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34

Summer

T he days of our restriction pass quickly, and I fill the time with catching up on schoolwork and getting a head start on other coursework. Most of my evenings are spent with Connor, and it’s becoming easier to relax into him. I enjoy my time with him, and on the plus side, he’s not a bad lay. Falling into Connor is easier than falling asleep. His warmth lures me in, making me believe that maybe I could be the right person. A person good enough to be a fit match for an angel. Maybe I could exist in a perfect world of light, family, comfort, and ease.

“You’re really that nervous?” Alice asks, pulling me from my thoughts. She lounges on my bed, sprawled out and scrolling through her phone.

I tug at the hem of my rust-colored corduroy mini-skirt and then pick a piece of lint off my cream cashmere sweater. I tip my head, assessing the brown knee-high boots and the black tights covering the rest of my legs.

“Does this look okay?”

“Maybe you should do your hair half up, half down,” Alice suggests.

I gather the hair on either side of my face and pull it back, both of us studying my reflection.

“Nah, it looked better down.” Alice narrows her eyes, tilting her head. “Have you ever considered bangs?”

I exhale heavily and unclip my hair, running my fingers through my long locks.

“Sum, it’s going to be fine.”

I tug at the sweater. “I’ve just never done this before.”

Alice comes up behind me and wraps her arms around me. With my heels and her bare feet, I’m significantly taller than her. “You’re going to do great,” she reassures me again.

“We’re not even officially boyfriend and girlfriend yet. Should I even be meeting them?” It is simply poor timing that Avalon’s Parent Weekend lands on this weekend. While I have been warming to the idea, a prickly feeling still runs down my spine when I consider making things more official. My commitment issues are so deep-seated that I can’t even find the true root of them anymore.

Alice snorts. “You’re the only one who thinks you’re not a couple.”

I lean into the mirror, touching up my makeup. “What if they don’t like me, Al?”

Alice peers around my arm, meeting my eyes in the mirror. Smiling savagely, she flashes those lethal fangs of hers. “Then I’ll kill them.”

The nerves tear at my stomach, ripping through me. “I’m not good enough for him.” The words slip out. My walls don’t matter with Alice. The little vampire has taken up residence and lives inside them with me.

She snaps her teeth. “You are perfect, the best of the best, and angel or not, he’s fucking lucky to have you.”

“How can you think that? Knowing what you know?”

Alice rubs her cheek on my arm, looking at our reflections. “The only thing that story told me was that you are so fucking strong, Summer. You survived, and you are not your past. It is simply a part of you, and you get to decide how large that part is.”

I take a deep breath and silently count to thirteen. I am allowing myself this time with Alice to have this mini breakdown and wallow in these insecurities. I will fix the mask and get it back in place when I am done. It is brittle after all these decades, but it will hold.

“Okay. I need to go.”

Alice pinches me hard. “Hey. I mean it. None of that not good enough shit. You are a badass.”

I nod and straighten my shoulders. “Right, I’m a badass.” If Alice knew the extent of my twistedness, would she still think I deserve those words?

“You got Connor fucking Morningstar to settle down with a single look. You know more runes than most fourth years. You are Summer Tuatha De Daanan.”

I nod again. “I got this.”

Maybe I can convince myself of this lie, too. What is another in a lifetime of them?

“You want my lucky skull?” Alice asks sincerely.

“No. You should keep that.”

Alice nods gravely, a glimmer of relief on her face that I didn’t expect. It means the world to me that she would have parted with it for me. I look back at the reflection of us. We are two jagged shards honed by the injuries dealt to our souls.

The whole way to the Morningstar House, I work through various scenarios in my head about how this initial meeting will go. All of them end with his parents telling me I’m realmless trash and casting me out of the house.

Good gods, I need to stop this. I have this. It’s going to be fine.

The house seems bigger somehow, the door almost daunting as I walk up the path. It’s a path I’ve walked fifty times, and logically, I know there is nothing to fear. I reach out and politely knock on the door, my heart hammering in my chest. I can see the slight tremor in my hand, and I drop it to conceal the shaking.

The door opens and a slightly taller, more rugged version of Connor grins down at me. “Summer!” he exclaims and wraps his massive arms around me, picking me up into a large bear hug.

I gasp, unsure what to do. “M-Mr. Morningstar!”

He puts me down, his smile as bright as it is broad. I notice how similar he is to Connor. They share the same handsome features, but Connors are less burdened.

“Call me Uriel!”

“Lovely to meet you, Uriel.” I smile politely.

Uriel steps back, and I am barely in the house before I’m pulled into another hug. This one is just as warm and loving, but this time, the hugger is shorter, maybe a little shorter than me, and she smells like freshly baked cookies and daisies.

“There she is!” Farrah says, her voice familiar. The affection in her hold is almost intoxicating, and unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.

“Hi, babe!” I glance toward the stairs. Connor is stomping down the steps, his face glowing with happiness. His mother finally pulls back to cup my cheeks. I’m taken with how beautiful she is, and it’s now obvious where Connor gets his more bronze tones. Her skin is flawless and a deep tan. Her dark eyes search mine, and while I know she’s trying to read me, an aura of calmness suffuses me.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Summer. Please call me Farrah.”

