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Maybe my mates will build me a new cottage farther in the woods,I think to myself, although I haven’t walled my thoughts off from my mates, so Zy responds.
You mean a secluded place where no one can hear you scream? Of course, baby girl. I’d love to build a new house for you.
I roll my eyes, but it sounds kind of wonderful.
Especially because my mates love to make me scream, even if my voice doesn’t hold the same power it used to.
I’m absolutely adding a sex basement, too,Zy adds, making me blush.
Zy heads to the bar and begins making drinks. “What’s your poison, Ayla?”
Ayla frowns, ignoring Zy while Jasper flops onto the new sofa and Kornelius crosses his arms and leans against the mantel, looking amused by the situation.
It takes a few hours to explain the whole background to Ayla, but she listens intently while sipping the drink Zy made for her. After convincing her to drink it, she admitted it was good.
“A vampire,” she says while coddling her glass that’s more ice than drink now. The fireplace cheerfully burns while my mates have made themselves scarce.
There’s not a lot of room in the cottage, so they left to tend to their hobbies. Zy likes to work with my garden. He’s done a great job restoring it. Kornelius and Jasper headed into town, looking for trouble.
They always come back with a story and a new book for me to read.
And sometimes, blood.
“A vampire,” I confirm, grinning to show off my fangs. I’ve learned how to control them, to a degree.
Ayla’s eyes widen. “Wow. And where do you get… you know, the stuff you need to drink?”
“My mates,” I say simply. “I feed on them and they mix in blood with Zy’s drinks, too. Just… don’t open the new freezer.”
The blood bags in our freezer are a gift from my sister. It’s one of the few expenses I’ve accepted from her, because I didn’t want to risk myself or my mates getting too hungry and causing trouble. While I haven’t been able to stomach drinking blood straight, drinking from my mates is a pastime I thoroughly enjoy and sustains me as long as they’re drinking enough blood for all of us.
Ayla nods. “Noted.” She sighs, then leans back in her chair. “Well, I brought you a present, but I don’t know if you’ll want it now.”
I raise an eyebrow. “A present? I always like presents.”
She chuckles. “When I crossed into populated areas, mostly Gold and Garnet territory across the map, I picked up a few smut books that you like in other languages.” She glances at the door. “Not sure if you need them now.”
Doubling over, I laugh my first belly laugh in a while. “Oh, Ayla! Did you think I read those because I wasn’t getting any?”
She smirks. “Well,yeah.”
I wipe away cheerful tears. “No! I enjoy the romance and the story. The excitement and the thrill. It’s not… it’s not like that.”
Ayla pulls the books out of her bag. She’s packed them with her clothing to keep them from being damaged. “Uh-huh, whatever you say.” She unwraps them, then hands them to me. “Maybe have your mates buddy-read with you. There’s one in there aboutknotting.”
I make a little “O” shape with my mouth. “Knotting? What’s that?”
I know what it is, but Ayla has already made enough fun of me for tonight.
She grins. “I guess you’ll have to read them to find out. I guarantee, though, your mates won’t be able to replicate that one.”
“A shame,” I say. Although, given what knotting is, I’m glad they’re not capable of it. They sensually torture me enough.
I flip open the first book and read the passage aloud.
Ayla leans back into her chair and smiles, clearly enjoying me reading to her.
Because I’m using my voice. I’m able to speak and be heard.
And for the first time in my life… I’m free.
* * *
