Jetty turned and walked backwards to become part of our conversation. “My money’s on a skin condition.”
Ego stopped and turned toward us, too. “It might explain the big glasses and the leather gloves.”
“Do you think?” I asked my cousin. “Why walk on the boardwalk then? I mean, the ocean’s right there drawing the sun’s rays, and he’s walking down the center. It’s not like he’s trying to stay under the overhangs.”
Ego snorted. “Sky, he has on a long purple trench coat and… are those yellow galoshes?”
I almost choked at his incredulous tone, but I swallowed it back when Chance hushed us. “He’s getting close enough to hear.”
Jetty and I shrugged at each other. We weren’t making fun of Lysandro. We genuinely liked the guy. He was smart as a whip, the most helpful person at the library, and he always had a smile for everyone—whether they were a douche canoe or not.
“Hey, Lysandro,” I called, raising a hand in greeting.
Without missing a beat, his lips stretched wide in a big, beautiful smile, and he veered toward us. Ego gasped when he got closer, and I wondered if he’d finally noticed that every article of Lysandro’s outerwear was made of leather.
“Hey, Kingston. Jetty. Who are your friends?”
His voice never failed to surprise me. Smooth like velvet, it sent a shiver down my spine, and I’d never even been mildly attracted to him. From what I knew through Jetty and the grapevine, most people in town felt that way.
“This is my boyfriend, Skylar,” I said.
Sky held out his hand. “You can call me Sky. Apparently, everyone does that now.”
Jetty snorted and pointed at me. “Might as well call him King, too. That’s also a thing.”
Lysandro grinned. “Cool.”
Jetty then proceeded to introduce Chance, and after they exchanged pleasantries, Lysandro’s head tilted as he took in Ego. “You look familiar, but I don’t know why.”
Makeup-free, dressed down, and with a ball cap pulled low over his ears to avoid fans taking over our day, Ego shrugged. “I’m not sure. I only recently moved to town.”
“Huh.” Lysandro let it go, and I didn’t think he realized Ego never shared his name. I was pretty sure we’d all decided to takethat as a win. “Anyway, I was actually out looking for you, King. The High Priestess said I’d find you and to feel free to speak openly in front of your friends.”
Concerned, I stepped closer to him. “Is everything alright? Do you need to speak privately?”
“No, no. That’s okay. I just wanted to congratulate you, Lorewarden. I think Malcolm made an excellent choice.”
We all froze. “Uh.”
Lysandro snickered. “Don’t worry. He knew I was going to approach you. It’s important for you to know you can call on me if you need me. I’ve been Malcolm’s first and only line of defense many times.” His smile grew sharper. “He said that you have some powerful friends of your own, which is great, but I wanted you to know I’m always happy to lend a helping hand.”
“Uh…” I felt bad about being completely ineloquent, but… “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that anyone local knew that Malcolm was the Lorewarden. I’m not even sure how many people know who the Lorewarden is.”
Lysandro bobbed his head. “Yes, yes. That makes sense. He wouldn’t have told you about me. I’m always allowed to introduce myself. It’s easier for people to understand.”
“Why?” Jetty asked, moving to my side and sounding as baffled as me. “What’s your gift?”
Chance groaned. Maybe Jetty’s question had been rude, but I had to admit, I was curious, too.
Lysandro snickered, covering his mouth with his leather-gloved hand, so his face was barely visible between that and his sunglasses. “I’m a vampire, of course.”
His voice came out so muffled that I was sure I’d misunderstood. Then he dropped his hand, leaving a big smile in its place. A smile that looked unlike any he’d ever given me before with two large, sharp canines.
“Fangs,” Ego whispered, sounding awed.
“I’m gonna pee myself,” Sky muttered next to me, pushing into my side.
Wrapping my arm around him, I held him tight while trying to process what I was seeing.
