Glen glances in the direction I gesture. “Sam and Mari. She’s a vampire, and he’s a giant, if that wasn’t clear.”
I let out a chuckle. “Thatwas, but I didn’t know what to make of her.”
“This piece is very nice.” Glen draws the conversationaway from the couple, focusing on the actual point of today.
The art show.
Giving him another smile, I say, “Thank you.”
I leave him to continue his browsing, wandering in a different direction among the crowd. My brain seems to lose control of my feet as the warmth inside of me cranks up into flames.
Trying to recover my footing, I stand up straight, watching as blue hair weaves around people. Her gray skin seems to shine in the sunlight, and her eyes look even more illuminated.
She’shere.
She actually came.
Now all I need to do is play it cool.
Chapter Eight
STARING AT MY OWN EYES
ORIE
“We’re meeting my best friend and her boyfriend, so be nice,” I warn, pointing a finger in Orian’s direction.
He holds a hand over his heart. “I am always nice, dear sister.”
I raise a brow at him, and he gives me a grin. Maybe he’s always nicenow, but that hasn’t been the case his entire life.
Raya and Arman are meeting us at my house before we walk over to the fountain, where Carson is having his art show. I can feel his presence there, and if I focus enough, I can feel a lot of people around him too.
Having a crowd attend is good for me. This way, it won’t just be me, my friends, my formerly estranged brother, and the man I’m stalking.
That could’ve been awkward.
In my peripheral vision, I see Raya’s familiar hot-pink hair. I turn to face her, giving her a smile as she gets closer.Arman walks alongside her, his eyes going wide as he scans my brother before shrinking back slightly behind Raya.
“No way…” my brother mumbles, letting out a scoff.
The two of them stop just short of us before I can question my brother about his reaction. Raya’s eyes dart between the us, her lips parted.
“So, how did we go this long without knowing you have a sibling?” Raya asks, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Let alone atwin brother?”
Orian sticks out his hand. “I’m Orian, and in case she missed the details, I’m theoldertwin brother. Twelve minutes.”
“Eleven minutes and forty-two seconds, actually.” I correct him as he shakes Raya’s hand.
When he lets go, Raya gestures over her shoulder toward Arman, who still watches Orian cautiously from a step behind her. “This is my boyfriend?—”
Orian cuts her off, his eyes focused beyond Raya. “Arman Whelan. New Bria, right?”
They know each other?
Oh no.
Raya did mention once that Arman was hesitant when he met me because he’d had a dangerous encounter with a shadow demon. What are the odds that the shadow demon in question is my brother?
