Page 1 of High Stakes and Soulmates
CHAPTER ONE
EZIO
“I have decided that I am going to woo Cyrus with the skills of my ancestors,” I declare.
“Do we have absolutelyanyidea what he’s going on about?” Julian, the werewolf who is just delightful, asks. He started dating my closest friend, Casimir, a few months ago after some peculiar fake dating scheme to bring the weres and vampires closer. Casimir, as the head of the territory, was stuck dealing with the vampires and weres clashing until Julian, the son of the werewolf pack’s alpha, stepped in with an idea to help them get along. And because everything Julian puts his mind to happens, the two sides are finally at peace… as long as we don’t notice the feud between Casimir and Julian’s father… oh, and Steve.
Fuck Steve.
What I really want to bring closer is my lovely Cyrus and myself. I mean… really, it’s a shame that there’s no fake dating scheme for us to end up involved in. Why do those two get to have all the fun?
“He’s like background music,” Casimir explains. “Like it’s there, but you don’t actually listen to what’s going on.”
So much for being my best friend—it’s weirdly like he’s my best enemy.
“Why is he looking at me, Julian? He’s making me feel things,” Casimir says, scrutinizing me.
“Should I be jealous?” Julian asks as we sit at his kitchen table. It’s not as though Casimir and I need to eat at the kitchen table, but Casimir claims that Julian doesn’t like to eat alone. I wish Cyrus wanted me to stare at him while he slurps down peas as well!
I sigh and let my head hit the table so they can all be aware of my despair.
“You know what would have been funny? If I’d put a nut there that he could have cracked open. It would have beenhilarious,” Casimir comments.
“Uh-huh, honey,” Julian says like he’s just over here trying to support Casimir’s ridiculous ideas for no reason at all. Even I knew it wasn’t even funny!
“You say that like you think it wouldn’t have been hilarious,” Casimir tells him.
“No! Let me get a nut, and we’ll see,” Julian says, evidently wanting Casimir to feel good about himself and his horrible choices. I want Cyrus to do that for me!
“You two make me feel disgusting,” I declare.
Julian returns and sets an M&M down on the table in front of me. “I don’t have any nuts, so I thought this would work. Go on, boy. Crack it for Casimir.”
I flick it at him, and he has the gall to look offended. And because he looks offended, Casimir looks ready to kick my ass.
Casimir fixates his glowering expression on me. “You could have popped his entire eye out.”
“With an M&M I flicked at him? Then he shouldn’t have such weak eyes! I want you two to pity me, not make fun of me!”
“We’re doing both,” Julian assures me. “And having you crack nuts for us. It’s how we show our love.”
“Oh joy,” I say, perking up when I come across a good idea. “Julian!”
“Yes?”
“Now that you’re finished eating, let me pet your tum tum. That will surely make me feel better.”
“You can pet Gustov, he’s already in dog form!” Julian says as he waves toward the poodle chilling on a rug. He’s been freshly groomed, so his red hairdo is extra fluffy and quite tempting to rub my face on, but I’ve already petted him earlier today and right now, I really feel like Julian’s fluff is the only thing that will help me through this hardship.
“But… Julian.”
Julian points a finger at me. “Don’t whine like that.”
I make sure to look extra defeated as I say, “I thought we were friends.”
“We are! We really are, but… fine.”
Casimir gives him a look of disbelief. Really, he shouldn’t be so jealous. “Don’t cave. Next thing you know, he’ll be asking to cuddle you in bed.”
