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“What’s so funny?” I ask. “Isn’t that what werewolves do to each other?”
The three of them laugh harder, clutching their sides, while Jules continues to choke on his drink, pounding his chest.
“Oh, my werewolves, she’s a riot,” Shade says through his laughter. “Seriously, if this is how all humans are, then sign me up for the Common Realm.”
Feeling like an idiot, I look to Legend for help. “What did I say that’s so funny?”
“Werewolves bite each other to permanently link themselves to their soulmates after they find him or her. It’s an act of intimacy, not of violence.” He takes a sip of his silver laced vodka to hide his grin. “It’s kind of like foreplay."
My cheeks flood with heat. “Oh.”
Seeking relief from my discomfort, I reach for the glass in front of me, but then I remember that Legend told Rune to get me water.
I need something stronger.
“So, did you sneak her in from her realm because she’s so entertaining?” Jules asks Legend with his eyes still on me and a ghost of a smile on his lips.
“I didn’t sneak her in. I got her a twenty-four-hour traveling pass.” Legend rotates in the booth, bringing his knee up on the bench and forcing me to scoot over, closer to Jules. “And I brought her here because I wasn’t ready to let her go yet. Although, her entrainment level did play a part in that. My favorite is watching her get embarrassed.”
I playfully pinch Legend’s arm, and he laughs.
“You’re such a mean,oldvampire.” I dazzle him with a sassy smirk.
“Well, will you look at that?” Shade muses while staring at Jules. “He’s actually smiling.” He looks at me. “You should be proud of yourself, sweetheart. Jules never smiles. Not since …” He trails off, wincing.
I glance at Jules just in time to see the smile dissolve from his face.
“I wasn’t smiling,” he bites out, his tone aching with guilt.
Rune smacks Shade upside the head. “Why’d you have to point it out?”
Shade slams his hands against Rune’s chest. “Because we haven’t seen him smile in over a decade.”
Rune glowers at Shade. “Yeah, so? Now he’s not smiling, is he?”
The two of them glance worriedly at Jules. My gaze drifts in his direction, too. Then I promptly shrink back at the hatred in his eyes.
Hatred just like those werewolves who attacked me.
Hatred directed at me.
Invisible fingers wrap around my throat as agonizing memories of being in that alleyway rip me apart from the inside out.
I turn to Legend to beg him to get me the hell out of here, but he’s chatting animatedly with a woman standing in front of our table. She has long auburn hair and cat-shaped eyes, her lips redder than vampire’s blood. I’m not sure what she is, but Legend seems elated to see her. Happier than I’ve ever seen him.
Not wanting to ruin his happy moment, I take a few measured breaths.
Get your shit together, Lake. You’re not in the alleyway. These werewolves aren’t them.
When my heart continues to thrash, though, I reach for Legend’s drink.
“I thought you were on a water ban?” Shade teases, attempting to lighten the mood.
I manage an awkwardly stiff smile. “What can I say? I guess I’m not very good at taking orders from the undead.”
If Legend heard me, he’d laugh, but he’s too engulfed in the conversation with the very pretty woman.
His lightness is the exact opposite of the rigid atmosphere hovering between the rest of us. I feel like I’ve done something wrong that pissed Jules off and made Shade and Rune tremendously uneasy, and that pisses me off.
