Page 104 of The Darkest Night

Vlad’s smile widened. Nikolai appeared behind him, Violet and Miles in his wake.

“What’s going on?” Miles said sleepily.

Mae gaped at Yoo-Mi. “Everyonestayed?!”

Her mother’s mouth flattened to a thin line. “They are your friends, Mae,” she grumbled. “You should welcome them into our home with grace.”

“Yeah, Mae,” Ryu said breezily as she entered the kitchen. “They are yourfriends.”

She glanced at Vlad and Nikolai and waggled her eyebrows at Mae.

“Have you got a tic?” Yoo-Mi asked suspiciously.

Violet bit her lip.

Breakfast was a noisy affair, Ye-Seul joining them halfway through. Mae was pleased to see her grandmother looking her normal self, having apparently fully recovered from yesterday’s traumatic experience. Tarang was banished to the living room with the other familiars when his sweeping tail broke Yoo-Mi’s favorite teapot. Vlad called someone and had pastries from the best Italian bakery in town delivered to their door by a pair of dangerous-looking men in suits and sunglasses.

It was almost noon by the time Mae leaned back in her chair and rubbed her full belly.

“I am stuffed,” she groaned.

Vlad studied her with a thoughtful air. “You sure have a good appetite.” His eyes gleamed. “I hope that extends to activities outside the kitchen.”

Ryu’s elbow slipped off the table. She grabbed a napkin and dabbed at the tea she’d spilled down her T-shirt.

“Doeseverythingyou say have to be sexual?” Nikolai snapped.

Vlad shrugged. “I’m an incubus. It comes with the territory.”

Ye-Seul observed the two men shrewdly before leaning conspiratorially toward Mae.

“So, who’s got the bigger ding dong?” she said in a stage whisper that was probably heard in Jersey.

Miles choked on his drink. Violet slapped him on the back and rolled her eyes hard. Ryu buttered a croissant with avid concentration.

Nikolai and Vlad’s stares pierced Mae. She flushed and glanced at where Yoo-Mi was loading the dishwasher.

“I don’t know!” Mae whispered furiously. “And FYI, there will be no viewing or handling of any ding dongs, now or in the foreseeable future!”

Vlad arched an eyebrow. “I do love a challenge.”

Nikolai frowned at the incubus.

“You should get rid of Bob,” Ryu murmured to Mae. “I feel he’s gonna be redundant soon.”

“Bob is dead.”

Ryu stared. “Wow. You fried his batteries?”

“He had an unfortunate accident involving a car.”

Mae became aware of Vlad’s sharp-witted stare. She bit her lip.

A knock came at the front door.

Mae shot up from her chair. “I’ll get it.”

The incubus smiled knowingly as she rushed out of the kitchen.

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