Page 33 of Worse Fates

“Lucero’s a vampire,” Golden tells him with such disinterest he may as well fall asleep.

Kai stares at me, shocked. “Prove it.”

I grin, flashing my fangs. “I can bite your neck.”

“Whoa, nope.”

I chuckle at his friend, then pull myself short when I see Golden glaring hard at the floor, arms folded so tight they could hurt.

“Okay, so vampires. Vampires I can handle…or, I don’t know, freak out about later. And what did Jace do?” Kai asks while Golden cocoons himself in his sudden shift into a foul mood.

I turn back to Kai, but my answer is distracted, eyes lingering on Golden. “...He’s a blood mage, vampire's mortal enemies.”

“Why?”

“Our blood makes their spells incredibly potent. But I’m assuming Jace has just discovered his powers,” I tell Kai impatiently. How can I make Golden look at me again?

“Why would you say that?” Golden asks, still looking around with a harsh eye.

Ah, maybe he wishes to decorate? Problem solved, I’ll organise it so he can tear down what he hates and fancy the place up to his tastes.

“He was a terrible mage,” I tell him, my mood lifted. “Sloppy.”

“Right. Okay…” Kai frowns. “Maybe he just learned it?”

“No.” I dismiss. “You are born a mage, it’s not something you can become.”

Something flickers in Golden’s eye. “There’s a woman who’s been around Jace lately, she’s weird. Older, not someone he’d normally hang around with. Maybe she showed him?”

I breathe out a sigh, dealing with wayward blood mages wasn’t how I wanted to spend my evening. I was hoping to dry Golden, feed him and tuck him safely into my bed. “I’ll have to tell my family. Especially since I failed to kill Jace.”

“Why?” Golden asks.

“This is nuts,” Kai mutters under his breath.

“Because it could begin a vampire hunt.”

Golden bites his lip.

“Let’s not worry about that for now. You both must be freezing. I’m afraid none of my clothes will fit. Ramy’s might—”

“I don’t want to wearRamy’sfucking clothes!” Golden snaps, looking confused by his own outburst.

I frown. Then it hits me and I can’t stop the smile. Is Golden…jealous?

A juvenile part of myself is tempted to make Ramy seem more than he is. But I stamp it down as the thought rises. I may be impatient for Golden to return my feelings, but I want those feelings to be uncoerced. I am, however, absolutely delighted.

“Golden.” I move closer to him, happy that while his glare remains, he doesn’t shy away. “Ramy is my brother, one of Vidar’s offspring—children, I mean. There is no romantic interest between us.”

There is a moment where nothing shows on Golden’s face, but a second later his cheeks are engulfed in red and he’s glaring at me like a wet hissing cat.

How adorable.

Chapter Twelve- Golden

Turning away from Lucero’s happiness, and Kai’s shock, is the only thing that stops me from screaming out the confusion bubbling inside my chest. I’d rather glare at the polished sandstone floor I’m dripping on, than deal with…these feelings.

How can I be jealous when I’m not even with Lucero? And don’t wanna be. Or rather…Lucero wouldn’t pick me if he had a real choice. So a relationship would never be possible.