Page 38 of Her Vampire, His Ruin

“Has this feeling got anything to do with that love bite?” Elizabeth asks, looking pointedly at my neck.

Like a guilty teenager, I immediately reach for the spot, covering it with my hand. “That’s none of your business.”

“What’s a love bite?” Nina asks, pulling out the chair tucked beneath the kitchen island and climbing up onto it.

Elizabeth and I share a look.

“You’re on your own with this one,” I mutter, leaning against the kitchen counter and folding my arms. I may be a teacher and used to answering difficult questions, but Elizabeth brought it up so she can deal with the consequences.

Elizabeth puffs out her cheeks before blowing out a stream of air. “It’s when someone⁠—”

“Is it like a kiss? Two people only kiss when they’re in love. Isn’t that what you said, Mama?”

“Kind of…” She falters, wincing.

“Aunt Edie was kissing Dorian. Did Dorian kiss you again? Are you in love?” Nina asks, her fingers tapping the drawing as she looks between us.

Wait, what? She saw? Heat crawls up my cheeks as guilt churns my stomach. This is not going to go down well.

“I… Erm…We weren’t kissing… Shit,” I mumble as Elizabeth snaps her gaze to me.

“Who the hell is Dorian? And more to the point, why does Nina think you were kissing him?”

“Because she was,” Nina giggles, then puckers her lips and makes smoochy noises.

“This isn’t… I wasn’t…” Fucking hell. “Listen, Dorian is just⁠—”

“A friend,” Nina finishes for me as she holds up her drawing that shows a rather impressive interpretation of what is clearly me kissing the arsehole. “This is Dorian,” she adds with a giggle.

“Please do not tell me that you had some man over whilst looking after Nina,” Elizabeth says, her voice rising with anger.

“Nina, you really are rather good at drawing,” I say, taking the picture and trying my best to defuse the situation.

“Answer the damn question, Edie. Did you seriously have some man over whilst looking after my daughter?” Elizabeth hiss-shouts at me.

“I did not invite anyone over,” I protest, rubbing my temple. I’ve got a pounding headache.

“Then why has Nina drawn a picture of you kissing Dorian?” Elizabeth says pointedly as she snatches the drawing from me and flaps it in front of my face.

“Listen, it wasn’t planned. He just turned up here, and I… Well, I…”

“Slipped and fell onto his lips in front of my six-year-old daughter?”

“It was an accident,” I protest, rather weakly.

Nina bites her lip, her eyes welling with tears. “I didn’t know it was a secret,” she whispers.

“Oh no, sweetheart, don’t cry. This isn’t a secret, and this isn’t your fault,” I add. “It’s mine. Mummy’s just a little upset I didn’t tell her, and she has every right to be. She loves you so much, and is very protective of you, as she should be. This is a bit of a shock for her,” I explain, flicking my gaze to Elizabeth, who’s glaring daggers at me. “Why don’t you go and put on the television in the other room whilst I tell your mum all about Dorian?”

Nina looks at Elizabeth. “Mama?”

Elizabeth manages to suppress her anger enough to give Nina a reassuring smile. “Go on and watch some TV. We’re just fine, poppet.”

“Okay,” Nina replies, accepting a kiss from Elizabeth before slipping off the stool and skipping into the other room.

As soon as the TV turns on, Elizabeth rounds on me. “Start talking.”

“I had no idea Nina saw me kissing Dorian. I’m so sorry.”