I turn to Warin, not even looking at the menu.
“He knows what you are?”
“Yes. All humans under my employ know what I am. They’re just unable to tell anyone else.”
“Your compulsion?” I say, glancing down at my ring. The thing that protects me from him ever using it on me.
“Yes. It is necessary,” he says, tapping a gloved finger against the table.
“How does the council feel about that?” I question.
“Dealing with humans is a part of our existence. As long as we protect our kind, it is not frowned upon, in fact it’s typically encouraged.”
I purse my lips and open the menu, trying to decide between savory and sweet. Though, what I should really be figuring out is how the hell I’m going to ditch this vampire in this booth.
“They seem pretty suspicious about me being in your house though, not the humans you employ.”
“Well, I have given you access to spells that hurt our kind,” he says with a smirk and I sigh.
“Why is that exactly?”
“I’ve been nothing but honest in that regard, Ember. I truly want to keep you safe.”
“Even from you?” I ask with an arch of my brow.
His hand gently grips my wrist.
“Yes, Ember, even from me. Now, Tony is an amazing chef. Have you decided what you’d like?”
I hum under my breath and Warin clicks his tongue.
“Order as much as your heart desires.”
For once, I actually listen to Warin, ordering more food than I know I’ll be able to consume.
“What’s your coven like?” he asks, taking me off guard as I bring a glass of water to my mouth.
I worry about how much I should tell him, giving him some insight into my grandmother and mother was probably already too much information.
“I have no ulterior motive other than to get to know you, Ember.”
“They’re amazing, they mean everything to me, especially my best friends. I mentioned Iris who was there when I accidentally burnt the church down, and Violet came into our lives as teenagers. I can’t imagine my life without them. The coven has its own issues, but we’re working through them,” I say honestly. I’m not sure why I want to be honest, maybe it’s a bit of practicing what I preach.
“Things have changed since Aster was sent away. She was a bit of a bitch,” he says and I snort into my water.
“You’re not wrong. My grandmother is beside herself that Lavender is High Priestess, she’s probably been the most vocal about it in the coven.”
“This upsets you?” he asks and I shrug my shoulders.
I lick my lips. Should I tell him more information? Right now I’m supposed to be separating myself from Warin, not getting closer.
“She’s disapproving of a lot of things, including me,” I say the last part in a near whisper.
Warin reaches out, touching my wrist with a gloved hand and squeezing softly.
“Then she doesn’t see what I see,” he says as he stares at me.
Okay charming, sweet Warin is in this booth with me, and I’m not sure what to do with him when he’s like this. It’s easier when he’s been demanding or scheming, but when he’s like this, I can’t help but to like him. So instead, like a coward, I pull my wrist away and change the subject.
