Page 24 of Violet Moon
“I could never deal with all the drama.”
“Yet you thrive on the chaos in the house.”
Sera waved a finger.“Nope.No pack talk.You said it yourself.And we were doing such a good job!”
“You’re right, you’re right.”Parisa waved a hand in acknowledgement.“Now tell me about this drama you claim to want to avoid yet soak up with such hunger.”
“I want to hear about it.I don’t want to be in it.And Hugh is so good at it.”
“Collecting gossip?”
“Being an observer.The man sees everything!”
“You live as long as him, you’d be a fine study of human and supernatural behavior, too.”
“So how good are your skills, then?”
Parisa splayed her hand across her chest in mock offense.“I am a spry young thing.How dare you insinuate I’m as old as time like those vampires.”
“Hugh’s not that old.”
“And I’m even younger than him.”
“By how much exactly?”
Parisa tapped the table with her fingertip while a smile played at the corner of her lips.“You know, I used to keep that information from everyone on purpose and now I’ve simply forgotten.”
“Oh come on, Pari.I feel like a detective trying to piece together clues stretched out across years and years.”
“And what have you inferred?”
“I don’t want to say it because I’m probably wrong.”
Parisa picked up her glass, a smug expression on her face.“I won’t show any indication either way.I’m simply curious.”
Sera shifted in her seat.“Now I feel put on the spot.”
“Of everyone, you’d probably be the closest.You know me best”
“A thousand years old.”
Parisa blinked.“Is that a real guess?”
Sera shrugged.
“I can’t tell if you’re kidding or not.”
Sera shrugged again but couldn’t hide the grin in the corner of her mouth.
Parisa sighed, rolling her eyes.“Tell me the juicy bits about those two instead.”
Grateful for the change in topic, Sera took another sip of wine before beginning, “It all began in Rome.”
Sera felt light on her feet as they fell in step together.They didn’t have to discuss where they were going.Both of them knew instinctively once they stepped out onto the sidewalk.They wound their way through tourists gawking in shop windows and locals standing in lines outside restaurants and bars.
They approached a nondescript green door and knocked three times.The door whipped open, revealing a somewhat bored-looking university student.
“Do you have your cards?”Realization dawned on his face.“Oh!Sorry.It’s you two.Come on in.”He stepped aside so they could enter the top floor of the bar.
