AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The kiss wasn’t sweet, gentle, or loving. And it was perfect.
Rafael stripped me down to a bundle of quivering nerves, existing only to feel his soft lips. Delight in the faint aftertaste of dark chocolate on his tongue. Tangle in his silken strands.
All the things I read about while I was in the Catholic school not hooking up with my dorm mates, came to life with the Rogues. My pulse raced, air deserted me, and fireworks lit behind my eyes—telling of a different future than the one I was due.
What are you doing, Luna? The fierce, untouchable cloud, casting shadows over the men who killed your sister, don’t come down to fall in love.
I broke away, pushing back on his chest. “Rafael, wait—”
“They’re lies!” Wesley shouted. “I didn’t do any of that stuff.”
“Really?” Everleigh replied. “Because you fucked with Winter’s bike and caused that little accident.” Our heads snapped up. “Why should we believe you didn’t give Zaria a concussion too? It happened the week she dumped your ass!”
“It wasn’t me! I didn’t do anything.” Wesley shoved off the ground, stumbling against the double doors. The guy was a wreck. Blood dripped down his ripped shirt. Food covered him head to toe, and from his clutching his chest, that kick Piper dealt him was solid. “I’m telling you someone’s fucking with us and you’re all falling for it. They’re probably laughing at the stupid Royals right now.”
“Time to go.” Rafael grabbed my hand and took off, racing around the side of the building.
“Do you think this is it?” I huffed. “The final straw.”
“If it’s not, it will be tomorrow when Wilder drops the truth about Levi Thompkins.”
THURSDAY MORNING I slept in. Partly because I didn’t have class until later. The other reason was Cato sprawled across my body, his head resting on my stomach. I was finding his weight and warmth too comforting to move him.
“Lady Luna.” Lucien propped up in the doorway, watching me run my fingers through a sleeping Cato’s hair.
“Yes?”
“If you’ve got time to laze around in bed, you’ve got time to practice. Up.”
I groaned. “Between the bowing, hand-kissing, and Ladying, you’d never guess Lucien Calais is a vampire taskmaster.”
“I’ve lived many years, my dear. I’ve had time to become many things.” He clapped, waking Cato. Snarling, Cato leaped off the bed and tackled Lucien to the ground.
Shrieking, I jumped to help. “Guys, stop!”
Lucien flipped Cato off, using a roll, hold, and kick that he was working on teaching me. Cato hit the ground on his hands and knees, skidding along the hardwood.
“You’re getting slow, Dumont.” Lucien crouched low, circling my bristling Cato. “Aww, too tired? I’ve been up for hours.”
“Lucien,” I said softly, watching Cato’s handsome face twist unrecognizable. “This is not a good idea.”
“Worried about me, Lady Luna? Why? Dumont’s not going to do a thing—”
Rafael whipped his whole body around, sweeping his legs under Lucien. The pantaloon-wearing Rogue dropped flat on his back. Cato jumped on him, and the two started scrapping, trading blows all over the hallway floor.
“Lucien! Cato!” I struggled to get them apart.
Rafael came out of his room.
“Rafael, help me! I can’t get them to stop—”
The oldest Dumont scooped me around the waist and carried me into his bedroom. He shut the door on the fight. “Don’t concern yourself with them,” he said over a furious shout from outside. “They’ll stop when one of them draws blood.”
“Rafael!” With the sudden shout came the knowledge that we were alone in his room, and we hadn’t talked about that kiss since we took off running.
I slumped on his bed, wishing I could melt into his dark sheets and hide. The kiss was amazing—hot, passionate, electric, and a betrayal to my sister and what the five of us were here to do. Lucien was right to call me on impulsively kissing him to feel better after Victor, and I was right to end another impulsive kiss.
I never expected to have a life after getting Winter justice. The only future I envisioned was in a jail cell or on the run. Dangling boyfriends and a husband who hated me wasn’t the fate the cards dealt me. Why pretend otherwise?
“Rafael,” I began, “about yester—”
“Sinclair, look.” He plucked a piece of paper off his desk, showing it to me. “Wilder dropped these all over campus this morning like Santa delivering goodies. What do you think?”
I read Levi Thompkins across the top. The incredibly awkward conversation we have coming can wait a few minutes.
“I don’t know why you won’t tell me the secrets beforehand,” I replied, taking the list from him.
“Easy. So we can see the look on your face when you realize you’ve got nothing to doubt. You’re about to destroy a living, breathing monster in human skin.”
My lips parted to say something, whatever it was, it wasn’t disagreement.
