Page 147 of Vampires of Eden

Daniel groans with skepticism but keeps petting her in the warm sunlight. It makes me laugh. “Of course the raven doesn’t like cats.”

“Raven?” he asks, still uncertain as he strokes Buffy’s fur, analyzing her in turn.

“You said I remind you of a rabbit, well… the more I get to know you, I think you’re like a raven. Intelligent and fierce.”

Daniel huffs. “I thought ravens were a badomen. Isn’t a group of them called an ‘unkindness’? Are you calling me mean again?”

“I’m not. And yes, the unkindness part is true, but all of the other stuff is just silly superstitions. They’re not like that at all. They’re incredibly shrewd birds.”

He sighs. His gaze softens, but he’s not entirely convinced. “Alright, I’ll take that. A raven and a rabbit, huh?”

“A truly odd couple.”

Daniel meets my gaze. “But it can work. Even if it isn’t perfect on paper, it can still be good—in ways you didn’t expect.”

I lift from my seated position and lean into Danny, careful to not squish Buffy at his side. I tilt my head and before I even land on his mouth, Danny’s lips part for me and his hands come up to hold my face.

I love kissing him. Every single time, it blows my mind that I have permission to do this. To feel the sweetness of his tongue slipping against mine and to breathe him. I know we made love multiple times last night, but even this simple affection feels like an honor. It’ll never get old for me. Not ever.

A soft knock at the door makes us falter. I sit back along the edge. “Come in,” I call.

Raphael enters with the tray of goods. Beaming. “Your tea and accompaniments, gentlemen.” He walks to the bed and sets the tray beside me. “Are we well this morning, Sir Daniel?”

Danny draws back, frowning. “Not ‘sir.’”

“Hm. Master?”

“No.”

Raphael brightens. “Prince? By proxy?”

“No—absolutely not. None of the above.”

“Well, we’re eventually going to have to decide on a formal title for you?—”

“Raph.”

“We could ask Lord Ansväd? Have you told Daniel about lunch? Is he staying today?”

Daniel balks. “What? What lunch? Your father is coming home today?”

“Yes, shortly,” Raphael says innocently. “Will you stay and meet him? He’d be so pleased to?—”

“Raphael, that’s enough.” I speak the words softly, but eye him sternly. Raphael blows me off a lot, but thankfully, he takes the hint.

“Mmkay, well, you need to decide. Chef Sato will need to know if she should set an extra plate or not. Enjoy the morning. Should I take Buffy?”

“You can leave her,” I confirm. “Thanks.”

He nods, giving us both a look before he departs and closes the door. I take a deep breath.

“Um, my father is on the way home.”

“So I’ve heard.” Daniel shifts the duvet from his lap, gently scoots away from Buffy, then stands from the bed, gloriously naked as he stalks toward the bathroom.

I swallow hard, hesitating. “You don’t need to leave.”

“Oh, I think I absolutely do,” he calls from inside the bathroom. I hear his bag shuffling around against the marble floor. “The very last thing I need right now is for Lord Ansväd Kendrick of the Northern Clans to come home and find a half-dead, first-gen spider-vampire lurking in his son’s bedroom.”