Page 86 of Our Sins in Shadows (Coven of Sin 2)

I blew out a sigh of relief, and my muscles unwound. This woman didn’t trigger my territorial instincts. She stood a ways away, yet thanks to the light breeze, her scent of bubblegum and latex filled my nostrils. There wasn’t so much as a single whiff of Corry in her feminine fragrance.

“Ruby, this is Vira. Vira, this is Princess Ruby Renada. The soon-to-be queen of the vampires.” Corry’s arm tightened around my waist, drawing me close to him. He looked down at me with a proud smile, then back to Vira. “And my mate.”

Vira’s brows hiked up in mild surprise. “No shit? Well, turn me sideways and fuck me with a dragon cock. Our little prince has found love.”

The demoness grinned around her cigarette. She was giving off mega big sister vibes. Teasing but playful and good-hearted beneath all the attitude.

Okay. So, I didn’thateher.

“So, Ruby. You’re gonna be the queen of the vampires?” Her gaze moved up and down my body with a hiked brow. She must’ve liked what she saw because her mouth curled up into a satisfied smile.

I grinned back at her. “That’s the plan.”

“Heartbeat and all?”

“Heartbeat and all.”

The sizzle of another drag filled the silence before she gave a slow nod of approval. “Rock on.”

There was no trace of animosity or sarcasm in her voice like I expected from the only other succubus I’d met. Vira looked genuinely happy for Corry.

“So, um...” I kicked the asphalt of the driveway, trying to fill the silence. “Can I ask what your tattoo means?”

The demoness seemed surprised that I’d brought it up, then laughed, smoke spiraling out of her nostrils. “It’s devil’s tongue that translates roughly to ‘no man’s bitch.’ So I hope that’s a consolation for you, Princess.” Vira smirked, pupils briefly darting to Corry. She held out the cigarette to me, an expectant look on her face.

I stared at it for a second, the ashy tip burning bright with hot embers. The scent was strong and clung to my throat. There was no way anything that smelled that pungent could be pleasant, but curiosity won out. At the end of the day, it didn’t matter what she was offering. Chances were, if I’d never tried it, I’d consider giving it a whirl at least once. Being locked in a room for your entire life really had a way of opening your eyes to new things.

Approaching her, I leaned my back to the metal paneling of the garage structure and took the cigarette pinched between her outstretched fingers. Mimicking the way she held it, I brought it to my lips and inhaled. Warm smoke unfurled in my lungs. The bitter taste clung to my tongue, and I immediately exhaled on a cough. I passed the cigarette back to the Vira and her eyes danced with amusement.

“So… I’m sorry for whatever you overheard,” I said with an awkward chuckle and another dry cough. “I’m grateful that you helped Cor out back when he was fresh-turned.”

“Hey. Us sups got each other’s backs. Plus, I couldn’t have him killing on Boston Coven turf. As far as dead people, Cape vamps are chill. Boston bloodsuckers, not so much.”

“Yeah, right,” Corry said with a dark glint in his eye. “Doubt anyone would’ve suspected you, V. None of the victims had their dicks ripped off.”

“Haha. Cute. Sex demon joke. That’s original.” Vira said with a roll of her eyes. She flicked the cigarette butt to the ground and stomped on it with more zest than needed, and marched inside. When she turned her back to us, a long and slender tail covered in black scales and tiny spikes flicked behind her, beckoning us to follow her.

Lexi didn’t have a tail, or at least none that I’d seen. Made me wonder if it was similar to my powers, where my claws would only emerge at certain times, like a shifter.

Stepping inside the hangar, three others were lounging around, shooting the shit.

The first person my attention went to was a muscular man who knelt on the concrete floor beside a motorcycle, various tools laid out beside him as he tinkered with the bike.

Vibrant amber eyes shone from his grease-covered face. His buzz cut revealed branded lettering burned into his skull that not so subtly proclaimed he was a member of the Salem Coven.

Wait. I knew him. This was the bouncer I’d met at The Warehouse. Zeke Stone, I think his name was.

“Yo, finally. We’re not all immortal, Youngblood,” Zeke said, reaching to wipe his greasy face only to spread the viscous substance across his features like war paint. “Garrick was about to die of old age over here.” Zeke jerked his thumb over his shoulder and I followed it to two people I’d never seen before straddling Corry’s Harley.

They sat chest to chest, arms wrapped around one another, consuming the other’s face in a wet and frantic kiss that was so intimate, I almost felt awkward looking directly at them. But I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes away. They were so beautiful and interesting.

The woman had dark hair gathered in a thick braid and wore a leather jacket and skin-tight denim. She smelled like a vampire. But her partner was burly, like a lumberjack. He wore a flannel shirt rolled up at the sleeves that exposed his hairy, tattooed forearms and had a manly beard to match. He didn’t smell like a vampire at all. It was an aroma that reminded me of something I’d caught hints of at The Warehouse. Zeke’s comment suggested this male was mortal.

A werewolf, maybe?

The object of my curiosity pulled away from his girl, his grin making his beard twitch. “Judging by his scent, our little vampire princeling had better things to do.” He laughed, the sound muffling when the woman guided him back to her searching tongue, and another filthy kiss ensued.

“Alright, fuckers, listen up.” Corry jumped onto the hood of a very expensive-looking car—A G wagon, I think—and crouched, elbows propped on his knees, giving off some mega gang-king vibes.

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