Page 110 of How to Stake a Vampire

My palms grew clammy.

“She looks like she’s gonna bolt,” Detective Johnson told Didi and Gavin.

Samuel sighed at my hunted expression. He put his glass down and took my hands. “Moving in with me doesn’t mean surrendering who you are, Abby. I think this will be good for us.”

It was right up there at the top of the list of the scariest things I’d ever been asked to consider, but I decided not to tell him lest I hurt his feelings.

“I mean, I really don’t see why you’re making such a big fuss about this,” Didi muttered. “It’s gonna happen anyway, whether you like it or not. Such is the fate of mates.”

“She’s right,” Barney said with a shrug.

I narrowed my eyes. “Fred has a betting pool going, doesn’t he?”

The way Gavin flinched was all the answer I needed.

Oscar raised his Cosmopolitan before I could go super-werewolf on my coworkers. “To young love and questionable life choices.”

“I’ll drink to that too.” Finnic clinked his tankard against Oscar’s glass.

I pursed my lips, uncertain if I wanted my future happiness blessed by a demon and a drunk dwarf.

Samuel watched me with a hopeful expression.

“I won’t say no to a trial period,” I admitted reluctantly.

Bo perked up and wagged his tail enthusiastically. “Does that mean I get to be Fur Ball’s roommate?”

Pearl squinted like she was suddenly having mixed feelings about this.

“Abby’s a braver person than I am,” Wendall muttered.

Samuel lowered his brows. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“She’s moving in with your family,” Wendall pointed out. “That includes Hugh.”

“Fair point,” Samuel admitted.

“I heard that,” Hugh called out from where he was constructing some kind of layered drink at the bar. “I’ll have you know I’m a delightful housemate.”

“You set the kitchen on fire last month,” Victoria said sharply.

“That was an accident,” Hugh protested. “And it was a very small fire.”

Victoria scowled. “The fire department disagreed.”

My mouth pressed to a thin line.

I hadn’t even moved in yet and I was already starting to regret my decision.

Samuel clocked my expression.

“No take backs,” my alpha added hastily.