The Dragon Realm (Dark World The Dragon Twins #2) - Michelle Madow Page 0,37

food here’s amazing. Especially the pancakes.”

I didn’t have time to reply before Lucy rolled a breakfast cart inside. Not only were there pancakes, but there was bacon, hash browns, and maple syrup that smelled like it had been freshly drained from the tree.

Lucy was abnormally quiet as she arranged the plates on the table. She kept glancing at Rohan, and every time he met her gaze, she looked away and blushed.

“Smells amazing.” He inhaled dramatically. “Thanks, Lucy.”

“My pleasure.” She smiled, as if speaking to him was a precious gift. “Is there anything else I can get for you? Orange juice, maybe? And some champagne? It’s never too early for a mimosa.”

“Great idea,” he said, and he looked to me. “How do you feel about mimosas?”

It took every effort to stop myself from smiling. Because I loved mimosas with brunch. And margaritas with Mexican, and wine with Italian, and basically any drink meant to pair with a fun meal.

But I didn’t want to give Rohan the satisfaction of knowing he’d arranged something for me that I liked. Because I didn’t like him barging in without an invitation—no matter how much I loved a good boozy brunch.

“I have work to do today,” I said instead.

He frowned, then looked back at Lucy. “We’ll have mimosas—with the best champagne you’ve got,” he told her, as if it wasn’t a crime to ruin an expensive champagne by mixing it with orange juice.

“You’ve got it,” she said, and she hurried out with the cart, closing the door behind her.

Rohan leaned back in his chair and watched me mischievously.

“That wasn’t fair,” I finally said.

“What wasn’t fair?”

“You used your gift on her.”

“What gift?”

“You know what gift.” I pointed to the door. “The one that made her act like… that.”

He chuckled, amused. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I rolled my eyes. Did I have to spell it out for him?

Apparently so.

“You made her all skittish,” I said.

“Are you saying that you think I have a gift to intimidate people?”

“Not intimidate people.” I nearly stomped my foot at how aggravating he could be. He was definitely trying to make me say it out loud.

And I’d worked myself into such a corner that we both knew there was no getting around it.

“Then what, exactly, do you think I did to her?” he asked.

“You…” I moved my hands in exasperation, unable to meet his eyes as I said the next part. “Mesmerized her.”

He studied me and smirked, getting more of a kick out of this by the second. “You thought I had this gift after I walked you to the portal to the Angel Trials,” he said. “Does that mean I ‘mesmerized’ you, too?”

I shook my head, like he was being ridiculous. “Of course you didn’t.”

“Then why else would you think this was my gift?”

“Because you tried to mesmerize me. I resisted. Clearly.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Did you?”

“Of course I did. You’re the one who apparently can’t resist me, given how you barged in here and insisted on having breakfast with me.”

“Brunch,” he said.

“What?”

“We’re having mimosas. That means it’s brunch.”

“The sun just set.” I motioned to the window, where the final pinks and oranges of sunset were disappearing behind the mountains. Because of the Vale’s nocturnal schedule, sunset here was the equivalent of sunrise in the human world. Everyone was just waking up for the night. “It’s nowhere near lunch time. And that’s what brunch is—a combination meal between breakfast and lunch.”

“You’re really combative, aren’t you?” he asked.

“Only because you’re so…” I paused to think of a word.

“So what?”

“So frustrating.”

Not wanting to talk about it anymore, I walked over to the table and picked up my glass of blood. It was still warm, but soon it would start to cool. We couldn’t have that. And, since drinking meant I wouldn’t have to talk to Rohan, I finished it as quickly as possible.

Rohan picked his up, but he sipped it much slower than I did.

I’d just placed my glass back down when Lucy knocked on the door and rolled in another cart—this one full of champagne, an assortment of juices, and two glasses.

“Is there something wrong with the food?” she asked.

“No,” I said. “Why?”

“Because you haven’t sat down. Is there something else you need?”

My stomach rumbled, as if answering the question for me. Because I hadn’t eaten actual food since being turned into a vampire. And now that it was right in front of me, smelling absolutely delicious, I was famished.

“No, I’m good,” I said. “I was just waiting for the