Page 28 of Vampires of Eden

“Fine. So, he’s not cool anymore?”

“No.Hellno.”

“Then what is he now?”

Raphael grins, unreasonably amused by this stupid ass conversation. I want to punch him.

“I don’t know what he is now,” I say, scowling. “Something else entirely.”

“Mmhmm… very interesting.” He stands straight, then saunters over to the bench. He sits down beside me, facing away from the keys this time. “I think you should go back.”

“Unfortunately, nobody asked you what you thought.”

We stare at each other. Me with my eyebrow raised and him with his face flat. His hand darts out like lightning and pinches the weak spot on my waist and I crumble, hitting my forehead on the open fallboard ledge and my elbows on the piano keys. It all results in a calamitous and comedic sound from the instrument. “Jesus Christ you son of a?—”

“If you like going to the house and need the change, then go, Lexie. I’ll cover for you, I promise. Plus, your parents will be at the cabin up north for their annual bourgeoisie ski-holiday for the next couple months. You’ll have lots of time to do whatever you want.”

Rubbing my forehead, I consider.

Usually, I’m expected to go with them. This year, though, I was supposed to have been mated with Oliver, and that meant we could finally make our own plans. The only reason my mother isn’t dragging me up there is because she wants me to spend time with a rich and lecherous old vampire instead.

“What about Lord Cherrington?” I ask. “Madre expects me to be sitting in his lap while they’re gone.”

“Blegh, ugh.” Raphael coughs and makes dry heaving sounds, then bends forward and holds his stomach. This makes me laugh, too. When he’s done, he turns his head to the side, still bent over himself. “Never say that sentence to me again. Forget about that for now. Just… do what you need to do, okay? Let’s focus on laughing and smiling more. Explore and see what’s out there.”

“There’s nothing to explore.” Standing, I stretch my side after the uncalled-for assault. “You sound like one of those beige decorative pillows that aunt Gabriela has shipped from America.Live, Laugh, Love.”

“This is going to be great,” he says, watching me. “I have a very good feeling about this.”

“You’re being weird.”

Raphael shrugs, smiling like he knows something that I don’t. “I’m just saying. I like it.”

“Fine. Give me my phone.” I hold my palm flat and he sits up straight, then plops it into my hand. “Stop unlocking my phone and reading my messages.”

“Stop making your passcode some variation of Oliver’s stupid birthday. Not to mention the fact that youstillhaven’t asked me to find you a new feeding source. Lexie, he’s not even here anymore?—”

“Goodnight, stalker. I’ll find Buffy myself.”

As I cross the gleaming floor of the hall, Raphael shouts after me. “It’s my literal job to stalk you!”

I swear to God, he always needs to have the last word. But as I push through the glass door and out into the blustery night, I don’t care. He can have it.

Once I’m showered, in my pajamas and sitting on my bed with Buffy making biscuits on my thigh, I open and look at my unanswered text messages. There are four from Kathryn.

In general, she’s asking if I’m okay and assuring me that I’m welcome at the house. Like Raphael told me earlier, she promises that Daniel won’t be there the next time I come—that I just so happened to come on the days when he was there. Lucky me.

There’s also a message from Leoni, which is unusual. She and I have always gotten along well—much better than I have with her horrible monster of an older sister. Leoni and I seldom talk outside of family functions, but we’ve been in touch more as of late because of Ollie.

[Hola, Puercoespín. ¿Cómo andas?]

The message is simple, so I send a quick response.

[Hey. Estoy bien. ¿Y tú? ¿Qué onda?]

I’m about to put my phone down, but I’m surprised to see that she’s already typing another message. A moment later, a series of texts come through in Spanish.

[Nada. Todo tranquilo.]