Page 99 of Blood and Buttercups

“Water is fine,” he says.

“Sparkling? Bottled?” I clear my throat. “Tap?”

I don’t know why I’m so nervous. Maybe because there are two stupidly handsome men in my living room—one who hunts vampires for a living and another who eats humans for a living.

Okay, that’s an overreaction. Noah said Cassian supports medical research to help vampires and their pre-vamp cousins live regular lives. He’s not eating people on the weekends.

Probably.

I head for the kitchen and then stop. Bolstering myself with a deep breath, I slowly turn on my heel.

Cassian lifts a brow when my eyes find his, waiting for me to explain my weird behavior.

“I have to ask you something so I can stop freaking out about letting a vampire into my home,” I say.

Cassian sends a questioning glance at Noah, but then he nods for me to continue.

“When was the last time you bit someone? Not an animal. I don’t care if you were hungry when you were walking through a barnyard so you snacked on a cow. But a person?”

“If only I had a dollar for every time I found myself feeling peckish in a barnyard,” Cassian says wryly.

“I’m serious.”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to be a bit more specific. Bit someone who wasn’t already infected? Or in general?”

I frown. “Does that make a difference?”

He gives me a wolfish smile, making me feel very much like a sheep. “It does.”

“Um.” I rub the side of my nose. “Let’s go with a regular human.”

“Well over a hundred years.”

I sigh a little, deciding Olivia is probably safe. But then I frown. “And someone who was infected?”

Cassian’s smile becomes smug. “For pleasure or for purpose?”

Noah rolls his eyes.

“Never mind.” I shake my head. “Pretend I didn’t ask.”

“I won’t bite you if that’s what you’re worried about.” He lifts his brows. “Even if you ask me nicely.”

“I…” Nope, I’m not responding to that. “I’m going to go get those drinks now.”

Cassian chuckles as I scurry out of the living room.

As I’m adding ice to Cassian’s glass, Max walks into the kitchen. “Olivia is going to be here shortly. I told her to come around the back.”

“Did she freak out?”

“A little.” He frowns. “But mostly, she sounded excited.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.” I pull an open carton of beef broth from the fridge and pour it over the ice.

“Whatare you doing?” Max asks.

“It’s Cassian’s beverage of choice.”

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