Uriel walks over and kisses his wife on the temple. “She’s prettier than you said, Son.”

Farrah drops her hands from my face and leans into Uriel, turning her whole body toward him. I look past them at Connor. “Darling!” I blurt out. Connor frowns and glances over his shoulder to see who I am talking to. I keep the faux smile on my face, trying to keep it polite and endearing. Where did that endearment come from? I am such an idiot.

“Hi, babe.” Connor wraps his arms around me, and I feel like I can breathe for the first time in hours.

I kiss him softly on the cheek. “Hello.”

“Don’t I get a proper kiss?”

I glance at his parents, who are looking at us with affection. Uriel has shifted to stand behind Farrah, his arms wrapped around her middle. They don’t even try to conceal the way they are watching us.

I look back at Connor, unsure what to do, my brain short-circuiting. Do I kiss him and show them I can be warm? Or do I act proper and professional? Fuck, this isn’t a business meeting.

Connor swoops down and steals a kiss, whispering against my lips. “I see you met my parents.”

I pull back just a little from the kiss but relax into his embrace. “I did, and I?—”

“Summer?” Farrah says, smiling at me. “Rest assured. Your aura is pure and mingling wonderfully with our Conbear’s. We want to get to know you.”

My aura?

Connor sighs, but amusement sparkles in his eyes. “Mom, you promised you wouldn’t do that.”

“I’m sorry!” Farrah holds her hands up. “But she’s glowing!”

Uriel chuckles against the top of her head, squeezing his wife. Their bond is so pure and so clear. It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

“Meddlesome,” he teases.

The twins come charging down the stairs, sounding like a herd of hyenas. “Is it time to eat?” Zane whines. “I’m starved.”

Rafe comes down next, but much more sedately. “You just ate a whole pizza. I saw you.” Rafe is looking a little better than the last time I saw him. His bruises are yellow, so he hasn’t fought in at least two days. That explains why Connor had been a little more relaxed.

Farrah kisses Uriel’s jaw and says, “Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes, boys.”

Zach collapses dramatically on the couch. “That’s forever, Mom!”

Rafe rolls his eyes. Farrah walks over to Rafe and cups his cheek. “I have hungry babies.”

Rafe’s gaze hardens, and he pulls away, walking past her and going to the kitchen. Luke winces as he sits on the couch, and I glance at Farrah just in time to see the flash of sadness and pain crossing her face.

Connor walks over to his mom and wraps an arm around her shoulders. My heart warms at the small gesture, at their bond. He does it in such an easy way, in such a Connor way. His mother instantly brightens.

“So, Mom, I know you’ve been snooping, but did you know Summer is already at the top of her class?”

“Of course she is! Perfect in every way!”

“You know,” Uriel pats Connor’s shoulder, “men in this family love smart women.”

Zane groans. “Dad, please.”

Farrah beckons for Uriel to come closer, and he complies without hesitation. It is clear that her wish is his command. She grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him down to kiss him. He bends, and she pushes to her tiptoes. The move is so smooth that you know they have done it thousands of times.

This time it’s Luke’s turn to groan. “Guys…”

Zach throws a throw cushion at them which Uriel catches easily. He doesn’t bother to open his eyes, and his lips never leave Farrah’s.

“We’ve had to deal with Connor and Summer making out constantly for the last two months. Enough.”

Connor flips him off and returns to me, pulling me close. “We’re not that bad.”

Rafe comes back into the room, silently handing me a drink as he passes me before sitting on the couch beside Luke.

“Dad, let’s go out and practice! We have a game tomorrow!” Zane calls out, obviously trying to distract Uriel.

Uriel pulls back, but his eyes stay on his wife.

“Yes, outside! Fighting!” Zach jumps up excitedly, desperate to escape.

Uriel finally drags his gaze away from his wife to look at his twins. “You boys ready to be thrashed by your old man?”

“Summer can come out and cheer for our team. Give me some extra motivation.” Connor laughs.

“Summer a cheerleader?” Zach bursts out laughing.

I give him my best hard look. He doesn’t notice, still laughing his ass off, tears forming in his eyes.

“You know, if Summer decides to try out for the team, she will follow,” Rafe says, nudging Zach.

Connor shrugs. “How bad could that be?”

Rafe snorts.

I look between them. “She?”

“Your vampiric bestie,” Rafe says. “The Mistress of Bloodshed.”

“Wait. I’d pay to see Alice Legosi on the cheer team.” Zach bursts out laughing again.

“Maybe she’d cheer for the dismemberment of both teams.” Zane snickers.

I pinch Connor’s side. “You just want to see me in the cheer uniform.”

“Not just that, they practice with us.”

Rafe rolls his eyes. “You don’t spend enough time together?”

I look up at Connor. He’s watching me warily, obviously waiting for me to freak out, but I’m surprisingly calm. I reach up and press a kiss to his jaw and he glows with happiness.

I wrap my arms around Connor’s waist and he whispers into my ear. “Still nervous?”

I nod. “But less.”

Connor smiles and kisses my temple.