“Devious thing.” Gaby turns around to look at me. “You couldn’t have found a sexier vampire to send me? Really?”
“Now you’re insulting my physical appearance?” I was wrong before. Marius didn’t look offended after Ciprian’s commentary. Because this is what he looks like when offended. “I’m the sexiestStrigoiyou’ll ever meet.”
Gaby huffs a humorless laugh. “I’m currently looking at a much hotter Strigoi, so I doubt that very much.” Her eyes travel over Ciprian as she speaks, causing me to frown.
I move in front of Ciprian—an action he allows—and step backward into him. “This one ismine.”
He chuckles into my head, though I don’t feel him express it aloud. However, his arms come around me, and he presses a kiss to my temple. “Very much yours, regina mea,” he murmurs, the words warming my heart.
“Doesn’t detract from the point that Marius is clearly lying about being thesexiest StrigoiI’ll ever meet.” She faces the male in question again. “You are insufferable.”
“Pot, meet pot.”
“It’s ‘pot, meet kettle,’ moron.”
“Whatever,” he growls. “Yourhumanismsare beneath me.”
“Yeah, well, yourvampirismsare beneathme,” she retorts, the pair of them staring each other down.
My brow furrows, and I rotate in Ciprian’s arms to face him.What other loose ends did he handle?I ask via our mental bond.
I’m not entirely sure, but I assume your university links and all traces of your research have likely disappeared.He studies me.Does that bother you?
I consider it for a long moment, then slowly shake my head.I don’t need all of that when I have you.
It’s the utmost truth.
Everything I did was in an effort to find him. To prove he existed. And it was never really about sharing that proof with theworld so much as with myself. I needed to know that he was real. That was always for me… not the university.
And we’ll visit my parents at some point?I ask, frowning a little.I doubt they’ll miss me much.As it is, I haven’t seen them in about six months.
To keep up appearances, yes. But at some point, we will either have to disappear entirely or use compulsion to help alter their memories.
My frown deepens.You don’t want them to be able to identify you?
I don’t want them to notice you’ve stopped aging,he corrects me.
Oh.My nose crinkles.Yeah, that makes sense.I hadn’t really thought about that aspect of everything.What about…?I press my palm to my belly.Will we visit with our baby?I’m not sure that would be safe for our child. But I also don’t know how I feel about our baby not knowing my family at all.
We can make arrangements, regina mea. I originally thought you may never see your home world again, but I think we can find ways to go back and forth as needed. However, most of our time will need to be here—in the Strigoi Kingdom.
I nod.I think that’s safest.I don’t want to risk anyone in my home realm finding out about me or Ciprian or our child.It would be unfortunate if someone took a photo of us for others to find in the future.
Or perhaps a stroke of fate,he returns.That illustration is how you discovered my existence, after all.
I don’t want anyone else to know about you. You’re mine.
Yes, I believe we’ve established that, Viviana,he says, his amusement palpable via our bond even though his face remains stoic.Don’t worry, pet. I’m just as possessive of you.He leans down to brush his nose against mine.Now, I think it may be wise for you to rein in your friend before she murders mine.
I blink, then look back at Gaby to find her hands fisted at her sides. I’m not sure what she and Marius have been saying to each other, but Ciprian is right—she looks ready to strangle someone.
“If I had a stake, I would drive it into your heart!” she shouts.
Marius smirks. “All that would do is piss me off more, sweetheart. And you’re doing a fine job of that without the violence.”
Gaby releases a growl and spins toward me. “How do I kill him?”
“I don’t know,” I admit, my brow coming down.How do you kill a Strigoi?I mentally ask my mate.
