Page 111 of Love Bites Extra Hard

That I wasn’t going anywhere without him, either.

“I’m so glad you guys figured things out,” Blair admitted, looping her arm through mine as we made our way to the elevator. “Talon always seemed like a big teddy bear underneath all the gruffness.”

I laughed. “Yeah, right. You guys actually thought he was going to start a war. I can tell you for sure, there’s not a chance in hell he was ever going to go through with that. He just wanted to scare you into handing me over.”

“Fine, we didn’t. But in a roundabout way, his plan did work,” she said, with a reluctant smile.

“Too well,” I agreed, still wearing a smile of my own. “Honestly, I’m relieved it’s over. I was so tired of hiding away.”

“It feels good to be free, doesn’t it?”

“Insanely good.”

“Just wait until your first real trip into Mistwood. Nothing beats going to the grocery store without having to worry that someone’s going to jump you.

“They still try to jump you for pictures, don’t they?” I asked.

She waved it off. “The paparazzi are annoying, but it’s a tiny price to pay for not worrying about getting trapped in a mate bond. I’ve tried so many new candy bars since I mated with Damian.”

I smiled.

I didn’t particularly care about the grocery store, but I was happy Blair was happy.

And she was right—it felt insanely good to be free.

We talked about the usual Vamp Manor group chat drama while we packed my room. Someone had ended up in the hospital with their throat almost completely ripped out after the last time someone called Hale “Big Daddy,” but since then, people had just gotten sneakier about it.

Vampires healed too quickly to care about a little injury. Or a big one.

After everything was packed, we brought it all up to the roof, texting the guys to meet us up there.

Blair and I both sat on the ledge, our feet dangling as we stared out at Mistwood.

“Can you believe this is our life?” she asked me, her voice soft but genuine.

When I looked over at her, I found her smiling, with tears in her eyes.

“No. We were so afraid, for so long,” I admitted.

“The kings are assholes, but they’reourassholes now. Mistwood might be wrong about this whole situation being our wicked plot to take over the city, but maybe we should’ve planned it.”

I laughed. “It would’ve been a good plan.”

“Can you imagine where we’d be if not for me being Damian’s bloodmate?”

“Probably enslaved with Curtis’s pack.” I made a face. “Maybe Porter would’ve heard about it, and come to take over the pack. He wanted to claim one of us to get him out of his funk.”

“He and Iz are so good together, you know he would’ve picked her even if all of us were lined up and willing,” Blair said with a smile.

I laughed. “Who knows, maybe Bane would’ve heard about a few poor siren ladies trapped, and shown up to save the day. He imprinted on Zora so fast, there’s no way around what they have.”

“Or maybe Talon would’ve needed a siren so badly that he would’ve swooped down and stolen you away to help with whatever shit he has going on. He would’ve taken one look at you and known you were his,” she countered.

“And maybe Hale wouldn’t have wanted to be one-upped by the dragons, and would’ve shown up to raise a little hell. He would realize you were his the moment he smelled your delectable blood,” I tossed back.

We both broke out laughing.

“What about Kai and Clementine?” she asked, wiping away happy tears.

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