Page 23 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Five

Arion makes eye contact with me as the queen disappears through the doorway.

I really wanted him by my side. But he gives me the barest shake of his head before turning and following in the queen’s footsteps.

The six guards break off into pairs. Two lead us from the palace. Two split off and hedge us in on the left and right, while the last two bring up the rear.

It’s me, Bran, Damien, and the blond fae in the middle.

“Who’s he?” I ask and nod at the newcomer.

“Your boyfriend’s savior,” the fae answers.

Bran snorts. “That’s being generous.”

“I am very generous, yes.”

“He’s Winter Court,” Bran fills in as we leave the palace’s main gate and follow the path back through the trees. I can’t help but scan the branches looking for a flash of an Autumn Court girl. But there’s nothing.

“He wants a title, by the way,” Bran answers. “In exchange for helping us locate you.”

“A small price to pay,” the fae answers.

“What’s your name?” I ask.

“Baspin, Your Highness.”

I will never get used to hearing that.

“Nice to meet you. But can I trust you?”

He’s attention goes to the guards marching us along the path. I think I sense what he’s thinking. He has to be careful what he says. The first chance I get to shake these guards, I will.

“You can trust that I will always have your best interest at heart,” Baspin answers. His eyes twinkle with the promise, but I know those words can mean a lot of things. My best interest is his best interest, so his motivations could be selfish in nature.

The guards are silent as we leave the palace grounds behind and make our way back up the hill toward home.

I’m relieved to have made it this far, but I think so much has happened in such a short amount of time that I’m starting to become desensitized to people trying to kill me or use me.

Is that a good thing or bad thing?

“So where to first, little mouse?” Bran asks. His voice is even and devoid of emotion. He’s testing me.

“We need to visit my boss,” I tell him. “Let her know I can no longer work at the coffee shop as I will soon be married.”

His chest rumbles at the mention of marriage. “Right,” he says, course correcting. He has to pretend he doesn’t care and I can tell he very much wants to paint the day in blood because of this whole thing. “Smart choice, Mouse.”

He knows what I really mean—we visit Rita as soon as possible and see if she can help get this collar off. And then, finally, once and for all, unbind me and unlock my full fae powers.

Episode Seventy-Nine

I WILL NOT SHARE YOU

When we reemerge on the mortal side of the gate into the meadow just outside Midnight Harbor, the sun is gone and the sky is clear and filled with stars.

The air smells crisp, promising rain and I’m relieved by it. The fae realm was too hot, too sticky. I hated every part of it.

Baspin says to the guards, “Do you even know where we’re going?”

They pause when we reach the forest where crickets and frogs make a song in the night.