“Everyone, this is my friend Reminia.” I gestured to her and saw Peter get up to say hello. A kiss on each cheek and then Peter held out a chair for her. He was back beside Giro soon after, holding his handprotectively, even if we both knew Giro had no interest in women, or anyone other than Peter.
I introduced everyone by name and species before I sat down next to Felix. They resumed eating while I drank some red wine with Peter and Reminia.
“So, tell me,” Reminia purred. “What mess have you found yourself in, for you to call little ol’ me for help?”
Felix’s hand found my thigh and squeezed, but I ignored it. This was simply how Reminia was. “We have some coven trouble,” I told her, keeping it at that. I knew her questions would follow soon.
“Who’s coven?” she asked, looking over the witches in the room.
“Mine,” Giro said, his voice small, like that small admission reminded him he was still a part of them, even if he wished differently.
“Just yours?”
Giro nodded. “Felix and Astrea are covenless for now, and Dina is in another coven, a coven that is currently helping us all out, too.”
“What did this coven do to you?” Reminia asked, looking at me. So, I told her how Felix was my feeder and his sister was taken to blackmail him further, how they had attacked us when we went to grab Astrea and how Giro ended up with us, too. And then Joel’s disappearance and our sickness.
It took Reminia a few moments to work through everything, and when she was done thinking, she grabbed her phone and thumbed out a message. “I have someone who’s good at finding answers. I’ll see what they find out about the Silver Lock Coven.”
“When you say answers?” Dina questioned, one eyebrow raised.
Reminia smiled, her teeth white and gleaming. “Let’s just say, they won’t stop searching until they find something. And they always do.”
The werewolves left us to it, Cole taking Dina downstairs to help in the kitchen. He seemed fond of Dina, a bit protective, too. I was glad. She needed someone to take care of her while she feared for Joel’s safety. If Cole had ulterior motives, I had no idea. He seemed content just to lend her an ear and make her smile. For that, I was grateful.
Claire had taken Astrea back to their room to rest, leaving me alone with Reminia, Felix, Peter, and Giro.
“Quite a group you’ve gathered here,” Reminia said, pouring herself more wine. “I didn’t think you had it in you anymore.” That last comment stung. I had told her about my reluctance to form friendships after losing so many over the many years I had lived. She of all people knew how hard it was saying goodbye and starting over again. How many times had I told someone my life story, only for them to tell me theirs and pass a few years later? How many friendshad I already lost to old age or sickness, some even to battle. At one point I had thought why bother getting to know the nice neighbor? They would only die in a few years anyway, so why even bother?
Felix seemed to think she had crossed a line, because he defended me. “I think he was just waiting for the right people to come along, before opening his heart to someone again.”
She scoffed. “He had many people who ‘came along’.Don’t think he’s lived his life in solitude.” I had no idea if she meant past lovers or friends, I had had both, but I had not been with anyone for so long that it felt like another life. “Severin just simply didn’t deem them worthy of him.” Why was she acting so hostile towards me? We had parted ways as friends, or at least it had seemed that way to me.
“Reminia,” Peter’s voice held a whisper of a threat as he glared at her. “Are you done?”
She rolled her eyes. “Forgive me for being truthful. He could’ve had me all these years, but instead he chose to suffer alone and whine about it.”
Felix made a weird sound, likely the same sort of sound that escaped me. I had no idea Reminia had wanted more than friendship with me. It made no sense whatsoever.
“I fancy men,” I stated, dumbly, like everyone in the room did not already know this. Well, it seemed Reminia did not.
“I know,” she snapped.
Well, then.
She pointed at Felix. “He’s who you picked, isn’t he?”
“Felix is mine, yes.”
“And what about you?” she asked Peter, eyeing Giro with a hint of disdain. “You into those nature lovers, too?”
“How strong is this?” I asked, looking over the empty wine bottle. She had to be out of her mind drunk, that would be the only explanation.
Peter glared at her. “He is mine. Remember that.” Oh, Peter was all protective vampire now. She needed to tone it down unless she wanted a real fight. One she would not win.
She ignored him, looking at Giro instead, giving him a sweet smile, one I knew to be fake. “Doesn’t it bother you? Knowing he would’ve never chosen you had his old lover not taken his own life? Don’t you hate being his second choice?”
Peter stood up. “I never loved anyone as much as I love Giro. Stop making up issues for us just because you are boredof yourself, Reminia!”
