Page 60 of You’re So Vein

But how can he be in love with me? We hate each other. The only feelings we’re supposed to feel are mild revulsion.

And I think of all the things he’s done since I found out he was a vampire, all the tiny ways he’s shown me that he’s not the person I thought he was. I think of how I am around him, how he brings out this side of me that no one else sees, how he’s never once asked me to fix something for him.

I said such cruel things.

My heart patters against my ribs. I hadn’t meant what I said. I’d seen Augustin with the boys and I just… I saw a man enjoying playing with kids and I remembered that I’ll never have kids, not ever, and I flipped out. And Augustin caught my meltdown and he just… took it and dropped his bombshell and left.

And then, to avoid thinking about what he said, I got drunk with my friends.

I am a mess.

My skin itches to do something. I don’t know what. I don’t understand what I’m feeling, except that Augustin told me he loved me, and I have to deal with that. Fix it. But my friends are still here, arguing about how much the party has increased my chances of winning the election.

“Durant was acting strange last night, don’t you think?” I ask lightly.

“No stranger than usual.” Beth waves away Celeste’s offering of food and unfurls her yoga mat in front of the window. “He didn’t like it when I cornered him and told him what I thought about his rejection of my pole studio. You should have seen his face when I called him a prude! When you become mayor, it has to be the first thing on your agenda.”

“No, Komal’s going to raise the Gazette budget first,” Maisie says. “Right, Komal?”

“After she inaugurates me as the official town seer, with a robe and a stipend,” Isis adds.

“How was Augustin acting weird?” Winnie asks as she neatly folds everyone’s discarded sheets and blankets into two perfect stacks.

I accept a cup of tea from Celeste. Chai with a bit of honey, just the way I like it. “He didn’t like me talking to Dante. He scared away my date, which honestly was a relief, because you all have terrible taste. And he was playing with the twins, trying to look good for the cameras. When I confronted him, he kind of exploded at me.” I shrug, as if it’s no big deal. I hide my shaking hands in my pyjama pockets. “He said he was in love with me.”

I squeeze my eyes shut. I can’t bear remembering the pain in Augustin’s features as he yelled at me.

But then I hear Maisie whoop, “Finally!”

My eyes fly open. All of my friends except Beth are grinning at me.

“Obviously, he’s in love with you,” Winnie says.

“It’s not obvious to me!”

“Are you kidding? The two of you are classic rivals-to-lovers. All that pent-up aggression? All that witty banter? When you finally hook up, it’s going to be explosive. I wouldn’t be surprised if you shag a building down.”

I snort. “Augustin Durant isn’t getting anywhere near my ovaries.”

Although now I’m thinking about it.

His cool fingers against my skin.

Those intense eyes like warm campfires focused only on me.

Those lips that never smile doing all sorts of naughty things…

His sharp fangs sinking into my neck…

Stop it.

“Name three reasons why you shagging his brains out is a bad idea,” Maisie says.

“Easy.” I tick them off on my fingers. “One. I hate him.”

“You only think you hate him. Arabella thought she hated Gideon, and she’s marrying him. Next.”

“Two. He’s a vampire.” I wrinkle my nose. “What about all the… blood stuff?”