Page 81 of Blood & Betrayals

“Summer can come out and cheer for our team. Give me some extra motivation.” Connor laughs.

“Summer a cheerleader?” Zach bursts out laughing.

I give him my best hard look. He doesn’t notice, still laughing his ass off, tears forming in his eyes.

“You know, if Summer decides to try out for the team, she will follow,” Rafe says, nudging Zach.

Connor shrugs. “How bad could that be?”

Rafe snorts.

I look between them. “She?”

“Your vampiric bestie,” Rafe says. “The Mistress of Bloodshed.”

“Wait. I’d pay to see Alice Legosi on the cheer team.” Zach bursts out laughing again.

“Maybe she’d cheer for the dismemberment of both teams.” Zane snickers.

I pinch Connor’s side. “You just want to see me in the cheer uniform.”

“Not just that, they practice with us.”

Rafe rolls his eyes. “You don’t spend enough time together?”

I look up at Connor. He’s watching me warily, obviously waiting for me to freak out, but I’m surprisingly calm. I reach up and press a kiss to his jaw and he glows with happiness.

I wrap my arms around Connor’s waist and he whispers into my ear. “Still nervous?”

I nod. “But less.”

Connor smiles and kisses my temple.

35

Summer

“Boys! Dinner is ready!” Farrah calls as I put the bread on the table. They all stumble in, laughing and joking. Even Rafe looks mildly amused after practicing with his brothers. Connor makes a beeline for me and kisses me deeply. He pulls out a chair at the table and waits for me to sit down before settling into the seat beside me and slinging his arm over the back of my chair.

“So, Summer, have you picked a major yet?” Uriel asks, settling into the head seat at the table. His sons push and shove as they grab their places around the table.

I shake my head. “No, not yet.”

“If you’re proficient with runes, it’s too bad old Jimmy isn’t here to teach you,” Uriel continues. Farrah rolls her eyes and goes back to the kitchen to get the plates.

Connor leans in. “Dad and the headmaster don’t get along.”

I lift my eyebrows. “Oh?”

Uriel smirks. “Well, before Jimmy took over and opened Avalon to all species, there was a very limited exchange program with the University of Eden.”

All the boys groan, obviously having heard the story multiple times.

“And I happened,” Uriel continues, “to be attending Avalon as an exchange student at the same time as Jimmy.”

Farrah comes back, holding a heaped plate. The smell of roast chicken fills the room, and my stomach rumbles in anticipation. “Oh, Uriel. It was one date.”

“I hadn’t got there yet, my love.”

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