Page 62 of Awakening the Dhampir

Damon chuckled. “Let’s make sure she knows it’s a cuddle night and let her decide where we go from there.”

The kettle whistled, and Damon poured boiling water over the teabags in each cup. I hadn’t even paid attention to what flavor of tea he’d selected. Then it dawned on me that there were only two cups, not three. I would’ve enjoyed a cup of tea after dealing with the Exiled all day.

I shook my head, not wanting to think about the nonsense I’d endured. I’d just wanted to move out of the mansion. They did everything they could to stop me, short of tying me up and locking me in my room.

“Here, take this to our mate.”

Damon handed me both cups. I raised an eyebrow at him, and he chuckled again.

“I don’t drink tea, Kenrid.”

I felt like a complete idiot. I knew so little about him. But if I would be sharing my mate with him on a regular basis, I really needed to change that. I also hoped I could have her to myself every once in a while. It was a selfish thought, though. Damon might never enjoy her without having me there.

“We’ve got a lot to talk about,” I said, taking the steaming mugs from him and heading back to Lorna.

“Yes, we do, Your Highness,” he said.

I stopped in the middle of the living room, barely resisting the urge to spin around and face the demon. My royalty status wasn’t a secret—all the fae knew—but no one had ever mentioned it to the clan. Nathan hadn’t known until I told him. He’d probably shared that information with Damon and Elliott. Neither of them treated me differently, which surprised me. Again.

Damon brushed by me without a backward glance, spurring me forward. I could hear the water running in Lorna’s attached bath, so I set her cup of tea on the nightstand. Damon crawled into the king-sized bed, his shoes disappearing before they hit the covers. By the time he sprawled out beneath the bedspread, he was only wearing a pair of boxer briefs.

I envied his ability to magically conjure clothes.

I kicked off my shoes but didn’t remove anything else. It was my night to do clan business with Nathan, so I’d only be staying until Lorna fell asleep. If Damon had his way, I’d be gone in the next half hour. The thought spurred a flare of jealousy. I would’ve loved to spend the night holding my soulmate, but it wouldn’t happen tonight.

Elliott was supposed to be back before midnight to make sure our little dhampir wasn’t alone and unsupervised with Damon. I briefly wondered if Elliott’s wolf would relent and let him sleep next to his mate—in the same bed as Damon. Or would the wolf force him to sleep on the sofa?

Lorna’s quick intake of breath drew me out of my thoughts. I gripped my warm mug with both hands and smiled. She gaped at Damon taking up half of her bed. He’d only pulled the blankets to his waist, leaving his chest bare for her. A grin spread across his face, and Lorna finally started moving.

The hem of her nightgown fell well short of her knees, giving me a very nice view of her long legs. I failed to force back my desire for her. I probably needed to quit trying. My longing for her would probably never go away.

When she reached her side of the bed, she picked up the cup of tea, sipping it without looking at either of us. Her eyes slid shut with another sip. I would’ve thought she was enjoying her hot beverage, but her eyebrows drew together in an almost painful expression. Was she arguing with her dhampir again?

“I don’t know how to do this,” she muttered. “How can this feel so right and so wrong at the same time?”

I glanced over her shoulder at Damon, knowing she was referring to him. I couldn’t blame her having mixed emotions about feeding on someone. Vampires had always disgusted me until I fled the fae realms. The thought of feeding off someone else made my stomach churn, not just because I was a vegetarian. I’d always seen vampires and dhampir as parasites. Technically, they were. But Nathan had proved that they were not much different from me.

“There is nothing wrong with who you are.” Damon sat up and moved closer to Lorna. “And everything about this is right.”

Lorna shifted on the bed so she could see Damon. “You’re not a meal to be devoured, Damon,” she insisted. “You’re my … my mate. My friend. I shouldn’t be treating you like a chocolate milkshake.”

Damon grinned, and Lorna’s face flushed. I suppressed a smile, knowing where each of their minds went, because mine traveled down the same path. I’d love to feel Lorna’s mouth on my cock just as much as I’d love to taste her. I crossed the room and took the mostly full cup from her hands. She didn’t resist.

“Your hesitation only proves how amazing you are,” I said, putting both our mugs on the nightstand. “We’ll help you find your place with us and make sure it’s not awkward for you.”

She shook her head and wrinkled her nose. “But you shouldn’t have to.”

“I want to,” Damon said. “Now lay down and get comfortable.”

Lorna glanced at me, her eyes pleading, but I had no idea what she needed. I slowly reached for her, giving her time to pull away. She didn’t, so I trailed a finger along her jaw, then leaned down and kissed her. It was meant to be gentle and reassuring, but she threaded her fingers into my hair, pulling me closer. Her tongue demanded entry, and it wasn’t like I’d deny her anything.

I leaned over her, letting my hands slide down her back. Her kiss became more demanding, and a tiny fang nicked my lip. My cock throbbed with need, and I nearly gave in to the urge to tear my clothes off and take her how I wanted. I reluctantly pulled back, loving the sting against my scalp when Lorna didn’t let go.

I smiled against her lips. “Let’s get you in bed.”

She growled but let her hands fall to her sides. I reached behind her and tugged the covers back. A few moments later, Damon pulled her against his chest. I watched with envy as she drew in a deep breath. I wanted her lips on my skin. I wanted her desire to flare for me and no one else.

I silenced the snarl trying to escape. Jealousy wouldn’t help any of us.

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