Page 53 of Awakening the Dhampir

My face flushed again, and I leaned into his touch. I did not think he was a hotheaded asshole. Yes, he’d lost his cool at Kenrid’s place and attacked Damon. But he’d also talked my dhampir down from her ledge. It meant a lot to me that he’d willingly shared his own story. It seemed like he understood my relationship with my dhampir.

“I can probably do that,” I said, feeling my blush scald my ears.

Elliott’s hand fell to his side, and a smile tugged at his lips. “Great! I want to take you shopping in the morning. Then we’ll do lunch, and I’ll help you redecorate Damon’s space.” He waved his hand toward the living room. “It’s boring. We should add some bold colors and flashy curtains. Maybe even a ceramic elephant or two.” His grin widened, and I laughed.

I couldn’t tell if he was being serious or not, but seeing his smile replace the apprehension from just a few minutes before made me feel better. Until I thought about going shopping. We’d be spending his money, not mine. I’d be riding in his truck, not my Land Rover.

I sighed and stepped around Elliott. “Will I be able to access my bank account?” I asked, dropping onto Damon’s leather sofa.

Elliott started to sit on the cushion right next to me but stopped. “May I?”

I nodded, and he once again filled my personal space, almost like he couldn’t help it. Maybe he couldn’t? It was really sweet that he asked before crowding me, though.

“I haven’t talked to Nathan about where we go from here,” Elliott said. “Did Damon tell you about the video we found on Conrad’s computer?”

“Kenrid told me,” I replied, frowning. “He said we could use it to convince everyone that I wasn’t dhampir.”

I’d thought about that video at least a dozen times already. But going that route felt like I was betraying Mir. I’d be hiding who I was from everyone. Pretending to be something I wasn’t. Yes, I understood the consequences of not hiding, but it still felt wrong.

Mir didn’t argue, which only made me feel guilty.

“I sent the video to Jonah last night,” Elliott said, rubbing his hands on his thighs then clasping them together. Was he trying to keep from touching me? “It’ll take a couple days for the video to circulate, then we’ll introduce you to the clan. It’d be best to keep your identity. Damon already declared you as his mate, and the video will show you, Lorna Cross, denying a vampire. It’d be counterproductive to pretend you’re someone else.”

I sighed as the ache in my chest—for my parents and siblings, for the life I’d built and all I’d accomplished—eased. I’d hoped that would be his answer.

“You won’t be able to go back to your old job, though,” Elliott said, crushing a tiny portion of that relief.

“I kind of expected as much,” I said. “I just didn’t want to give up everything. Is there something I can do in the clan to earn my keep?”

“You know you don’t have to work, right?”

I did my best not to scowl at him. He didn’t have to depend on someone else to buy his toilet paper, so he couldn’t possibly understand.

“I need to work,” I said, perhaps a little too harshly. “I don’t want to rely on you guys for even my most basic needs.”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” he said with a small laugh. “We’ll talk to Nathan.” His warm palm covered my knee, and I looked over at him. He was grinning again. “So, shopping, lunch, and sight-seeing tomorrow?”

I smiled back. “Sure, but I’m putting a limit on how much of your money we spend.”

“Whatever.” He gently squeezed my leg, then hopped to his feet. “So, what are we rearranging first?”

His sudden enthusiasm was a little jarring but also contagious. Hadn’t I just wanted to move all the furniture in the bedroom? Yes!

I stood and felt a little sense of normalcy break through the chaos my life had become. “Let’s sort out the bedroom first.”

A devilish gleam flickered in Elliott’s eyes. “Normally, I’d jump all over that proposition, but I’m pretty sure you meant the furniture.”

Mir gave me another memory of Elliott’s chiseled chest, making a shiver run down my spine. I hadn’t meant to imply sex, but neither Elliott nor Mir got the message.

Not going there tonight, I hissed at my dhampir.

She laughed at me, because of course she did.

“Sorry,” I stammered. “I’d love your help.”

I skirted past Elliott, but I swore I felt his eyes following me all the way back to the bedroom.

“Why is your dresser in the middle of the room?” Elliott asked from right behind me. “Did you start renovations without me?”

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