Chapter 29
VAMPIRE VIBES (NOT LOVING IT)
RAYA
“Alright, anyone need a refill?” I ask, standing up and stretching my arms. “I’ll grab waters all around. Zuri? Give me a hand?”
She shoots a warning glare at Asher before sulking into the kitchen after me.
“Okay, seriously. Can you please give him a chance?” I turn on Zuri as soon as we’re in the other room. “He’s incredible and I won’t have you glaring at him and treating him like some sort of criminal!”
Zuri scoffs, folding her arms across her chest and popping a hip out as she faces me.
“You’re dick whipped. That vampire comes from one of the most evil families in existence. I still can’t believe you brought him here and introduced him to Reverie, knowing who he’s related to! That’s so irresponsible and dangerous, Raya.”
“Stop. Moon above, Z. We’ve talked about this. I brought him so you could get to know him. He’s not like his family, he doesn’t even talk to them. He’s kind, and generous, and a little funny underneath that gruff exterior.”
“I’m going to puke. I can’t listen to you gush about someone like that.” Zuri scrunches her nose.
“He’s met my family,” I say, and Zuri’s eyebrows shoot up. “Yeah, I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d say it was a bad idea. But I took him over for family dinner and he met everyone, even Jo was there. And you know what?”
Zuri’s attitude doesn’t dissipate in the slightest as she raises an eyebrow for me to continue.
“They all loved him.”
She scoffs again. “Right, Josephine loved him, not to mention your mom. Likely story.”
“They did. Asher walked right in and asked Dad to teach him how to cook.”
Zuri jerks her head back at that, blinking as her mind attempts to fit this new information into the picture she’s painted of him.
“Mhm,” I continue, “Jo grilled him and he answered every single question, didn’t balk or flinch once.”
“Even when they asked about his family?”
I school my face so as not to give away the awkwardness of that moment.
“He handled it like a pro,” I say, which he kind of did, looking back on it. It could have gone any number of ways, and none of them better.
“Hmm.” Zuri taps her fingers on the counter and her eyes flick beyond me, back toward the living area where we left Asher and Reverie.
“You know I’d never put Rev in danger. I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t trust him,” I say, my voice softening. “Please, give him a chance. You said you trusted me.”
Zuri sniffs once, then nods her compliance. “One chance.”
My shoulders relax and we refill the empty glasses before returning to the other room.
When we walk in, I grin with glee. Reverie is on top of Asher’s head with her hands buried in his dark hair, sparkling laughter tinkling out of her.
“Uhhh, what’s going on guys?” I ask, biting my bottom lip to hold in a laugh at Asher’s face.
He looks slightly terrified, like he’s trying hard not to move a single muscle for fear of scaring off the flighty sprite in his hair.
“He’s so hot,” Reverie says, looking directly at me as her tiny hands trail through his hair. “And look, he’s letting me play with his hair! You hardly ever let me play with your hair.”
“That’s because you turn it into a bird’s nest,” Zuri says, snorting when she sees Reverie sitting criss-cross on Asher’s head like it’s the most normal thing in the world.
“Not my fault your chubby fingers are too big for my braids,” Reverie says, primly straightening her spine as she continues to thread her hands through the hair around her, fluffing it into a nice little nest.
“You’re going to have glitter in your hair for days now,” I warn, and Asher holds in a grimace.
“I don’t mind,” he says, and though it’s clearly a lie, he doesn’t make any move to change his fate, instead opting to let Reverie continue her antics.
I fall for him all the harder for it, watching how careful he is with her and doing everything in his power to ensure she’s comfortable in his presence.
After another round of ‘Go Fish’ in which Zuri plays with a noticeably different attitude and Asher has channeled his own vampiric hearing into a skill he can abuse, I put on some music in an attempt to curb the competitive cheating.
The third round ends in a draw between the two of them.
Zuri grins wickedly at the tied count and promptly challenges him to a game of Speed, her favorite.
Asher matches her grin with one of his own, and his eyes sparkle at the challenge.
“Fastest vampire wins,” Zuri says, shuffling the cards and then handing them to me to cut and deal without breaking eye contact with Asher. “Good luck, lover boy.”
Asher’s eyes flash at the taunt. “Hope you’re ready to lose in about eight seconds flat.”
