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17

Summer

I make my way back to the student union, and while I may be painfully horny, I can’t get rid of the huge smile on my face. Alice slurps on a bag of blood, watching me smugly as I approach. Her aura practically radiates knowing arrogance.

“I ordered you an iced coffee, but all the ice has melted. I’m not sure why. You were only away for, like,” she checks her watch, “an hour.”

Fuck, had it really been an hour? I guess it was optimistic, thinking I would only be gone for twenty minutes. I slice into my finger and draw a quick rune of reparation with a twist to make it specific to food. My chocolate chip pancakes start to steam, and my coffee once again has formed ice cubes.

“Sorry. I didn’t realize I was gone for so long.”

“I’m surprised you came back. I thought you’d fallen and impaled yourself on his dick, never to be separated.” Alice makes a sign across her heart, like a stake through it. I discovered it was the vampire version of throwing salt over one’s shoulder.

I level a flat glare at her and sip my coffee.

“So,” she smirks into her blood bag, “how did it go?”

I cut into my pancakes, trying to keep that annoying, weird smile at bay. “We’re going out tonight.”

Alice’s eyebrows lift until they’re almost popping off her forehead, her smile wide and cat-like. “Look at you.”

“Don’t make a big deal about it. It’s one date.”

Alice chews on her straw a little. “I can picture it now. Summer Morningstar…”

“Right, I’m canceling.” I pull my phone out. I may not have his number yet, but Alice doesn’t know that.

“No!” she practically shouts, lunging to snatch my phone.

I shove my phone into my bra and quirk an eyebrow at her. Alice flops back into her seat and glares playfully at me. It’s my turn to grin smugly at her. I take a bite of the fluffy, chocolaty pancakes and moan. They definitely use alchemy to cook here. The mix is too good.

“It was weird, though. Rafe wasn’t as broody, and he seemed to… approve of me being there. As protective as they all are of each other, I thought he would be furious with me.”

“It’s possible Rafe and I have been in cahoots,” Alice confesses a little bashfully, fluttering her lashes coyly at me.

“But you’re the one who suggested the jerseys!”

Alice shrugs, smiling unrepentantly. “I’m still chaotic, okay?”

I roll my eyes. “Well, you’ve been as subtle as an atomic bomb today.”

“We just… think you’d be good together. It was a meeting of the minds.”

“Rafe hardly knows me. What makes him think I’d be a good fit for his brother?” I tilt my head, taking another bite of my pancakes.

Alice thinks for a moment, “You two just have a… spark? I can’t explain it.” She shrugs. “I just think you deserve a guy who will worship you.”

I sip my coffee and look away, unsure how to respond to such unfiltered kindness.

Alice covers my hand and waits for me to look at her again. “Sum? I just…” She pauses, trying to formulate her sentence correctly. “You should see your face when he’s around. Even when he’s annoying you.”

My brows draw. “My face?”

She nods. “You just… Look, I know you’re guarded. Clearly, I am, too. Which is probably why we are the way we are. You just look a little less… mistrustful when Connor is there.”

I roll my eyes but regret it immediately, realizing how fucking rude it is. She’s just trying to be kind, and I am pretty sure that acts of kindness do not come easily to Alice. I can endure this for her sake, begrudgingly and under extreme duress.

“I suppose,” she scrunches her nose, “very selfishly, if I can see you be happy, maybe I can be too. Someday.”

“We’re going on one date, Al. Not binding our souls for eternity.”

Alice flips me off. “Shut up and let me dream.”

I laugh and take another bite of my pancakes.

“So, what are you going to wear?” she asks, ordering herself an iced coffee. She’s been eyeing mine since I sat down.

I shrug. “I’m not sure what we’re doing yet.”

Alice brightens. “So, we need to go shopping?”

I nod. “I guess, but I’ll need to wait for Connor to text me so I can ask him.”

“Wait, you don’t even have his number? You’re such a bitch. So you were screwing with me earlier?—”

My phone alerts, cutting her off. I pull it out of my bra and put it on the table where we can both read it.

Connor

You know, it’s really not fair you left me for Alice.

“Yeah, well, better get used to it, bird brain. I will always be her number one,” Alice grumbles.

My lips twitch, and I pick up my phone. I quickly add him to my contacts before responding.

Summer

I thought you would be using the time to plan our ONE date tonight.

The text bubble immediately starts to jump up and down as he types out his response. Eager angel.

Connor

Oh, I already have a plan.

I give Alice a knowing look, and her chair screeches as she moves it closer to read over my shoulder.

Summer

Can I know the plan?

Connor

Dinner.

And then something else.

“Oooh, cryptic, I love it. Maybe he’ll take you to a virginal shifter sacrificial ritual.” Alice pats my arm excitedly.

“You know, for someone who is supposed to hate shifters, you sure were sucking the face off one of them the other night.”

Alice gives me an affronted look. “You dream of angel dick. I sometimes make out with shifter scum. We all have our flaws.”

Summer

Just tell me what I should wear.

Connor

Um… Nice clothes. Warm.

There is absolutely no way I will cover myself up on a beautiful summer day like today. If he’s planning to realm hop with me so we can fuck against an iceberg or some shit, I’ll simply refuse.

“Nice clothes, but warm? Why are guys so thick? That could mean anything,” Alice protests.

Summer

Okay, see you at seven. I’ll be the one in a snowsuit.

Alice chuckles at my reply and then tugs at my arm. “Eat faster. I want to shop.”

I laugh and finish up my pancakes. Alice holds up her hand when I go to pull up my card on my phone. “I got this.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small solid gold rectangle. HRH ELVIRA ALICE LEGOSI is engraved on the front in small letters. The waiter swipes the card, and I barely manage to snatch up my phone before Alice grabs my hand and pulls me out of my seat.

“Alice?” I ask as she drags me across the quad.

“Hm?”

“Your card… HRH?” I didn’t even know there were cards you could use across realms, but apparently, Alice has one.

She glances at me, nodding. “Her Royal Highness.” She rolls her eyes. “Pain in my ass.”

I’m about to ask more, but from her body language, I can tell she doesn’t want to tell me anymore about it. Considering she has been so supportive of my hang-ups and not delving into my past, she deserves her boundaries to be respected as well. There is more to Alice than meets the eye.