Page 22 of Live To Tell

“I’m told to keep away from him.” She rubs a finger across her lips. “But as I’m attempting to integrate myself into the world, I may inadvertently come across Kai in the wild.”

I chuckle. “I’m sure Kai’s told to keep away from you too,” I say.

“Pointless anyway.” Violet waves a hand at a table across the room. “Kai’s under house arrest again. The story is, Sawyer’s mad about the warehouse fight with shifters. The truth? He’s obviously worried for Kai’s safety and this time Kai’s listening. That man has not told my father the whole truth, which is an idiotic decision.”

“You overheard that?” I ask, and she nods.

“There was also a brief discussion around Kai’s version of events and how the witches attacked us, but he fled the moment attention diverted to me and Rowan. Most unhelpful since he witnessed none of Josef’s actions.”

“Uh. I’d say helpful because running saved his life,” I comment.

“Has anybody in the café mentioned shifters?” asks Leif and his jaw sets hard.

Violet straightens. “The girl with the short blonde hair at the table to the far right is in a relationship with a shifter. Apparently, shifters are not allowed into town still—elders’ command rather than the town banning them. Due to this, the girl's and shifter's romantic trysts are infrequent, and this has led to some dissatisfaction. She’s spent much of the last ten minutes looking at a boy she attends school with. And him at her.” She sips her juice. “The fickleness of humans continues to astound me.”

“Yeah, that’d be the end of their relationship. A shifter wouldn’t share a girl,” I say. “Too possessive.”

“Share? She’s not a tasty morsel,” says Violet, then slants her head. “And by that comment, are you implying I’m ‘shared’.”

“No, but you’re a tasty—” Leif stops and glares at Rowan. “What was the kick for? Violet would know I’m joking.”

No response from Violet, who’s now fixated on me. “Grayson?”

I shrug, refusing to answer, but man I would’ve loved Leif to finish his sentence and watch Violet’s response.

“Is this opinion one you all share?” Violet continues.

“You didn’t eat the cake I bought,” interrupts Rowan and points at a chocolate icing-smothered slice in front of her. Nice swerve, Rowan.

“I’m not hungry.”

Rowan lowers his voice, but can’t hide his words from me. “You’re not eating enough. I’m worried.”

“Do I look hungry?”

“No, but—”

“Stop whispering,” says Leif and pokes Violet’s hand.

I flick my tongue against a canine. Violet’s losing her appetite? Perhaps there’s more hemia in the vampire hybrid side than she accepts, and I don’t just mean my blood. I’m headed towards hemia maturity and a dislike for food—is Violet experiencing the same? Which adds another question. Are Dorian and Eloise blood drinkers, despite denying they ever do?

I sink back and push away the menu. “We met here purely to eavesdrop on boring human lives?”

“How else am I to keep up with current affairs and consider risks to their ‘boring lives’?” asks Violet.

“Your curly-haired, over-exuberant roommate?” I suggest. “Isn’t she part of the ‘gang’ now?”

“I don’t want Holly involved,” she replies. “Another reason to meet off campus—she’s with Chase this afternoon and therefore won’t see us.”

I chuckle. “She’ll be pissed.”

“Better pissed than dead,” comments Violet. “Why look at me in that way? We all know there’s a risk to Holly if she’s connected to me. I should spend less time with her, not more, now there’s no Spring Ball organization.”

“Whoa,” mumbles Leif.

Rowan pulls on his lip but says nothing.

“What’s your next move?” I ask.

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