Page 116 of House of Malice
Alecto looked relieved. She gave him a small smile and then turned to Romeo. “Coffee, Romeo?”
“Will be ready in a few minutes, sweets,” Romeo said and then continued his tune.
“Good morning,” Val said, entering the kitchen She looked anything but happy.
“It doesn’t look like a good morning,” Jolene said to her. “It looks like a very, very bad morning. I hope it’s only a bad morning for you and not for us.”
Alecto snorted and rolled her eyes. Blaze smirked.
“Oh, believe me,” Val said, flattening her palms against the countertop. “If the morning is bad for me, then it is bad for everyone.”
“Gods damn it,” Jolene murmured. “I knew it.”
“What is it?” Alecto asked. “Did you hear anything from Galia about the Dean?”
Val shook her head. “Where the fuck is Andro?”
“He’s getting ready,” Blaze said. His stomach rumbled. “Romeo, I’m dying over here.”
“You always are, since the first day I met you, boy,” Romeo said, throwing a glance at Blaze over his shoulder. “And yet you seem to be just fine.”
Blaze chuckled. “That is because you feed me well, Romeo.”
Romeo turned around with a plate full of pancakes. “Damn right I am,” he said and put the plate on the kitchen island. Then he turned around and grabbed the bacon and the eggs and placed them in front of them. “Eat, kids, eat.”
They all piled their plates with food. Romeo filled Alecto’s cup with steaming-hot coffee and handed it to her.
“Thank you, Romeo,” she said and took a seat next to Blaze. “Do you still have your homemade yogurt?”
Romeo nodded. From the fridge, he took out a massive glass jar with a golden top and placed it on the kitchen island as well. Then he laid down an assortment of toppings, from roasted nuts and seeds to homemade jams and fruits.
Alecto made her yogurt plate with blueberries and some maple syrup. She also added a handful of cocoa nibs and then mixed it all together.
Andro walked through the door, Gael trailing after him. On his neck bloomed a massive purple hickey.
“Had fun last night?” Blaze teased. “Or did you beat Gael for being a bad boy?”
Gael only gave Blaze a half smile. Andro opened his mouth, ready to surely give Blaze a clever clapback. But the words died before they left his mouth when Andro noticed the healing bruises on Blaze’s face and neck.
At first, he was alert, but then his face fell, and he patted Blaze on the shoulder. Blaze offered him a lopsided smile.
“Get your plate, and let’s get to the dining room,” Val said and left them in the kitchen.
“What’s up with her?” Andro asked. He stabbed a sausage with a fork and transferred it to his plate. “Did she get out of bed on the wrong foot, again?”
“If only it were that simple,” Jolene said with a sigh. “Let’s go.”
Alecto and Blaze followed Jolene through the door into the dining room. Val sat at the end of the table, gripping her fork in her hand.
Andro and Gael joined them after a few moments. Once they all sat down, Rogue also appeared with a plate full of food.
“I might be tempted to stick around in Inathis purely for Romeo’s cooking,” Rogue said.
Jolene and Andro chuckled.
He said, “Totally wouldn’t blame you.”
“And not for the pretty witches and their souls?” Alecto asked, teasing.
