Page 42 of Taste of Forever (Vampires of Sanguine #3)

I turned to Laith, tilting my face up for a kiss. “Thank you. I still can’t believe you learned to make this just for me.”

He leaned down, his kiss brief but firm. “I know you’re trying to soothe my jealousy. We’re…possessive, but I would never get angry at you because of it. Cyan, Des, and I especially like to mess with each other. I want you to know it’s just friends giving each other shit.”

“I wasn’t worried about that.” I picked up my spoon and stirred the soup. “I think your jealousy is sweet, actually.”

As if he couldn’t get any cuter, Laith made a grumpy, “hmph” sound. “Let’s see if you feel that way a decade from now.”

“I will absolutely let you know if there is shit I can’t deal with.” I blew on my spoon and took a tentative sip. Oh yeah. This homemade gesture of love I can definitely deal with.

Laith cupped my nape again, his thumb massaging the crook of my neck as he brought his lips to my ear.

“The other two that just walked in are Thorne, head of Blood ‘til Dawn,” he nodded at the tattooed, older-looking vampire, “and the gigantosaurus with the long hair is Rhain. They are actually nicer than they look.”

“Noted.” I chuckled around a mouthful of soup.

“Laith.” Thorne barked his name with a jerk of his head.

My vampire made an annoyed sound and kissed my neck. “Be right back.”

“Sure.” I watched him cross the room, inhaling my soup.

Female voices then floated from the other side of the large double doors before they were pulled open.

Three more people entered the greatroom, led by a tall woman with reddish-brown hair, gray eyes, and a self-assuredness in her stride.

Our gazes locked and my brain clicked two puzzle pieces together.

I had been hearing her name and finally could put it to a face I recognized.

“Tavia,” I said, blinking with surprise.

“Hey, Heather.” She approached me with a warm, sisterly smile. “It’s great to see you again. You look better.”

“Thanks.” She had definitely been one of the women at Sapien trying to convince me that vampires were real.

“Do you remember Amy?” Tavia stepped aside, and a smaller woman with darker hair grinned at me.

My breath caught in my chest with shock. Amy had been an adorable, diminutive woman with an innate sweetness I couldn’t help but like. Now, she had small fangs and her blue irises were set in black. She definitely hadn’t had those features when I’d last seen her.

I recalled the blood bank employee who had walked me through the donating process. He’d had those same features and called himself a brusang, a human who had died and been given vampire blood.

“Yes. Amy, hi.” I cast my eyes away, realizing I’d been staring at her. “Good to see you. I’m…uh, sorry about…sorry for…”

Embarrassment swept through me as I glanced around for help. I probably shouldn’t have said anything, but it also felt wrong to not acknowledge the change.

“My death? Don’t worry about it, Heather.” Amy’s smile was sweet, though the fangs made it sharper. “I got a second chance as a brusang and life is good. No need to be sorry.”

“We’ll have to catch you up on what you missed.” Tavia rested her elbow on Amy’s shoulder. “I just couldn’t let my bestie go.”

“She’s everyone’s bestie now,” said the third woman, another brusang, coming up to squeeze Amy’s opposite shoulder.

She had straight black hair, blunt bangs across her forehead, and bright bluish-green irises that looked like jewels in black settings. “Hi, I’m Bea.” She extended a hand with a fanged smile that mirrored Amy’s. “No need to be sorry for me, either. I became a brusang twenty years ago.”

An awkward laugh escaped me as I shook her hand. “Well, that’s good to know. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Welcome to the best family in Sanguine.” Bea spread her arms and wiggled her fingers. “Where the men are annoying as shit, but at least they’re hot.”

“Hey, that’s mean!” Des called from the couch, then immediately straightened. “Wait, you think I’m hot?”

The women laughed as they settled around the island counter. Tavia took wine glasses and a corked bottle down from an upper cabinet. “You want some, Heather? We’re not getting smashed, just doing a little taste test.”

“You want to say yes.” Amy took a seat next to me. “Tav’s wine is the best. She’s going to create a monopoly in Sanguine.”

“Shut up with that nonsense.” Despite the protest, Tavia grinned to herself as she poured.

“Sure, why not?” I pushed away my finished bowl of soup and accepted the small pour from Tavia. “So, do you ladies have vampire mates too?”

