“I can’t put into words how good it is,” she breathed. “It’s like everything I’ve been doing before doesn’t even count as sex.”
“Goddamn.” I grinned at her. “I’m happy you and Liam are having a good time.” Her cheeks flushed at the mention of his name, and she rested her hand on her chest as she took a few steady inhales of breaths.
“He had to run back to Enhavenn to tell his sister about us, and why he’s been so MIA after the robbery, but he should be back soon.” Audrey ripped open a bag of chips before shoving a handful in her mouth and swallowing. “The heat should subside in a couple of days, so I’ll be back around then, probably. Also, we hired a cleaning service for your boat. That’s all I’m going to say about that.”
My jaw dropped as I asked, “Are you deadass?”
“I’m so sorry.” She started fanning herself. “I—” she hesitated, lifting her gaze toward the door. I waited for her tofinish her sentence, but when heavy footfalls sounded outside our door, I realized she wouldn’t. Two quick knocks were all the warning we had before Liam let himself in with the key Audrey had made for him.
Somehow, he looked even bigger. He reminded me of the bodybuilder bros at the gym who took enhancements. His eyes had a similar look in them when they were hopped up, and his muscles all seemed to be flexing. Liam’s cheeks were just as flushed as Audrey’s, and when he saw her, he immediately strode toward her before realizing I was also in the room, and halting.
“Sorry, um—” Liam awkwardly tipped his chin toward me in acknowledgement. “Hi, Van.”
“Hi Liam.” I held my fist out for him to bump, and he skeptically returned it. “Also, nice.” I winked at him, determined to embarrass him for the sudden surge in hormones he and Audrey were experiencing, but he took the jest in stride.
“Thanks,” Liam deadpanned, before turning to look at Audrey again. When his attention was back to her, Audrey bit her bottom lip, and her eyes flickered completely black.
“What the hell was that?” I asked. I stood straighter on my knees, pointing at her face right when her eyes flickered back to their normal, light hazel color.
“Sorry.” Audrey rubbed her eyes. “Did they do the thing again?”
“Yes.” Liam sounded amused by it. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
“Why did her eyes just do that, though?” I asked. I had only ever seen Drustan’s eyes flicker to black like that. I thought that was a Drustan-specific thing, fighting against his true siren form.
“She recognizes me as her mate,” Liam spoke the words reverently, before turning to show me when his eyes shifted toblack, too. “It’s a common mate recognition sign in Hyvenmere, especially between interracial mates.”
I froze with his words.
What.
No.
What?
“Everyone’s eyes do that when they, um, recognize their partner?” I started picking at stray lint on the back couch cushions.
“Not everyone’s,” Audrey explained. “But it’s a symptom that’s becoming way more common than it used to be.”
I couldn’t move. My hands were stuck on a stray thread on the couch. I absorbed this revelation with a racing heart and a twist in my gut. But Audrey was half-fae. Half Hyvenmerian. That’s probably why she triggered it so smoothly.
Drustan’s eyes always seemed to fight against the shift to black. It was a slow transition. It was different than what Audrey and Liam just did. Probably because I was human, and not really his?—
“You should bring those with you.” Liam stepped toward the table and scooped up Audrey’s snacks with one arm, holding his other hand out for her to grab.
“Do you need anything from us, Van?” Audrey asked, wrapping both of her hands around his arm instead. I held in a scoff when I saw her hand not so subtly squeeze his large bicep.
“Absolutely not.” I shook my head and frowned. “I don’t expect to see you back until this…” I pointed between the two of them. “Has cooled down.” Audrey laughed as Liam led her toward the front door of our condo.
“Hey, real quick,” I asked right when Liam’s hand landed on the doorknob. “Did your sister find out what the sirens stole?” Liam frowned as he looked down at Audrey, who preened under his gaze.
“No,” Liam sighed. “She also can’t press charges against anyone except the adolescents, since we were only able to detain them when they targeted the vaults. They are claiming the crime as their own, denying Ilia or Drustan’s involvement. All security systems were taken down before Drustan and his minions even set foot on our estate. We have no proof that the Mad Siren Prince or Ilia were responsible for the robbery. Yours and Audrey’s word are not enough.”
I gave them both a thumbs down. “That sucks.” They both looked painfully uncomfortable as they stood in the entryway. “Now get out of here.” I shooed them away with my hands, while Audrey mouthed a silentthank youto me over her shoulder before they disappeared through the front door.
I settled back on the couch, replaying Liam’s words in my head.
She recognizes me as her mate. Then I thought about the first time Drustan and I met, at Fergus’s ball.
