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“I know. But the moment I smelled her blood…” I wave my hand in front of my mouth, where my fangs are still on full display. “At first, I thought it was a fluke. But later she cut her hand, and I smelled it a second time and had the same reaction. As you can see, just talking about it has me fanging out.”

As my medical team chats amongst themselves, I watch my parents cast hopeful looks to each other. Both of my parents are born vampires, like me. Unlike me, neither have had the blood issues I have. The fact that they’re mates and can feed from one another certainly helps.

“There’s something else.”

That has everyone pausing.

“When we’re together, and even now, just thinking about her, there’s this—” I wave my hand around, reaching for the right word. “Voice, for lack of a better word. An overwhelming feeling that she’s mine. That she could be my mate. It’s been steadily growing since the first time we kissed.”

A slow smile spread across my mother’s face. The doctors all exchange looks, muttering in soft tones to each other.

“Augustus,” Doctor Camp starts, “based on the reactions that you’re describing, that’s a viable possibility.”

“However,” Doctor Park interjects, “if this woman is in fact your mate, there’s only one way to know for certain.”

My stomach does a flip, half in excitement and half in dread.

“I need to taste her blood.”

Chapter 12

Trivia Night

CORDELYA

Idon’t remember the last time I soaked in the bath.

Or the last time someone ran a bath for me.

By the time I forced myself out of the tub, the bubbles had disappeared, and the water had gone cold.

And I enjoyed every second of that soak. I haven’t relaxed like that in well over a year. Then again, it’s hard to unwind when you’re constantly looking over your shoulder.

When Auggie came back, I was ready to head to the pub. We took Minna for a short walk and fed her and the rest of my furry children before walking to his car hand in hand. He even walked me into the Twisted Broomsticks and kissed me right in the middle of the pub.

All throughout my shift, my thoughts keep replaying the last twenty-four hours.

The break-in, which was awful.

Auggie never leaving my side as I walked through the mess of the old apartment and helping me move everything, again, to the new unit. Him holding me all night, like he was my personal shield.

And this morning…

I feel my face heat at the memory of Auggie’s tongue against my clit, his thick finger pumping into me until I saw stars.

“I know that look.” Mason’s teasing voice carries from the other end of the bar where he’s washing glasses.

“Me?” I sputter.

Mason laughs, setting the glass he was holding on the rack to dry.

“Yes, you. You’ve got the look,” he says with clear amusement.

“What look?”

“The one that screams that the kiss we all witnessed Augustus lay on you when he walked you in is just the tip of the iceberg.”

My face burns, though I fight off the smile.