Page 59 of Fanged Secrets
I rolled my eyes. The vamp had been trying her hand at sign language lately. Actually, all of them had. All for the sake of Amara.
“Anyway, Amara’s right, we should have done this sooner,” River continued. “Hell, even Hunter is enjoying herself.”
I quirked an eyebrow in Hunter’s direction and she shrugged. “Maybe a little. But don’t go spreading that around. I have a reputation to keep.”
Amara chuckled, the sound warm and genuine, and I couldn’t help but smile back. But what she’d said was true. I was having fun. More than I’d expected, anyway. There was something about this place, about being here with Amara and the rest of our makeshift family, that made the darkness in my life seem a little less daunting.
Maxine sauntered over, flicking a stray piece of popcorn in my direction. “So, are you going to tell us what happened with the dragon shifters, or do we have to bribe you with more tokens?”
I caught the popcorn mid-air, tossing it back at her with a smirk. “I might consider it if you beat me at air hockey first.”
The prim little vamp’s eyes lit up and she shot me an evil smirk that was at odds with her dolled-up face. “You’re on.”
As we made our way to the air hockey table I glanced back at Amara, who was watching on with an amused smile. She was promptly startled by Jordan appearing suddenly at her side, who was then berated by Sky, who showed up behind her.
“All right, spill,” Maxine said as she lined up her first shot. “I’m always the last to be filled in, and Hunter only gave me the short version. What happened that night?”
I focused on the puck, smacking it across the table with a sharp flick of my wrist. “After the shifters got the egg back and mauled Don, Amara and I passed out on the porch.”
“That’s it?” Maxine pouted, grabbing a nearby soda. “Sounds boring. No epic battle or anything?”
I chuckled, shaking my head. There had definitely been a battle, not to mention plenty of blood after Oksana bit Don’s head clean off of his shoulders. But much like Hunter, I was inclined to give Maxine the short version.
“Not everything needs to be a battle, Max. Sometimes it’s just about talking things through.”
After everything that happened in that abandoned house, the shifters had left and we weren’t sure where they’d gone, only for Oksana to show up on Jordan’s doorstep a few days later. She wanted to give her thanks.
We met with them after that. As it turned out, the dragon shifters weren’t as bad as we thought. They had lost two shifters to me, one in the countryside and one in that house. But Amara had returned their egg to them, and they understood the part they had played in Don’s schemes. After plenty of talking things through, we managed to secure the ancient beings as firm allies.No need for any forced marriages, blood oaths, or anything of the sort. Just...an understanding.
Maxine scoffed, thwacking a puck in my direction. “And here I thought you were all about the drama.”
“Drama, sure. Needless violence? Not so much.” I grinned, sending the puck sailing past her defenses to score the first point. “Besides, peace is a lot more interesting than it sounds. You’d be surprised how much tension you can cut through with a little diplomacy.”
The night wore on, filled with laughter and the sounds of old, clattering machines having their time in the sun. I found myself relaxing more than I had in years, surrounded by people I trusted. A part of me would always prefer the shadows, the solitude – but Amara would always know how to reach me, drawing me out just enough to remind me that I didn’t have to face the darkness alone.
As the evening wound down, I caught Amara’s eye from across the room and she smiled. She had been showing off her skills to Sky, brandishing a mallet as she whacked at the ridiculous dragon-bonking game. Her smile was warm, genuine, brighter than I’d ever seen it before.
We shared a look, a silent understanding that needed no words. And for the first time in a long time, I felt something that resembled hope. The old arcade was alive again, and so were we.
And in my book, that was more than enough.
The following morning was just like every morning had been since that fateful night out in Hudson Valley. I woke up to sunlight streaming in through the crack in the curtains and Amara, naked and warm in my bed. I rolled over and touched mynose to hers, willing her awake with sheer force of will. I wanted to kiss her good morning.
When Amara was awake, her expression often held an intelligent, observant intensity, her wide eyes always alert, always watching. But asleep, all of that melted away. Her face was relaxed, soft. In those moments, she looked truly peaceful, as if the weight of the world had finally slipped from her shoulders. Lately, the expression stuck, even after she woke up.
She was lying on her side, curled up and nuzzled against me, nearly disappearing beneath the blankets. I watched as her chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm. One of her legs jutted out of the covers and a bare foot dangled off the edge of the bed, while the other was aligned with mine.
I blew on her eyelids and pecked a kiss on her cheek, impatient to look into her eyes like I didn’t do it every day.
A slow, lazy smile spread across her lips as she came to. “You know, it was cute the first few times, now you’re just being a pain.”
“Tough.” I kissed her nose, tugging her closer and signing with one hand. “You wanted to see the real me.”
I kissed along her jawline, and then wrapped my arm around her, burying my face in her neck. She chuckled, her voice still thick with sleep, and stretched out on the mattress, yawning as she did. We were still tangled up under the blankets, our bodies pressed close together. I took the opportunity to curl into her, wrapping my legs around hers and resting my head against her chest.
I felt the familiar stir of desire as my body brushed against hers and I walked my fingers down her bare stomach. A smirk tugged at her lips when she understood. “Can’t get enough, can you?”
She was speaking freely these days, as if Don had been a stone lodged in her throat. Now that he was gone, the words came easy.
