Page 193 of Vameer

“Vampire, if I see your dick next, I’m portaling you to Antarctica.”

I roll my eyes. “Don’t worry, Druid. I am leaving my drawers on.”

“Drawers.” Volik tips over again.

“Lo siento. Boxer briefs.” I do my best to enunciate the words. But they come out a little slurred.

Free of the material, I roll out my shoulders and push my hair back out of the way.

“Why is everything red?” Dread asks.

Volik answers. “It is his favorite color.” Then he dissolves into laughter, knowing damn well he’s the reason I’m stuck with this as my only set of clothing.

Then I look at Rune’s beautiful red hair. And decide it is my favorite color.

Wanting to have her back in my arms, I drop to the ground, roll back underneath her, then pull her to me as I settle back against the tree.

The gravito around her dissolves, and she makes a soft humming sound as her cheek rests against my bare chest.

Remembering my bottle of rum, I grab it from where it’s hovering and take another swallow. “I accidentally sank a pirate ship full of rum once.”

“How accidentally?” Volik asks me.

“Truly. I was angry about… I don’t remember. And my hands got too hot while I was moving barrels.”

A handful of my gravito turns white as it forms a tiny explosion before me.

I nod. “Like that.”

“She is all vampire now.” Volik nods toward Rune. “So she will take the information better than Nix did. You must tell her.”

“I know.” I close one eye while I focus on keeping my heart steady. “Dread, I would like more rum.”

Instead of arguing, he disappears. Probably happy for a reason to get away.

Volik asked me a simple question, but it led to me telling him everything our parents ever told me about mates. And everything else I’d heard while traveling. Like the supercharged feeling after drinking your mate’s blood. And how their taste is special, in more ways than one.

Gold flashes, and the druid is back with us. “You’ll have to share this one. It’s the last of what I have made.” He tosses it underhand toward me.

I lift a hand and yank it into my palm with gravito.

“It is just us,” Volik says evenly. “If you wanted to let go, you could.”

I blink at him. Then I see he’s talking to Dread.

The druid lifts a brow. “We can’t all be drunk. Plus, you two have almost finished that last bottle.”

“Nyet.” Volik shakes his head slowly. “Let go of your magic, Druid.”

Dread’s brows drop. “What do you mean?”

Volik taps a finger to his ear. “I can hear it.”

I tilt my head, trying to listen.

The druid makes a face. “What⁠—”

“Shh.” I shush him. “I’m trying to hear.”