Page 26 of Happily Undead in Dark River

“On the house,” she said. “Consider it payment for the satisfaction of watching you put that weasel in his place.”

I grinned. I’d be leaving money because the Vampire Nation being in town was going to be hell on everyone’s profits, but I’d sneak it to her later. She was proud and wouldn’t take it if I offered it to her now.

I obviously ate the cake first, because it was freaking triple-layer chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream and coated in chocolate ganache. I would fight any person who dared to say that was too much chocolate.

I cut a piece that was as big as my head and promptly began to devour it. Judge leaned over and licked some icing that had smeared up my cheek. Forget the sausage fest I had going on; this was the real reason to become a vampire. Would my jeans be tight if I inhaled this entire cake? Nope. It would still be the slightly wobbly awesomeness that it was on the night that I was turned.

“Where the hell is she putting all that cake?” X muttered, looking slightly horrified.

Embarrassment slowly dripped into my sugar high. Whoops. I took a spoonful and held it out to X. He grabbed my wrist, taking the spoon and placing it on his plate. Then he sucked my icing covered finger into his mouth, the sucking motion pulling at my clit like he was sucking that too. Oh yeah. His saliva was orgasm juice. He scraped his fangs along my finger and I quickly pulled it out. Nope. I was not going to orgasm here in the middle of the diner. I needed to come back here to eat. I couldn’t have a ‘When Harry Met Sally’ moment and show my face here ever again.

X grinned wolfishly but picked up the spoon I’d offered him and curled his tongue around it.

I may have moaned a little, and Tex kicked me under the table. He leaned forward until he was inches from my face. “You sure he isn’t at least bisexual?”

I shook my head. “Nope, I asked.”

Judge laughed. “What bullshit was he spouting? I’ve found more guys tied up in our hotel rooms than I care to remember.”

My eyes shot to X. “You sure he wasn’t torturing them for kicks?”

X grinned. “Oh, they were definitely being punished.”

Well, la sploosh. Spank my ass and call me Gumby.

Tex’s eyes got significantly more ‘other’ and everyone inhaled deeply. Screw it. I went back to eating cake and dared anyone to make a comment about my obvious arousal. I’d moved onto the cheesy fries when the door to the diner burst open. I was surprised to see Cresta, looking completely disheveled. Her hair stuck up at odd angles, and I wouldn’t have been more surprised if she’d stumbled in bleeding. Cresta was always perfect, especially her hair.

Beatrice came out from behind the counter. “Cresta lass, what’s wrong?”

She panted, which was a testament to how fast she’d run. “They took Angeline.”

Chapter Fourteen

Iwas on my feet, vaulting over Judge.

“They what?”

Brody was right behind me. “Easy, Raine. Start from the beginning, Cresta.”

Cresta sucked in two huge breaths, even though we didn’t need to breathe. Sometimes old habits died hard, literally.

“They tossed the cafe. The books, the kitchen, the apartment. They found the garbage bin with tainted blood and found out she was Alice’s partner and decided she was an accessory. They are taking her back to New York for a trial. I couldn’t find any of the Council, or Walker, or anyone.” It all came out in one long rush of words, but I was out the door before she’d even drawn breath. No, no, no. This was my fault again.

A hand grabbed my arm and I whirled on X. “I have to get them to release her,” I said, pulling uselessly at his grip.

“Wasn’t she the broad that made you cry the other day? That wanted nothing to do with you ever again?”

I nodded. “Doesn’t make a difference. She’s my friend.”

Judge and Brody were right behind him. “Think Raine. We need to do this right. We can’t go in there guns blazing because we’ll just end up at the end of the proverbial rope with her,” Judge said in a hard voice.

Tex was pacing behind me, his anxiety making his heart race. “We need to get Raine off the street. They’ll soon work out it was her apartment they found that crap in.”

All the blood drained from my face. Shit. I was rooted to the spot, at least I was until X picked me up bodily. “Find the Sheriff and Nicolai. I’ll guard Raine and the Snakelet.”

Tex crossed his arms over his chest. He looked like he was going to protest the need for protection, but he held it back. It was a well-known fact that against an Enforcer, a half-blood shifter wouldn’t stand a Hershey’s chance in a sorority house on shark week.

Brody hesitated again. He hated leaving me when there was danger. It was written all over his face every single time. “Go find Walker. Nico. You need to do something, Brody,” I whispered.

---