Page 25 of Dead & Dating
"Morning, princess," he muses.
"Morning," I murmur, my voice still thick with sleep.
Duske stirs behind me, his arms tightening around me before he presses a kiss to my shoulder. "How are you feeling?"
I take stock of my body, the lingering warmth from the heat spike leaving way for the exhaustion that still clings to my bones. "Much better."
"Good," Duske says, his voice rumbling against my back. "Because it seems someone made breakfast, and you need to eat."
I smile, warmth spreading through my chest. They made me breakfast. These demons, these men who have seen centuries pass, made me breakfast. It's such a simple thing, but it means everything.
We make our way downstairs, and I'm hit with the smell of bacon, eggs, and fresh coffee. My stomach grumbles, reminding me that I haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon, and I move toward the kitchen, my feet padding softly on the hardwood.
Milo is at the stove, flipping pancakes with an enthusiasm that makes me smile. Vesper heads to the cabinets for plates and cups, Duske heading straight for the coffee maker. It's domestic and sweet, my chest tightening with emotion.
"Sit," Duske says, gesturing to the table. "We'll bring everything over."
I do as he says, watching as they move around the kitchen with ease. They work together like they've done this a thousand times, and maybe they have. I don't really know how long they've been together, how long they've been on Earth. There's so much I still don't know about them.
Milo brings over a plate piled high with pancakes, bacon, and eggs, and sets it down in front of me. "Eat up, dove. You need your strength."
I pick up my fork, digging into the food, and the flavors explode on my tongue. It's perfect, everything I needed, and I can't help the soft moan that escapes my lips.
Vesper grins, sitting down across from me. "Good?"
"So good," I say, my mouth full.
We eat in comfortable silence, the only sounds the clinking of forks against plates and the occasional hum of satisfaction. Their eyes stay fixed on me, watching me eat with an intensitythat makes my chest warm. They're making sure I'm okay, that I'm really here, and fuck, it feels amazing to be the center of attention.
And then there's a pounding on the door, shattering the peaceful moment. We all freeze. Vesper mutters under his breath as he stands. "Who the fuck is that?"
Duske's expression darkens, storm clouds gathering in his black eyes. He sets his coffee down carefully before moving toward the door. "I'll get it."
My curiosity gets the better of me and I follow, unable to stay seated. Vesper and Milo fall in behind me, their presence a comforting weight at my back.
Duske opens the door to find Liora standing there. Her face is red and tear-streaked, her hair a tangled mess. She looks like she's been crying, or maybe screaming, and the sight of her makes my blood boil with renewed fury.
Duske doesn't waste words. "What the fuck do you want?"
Liora's eyes are wild, darting between Duske and the rest of us like a cornered animal. "You can't just accuse me of killing my sister! I didn't do anything!” Liora pushes past him, barging into the house with the audacity of someone who thinks they still have rights here. That's when she sees me. Her eyes widen, her mouth falling open in shock, and she points at me with a shaking hand. "See? I didn't even kill her! She's right there!"
Something snaps inside me, a wire pulled too tight finally breaking. Before rational thought can intervene, my fist is flying toward her face. My knuckles connect with her nose, and the satisfying crunch of cartilage breaking echoes through the entryway. Liora screams, stumbling backward, her hands flying to her face as blood pours from her nose in a crimson stream.
Milo shouts my name, grabbing me around the waist and dragging me back before I can land another hit. Fury courses through me as I struggle against his hold. "Why the fuck wouldyou kill me?" In my head, it was always some sleeping powder or some bullshit in the donut I ate before I tumbled down the stairs. However, there was some doubt thatmaybeI was wrong. Like 0.0005% but I know now that my hunch was right.
Liora sneers at me through her hands, blood dripping between her fingers and staining her dress. "Because I could have my happy ending! You were always in the way, always taking everything from me! You won't find anything in the goddamn autopsy or whatever. It's foolproof."
Duske steps forward, danger radiating from every line of his body. "What are you talking about?"
Liora's voice rises to something more shrill and frantic, her words tumbling out in a rush. "You were supposed to be mine! All of you! But you only ever looked at her, only ever wanted her! She didn't even have a scent! She was defective! And you still chose her over me!"
Milo's grip tightens around me, and my struggles cease. My body sags against him, anger still burning hot beneath the surface but now mixed with something else. Sadness. Pity. My sister killed me because she was jealous, because she couldn't have what she wanted, and that's all it took for her to end my life.
“You're pathetic,” I push out.
Liora's eyes flash with anger as she takes a step toward me, clearly ready to escalate. But Duske moves in front of her, blocking her path.
"Get out. Get out, and don't come back."
