soft thud. Lucca sits up at once, briefly glancing at me before helping his girlfriend from the floor.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy like that,” I say while looking at everything but them.
“How did you get in?” Lucca asks.
“The door was open. I was afraid that someone had broken in.”
“Lucca, you told me you shut the door,” Vivienne complains, but it sounds half-hearted.
They’re in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. I bet all they do all day is fuck and cuddle. Yikes, that thought makes me sound like a bitter old woman. I’m happy things have worked out between them. Vivienne has become a close friend and I don’t begrudge her happiness.
“Sorry. I thought I did,” Lucca replies sheepishly. “I can’t concentrate properly when you decide to parade naked in the living room.”
I chance glancing in their direction again. Vivienne is now wearing a T-shirt, and Lucca has put some pants on. I can still see the tent in the front, though. Shit. Focus on his face, Aurora. On. His. Face.
“Oh, have you embraced the vampires’ lack of modesty, Vivi?” I tease, remembering how appalled she was the first time she saw a vampire fuck a human in the middle of a party while he fed.
“No.” Her face turns beet red.
“So, you’re not worried that Manu could catch you?” I return the crystal to my bag since the only danger facing Vivienne was being impaled by Lucca’s cock.
“Manu doesn’t live here anymore,” she replies.
“Seriously, then ... oh. You guys have moved in together? When did this happen?”
“Last night.” Lucca pulls Vivienne to his side and kisses her soundly on her cheek.
Okay, I’m getting mega jealousy surges now, even though I don’t want to. Saxon’s image pops in my head and I have to fight hard to banish him to a dark corner in my mind. That reminds me of the reason I’m here.
“I was hoping I could talk to you in private, Vivi,” I say. Immediately, Lucca makes a face, so I add, “Chill, Prince of the Night. This is a personal matter concerning me.”
“Ugh. Is it a female thing? Then I’m out of here.” He jumps over the couch instead of walking around it like Vivienne does. He kisses her again, long and hard, making me uncomfortable enough that I have to look away.
I’d tell them to get a room, but then I’d have to come back later. Breaking the mating bond with Saxon is too important. I know he won’t leave me alone, and eventually, my feeble barriers are going to crumble completely.
Lucca bangs the door shut this time as he leaves, but I wait a few seconds to make sure he’s not within eavesdropping distance. Vampires and their enhanced senses can be a drag.
“Do you want to drink something? I can finally store food and drinks in the apartment without fear of being found out.”
“I’m okay. I’m really sorry that I barged in like that. I feel horrible.”
She waves her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. I think I’m getting used to not giving a crap about modesty.”
“Were the Nightingales as promiscuous as vampires?” I ask, regretting my question immediately. There’s a visible grimace on Vivienne’s face now. “Gah. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that.”
“Oh, don’t apologize for being curious. To answer your question, no, the Nightingales weren’t like vampires. They loved rules and decorum. Maybe that’s why some looked down on vampires and called them savages.”
I didn’t know how I was going to broach the subject of a vampire bond, but if that’s not the perfect opening, I don’t know what is.
“That’s interesting. Was that the reason why your kind created the mating bond?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know, the magical bond that makes two vampires perfect for each other.”
“Oh. I’m not sure if that was something the Nightingale elders did on purpose, unlike the familiars who were created by design.”
“So, are you saying it was a side effect?”
“It’s possible it was residual magic. Fated mates is something that happens quite often among my people—I mean, former people. I don’t consider myself a Nightingale anymore.”
I catch the sadness in her tone, and I should ask her about it, but I don’t want to deviate from the mating bond yet.
“What if people weren’t happy with their fated mates, was there a way to break the bond?”
“Fated mates were a big deal back in Ellnesari.”
I notice she totally evaded my question. Why?
“But there has to be a way. What if suddenly the Nightingales