Page 2 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Four

“Bran,” I try but he holds up his hand, cutting me off.

“I need to think, Mouse.”

I thought if we made it through my Pledge, Bran and I would be returning to the house and to our bed to celebrate. Instead, my sister and his brother are in some kind of magical coma and my favorite grilled cheese cook is a brownie who claims I’m royalty.

I’m starting to expect the unexpected, but even this is too much.

Plopping into one of the leather chairs, I prop my elbow on the arm and set my head in my hand. I’m exhausted. Mentally. Emotionally. Physically.

I’ve barely had time to think about what might be wrong with my sister let alone what any of the rest of this means.

I stopped an entire room with my voice. Dozens of extremely powerful vampires and shifters and witches.

Stopped them in their tracks with nothing more than four letters.

Everything is moving far too fast. I’m strapped to a speeding train and I can’t get off.

When Bran has had several minutes of silence, he drains the second glass of liquor and then sets it on Damien’s desk. The vein in his forehead has relaxed, but there’s still a pinch to his eyes, a hardness to his jaw.

As much as my world is spinning, Bran’s is too.

“What is she?” he asks.

Stanley licks his lips, nostrils flaring. “That’s a very complicated question and I—”

“Wait.” They both cut their gazes to me. “What if I don’t want to know?”

I can’t get my mom’s words out of my head.

The things you did, Jessie…

There is a monster lurking in the shadows and that monster is me.

Do I really want to put a name to it?

Maybe it’s better if I don’t know.

Bran scowls at me. “You went against me.” He takes a step toward me and I sit up straighter in the chair. “You removed your necklace and refused to put it back on.” I stand and lurch backward as Bran’s eyes bleed to gold. “You made this decision. You made a show of force. This is not a genie that can be stuffed back into a bottle!”

I back into Damien’s desk and a pencil holder rattles on top.

“Okay,” I say, and hold up my hands. “Okay.”

Bran heaves out a breath, fangs protruding from his mouth. I know he won’t hurt me, but I’m worried he’ll run away because he’s worried he will.

I take his hand and bring it to my chest. “Make me a promise.”

His face softens. “Now is not the time—”

“Make me a promise, Bran Duval.”

He tilts his head and squeezes my hand in his. “Very well. What is it, little mouse?”

“Whatever I am, whoever I am, you’ll stay by my side no matter what. Even if it terrifies you.”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

I know he’s lying.

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