Page 18 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Three

Even though Bran has the influence and the self-assurance to be a leader, I get the distinct impression he never wanted to bother with it, almost as if the responsibility was beneath him.

But I guess being a co-leader is better than a sole one, as much as I liked the idea of him having his own house.

Maybe that was my own selfishness, wanting to desperately get away from vampires like Sky. She’s going to make my life miserable here. As much as Bran promises to shield me and protect me, he can’t be with me at all times.

I guess I better learn to deal with it.

Pins hang from the corner of Kelly’s mouth as she works her way around the bun. When she plucks one from between her teeth and sinks it into my hair, I notice a new ring shining on her pointer finger. It’s thin with a low profile but it’s encrusted with several tiny diamonds.

Kelly has always loved her nice things, but I’ve never seen this piece of jewelry before.

“Where’d you get the new ring?”

Her face immediately pinks and I think I have my answer.

“Damien?”

She keeps working at my hair. Damien must know my sister well if he’s gifting her shiny objects. It’s literally the interstate to her heart. “If he’s giving you gifts, that must be a good sign.”

She snorts and then talks around the pins still hanging in her mouth. “Damien is literally a billionaire. This is like pocket change for him.”

“Are you exaggerating?”

She shakes her head. “Bran is too, I’m sure.”

“How—”

“They’ve been around a long time and they are both incredibly smart.”

I knew they were rich, but that rich? Duval House is elegant and luxurious and huge, but the brothers don’t act like billionaires.

“Well, regardless of the cost, it’s still a gift.”

Kelly sighs. “It’s just another way for him to mark me as his. Damien has always been extremely possessive. And I maybe—”

She frowns at my hair, but I think she’s lost in thought.

“You what?”

She sets the pins on the vanity and they plink against the marble. “Sometimes I push him too far just so he’ll show it. I get a perverse sort of satisfaction when he acts all possessive like that. And then we’re both pissed off and obsessive and then when we end up in bed—” She meets my gaze, reading my thirst for more. “No. Stop it,” she says.

I pretend to be innocent. “So tell me, how long has it been since you’ve ended up in his bed?”

She whacks me on the arm.

“Hey! I could use a distraction and your screwed up love life is exactly what I need. Please.”

Folding her arms over her middle, she leans into the vanity. The color of her cheeks flushes a deeper shade of scarlet.

“Kelly?” I coax.

“Okay, fine. While you were gone.” The smile that spreads on her face nearly swallows her up.

“Ohhhh, ohhh, sister. Okay. Okay. I thought you were going to say like a few months ago or something or… You have to tell me. Tell me what it was like.” Bran is in the main house with Damien as far as I know, so he can’t scold me for asking about our siblings’ sex life. And I really want to know.

“Damien and I…when we’re…” She winces and trails off.

I think it’s adorable that my sister is having a hard time getting the dirty details out. Come to think of it, she’s never really divulged this kind of thing to me. For a very long time, she’s been more parent than sister.

---