but her mere presence made my heart swell with something I’d not felt since well before she came into my life.

“I’ll take you,” I offered, bending down and scooping her up. “I’m not ready to get on the road yet, so there’s no reason for you to be awake.”

She squeaked with the unexpected movement but wrapped her arms around my neck instead of pushing me away. I carried her into the bedroom and tucked her underneath the blankets. She mumbled incoherently before falling back asleep. My heart swelled again, aching with each thump in my chest. I leaned over and brushed my lips against her jaw. I would treasure her forever and kill anyone who dared harm her.

I returned to the common area. Kenrid had already taken a box of pizza from the fridge. I nodded my thanks and retrieved a slice while he folded the bed back into a sofa so we could sit.

“You talk to Nathan?” I asked between bites, not bothering with manners. I was hungry.

“No, but Elliott said they found some interesting information in the boxes you took from Conrad’s estate,” Kenrid said. “He wouldn’t discuss the details, though. He also needed me to tell him to flip the laptop over to find the password to unlock it.”

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