Page 94 of Bewitched By a Vampire

Snow took one of the bags of books and Night went for the other. He carried it over to the small area of couches near the stairs, Lilian trailing after him. She settled herself on one of the red sofas and Night sat beside her, keeping a watchful eye on his brother as he talked with Isla.

He didn’t like the way Grave’s expression slowly blackened as he spoke with her, or how both of them grew animated, but he resisted the temptation to use his heightened hearing to listen in on their conversation and focused on helping Lilian with the books instead. He wouldn’t like it if Grave eavesdropped on an argument he was having with Lilian after all.

She sighed and flicked through the first book, pausing only to hook the glossy waves of her dark hair behind her ear. Revealing one of his bite marks. She bore several now, and as he stared at the mark on her throat, he wanted to add another. He couldn’t get enough of her blood, or how intimate biting her felt. It had never been like that for him before.

Isla drifting over to them had him focusing back on the room, and he frowned as Grave remained at a distance, floating back and forth between the stairs and the corridor that led to the foyer. Isla must have angered him. His brother always paced whenever he was worked up about something.

Night slid her a black look.

She kept her head bent, her eyes locked on the pages of the tome resting on her lap, avoiding him.

Minutes ticked past and eventually Grave drifted to Isla and looked down at her, and Night couldn’t remember the last time his brother had looked as if he was lost for words. She looked up at Grave, but he just stood there, mute. His brother’s pale eyes dropped to the book on her lap and his eyebrows knitted hard, and then he sighed and another look crossed his face.

Making his feelings clear to Night.

Grave was a male used to having purpose and a direction, much like Night. He was used to leading others. Right now, his brother wasn’t sure what to do with himself. It was a feeling Night knew well as he glanced at the book Lilian was flicking through. He didn’t know magic. He didn’t know what they were supposed to be looking for, not like Isla apparently did, and Elissa and Lilian.

His brother looked as if he felt he was a fifth wheel, and honestly, Night felt that way a little too. All he could do was pass Lilian books and sit there, watching her work. As much as he enjoyed her company, the inaction grated on him.

And yet again, it struck him that he was more like Grave than he had thought.

Snow rose from one of the couches as the pretty raven-haired angel Antoine had introduced as Aurora appeared on the stairs, her white dress flowing around her legs as she hurried down them. His cousin met her at the bottom, scooped her up into his arms and kissed her as he carried her up the stairs.

Gods, Night wanted to do that with Lilian.

He stared after them, a deep feeling of longing filling him.

And when he glanced at Grave, his brother looked as if he wanted to do the same with Isla.

Night leaned back in his seat beside Lilian and yawned as fatigue rolled over him again. Grave arched an eyebrow at him. Night gave him an unapologetic look and sneakily rested his arm along the back of the couch behind Lilian.

He was about to draw her back against it, so he could hold her, when she looked across at him.

“It’s gone dawn. You should get some rest.” The concern in her soft voice touched him, but he didn’t want to go to bed without her.

He huffed and considered refusing her order, but then he pushed onto his feet and dropped a kiss on her brow. “Don’t fall asleep on the books… Come sleep in my arms… It’s way better.”

Lilian smiled and leaned her head back. Night took the invitation, pressing his lips to hers in a slow, soft kiss that had everyone staring at them when they finally broke apart. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze, and then walked around the couch, trailing his fingers off her and doing his damnedest to tempt her into coming with him, even when he knew she wouldn’t.

Because she was happy Elissa wanted her help with the spell. She was happy she was being included as a witch. He hoped that being with Elissa, someone who was from her coven, soothed the hurt she felt and tamed her need to return to them. He didn’t want to lose her, and he knew he would if she went back to her family.

He wanted her to be part of his family now instead.

He glanced back at her from the bottom of the stairs and her soft smile hit him hard.

Gods, she was beautiful.

“Don’t expect such sweetness from me,” Payne murmured against Elissa’s neck and she giggled, her shoulders coming up to lift the hem of her starry blue halter-top away from her dark jeans.

He growled and playfully nipped her bare shoulder. She pushed at his arm.

“Go to bed… Luca is probably still up waiting for his story.” Elissa nuzzled Payne’s cheek and whispered words into his ear that had the urge to go back to Lilian, grab her and take her to their room growing so strong inside Night that he almost surrendered to it.

Payne flashed Elissa a wink and disappeared.

Night forced himself to head upstairs to their room. Each step that took him away from Lilian was harder than the last and he hated it when she slipped beyond the boundary of his senses. He trudged onwards, another wave of fatigue crashing over him, and blinked to ward off sleep. Maybe if he waited up, she wouldn’t be too far behind him.

They could kiss a little at the very least.

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