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I cleared my throat, and my comfortable feeling with Connor let me ask. “So… afternoon tea?”

“It’s a snack related term,” Connor said.

“Yeah, but using that term implies you’re old enough to have regularly partaken in it back when it was a bigger thing.”

“If you’re trying to suggest that I’m older than you, the answer is yes. Obviously. Also, despite what you Americans believe, other countries in the world exist and still partake in afternoon tea to this day.” Connor wiped off the residue the cream left on his fingers using a paper towel I’d previously tucked in the kit. “Now let me look at your shoulder.”

I took my leg off his lap and scooted forward, turning so I sat sideways on the couch.

Connor selected the antibacterial ointment I’d set aside, then sat down behind me. He leaned close, his breath brushing my neck.

“Connor,” I warned him.

He rolled his eyes and leaned back. “For the last time, I’m not going to bite you.”

“I know,” I said.

“Then why do you keep reminding me?” he complained.

“Because,” I said.I can’t risk you forgetting.

Today Connor had cemented our friendship. I couldn’t tell him what I was yet—it wasn’t only my secret to reveal, anyway, as it was my family’s secret too. However, even a nip had the potential to kill him, and I wasn’t going to let him die just because he was more friendly than the average vampire.

“This looks painful.” Connor smeared some ointment on my shoulder. “You said a supernatural new to Magiford attacked you—what kind were they?”

“Can’t say,” I said. “Legal reasons.”

I couldn’t risk crafting such a specific story—if he thought to ask anyone from the Cloisters, they might try to look the fake incident up. I didn’t want him getting too curious and poking holes in my cover story.

“Of course, you can’t,” Connor grouched. “Politics are always the worst. Regardless, I hope that task force the Cloisters keeps leashed managed to thrash whatever supernatural lost it.”

I laughed—the idea that any of us could “thrash” Ruin was hilarious—then it felt like I almost broke my jaw when my laugh turned into a yawn. “Don’t worry. I just need to sleep, then I’ll be fine.”

“You are not a computer that needs to be turned on and off.” His fingers were gentle as he continued wiping the ointment on.

“I’m really impressed you know enough about technology to make that comparison,” I said. “Just how old are you?”

Connor wiped his fingers off on the paper towel, then capped the tube. “A vampire never tells.”

I turned around so he could see my look of disbelief.

Connor winked looking way too young and comfortable. “It would ruin the mysterious aura that is oh-so-important to my race as it covers for our general lack of personality.”

Okay, he’s not old. There’s no way an older vamp could be so irreverent to his own kind. I was already pretty sure he was an Unclaimed, so maybe he just dislikes vampires despite being one?

“That’s harsh,” I said.

“But not untrue.” Connor’s eyes dropped down to my shoulder as he opened my package of extra-large bandages.

I slowly turned around again, and Connor applied two of the bandages to my shoulder setting the crumbled wrappers on my coffee table. “I think you’re sorted. The bandages don’t cover the full thing but they’re on the worst of it.”

“Thanks.” Finally able to sit normally, I started repacking the first aid kit. “That would have been awkward to apply.”

“Of course.” Connor slipped his fingers under my chin and gave me a campy smile. “Gotta keep my Emergency Rations in peak condition!”

I swatted his hand away. “I’m going to sleep. When I wake up, do you want to come over for coffee—or tea since you’re into afternoon tea?”

Connor paused in the middle of standing, his eyebrows briefly pulling together. “How thoughtful of you to invite me,” he said slowly, as if tasting the words.