Page 11 of Death and Donuts

“Vena is part of Cross' business plan, too. He wants a business that will appeal to all species. Sweets from me and books curated by Vena.”

Shepard’s gaze locked with mine.

“You know he wants more than that, though, right?”

“Are you still worried he’s going to turn us into blood slaves? I thought he’d proven himself to you already. He’s been working with you for weeks, Shepard. Establishing contacts. Helping find nests.”

“Did he tell you he’s not revealing his contacts? That he’s setting up his own network and protecting some of his kind?”

“No, but we talked about creating treats with human blood in them, and I’m smart enough to figure out that means he wants to be on good terms with some of his kind.” I reached out and clasped Shepard’s forearm. “I believe vampires are like humans. They aren’t all good or bad but a mix of both and capable of either. It’s their choice who they want to be. Just like it’s your choice to kill the innocent ones with the bad ones.”

“Innocent?” Shepard scoffed.

“Do you think every vampire asked to be turned? I don’t. But now I know how you’d see me or Vena if either of us is attacked and survives the process.”

I gave him a sad pat and turned away. He caught my arm and spun me around. Hands framing my face, he looked down at me with an intensity that stole my breath.

“For you, I’d break every rule we have, Everly. Don’t you know that yet?”

His mouth crashed down onto mine. It’d been weeks since he kissed me, and I hadn’t realized how much I’d craved it. The first touch of his tongue almost brought me to my knees, and his hungry urgency had me responding in kind.

My hands gripped his wrists, holding on for dear life as I lost all sense of time and space. There was only Shepard and his warm, insistent lips.

When he finally pulled back, I was panting and dazed. Gold flashed in his eyes as he stared down at me.

“You need to have the strength for both of us right now and walk away,” he said, his voice gravelly.

I nodded and robotically turned and left the room. It wasn’t until I reached the stairs that I realized what he’d meant, and my eyes rounded. Had he really been that close to?—

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw him standing in the hallway, watching me. The way he gripped the doorframe confirmed what I’d suspected.

Shepard wanted me like a vampire wanted blood.

Facing forward, I hurried downstairs, glad that he’d given the VIP section to Adrian.

Vena’s sharp gaze missed nothing. She took her phone out and frantically typed as I went to my assigned section beside hers.

Vena: You look recently bent over. Not fair! Tell me how you did it. You flashed the girls, didn’t you?! Curse fate for giving me running-sized boobs!

Me: I was not bent over. Focus. Doors are opening.

Vena: Fingered? I’d take that too.

I dropped my phone, accidentally kicking it under a table. Vena cackled like a madwoman.

“I’ll get that for you, Ev,” Anchor said from behind me.

He stooped and picked up my phone for me. His sheepish expression when he handed it back had me patting his arm in shared misery.

“She sure knows how to test a person, doesn’t she?” I said.

He nodded.

“Hang in there. You’ll have her in a tiara and holding a bouquet in no time.”

He flashed me a grin as my phone vibrated.

Vena: Stop flirting with my man. You have two of your own.

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