Page 14 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Four

“Please, Bran.”

When he meets my gaze again, there’s defeat in his eyes. He knows I’m right.

I’m not sure where any of this is going to take us. I’m not even sure what comes after we walk out that door. But I do want us on the same side, on even ground. But I don’t want to be afraid of acting and I sure as hell don’t want to ask for permission.

Bran’s grip on my wrist slides up my arm, and then he takes my hand in his again and brings my knuckles to his lips. He plants a soft kiss there. “You have my promise that I will try very hard to allow you to make stupid mistakes.”

I laugh. “That’s not a promise!”

“It’s all you’ll get from me.”

“Fine. Then I promise to mostly trust you.”

He yanks me into him and wraps his arms around my waist. “I love you, and you are a menace.”

“I love you too, you asshole.”

He brings his mouth down on mine and breathes out, almost a sigh.

Now when we kiss, it’s an act that feels like home.

“Oh, little mouse,” he says when he pulls away just enough to speak, “I think I need to take you home and to our bed.”

I grind against him as his hands sink to my hips. “I agree.”

Someone clears their throat behind us.

I jolt away from Bran, embarrassed. I totally forgot we were in the diner with Stanley and Judy.

“What is it, old man?” Bran asks, an edge of warning in his voice.

“We have a problem.”

“For fuck's sake,” Bran says. “When don’t we have a problem?”

“What is it?” I ask quickly.

Stanley nods toward the front of the diner and the street beyond. I can just make out the shape of a crowd in the dark.

Maybe it’s the Guard come to haul me away.

Or maybe the Lockes have reorganized and want their revenge…

But when Bran and I step out onto the sidewalk, we find almost every single fae that resides in Midnight Harbor.

And they’re all on their knees.

Episode 58

Some Random Fae Lord

The fae on this side of the gate have always kept to themselves. Most of the time, I could go days without running into one of them. Now there’s a crowd of fae in the streets of Midnight Harbor and worse…they’re kneeling for me.

I immediately recognize a few of them. In the front holding a baby in her arms is the woman Sam and I ran into not that long ago on the river walk. The baby had been fussing in her stroller while the mom cleaned chocolate off the face of her toddler.

The baby had quieted as soon as I lifted her into my arms.

Fae babies have always taken to me.

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