Page 17 of House of Royals

This is almost exactly the same size as my apartment in Colorado, and I find it oddly comforting.

“It’s not much to look at, but it’s my own space,” Ian says as he walks back from the bedroom where he’s just set my bag on the bed. “Started building it when I was only fifteen. Finished it a few years back.”

I was right.

“It’s a far cry from Conrath Estate, but the House will never come looking for you here.”

“Right,” I say as I wander to the bedroom. There’s a queen-sized bed with a worn-out blue comforter on it. A dresser is pushed up next to the closet and that’s all that occupies the space. The bathroom isn’t any bigger than necessary to cram in a shower, toilet, and sink.

“Don’t worry,” Ian says as he stuffs his hands in his pockets and observes me. “I’ll take the couch.”

My polite instinct is to say that he doesn’t have to. It’s his house and his bed, not mine. But then again, this was his idea, and Rath’s, and if not for that idea, I’d be sleeping in my suite and not putting anyone out.

“Okay,” I say simply.

I jump pretty violently when there’s a knock on the closed front door before it opens.

I turn to find a pretty, young blonde girl staring at me with startled eyes. “Oh,” she says. “I’m sorry, I uh…didn’t realize Ian had company.” The shocked and confused tone to her voice tells me how rare of an occasion this truly is.

“Elle, this is Alivia Ryan,” Ian says, waving a hand in my direction. “Alivia, this is my little sister, Elle Ward.”

“Oh,” I say, surprised once again by this vamp hunter. “I…uh, it’s nice to meet you.”

“I love your name,” Elle says shyly with a smile that looks so much like Ian’s. She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. “Ian, Lula told me to tell you it’s time for dinner.”

“’K,” he says. “We’ll be right in.”

Elle looks at me one more time and offers a fluttering little smile before she heads outside again.

“I should have figured you were a big brother,” I say with a small smile when I meet his eyes. “You do have that whole protective quality going on.”

Ian fights off a smile and opens the door wider for me. “Shut up,” he laughs. “Come on. Don’t make my grandmother wait for us.”

The house is as warm and inviting inside as it looks from the outside. Crisp white walls, a light, sky blue ceiling. Old, well worn, but taken care of furniture. It smells like a grandma, but in all the right ways. It makes me wish I’d had a grandmother. My own died when I was only six years old.

We round the corner of the living room into the dining room and kitchen. Elle is helping a woman set things on the table.

“Lula, I hope you don’t mind that I have a guest tonight,” Ian says as he places his hands on the back of a chair. I stand there uncomfortably.

The woman turns, and I see her face for the first time.

It’s impossible not to notice the wrinkles first. Folds and canyons and ravines cover her entire body. Dark eyes are hooded and shadowed by her features. Her earlobes are long and dangly. And unlike the kind, motherly woman I was expecting from the house, this woman’s eyes are fierce and dark.

“You got a girlfriend?” she asks, somehow managing to raise an eyebrow as she shuffles across the kitchen to the table with a casserole dish in her weathered hands. Her Southern drawl is strong, and I can barely understand her.

“Uh,” Ian says uncomfortably, scratching the back of his neck. “No. This is Alivia Ryan. She just got into town.”

The woman looks at me, staring me down like she can see into my soul.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say without squirming.

Finally, she gives a grunt and a nod before turning back to retrieve something from the kitchen.

“Don’t worry about her,” Ian whispers in my ear. His closeness makes something in my stomach do a backflip. “She’s pretty crazy and won’t even remember you were here in the morning.”

“She really won’t,” Elle says quietly as she finishes setting the table.

“Oh,” is all I can say in this super awkward situation.

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