Page 78 of Claiming the Dhampir

Elliott kissed my forehead, pinched my butt, and headed for the kitchen. “I’m cooking. Who else is hungry?”

“I’m starving,” I said, making a point to not look at Damon, who still held me.

Are you okay? I asked Mir.

Weirdly enough, I’m not hungry at all. Not that I’d turn Damon down if he offered.

“And?” Damon asked.

I swear he could read my mind, damn it! “We’re fine.”

Damon released me and led me back to the table. “Nathan should be up soon, and we have a lot to talk about.”

As I took my seat, I studied Damon’s face. He didn’t seem upset or worried, so it couldn’t be bad news, right?

“Before Nathan shows his face,” Elliott said, leaning on the counter with a smirk on his face, “I want to see what kind of mark he left.”

I wasn’t sure if I should show them. Nathan was really self-conscious about it, but it wasn’t like I was going to hide my boobs from them. They would see it eventually.

I’d put on the same tank top from yesterday—I didn’t wear it long enough to get it dirty—so it was easy to pull the strap to the side and reveal all four marks on my chest. Elliott circled the table and stood behind Damon’s seat. Kenrid did the same from the other direction.

Their scrutiny had me blushing, so I focused on my marks. My connections to the guys I loved. The bold red of Nathan’s bleeding heart stood out on the top as the only one with vibrant color. Kenrid and Damon’s protection runes sat side by side right beneath it in shades of gray. Elliott’s howling wolf was centered just below them, creating a diamond-shaped ensemble.

I loved it, and I loved them for not frowning or wrinkling their noses, or any other negative response.

“I’m a little surprised that Nathan’s isn’t black,” Elliott finally said.

I jerked my head up, getting ready to tell him off, but his grin stopped me.

“I’m just teasing.” Elliott blew a kiss my way, then headed back to the kitchen. “It’s completely appropriate for his bleeding heart.”

Damon chuckled, and Kenrid shook his head. I fixed my shirt.

“I’m glad to have your approval, Elliott,” Nathan said.

I twisted in my seat with a great big smile for my vampire. His smile didn’t fade as he crossed the room. “I should’ve known you’d be here.”

Nathan leaned down, giving me a quick, passionate kiss that left me breathless.

“Did I hear you say there was more to talk about?” Nathan asked on his way to the refrigerator.

“Yes, but Kenrid should be the one to break the news,” Damon replied.

Kenrid took the seat next to me and laid his hand on my thigh. “Nearly a third of the Exiled fae have left,” he said. “I’m not sure where they went, but the council is gone as well.”

Nathan turned away from the refrigerator and looked at Kenrid with raised eyebrows. “What did the others say?”

“Most of them wouldn’t talk about it.” Kenrid sighed and gently squeezed my leg. I wondered if there was bad news about me. I slid my hand beneath his and laced our fingers together as he continued. “They asked me to come back to lead those who are left behind. I told them no. They need to find a way to govern themselves.”

“They didn’t tell you why the council left?” Nathan asked.

Kenrid looked at me then Nathan. “According to the fae I spoke with, Alyssa convinced them that Brance was behind it all and she was merely a victim of his deception. Those who left feared retaliation. Those who stayed knew nothing of Brance’s plans.”

Nathan put a glass of what I assumed was blood on a warming plate before giving Kenrid his full attention. “I understand your reluctance to be part of the governing body, but we will need someone to monitor them.”

Kenrid squeezed my fingers, and I realized where his nervousness was coming from. He’d already said he didn’t want to stay with the Exiled.

“I’m not asking you to go back to them, Kenrid,” Nathan said when Kenrid didn’t respond. “But it would be best if you helped them establish their new council. I’d like to assume that the remaining fae don’t want to go back to their home realm. Is it possible that everyone who wanted to find a way into Fairie left with Alyssa?”

---