Page 40 of Bite Marks

Vi moved to pull away, but Ren was faster, using a hand wrapped around the back of her neck to bring their mouths together for another, deeper kiss.

I pressed my thighs together, trying to ignore the flash of arousal at the sight of them together, my mind wandering away from sharing drinks and into passingmearound.

“Well that wasn’t… awful,” Ren said breathlessly as Vi released her, the human dancing out of her reach as she made a move to pull her back in.

Vi used one hand to help her vault over the bar, collecting Ren’s abandoned drink from Cole as he offered it to her.

“It’s pretty bad,” he said, wrinkling his freckled nose as he sipped from his own glass.

"You liked it!" Vi trilled to Ren’s turned back as she pulled a bottle of nice whiskey from the shelf.

"I didnot!" the vampire hissed, turning her head to cast a heated look in the human’s direction. “No complaints about the presentation, though.”

I grinned as Vi stood behind me, using my body as a shield while she sipped her drink.

“Aw, c’mon Ren; it’s like fun bad. Like a shitty horror movie. Or cheap pizza,” Kaylee said with a stifled giggle at the sour expression on my covenmate’s face.

"Absolutely not. And don’t you get comfortable there,” she warned Vi, looking at her over my shoulder. The cork made a pop as she yanked it free of the bottle, splashing several fingers of ambery liquid into a short glass without ice. “I’m going to get even the second I’ve washed that vile concoction out of my mouth, and she's not going to help you?—”

“Yes, she will!” Vi shot back, her warm palm meeting my shoulder for a playful shake, the awkwardness between us from before disintegrating like that video with the raccoon trying to wash its cotton candy. “Right, Els?”

I puffed up on my stool, putting my hands on my hips like a superhero. "Of course I will."

"Let's eat!" Dana called as she pushed through the curtain from the back with a stack of takeout containers.

Vi’s hand fell away from my shoulder as Kaylee hooked their arms together, dragging her toward the table.

"You're going to love this," the blonde said with a grin.

Cole joined on Vi’s other side. “Dana picks a different place every week for us to try.”

"Any idea about this week’s pick then?" Vi replied, taking a sip from her glass.

“Indian,” Kaylee said excitedly.

Ren looked over her shoulder at where I was sitting, having hopped over the bar herself to follow the group. "You coming?"

"Yeah, sorry." I shook myself and moved off the stool, rushing to catch up with the others.

Seriously, Elsie, get it together! You need to ask more questions! Step one, get to know her. Step two, use all that excellent knowledge to woo the heck out of her. Step three?—

“Want to sit with me?” Vi called as Cole pulled out the chair beside her for himself, Kaylee already tucked into her other side.

I darted forward with a boost from my vampire speed, dropping into the seat before Cole could. I grinned over my shoulder at him, batting my eyelashes playfully at his rolling eyes. "Thanks,Prince Charming."

He scoffed. "You're welcome,Princess."

“I like the sound of that,” Vi mused, grabbing a takeout container and dumping rice onto her paper plate. “Princess Elsie.”

God, I’d have to feed if she made me blush like that again.

“When is your birthday?” I squeaked, trying to ignore the butterflies hosting a party in my belly.

Vi took another drink from her glass, making Ren cringe as she sat down beside me.

“You can’tactuallyenjoy that swamp water.”

“Maybe I just need to come up with another way for you to give it a try,” Vi quipped as the rest of the staff piled around the long, foldable table that’d been set for us.

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