“Technically, no.” Bea placed her chin in her palm as she swirled her wine. “I’m not attached to anyone at the moment, but I’m not exactly available either. My situation’s a bit complicated.”

“Sorry to hear that. I can definitely sympathize.” I copied her movement, creating a tiny, swirling tempest in my glass. “My situation until recently was kind of complicated too.”

“Because you didn’t believe in vampires?” Tavia teased.

I chuckled. “Never gonna let that go, are you?”

“Oh, I’m sure I’ll move on to something else eventually.” Tavia touched her glass to mine. “But once you do the mating ceremony, you’re going to live much, much longer. So eventually might be longer than you expect.”

“Great,” I deadpanned, earning soft laughter from the women.

“Amy was mated a couple months ago.” Tavia grinned at her bestie over her glass and swayed her hips. “She’s in that honeymoon phase.”

A blush rose in Amy’s cheekbones. “You say that like your honeymoon phase is over.”

“I made no such claims.”

“These two got mated like a month apart.” Bea pointed to both of them. “And it’s sickening how happy and lovey-dovey they are. Just gross.”

“You’re exaggerating. It was closer to two months,” Tavia protested.

“Whatever. You’re both glowing and beautiful enough to make a bitch jealous.”

“Well, congrats to you both,” I said, raising my glass.

“And to you!” Amy touched her glass to mine. “I’m glad Laith found someone. He’s really sweet and funny.”

“Thanks.” I nodded at Bea. “And I bet some of our mojo will rub off on you soon, Bea. You’ll find your person.”

She waved a hand through the air. “I might have already, but again, complicated.”

Well, that was interesting. What could be preventing them from being together?

Laith had been determined to find me and start a life together, at any cost. Laith said the guys were possessive.

Did Bea’s mate just not have that same drive to be with her?

Or was it something out of both of their control?

I didn’t want to pry, but I was definitely curious.

“So, which one’s yours, Amy?” I asked with a thumb over my shoulder, pointing at the couches where the men were gathered.

“Oh, none of them. My mate is Novak of Blood and Truth. You’ll probably meet him soon.” She rolled her eyes toward Tavia. “I just spend half my time here, with my sister from another mister.”

Tavia let out a fake, dramatic sigh. “And you’re about to leave me for him, again .”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be back tomorrow night.” Amy threw back the remaining sip in her wine glass. “That’s really good, Tav. You don’t need to change anything.”

“Mm, I dunno.” Tavia stuck her nose in her glass. “Might be a little on the tart side.”

“Amy,” a raspy voice called from the far side of the room. “You’re heading home soon?” Did Thorne ever sound like he wasn’t barking out orders?

Amy stiffened a little, but she otherwise didn’t seem distressed. “Yes, that’s right.”

“We’re all heading that way too. We have some clan matters to discuss with your mate, so we’ll escort you home.”

“Okay, I’m heading out now.” Amy slid from her stool, and nodded once at me. “Nice to see you again, Heather.” Then to Tavia and Bea, “See you around, ladies.”

Laith came to stand beside me, his palm smoothing around my waist and back. “We shouldn’t be too long. The girls will take care of you. Rest, relax.”

“Everything okay?” He and the guys seemed tense. They’d been talking to each other in low voices out of earshot of the women.

“Yeah.” He leaned in closer to me. “You remember my friend I told you about? The one who’s been locked up for twenty years? Well, Novak’s gonna go over some test results that can hopefully give us more info on his situation.”

“Test results?” I narrowed my eyes. “Like what, drugs? Blood tests?”

Laith’s mouth pressed into a firm line. “I probably said too much. Don’t worry about it.”

“No, Laith.” I turned on my stool to face him directly. “Did you forget I work in a crime lab? I test things like that all day. I can help.”

“I’m sure you can.” Laith cupped the back of my neck, his thumb stroking my cheek. “But you still need to rest. You’ll be safest here.”

“Honestly? I need a change of environment and something stimulating my brain. I’ve already rested and eaten, Laith. Let me come with you.”

He sighed, dropping his forehead to mine. Just behind him, I caught a glimpse of Thorne watching our exchange with mild curiosity.

“Why not? Let’s bring her.” Thorne stuck a cigarette in his mouth. “The humans you all bring always seem to surprise me.”

With that, the Blood ‘til Dawn leader headed out another door and Laith’s sigh hit my lips.

“Fine,” he groaned.