Page 148 of Volik

Then I grin.

Her eyes drop to my mouth. “Fuck me.” Then she sways.

I can’t stop my laugh even as I lunge forward and grip her shoulders, steadying her.

She grips my shoulders in return as she blinks at me.

“Please don’t pass out.” I mean it, but I’m still smiling.

She shakes her head. “I’m good now.”

We slowly let go of each other, but she doesn’t step back. And I’ll be forever grateful that she doesn’t flinch away from my new look.

“So…” I rock back on my heels. “Last night got a little crazy.”

Jenny barks out a laugh. “You fucking think? What the actual fuck, Nix? You didn’t think a little heads-up, a by the way, girly, I turned into a vampire last night, would be useful?”

I feel my bottom lip catch on my fang as I smile at her reaction. It doesn’t break the skin, just pushes my lip down.

She slaps her hands over her eyes as she laughs harder. “How are you more adorable?”

Volik lets out a rumble, and I can’t tell if it’s in annoyance, agreement, or at her calling me a vampire. Which is untrue, but still kind of fun to hear.

Volik clears his throat as he steps up beside me. “I will go find coffee for you. Jenny, would you like some as well?”

Her hands are against her cheeks now. “That would be really nice, thank you.”

Volik nods, then bends and presses a kiss to my forehead before he walks away.

I watch him leave. Watch the way his muscles look in that tight T-shirt as he ducks through the doorway.

Heat pools⁠—

“Nix,” Volik snaps, and I blink, cheeks flaming.

“I’m fine,” I croak.

When I finally turn my attention back to Jenny, she slaps her hands back over her eyes as she cackles.

Chapter 65

Volik

Ifocus on my heartbeat as I cross my arms.

She wanted to review her notes before class started, so that is what she’s doing now, sitting at her desk, face in her laptop, with me standing in front of her desk.

I found the dean in the commons earlier, when I went to buy two coffees, two muffins, and two egg sandwiches—not sure what the girls would want to eat, knowing Nix did not eat dinner last night. Aside from my blood.

Jenny’s inquiry fresh in my mind, I told Henry that we did not need his help keeping students in line today.

I would be doing that.

Then I told him of the developments and the plan to put out a statement via Nix’s journalist this weekend.

He grinned like an idiot. I walked away.

Now, I am fulfilling my new life’s purpose of protecting Nix.