finally seeming to understand there was a lot more going on than he had gotten. If he wasn’t such a dick, I’d feel bad for him getting dropped into the world twenty years later. Anyone would be reeling from that.
But he was a dick, so he could suck it.
Everyone seemed to agree that the first step was charging up Neldor and seeing if he could fill reservoirs and crystals, work with Dean White and heal Faerie as I had been. That alone would be a huge, huge help.
The Vogels had to leave, which meant the Rothchilds as well, and Dr. Salzman ducked out then.
No one seemed know what to do next, but the awkwardness was broken in an odd way.
Namely, Neldor’s stomach growling obnoxiously loud.
I burst out laughing. “Oh fuck, so I’m not the only one who does that anymore. Nice.”
He cleared his throat, but didn’t seem as amused. “I seem exceptionally famished, and more than from the battle I was engaged in. I would think it was the magic and coming out of it.”
I wanted to roll my eyes. Was that how he asked for more food? I got he was a prince and probably someone wiped his ass with his attitude, but just try to be normal.
At least a little bit.
“What are you in the mood for, agra?” Darby asked, picking up on the cue too.
I smiled at him, knowing he was trying to spoil me as if that could help right then. “Wanna order from that place with the massive tacos?”
“You know I love watching you tuck into those monsters.” He came over and kissed my hair. “I’ll pull up Portal Chow on my tablet and start the order.”
“Thanks.”
“You don’t let him drink from you, do you?” Neldor asked, steam practically coming out of his ears.
I held up my hand to the others, actually having questions about that. “Is it against our customs? I couldn’t find anything in the journals or my reading.”
He ground his jaw and glanced at the wolves before me again.
Meaning, he knew he’d be busted if he lied to me.
Ass. Hole. So he wasn’t above telling me lies to get what he wanted.
“I can see the disgust on your face thinking I would lie to you, but that is not what the glance was,” he defended, reading me better than most could. “I was shocked that the two wolves who have fairy mates wouldn’t have known the answers and guarded you better.”
“They came on later after something happened,” I muttered. “My answer?”
“It’s not against either light or dark customs, but it is not looked favorably upon. Mating a vampire is almost unheard of. There are many who will not like you dating one.”
“Noted, and thank you, but I don’t give a flying fuck. Darby is one of the main reasons I survived and made it to where we are. If people want to judge him based on being a vampire, I don’t really care what their opinion is.”
“And no, I don’t drink from her, not that it’s your business,” Darby added. “You clearly wouldn’t have let that go and I won’t take you hounding her. We had an issue and worked through it.”
Neldor actually went pale. “You didn’t know and let him near your neck.”
I looked away, but gave a swift nod. Darby looked pained, and I reached for him. Relief filled me when he took my hand and squeezed it. “Can I have extra sour cream and no cilantro in the guacamole?”
“Have I ever forgotten?”
“Not once,” I chuckled, pulling him down for a kiss.
“I think it best we start at the beginning,” Mel offered when there was nothing but silence again.
I couldn’t hide my shock and hurt. “He does not need to know my past to that point, or my history in foster care, just because my parents decided—”
“Not that, Tams,” she said gently. “Since you came into this world. Let’s start with the night it all went down. He doesn’t deserve the answers about you, and you’re certainly not explaining yourself to him—”
“But he also can’t be much of help if he doesn’t know how much you’ve been through and the full crazy ride it’s truly been for you,” Craftsman agreed. “He’s clearly used to being in charge and a bull in a china shop, and what does that help us if he doesn’t know the head of the school board wanted to immediately breed you? Or a few want you to fail so they can get their hands on the