Page 30 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Five

“And what is your way, little mouse?” I ask her, keeping my voice even. I can’t be angry with her. I can’t even be disappointed. I know how badly she wants full agency in her own life.

Even if I fucking hate it.

“We go to Rita, we do the unbinding and see if she can get this collar off my neck.” She gives the metal a yank, but it’s held fast by some kind of fae magic. “And maybe she can help us gain an edge over the fae. If she can, we can return to the fae realm with a weapon and a plan.”

“We should take Baspin too,” I add.

Mouse frowns at me, then grabs her clothes, pulling them back on, much to my disappointment. I could stare at her naked body all day long.

“Do you really think we can trust him?” she asks.

“He has followed through on his promises so far.”

She stands up and shimmies into her pants. “I don’t want to take him to Rita’s.”

“Fair enough.”

“But when we return to the fae realm, maybe it would be good to have someone who’s familiar with the place. I’m not sure which side Arion is on. I don’t know if I can trust him yet.”

“Why is that even a question?” I stand beside her, towering over her and she has to crane her neck to meet my eyes.

“Because he’s my brother.”

The reveal takes me by surprise. “Really? Did he tell you that?”

“He did.” She smooths over her just-fucked hair. “And apparently he was the one who killed our mother.”

“Wow. Have to give the prick points for style.”

Mouse scowls. “It’s disgusting.” She thinks for a second. “But it’s probably more complicated than I’m giving him credit for. The Summer Queen ordered it and I don’t think Arion felt he had a choice.”

“We always have a choice.”

She nods. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Then, “Speaking of choices. What do you plan to do about the fae guards you killed? That’s a huge barrier to our return to the fae realm.”

“Witches,” I answer. “At least one of them must know a good illusion spell. We can mask several vampires as the guards for as long as we need.”

Mouse cocks her head. “I guess that sounds like a good plan.”

“What do you mean? It’s a brilliant fucking plan.”

She rolls her eyes. “Come on. I’m going to stop at my house before we head into town. As beautiful as fae clothing is, it’s not the least bit comfortable. I need some leggings if I’m going to save myself.”

Twenty minutes later, we’re parking outside of Rita’s house. It’s too late for the coffee shop and what we need her for isn’t exactly for public spaces.

I text Damien our plan so he knows where to find me if he needs me. I don’t get a reply from him.

At the front door of Rita’s bungalow, her husband Francis is the one to greet us. He peers out at me before seeing Mouse by my side and once he does, the line of his shoulders relaxes a bit.

Francis and I have no trouble. He’s mortal, easygoing, keeps to himself, but he’s extremely intelligent, which means he’s immediately, always on guard around me.

For the better part of his adult life, he was a civil engineer for the township south of Midnight. He’d always known about Midnight and the magic but kept his distance until he started seeing Rita. They were married in their late thirties and when Francis moved to Midnight, he became our lead civil engineer.

“I need to see Rita,” Mouse says.

“She’s been expecting you.” Francis’s gaze slides from Mouse back to me. “Vampires don’t get invitations into our house. I hope you understand.”

“I’m not leaving Jessie’s side,” I tell him. “So if you can make accommodations, I won’t be an asshole about it.”