Page 123 of For Dear Life

“Honestly, grab your drink and come straight over. Nothing will happen apart from her obsessing about the tiara.” I smile wryly. “She’ll probably give us research tasks and plan our next investigation.”

Grayson’s mouth tips into a half-smile. “Or sit you down to decipher a code.”

“Yeah, so we definitely need a few drinks.” He gestures towards the academy. “Be right back.”

I catch Violet as she reaches the students who’ve taken refuge in the quieter hallway and take her hand as she pauses to scrutinize everybody’s head. “We’ll find the tiara.”

“Oh, yes. And whoever told those witches to attack shifters and humans—and why they wanted to kill Kai.” Her jaw sets hard. “This isn’t over.”

“Yes, Violet,” I say with a smile. “You have told me that numerous times.”

“Humph.” She takes a deep breath, as if bracing herself to walk into a battle, not a dance, and walks inside. “Where is Holly?”

“Maybe she snuck off with Chase somewhere?” I suggest and nudge her. “A few couples will be up to no good now.”

“I kissed Leif,” she replies. “Or rather, he kissed me, and I didn’t mind.”

“Um. Right?” Did I hear her over the band’s performance? I rub a brow, unsure what she expects me to say. “Weird time for this conversation.”

“Does that bother you?”

My mouth parts in surprise. “Why would that bother me? Violet, my mother has several consorts. So does yours. Strong female witches always surround themselves with guys. Granted, they’re normally all witches but what’s normal, right?”

“Regardless, you may not like our decision to do such. We’re bonded, Rowan.”

“Oh, hell. Leif’s my best friend and would treat you like a queen and probably fight to the death for you. The exact guy you should have in your life, if you want him.”

She regards me with her big eyes. “I do, but not so much the killing himself on my account.”

“And Grayson?”

“Can you see Holly anywhere?” she replies and takes a further step into the students writhing around to a familiar, upbeat song. Violet grimaces at the exuberance. “Why are the students all singing? Isn’t that the band’s poorly performed task for tonight?”

She’s dodged that question for a reason and now makes her way towards the back of the main hall to the corridor with the bathrooms. “Talk to me about Grayson,” I say as we emerge into the quiet again. “He’s part of us—you said so earlier. I once thought you’d more than kissed him and tonight he told me you won’t touch him.”

Violet turns. “I’ve never kissed him, but his blood runs through me.”

I blink. Something I’d never considered.

“You know that he cares about you?” I say cautiously.

“And I care deeply for him, which is why I can’t risk what we might provoke in each other.”

“You mean, like me and you?” I arch a brow. “If we submitted to the darker force we could create?”

“I’ve hurt Grayson once. That’s enough.”

I turn her face to me when she looks away. “But neither of you are happy about that. Sure, there are a lot of complications with the Petrescu thing. And the blood. But Grayson’s the best person to help. He understands that side of you.”

“You’re odder than I thought, Rowan,” she says. “I worry about kissing another guy and you shrug it off, then you tell me I should engage in a physical relationship with another.”

“Not that you should, but that if you want to, don’t use your control issues as an excuse to avoid how you feel.” I pause. “Or are you scared he’ll hurt you?”

Violet splutters a laugh. “Please, Rowan. He tried once.”

I never in a thousand years dreamed I’d stand in front of Violet and tell her she should open herself to Grayson Petrescu, or that I’d ever want her as anything but mine.

But one guy isn’t going to fill everything in this girl’s life—I can already see one vampire sized hole.

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