“I hope not,” I huff.
“Now, now, now, what’s wrong with fangs?” Siah exclaims, giving me a playfully indignant look. “I mean you had no complaints about them just the other night,” he teases, and I rush to cover his mouth to stop him from talking. He bolts, and the other guys all start blocking me so I can’t get to him.
“Don’t be shy, Vinna. None of us are confused about what you and Siah are doing when you sneak offfor a snack,” Valen tells me, putting air quotes over the last part of his statement.
I slap his arm and laugh, giving up my efforts to tackle Siah and purple nurple him.
“Oh, so you’d have no issue if we were making out and I went all fangy on you?” I challenge, my tone amused.
“Fuck, if your fangs can do for us what Siah’s fangs do for you, then I’m game,” Ryker states. I laugh even harder and release a pleased sigh just thinking about Siah’s bite. The guys crack up and trade fist bumps with Ryker and then with Siah.
“I don’t think it will be fangs, it’ll probably be speed or something like that,” Nash announces. Sabin and Valen both man grunt in agreement.
“No way, she already has those through her old runes. New runes should do something different, shouldn’t they?” Knox asks, and the group turns to me like somehow I know whether that’s true or not.
“Well, let me just dust off the instruction manual I’ve been keeping from all of you and find out,” I snark as I mime opening a book and turning the pages. “Oh, here it is,” I chirp as I slowly flip them the bird.
Snorts of amusement sound off all around me, mixing with the sound of heavy footfall as we hike through the hills, Sorik leading the way.
“Just activate the runes already, and then we’ll know who won,” Enoch encourages. The smile on his face grows when all the others start agreeing with him.
“Dibs on the first bite if she does go all fangy,” Torrez shouts out, and I laugh at the groans that start up and the high fives he gets from Siah and Knox. “Gotta think on your feet, compeers,” he teases, and they all start razzing each other.
I can’t help but smile at the camaraderie that’s floating around the group today. It’s been almost two weeks since the Enoch and Knox showdown happened. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, but everyone is really trying to make things better. I’m starting to get used to the banter and teasing that’s been happening more and more freely between my Chosen and my Shields.
“Fine, but don’t blame me if I get all bite happy, and you all orgasm so much you can’t hike anymore today.”
“There are worse ways to go,” Valen states.
“We were going to be stopping soon anyway,” Ryker adds.
“Do we all get bite orgasms, or is that offer exclusive?” Kallan questions, his hand partially raised like he’s waiting to be called on.
I laugh, and before anyone can say anything else, I activate the new runes on my shoulder that showed up after Siah became part of my Chosen. Nothing happens. I run my tongue over my teeth, but my canines don’t feel any different. I work to mask my surprise that the runes don’t give me what I suspected they would. The guys all look at me expectantly. I shrug and give them a big toothy smile so they can see for themselves.
“No fangs,” Valen confirms as he leans in and studies my teeth just to be sure.
Disappointed groans and sighs sound off all around me, and I join in. I thought it would be fangs too.
“So what is it then?” Sabin asks, and I shrug my shoulders again.
“I don’t feel any different.”
I start to jog so I can check to see if somehow I have new lamia speed, but I don’t flash anywhere. I activate my runes down my legs and go full cheetah mode, but it was the same speed I had before. I run back to the guys and try not to feel disappointed. They look just as puzzled as I do.
“Maybe it was compulsion—try to make us do something,” Bastien encourages.
I stare deeply into his eyes. “You will never steal my food again,” I command and then wait.
Siah hands me an apple, the look in his eyes eager to see if my command worked. I take a bite and slurp up the juice that tries to escape the side of my mouth. Bastien leans over and licks the side of my hand where more juice dripped down. He then grabs my hand and takes a big ass bite of my apple. He winks at me as his full lips close around the crunchy fruit, and I have to stop myself from leaning over and licking a hint of juice from his lip. Fuck, he’s hot, even when heisstealing my food.
“Maybe I did it wrong?” I say, looking to Siah for answers.
“Maybe. Did you feel any power in your command when you gave it?”
“Nope,” I admit.
“Then it’s probably not compulsion.”
