I giggled, and Eiko wrapped her arms around my neck. “I’m so excited to finally meet you! Zephyr told me a lot about you.”
I tilted my head, brows furrowing. “He did?”
Semele approached behind her. “Sorry, she gets excited to meet new people, and she’s been dying to meet Damien’s mate since we learned you were found.” Eiko released me before wrapping her arms around Semele’s waist, Semele tucking her under her arm as she brushed a tender kissed to Eiko’s temple.
I smiled. “Damien was telling me about you on the way here. I’m glad I get to meet you guys. Stokers is your place, right?”
Semele nodded. “Yeah. It’s a little shithole in the wall, but it’sourshithole in the wall.”
“I love it. It’s perfect,” I said, eyes drifting over it all again. Immortal lives were woven so tightly with danger, and the glimpse of the happiness they carved out away from the war. It was beautiful. It was something I’d wished I could experience my entire life, but never had the courage to try.
Damien took a seat at the bar as he lit one of his rolls of brierleaf, and Semele took notice, heading around the counter again. “Weak or strong tonight, Damien?”
“We’re celebrating tonight,” he said, cracking a wicked grin.
She met his wicked grin with one of her own. “Strong it is.”
Thalia rose from the couch. “How’re you feeling after last night?”
“Still a little sore, but more alive than I felt when Damien carried me in last night.”
“You’re welcome,” Damien said without looking at me, a smug look of male satisfaction on his face, and my cheeks heated, remembering just how he’d eased my soreness.
Thalia’s grin turned coy, but she said nothing.
“Still disappointed you didn’t head-butt a darkling,” Barrett murmured before downing the last of his drink. The rings decorating his fingers glinted in the neon lights as he knocked the glass back onto the counter.
“Barrett! You break another glass and I’ll beat you with the bat myself,” Semele warned.
“I’ll hold him down for you,” Thalia offered as she rose from the couch, taking another sip of the amber liquid swirling in her glass.
“Careful now, Thalia. I might take you up on that offer,” Barrett said with a smug grin.
I bit back my giggle as Thalia’s response fell short on her tongue. I climbed onto the barstool next to Damien. “This is the first time I’ve been to a bar,” I said lowly, surveying the place.
He looked at me incredulously. “First kiss, first time, first date, and first bar? Shit, I’m one lucky male.”
I elbowed him, and he grunted a low laugh. “Don’t forget to add first kill to your list.”
“And damn proud of it,” Damien said with a crooked grin.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Thalia take a seat next to Barrett, seeming to find her voice after Barrett’s remark. They started talking and... she smiled at him. It wasn’t a warm and fuzzy smile, but more of a ‘fuck around and find out’ smile. As she tilted her head onto her knuckles, eyeing him, I realized she was flirting.
I leaned in to whisper to Damien. “This is the second time I’ve seen Barrett and Thalia talk and it seem almost peaceful.”
Damien glanced at them briefly. “Maybe she’ll finally bring him down a notch.”
“I figured you’d be disappointed if he lost that bit of sparkle,” I said, resting my elbows on the countertop as I cocked a smirk.
A low laugh broke from Damien as Semele set his drink on the bartop. “Is that what you call that?” He lifted the glass and glanced at me. “You want one?”
I hesitated, eyes falling on his drink. I wasn’t supposed to drink while on my medication. “Um, I think I’ll pass for now.”
Barrett stood, leapt over the bartop, and slapped his hand on the counter. “This is your party, spitfire! How’re you not gonna drink? I’ll make you somethin’ right now.”
“If she doesn’t want to, she doesn’t have to,” Damien said, throwing Barrett a warning glance.
James rested at the bar on the other side of Damien, and I leaned forward to see him better. “I haven’t seen much of you lately, James. How’ve you been?”
