Page 95 of Blood and Buttercups

“What’s Cassian doing there?” the hunter snaps, though I can tell he’s not upset with me.

“He showed up right when your boss was trying to explain how you’ve been tampering with my file. You’re working for Ethan. Did you know that?”

Silence is followed by an incredulous huff of breath. “Reid saidwhat?”

“He wanted me to go with him and Ainsley to the administration office, but Cassian said that can wait for tomorrow.” I eye the vampire, not trusting him any farther than I can throw him—and I can’t even pick him up.

“Stay put,” Noah says. “Don’t go anywhere with anyone. I’m headed your way.”

“I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

I end the call and then look at Cassian. “Noah is on his way, so you can probably…”Not murder me in a dark park somewhere.“Go now.”

“I’ll wait,” Cassian says.

“Great.” I cross my arms, chilled.

Noticing, Cassian slides off his jacket. “Are you cold?”

“No,” I lie, and then my eyes turn to my brother. “Give me your sweatshirt.”

Max shoots me a look. “No thanks.”

“I don’t need it,” Cassian insists, setting the jacket around my shoulders like a modern-day Casanova. “I can feel the chill, but I don’t get cold.”

Max’s eyes cut to the man. “Wait. Are you a…”

“Gentleman?” Cassian asks. “We’re rare but not extinct.”

“No, a vam…” Max can’t even get it out. “A vamp…”

“Avampire?” Cassian asks, raising a brow.

Max steps back, roughly reaching for me like he suddenly feels a protective urge. “Are you?”

“I have been for a few hundred years, yes,” Cassian answers.

Max makes a choking noise, and his fingers dig into my arm.

I tug away from Max, tired of people trying to pull me around. “Would you knock it off?”

“How are you not freaking out?” he demands.

“I have a prescription for synthetic blood in my fridge. I’m past the freaking out stage!”

“How do you like the synthetic blood?” Cassian asks me curiously. “Did they take care of the metallic taste?”

“It’s the texture I have trouble with,” I admit. “But it hides well in smoothies.”

“I’ve heard that if you?—”

“Would you two shut up for a minute?” Max exclaims, clutching his sides and breathing hard.

“What is this?” I ask. “Are you having a breakdown?”

“You’re actually a vampire?” he says to me, his eyes wide.

“No, I’m a pre-vamp. You have to be bitten like three times before you become a full-fledged creature of the night.”

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