“No.”
She frowned and reached for her cell on the coffee table.
Tarang appeared at the top of the stairs, his tail swishing excitedly. He slinked down the steps and disappeared into the foyer as the bell rang again.
Vlad groaned.
The tiger’s enthusiasm could only mean one thing.
“Shit.”
Delphine showed him the live view from the camera outside. “Is that?—?”
“Yup,” Vlad said sourly. “That’s Mae and Nikolai and their damn familiars.”
Delphine slid off him and straightened his shirt where it had ridden up her thighs, her expression growing shuttered.
Vlad took her hand, conscious of what was going through her mind even though she hadn’t said a word. “I’m over her.”
She chewed her lip. “Are you sure about that?”
Vlad nodded and pulled her in for a quick kiss.
“I realized it the day after we first slept with each other,” he murmured against her mouth. “I was already halfway over Mae. You took me over the finish line.”
Delphine slowly relaxed. A smile tugged at her lips. “It was a spectacular finish line.”
Vlad grinned sultrily and swooped in for another kiss.
There was banging at the door.
“We know you’re in there, Vlad!” Mae yelled. “Tarang just told Brim you’ve been cavorting with your new girlfriend.”
A conspiratorial huff issued from the tiger in the foyer.
“It’s not even ten a.m.,” Nikolai said in a disapproving voice through the door. “Have you no shame?”
Vlad scowled, climbed into his trousers, and stormed over to the entrance. He yanked the door open.
Mae and Nikolai stumbled into the hallway.
“I don’t want to hear that from you, asshole!” Vlad hissed at Nikolai.
Tarang greeted them enthusiastically, his tail sweeping the floor with rapid flicks.
Brimstone trotted in and gave the tiger an affectionate head bump.
Mae recovered and beamed. “We brought gifts.” She pushed a couple of bags into Vlad’s arms and strode past him into the living room. “Now, where’s your lady—oh.” She stopped at the sight of Delphine. Her expression turned sheepish. “Sorry, we didn’t quite realize you were mid-cavort.”
“Hi,” Delphine said in a quiet voice. “You must be Mae Jin.”
The super soldier startled when Mae went over and gave her a quick hug.
“And you are Delphine.” Mae stepped back, a warm smile lighting up her face. “We’ve heard about you from Lily and Serena.”
Nikolai greeted Delphine with a friendly nod, Alastair ruffling his wings on the sorcerer’s shoulder.
Delphine had stiffened. “Lily?” Her gaze danced between Mae and Nikolai. “You mean Lily Soul?”