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I salute. “That’s me, your friendly neighborhood task girl!”
“And when will we train?” he asks dubiously.
“That will be up to you and Mel to figure out.” I turn and head for the door, calling back, “And let me recommend you take the stick out of your ass before that conversation, because you are not winning any favors with her right now, and no one cares what a big honcho you are. She comes first, and her word means more than yours.”
His sputters fill the bookshop.
“Have a good day!” I pull open the door, sending the little bell jingling, and leave Aspen behind with his thoughts.
PERMISSION SLIPS
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BETRAYAL
The sun shimmers on the sand dunes behind the house as it dips toward the horizon. The sand, glistening like thousands of tiny crystals, takes on a bewitching, almost otherworldly quality.
If I weren’t still terrified of the ocean, I’d suggest we have a picnic down there. But after nearly drowning thanks to Ros’s sister—we’ve worked past it—the closest I come to the beach is our back porch, where I currently sit admiring the view while Ros braids my long hair to tame it for the night.
A brisk breeze comes from the ocean, bringing the scent of salt and an autumn chill as it ruffles the long strands of my hair that escape Ros’s deft fingers.
Ros catches the flyaway strands and pulls them back into place. “You know, it would be easier if we did this inside.”
“But then you couldn’t admire the sunset.” I look up at Ros, only for him to use the braid he’s weaving to straighten my head. “How many sunsets have you watched in your mole-person life?”
Ros had lived in an underground city with other vampires until I came along and rescued him by shoving him into my car truck. He really doesn’t thank me enough for dragging him back to my grandma’s house.
“I’ve seen plenty of sunsets. Sunrises, too,” he says dryly. “I wasn’t as much of a mole person as you like to believe. I had a job that required I be above ground at all hours of the day.”
“So you were nomming on other witches’ blood to walk around during the day?” Tris stretches out on the worn boards at my feet, where he lies in the spot of sunlight. “It doesn’t seem fair that you’d drink their blood, but not mine.”
Ros continues to work on my braid, his fingers grazing the back of my neck and sending shivers through me. “If I bite you, will you shut up about it?”
With easy grace, Tris rolls onto his knees, the worn boards groaning beneath his weight. He turns to face us, eagerly gripping my thighs. “You’ll really do it?”
“If it will get you to stop walking around half-naked.” Ros tugs gently on my hair as he ties off the braid. “I need to feed soon, anyway.”
I reach back to smack Ros’s leg, my hand connecting with his muscular calf through his black pants. “Warn him about the three-bite rule.”
“Yes.” Tris wiggles with excitement, the porch creaking in response. “Warn me about the three-bite rule, then bite me.”
“I don’t feel like you’ll take this seriously, but here goes.” Ros sets the comb he was using on the little table that holds our glasses of lemonade. “If I bite you three times, it will form an unbreakable bond between us that I can then use to find you anywhere in the world.”
“So you’d basically be chipping me.” Tris considers it for a moment, then shrugs. “I don’t see a downside, since you’ll always find me right next to Rowe, anyway.”
“Aww.” I reach out to cup his cheeks. “Who’s the bestest boy?”
Tris’s hips shake like he still has a tail, and he leans in to lick my chin.
Ros tries again. “It’s a bond usually reserved for family and mates.”
Tris squints at him. “Are you saying we’re not mates?”
That seems to take Ros aback. “Well, I mean, in the strictest sense of the term—”
“Hello!” Mel’s voice calls from the front of the house. “We’ve come for a visit.”
“Oh, thank god.” Ros murmurs and then raises his voice. “We’re on the back porch!”
“Come on, Mel, bad timing!” Tris yells. “I almost had his fangs in my neck!”
