Page 18 of Fanged Temptation

Maxine had secrets. Secrets that she could not or would not share with me. But I had secrets too. How long then, until those secrets came to light? Until she learned that I was deceiving her.

I thought it would be easy. I thought my anger toward her would be enough to fuel me. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t look her in the eye a moment longer, knowing what I had to do.

With that I broke the tension, stepping out of her grasp and tugging at the zipper again.

“Thanks,” I said awkwardly, trying to regain my footing, refusing to meet her eyes. “But it’s not me.”

Maxine’s expression flickered, but she composed herself in a blink.

Before I could decipher what I’d seen rippling across her features she tossed her hair with a faint shrug, shooting me a lopsided smile as she backed out of the dressing room.

“All right. If you say so.”

9

Maxine

All things considered, Leah was not as furious with me as she could have been. Not anymore. Or at least, not outwardly anyway. Or maybe she was and she’d just gotten better at hiding it? Either way, the shopping trip had gone rather well, save for that small hiccup in the dressing room. But that was entirely on me. I’d let the mask slip.

My hand had lingered at her back for a second too long. I’d held her gaze and… had she seen it? The buried affection brimming behind my eyes?

I sipped my coffee, then grimaced at the subtle tang of artificial vanilla.Flavored coffee beans?A travesty.

“Maxine? Maxine, where’s your head at?”

It took two minutes of frowning into my cup before I realized someone was talking to me. I blinked twice, lifting my head to find four sets of eyes on me, one of them being Ethan’s.

The freshly-turned vampire man cocked his head to the side, blond hair tumbling over his eyes. He needed a haircut. “Something wrong with your coffee, madame?”

“I wouldn’t call this coffee.” I set my cup down, gesturing around me to the quaint coffee shop we were lounging in. “Who picked this place, anyway?”

“That would be Claire.” Ethan leaned back in his seat and jutted his chin at the Leyore woman sitting to his right, a wicked grin plastered across his fine features. “Though I suspect it had more to do with the barista himself rather than the coffee he brews.”

Claire flushed bright pink, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I just think he’s sweet.”

The rest of our small circle tittered in response; Ethan donning significantly more swagger since his transition into vampirism, Eric, the pretty young Leyore vamp Ethan had been courting, and Analise, a shy, sensitive vamp with a keen eye for fashion. We got along swimmingly.

Our monthly meetups at various coffee shops around the city was something of a staple. While I loved the Leyore women more than I loved to shop, Jordan, Hunter, River, Dylan – all of them, they cared little for the finer things in life. They didn’t want to talk about the latest Chanel line, or spin fresh gossip in a lovely little boutique.

This group, on the other hand, lived for the drama – and they were always well-dressed.

“Leave Claire alone.” Eric swatted Ethan on the shoulder with a laminated menu, craning his neck to catch a glimpse of the barista who scurried about, completely unaware of the attention on him. “I can see the appeal, he’s got quite the buffet-bod under that apron.”

“And I suppose you’re into that?” Ethan sighed, sticking out his arm and examining one skinny wrist. “If so, I've got a long way to go.”

Eric reached for his wrist, lifting it to his lips and pressing a kiss there. “You’re perfect as you are. And that ass is immaculate.”

Analise sputtered behind her coffee cup, shaking her head. “We are inpublic. Save your lewd comments for the bedroom.”

“Oh please.” Ethan chuckled, linking his fingers with Eric’s and raising a brow at Analise. “We’ve all read your poetry. Tell me, does Georgina know you referred to her breasts as – what was it again? ‘Glistening mounds of succulent delight’.”

It was Analise’s turn to blush and she promptly lifted a menu to her nose, pretending to be thoroughly invested in the assortment of pastries on sale.

“Speaking of gorgeous specimens –” Eric leaned forward, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Have you all heard the news of the new vampire in town? Apparently he’s quite the mystery – charming, according to my sources, and ruggedly handsome to boot.”

Interest piqued, the table leaned closer, myself included. It was not often that new vampires wandered into the city, those not bound to the Leyore coven. Vampires were territorial, and the various covens across the country – and the loners too – tended to keep a safe distance from each other.

A new face was not necessarily bad news, but in light of the strange occurrences of late, and the odd man in the bowler hat popping up outside my window, not to mention that wax-model woman at the mall… I was wary.

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