AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gray eyes trailed in her direction, and now she felt their connection at the secret they shared. Then his gaze flicked downward, noticing the towel wrapped around her and the suds still stuck to her wet skin. Something darkened in his features, a smoldering that felt like a physical caress. Then it was gone.
“Sure. I believe it.” His voice was low, and she was having a hard time convincing herself it was still for show. “Have you met…?”
“Oh, I have. And I can’t wait to know more. Winter, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“How about missing a few hours of sleep and you guys having late dinner-breakfast with me? I’m hungry, and I have so many stories to tell.”
Hilda seemed pleased to see Nicola, indicating that perhaps this female vampire was okay to hang out with in the middle of the night. Winter found herself sitting between Nate and Nicola while actual food was served, except there was more animation to him than when he was entertaining one of his many guests. Her chair was closer to Nate’s, their arms brushing against each other every time one of them moved. It was supposed to feel comfortable, but her body had different ideas, lighting up every time he leaned in to get something or a brush or two lingered. Then Nate announced that he had some matters to attend and the two were left alone, allowing Winter to calm down her hyperaware senses.
“So, you two.”
Nicola’s voice was thoughtful as she sipped her tea and studied Winter. Winter looked back, a part of her waiting for the subtle threats and start of politicking.
“Hmm?”
“It’s nice to see. I haven’t seen my brother this…tense.”
Winter’s eyes widened, unsure how much Nicola knew of her home’s current situation. “It’s all the parties, I’m sure.”
“Oh, there are all kinds of parties here all the time,” Nicola mused, humor in her features. “And my brother handles it like a pro. You would think Nick is the only charming one, but Nate’s the real charmer. He’s always so self-assured and composed that people can’t help themselves from getting drawn to him. It’s all a façade, of course, because despite being the middle sibling, Nate is the worrier. He worries about us…about Nick.” A frown marred Nicola’s lips, showing a glimpse of the woman’s frustration, too, before it was schooled back. “But now he’s not so composed.”
“He’s not?”
“On the contrary. There’s a light of contentment when you are around. Heck, the man can’t take his eyes off you.” Smoky green eyes glinted. “But there’s tension, too. It’s like he can’t wait to get rid of me and get you alone so he can ravish you already.”
Heat flooded Winter’s body, especially her cheeks. She swallowed. “He’s had enough of me, I’m sure. It’s not like we are not together all the time in bed—I mean—”
An image of them tangled up in bed gushed into her mind and melted every other rumination.
“Not just in bed!” she corrected, then realized how it could be construed. Nicola giggled.
“Oh, I’m sure.”
“I meant it’s not just constant sex.”
Jesus, she needed to shut up.
“A different connection, then. With a human, too.” Nicola shook her head in pleased disbelief. “That explains the tension. Winter?”
“What?”
“My brother wants to jump you. And it’s eww talking about him like this, so let’s leave it at that.”
It’s just actingwas at the tip of her tongue until the kiss they shared came back to the forefront. His mouth had been so decisive, cajoling…hungry. Could hunger like that be acted? She didn’t think so, but her heart refused to have all its hopes up, only to have it come crashing down.
“Of course, it could be the wings.”
Winter nodded, latching on to the shift of topic until she comprehended what the woman was talking about. He hadn’t displayed his wings in a while, but she could still remember that first night and first view: glorious wings that looked like shadows of the sky, fiery and beautiful despite the terror they had once struck in her. One wing broken, with parts missing and crooked lines.
“What happened to his wings?”
“I don’t know the story much and he chooses not to talk about it, but I know it happened months ago when he almost drowned in the water.” Nicola shuddered as if the very idea was daunting. “It was two impostors trying to escape the island, I believe. He flew in after them when they were already in the water and somehow, he was already in the water, too, fighting for his life. They ripped at his wings and injured him badly, but it’s a good thing that he can still fly.”
“It is. Did he catch the culprits?”
“No, they managed to escape. It was a bear shifter, I think. And some human named Sunny. I don’t know what they did beyond…are you okay?”
