Page 19 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Three

But maybe that can change now.

“Go on.” I lean forward.

“When he lets go, and I let go—

“Yes.”

“It’s—” Her eyes sink closed and her entire body shivers. “It’s consuming. Mind-blowing.” She lets out a breathy sigh and then, “Okay, listen. I have to tell you this because I have to tell someone. But promise me you won’t freak out.”

A secret. YES.

“I promise.”

“Sometimes he’ll tie me to the bed.”

I know the shock must register on my face because Kelly pulls back. “Is that weird? I shouldn’t have told you. Am I crazy for letting him do that?”

“Um, no. Not at all. Do you like it?”

“Yes.” She tilts her head, looks at the floor, her eyes wide, maybe revisiting their last encounter. “I like it a lot.”

I feel like I’m relearning who my sister is. How is it that you can live with someone in the same house and yet barely know them? “Then it’s not crazy,” I say. “You like what you like. As long as you’re safe.”

She nods. “Before him, I had never done anything like that. Like my sex life had been so vanilla until Damien and I didn’t know it could be that way. Like…I don’t even know how to describe it.” She shivers again. “Sometimes when I’m with him, it feels like I leave my body. Like all time and space ceases to exist and there’s only him and me and the euphoria.”

“I know that feeling well.”

She smiles over at me. “We may have strapped ourselves to a rocket ship.”

“Maybe. But it’ll be a wild ride. Has he bitten you?”

“Yes, but it’s been a while. When I was with Locke House, we were able to cover our scent with witch charms that we got from a Vane witch. But a bite leaves a stronger scent.”

I pinch my fingers together and bring it to my mouth. “When Bran bites me—chef’s kiss.”

She shakes her head and I can tell she’s fighting her sister/mom reaction, which is to reprimand me. “I still can’t wrap my head around all of this. You being with Bran. Me here at Duval House. How the hell did we get to this place?”

“I don’t know but I don’t hate it. I just wish Sky didn’t hate me so much.”

“I heard.” Kelly grabs a bottle of hairspray and gestures for me to close my eyes. She blasts my bun with spray. “Damien said if Sky doesn’t behave herself, he’ll kick her out.”

“Seriously? Over me?”

“I don’t think you realize how much sway you hold here.”

It’s hard for me to believe that I’m anything other than the old me. The skin is much harder to shed even though it’s peeling off and starting to chaff.

I don’t know who I am as this new person and I guess I won’t fully know until Rita unbinds me and I find out more about my origins.

“I don’t want her to get kicked out,” I tell Kelly. “I just wish she’d leave me alone.”

“And that is entirely up to her at this point. She’ll learn quickly once Damien puts her in her place.”

I can’t imagine witnessing that.

But not going to lie, I’m kinda looking forward to it.

By the time Bran returns to me, I’m a vision of party perfection thanks to Kelly. She finished my hair, then my makeup, and helped me pick out a dress. We decided on an emerald green lacy dress with a silky lining underneath. The scalloped edges of the bodice neckline plunges all the way to my navel and the back is completely bare, making it clear I’m not wearing a bra.

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