Page 42 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Three

I trail off in laughter as I push past him and follow the paved stone path to the Anneliese. “You are one sneeze away from murder every second of the day, I swear to god.”

“Only where you are concerned.”

“I’m not his fated mate.”

I hear his soft exhale of relief.

“But you know who is,” he says.

“I do.”

“Tell me.”

“Later.”

“Mouse—”

As soon as we’re inside the safe house, I catch the soft whimpering of my sister from Damien’s room down the hall.

Immediately, I’m on high alert.

I race down the hall and push in the bedroom door and come to a halt.

Kelly is swallowed up in Damien’s embrace, sobbing into his chest.

He’s holding her like he doesn’t want to let her go.

Like he wants to take all of her pain away.

When I stumble over the threshold, he turns to me, looking at me over the top of Kelly’s head, a deep scowl on his face.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I didn’t know you were here.”

“It’s my bedroom, is it not?” he says. “In fact, this entire house is mine, last I checked.”

“Not just yours,” Bran reminds him from behind me. “Speak to my mouse like that again and I’ll cut off your cock and balls too.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

Kelly pulls away from Damien and wipes at her face. “It’s okay. I’m okay. Everything is okay.”

“You told her, I take it?” I ask the older Duval.

“I did.”

I take another tentative step. “How do you feel about it, sissy?”

I haven’t called her by that nickname since I was ten years old and I didn’t exactly mean to use it, but once it’s out, it causes fresh tears to well in her eyes.

“How do I feel about being turned into a vampire? I don’t know. Confused. Afraid. Really, really unsure. Just…lots to think about.”

Damien’s jaw tenses.

“Well…maybe we can find some other solution. What about Rita?” I suggest. “She might be able to create a protection charm or—”

“I respect Rita,” Bran says, “but she’s not powerful enough to stand against the Renshaw witches.”

“Okay. So who is?”