Page 13 of Bitten & Burned
“I can’t keep plants alive anymore, Bram. Thalia sells me herbal tea for my inflammation.” The sigil’s curse seemed to have sapped my green thumb as well as my ability to wield Inera’s magic.
“I don’t just sell plants, and you know it,” he countered. “I’m like a doctor.”
Thalia snorted. “Yeah, the last big sale you had was on those Wormwood roots, for… what was it? Chronic constipation?”
“Thalia… for fuck’s sake. It’s an important problem.”
“Anyway, Thalia,” I said, putting my hand in Bram’s face to shut him up. “Edric was seeing someone else.”
“Yes, he was. And when I found out, he gave me the same old spiel they all give: ‘She’s a friend. She’s a client. She didn’t mean anything, baby, not like you…’ I swear to the gods, all these men ever want is a piece of my business.”
“It is,” I insisted.
“She’s not wrong,” Bram agreed.
“It’s not that successful yet,” she countered.
“Stop it, you’re going to have your bath sets in chain stores, Thalia, that’s huge. Plus, you built this up from nothing,” I reminded her. “Bram inherited his greenhouse.”
“Yeah, yeah…” He acquiesced. “It’s impressive that you started this on your own, Thal.”
She blushed to a shade of pink just a touch darker than her hair. “Okay, well, I mean…”
“Yeah, so you don’t need Edric,” I supplied. “You don’t need anyone. So when you look for the next one, keep that in mind. They’ve gotta be fucking amazing if you accept them into your life, you know?”
She grinned. “Or at least amazing in bed. I’m so sick of settling in that department. I’m about to start sleeping with people on the first date, and if there aren’t any sparks, I’m moving on.”
“That’s the spirit,” I said, taking another small bite of my grilled pheasant.
“Speaking of…” She rested her chin in her hands. “Let me live vicariously, Ro. Tell me what he’s like.”
I blushed. “Thalia…”
“Rowena… tell me, please. I've heard vampires are incredibly skilled in bed. Is it true?”
“I heard they have no refractory period,” Bram added.
I sighed. “There’s a refractory period, it’s just… shorter than human guys,” I said with a smirk.
“Is it insanely good? I already know it is, or you wouldn’t be blushing right now.”
Sighing, I grinned and nodded. “He’s amazing.”
Thalia squealed. “Oh my god, tell me everything, do you let him bite you during?”
I nodded.
Bram’s eyes were wide. “Really? I’d be too scared.”
‘Nah, it’s not scary at all… plus it helps with… the wound-thing.”
“Really? How?” Thalia asked, leaning forward on her chair.
“He has to bite near it, so he…” I trailed off before mumbling “bitesmyfemoralartery.”
“What?” Bram asked.’
“I got it,” Thalia said. “He bites her femoral artery.”
