Page 89 of Taste of Forever
“You’re looking way better than when we pulled you out of that alley.” Des’s grin was friendly, with one blunt fang adding some rogueish charm. His eyes were a darker red closer to brown, the color of aged bricks.
“Thanks. I would hope so.”
“Have a seat.” Laith steered me to the island. “I’ll heat up your soup.”
I just settled into a stool when more people came through the same doors we had. A huge, musclebound vampire so tall that he had to duck through the doorway scowled at me as he entered the room. Or maybe that was just his normal face.
He was followed by a more slender vampire. He was closer to Laith’s build, but that was where the similarities ended. This vampire had dark hair and there was a coldness to his blood-red eyes. Something about him seemed aged, a kind of jaded weariness. He also had neck tattoos, which was surprising to see. How was that possible when vampires healed so quickly? Silver ink?
Behind him came one more vampire, one with his dark hair buzzed close to his scalp and more youthfulness and energy behind his red eyes. He also looked familiar. Our gazes met as he closed the door behind him and a smile of recognition lit up his face.
“So, she lives,” he declared, coming toward me. “Hi, Heather. I’m Cyan. I don’t know if you remember me.”
“Were you also there when I was pulled out of the alley?” Maybe I was semi-conscious then but had forgotten.
“Yes, but we also met before then. I’m Tavia’s mate. She’s from Sapien, the human settlement.”
“The human settlement,” I repeated. “You mean the weird prepper village?”
“That’s the one,” he said with a laugh before glancing at his phone. “The girls are on their way up. Tavia and Amy will be glad to see you.”
A memory hit me, one that had gotten lost in the chaotic mess of events since. During my first accidental stumble into Sanguine, when I was held at the human village for a couple of days, they had been trying to convince me that vampires were real. That this was a vampire territory and they were only all-human settlement left. I didn’t believe them back then, because why would I? Two of the women I’d talked to had been Tavia and Amy.
Tavia had been visiting her old home and Cyan was due to pick her up that night. I waited with them, ready to debunk this so-called vampire that rolled up on a motorcycle. But, as Cyan pulled up, every one of my instincts ofdangerandpredatorhad fired warning signs. He was clearly not some guy with red contacts and fake fangs. My central nervous system knew before my eyes did that he was definitely not human.
“That’s right,” I said, the clarity dawning on me. “You were the first real vampire I saw with my own eyes.”
“Should’ve been me,” Laith muttered irritably from the stove.
“Oh, relax. You’re the only one who's fed from me.”
Consensually, anyway.I forced back the shudder at the thought of that monster in the alley. That was the last thing I needed occupying my mind right now.
“Welcome to vampire jealousy.” Cyan leaned one hip against the counter. “We’re ridiculous when it comes to our mates. I hope you know what you’re getting into.”
I returned his grin. “I have some idea.”
“Stop smiling at her.” Laith placed a steaming bowl of soup, spoon, napkin, and glass of water in front of me, then made a shooing motion at Cyan. “Go away. She needs to eat.”
Cyan gave me a pointed look, fangs digging into his lower lip to suppress his laugh, then pushed away from the counter to join the others across the room.
I turned to Laith, tilting my face up for a kiss. “Thank you. I still can’t believe you learned to make this just for me.”
He leaned down, his kiss brief but firm. “I know you’re trying to soothe my jealousy. We’re…possessive, but I would never get angry at you because of it. Cyan, Des, and I especially like to mess with each other. I want you to know it’s just friends giving each other shit.”
“I wasn’t worried about that.” I picked up my spoon and stirred the soup. “I think your jealousy is sweet, actually.”
As if he couldn’t get any cuter, Laith made a grumpy, “hmph” sound. “Let’s see if you feel that way a decade from now.”
“I will absolutely let you know if there is shit I can’t deal with.” I blew on my spoon and took a tentative sip.Oh yeah. This homemade gesture of love I can definitely deal with.
Laith cupped my nape again, his thumb massaging the crook of my neck as he brought his lips to my ear. “The other two that just walked in are Thorne, head of Blood ‘til Dawn,” he nodded at the tattooed, older-looking vampire, “and the gigantosaurus with the long hair is Rhain. They are actually nicer than they look.”
“Noted.” I chuckled around a mouthful of soup.
“Laith.” Thorne barked his name with a jerk of his head.
My vampire made an annoyed sound and kissed my neck. “Be right back.”
