Page 22 of Vampires and Violas

“No, but I can admire it.” He ladles lemonade into a red disposable cup and shoves it at me. “Now, here, taste it because I don’t know if it’s any good.”

I take a sip and give him a thumbs up, which seems to please him.

The doorbell rings, and his dark eyes light. He rubs his hands together, eager. “Our first guest is here—don’t forget to put on your nametag!”

“Are yousureyou remembered your prescriptions today?” I call as he hurries out of the kitchen, obediently slapping the adhesive sticker to my shirt.

He doesn’t answer, but I don’t expect him to. Dragging my feet—far less excited about the group meeting than my conservator—I follow Cassian to the door just in time to greet Marilyn.

“Your house is beautiful, Piper,” the group leader says. “Do you plant all those flowers?”

“Quite a few, but some are perennials that my grandparents added years ago.”

“They’re so cheerful.” Her attention moves to Cassian. “A warning: Jorgen is visiting.”

The vampire’s eyebrows shoot up. “He’s in Colorado?”

“He’s in Glenwood.”

“To visit Dwight?”

She gives him a knowing smile that’s tinged with sympathy. “To visityou.”

Cassian sighs, jabbing his hands into his front pockets. “Thank you for the heads up.”

“May I use your restroom, Piper?” she asks.

“Sure. Go through the living room and take a right in the hall before the mudroom. It’s the first door on the left.”

When she’s out of earshot, I ask Cassian, “Who’s Jorgen?”

“He’s the head of Marilyn’s husband’s bloodline.”

Another prince, then.

“Does he live nearby?” I ask.

“No, he has an estate in Copenhagen.”

“That’s like…Europe.”

“Last I checked.”

“Why does he want to see you?”

“I have no idea,” he says dismissively. “Will you fetch the butter cookies I picked up from the bakery earlier? I think I’d like to set them on the coffee table.”

“Cassian.”

He sighs, turning back to face me. “Two years ago, Etienne of House Allard became our archduke. Last week, he was found in his chambers with a stake through his heart. Therefore, inconveniently, we need a new archduke.”

“What does Jorgen have to do with all that?”

“I’m assuming he wants to nominate me since he pestered me about it before Etienne was sworn into the position last time.”

“And you don’t want to be archduke?”

“Did you miss the part about the staking?”

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