I count down from three, and their hands are such a blur I can’t even follow the movements. I gasp and Reverie screeches, neither of us having seen Zuri truly unleash herself like this. Zuri cackles as her hands fly back and forth, while Asher’s eyes are narrowed in concentration.
“SPEED!” Zuri shouts in triumph as she throws her empty hands in the air, and Asher purses his lips.
His jaw ticks once as my wide eyes turn to him; he has two cards left in his hand. For a second, I’m worried he might be a sore loser, but he simply tosses the cards down and licks a fang, angling his head for a moment before a rueful smile emerges.
“You got me, you’re a quick one,” he says, and Zuri strikes a pose while Reverie flits around pretending to take her picture.
I’m thankful I’m sitting on the floor when the vampires exchange a grin, else I’d have fallen straight out of my seat. Reverie catches it too and she hoots a cheer.
Deciding this is a good time to call it quits while they’re all still in good moods, I stand with a stretch.
“Well, I’m gamed out for today,” I say. “I hate to kick you out, Ash, but I’ve got some chores and things to finish up.”
He nods with a soft smile, and I’m grateful for his understanding. I want some time without him around to talk to Zuri and Reverie, and hopefully since things ended up going well we can all get together again soon.
Asher neatly packs up the cards and sets the box back on the coffee table, then grabs the empty glasses and cheese board and strides into the kitchen. Zuri watches all of this with a raised brow, turning her skeptical look on me.
“I told you,” I whisper. “He’s a good one.”
A few minutes later, after he finishes taking care of our dirty dishes because somehow he’s turning out to be absolutely perfect, I walk Asher down the corridor to the elevator.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice earnest as I meet his gaze.
“Anything for you, sunshine,” he replies. “I think it ended up going well?”
“You let her win, didn’t you?” I say, pinching my lips between my teeth to hold in a smile.
Asher chuckles and shakes his head. “I didn’t, actually. That was all her.”
“Really?” I’m surprised. From what I’ve heard, the old-blood vampire families are supposed to be the strongest when it comes to vampiric abilities, and that includes speed. He should have beat her easily, but maybe her experience with the game gave her the edge. He shrugs.
“She won, fair and square.”
I narrow my eyes, not sure if I believe him, but ultimately deciding it doesn’t matter.
“And you won’t tell anyone about Reverie?” I whisper, a bit of anxiety leaking into my words.
“I won’t.” Asher cups my jaw. “Raya, I won’t ever speak of her with anyone but you, and even then, only in person. I won’t even speak about her with Zuri if you aren’t there.”
That’s taking it a couple steps further than I would have, and my heart blooms with warmth at his consideration. Tipping up on my toes, I pull him down for a lingering kiss, reveling in the feel of his stubble as it scrapes against my palm before he steps into the elevator.
I practically soar through clouds of joy as I walk back down the hall to my apartment, which is only accentuated when I open the door and am promptly attacked by Reverie.
“OhmygoshRaya, he is so perfect,” Reverie gushes, her hands clasped in front of her and a dreamy look in her eyes. “Please tell me everything! Is he a good kisser? What’s he like in bed?”
Shaking my head with a happy laugh, I sidestep the winged menace in search of Zuri.
“Can you at least tell me how many abs he has?” Reverie yells after me and I snort.
“A lot!” I call over my shoulder, then flop down on the couch next to Zuri while Rev flies into the kitchen, likely in search of a sugary treat.
“So,” I say, glancing at her from the corner of my eye.
Zuri sighs, and I wring my hands together.
“Okay, fine!” Zuri throws her hands in the air with a huff. “You’re right. He seems great.”
I grin.
“He doesn’t seem great, he is great,” I reply, and Zuri rolls her eyes.
“We’ll see, but he gets a pass for today.”
Zuri nudges her shoulder into mine, and I lean into her. Shifters are tactile creatures, and Zuri has gotten used to me constantly wanting to snuggle. She angles herself on the couch, and I cozy up next to her, snagging a blanket and tucking my feet up under it too.
“He let me win, didn’t he?” Zuri says.
“He didn’t, actually," I laugh. “I asked him the same thing.”
Zuri snags a pillow and smacks me in the chest with it.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, traitor!”
I giggle and hug the fluffy pillow to my chest, sighing in contentment when Zuri tilts her head and rests it on top of mine for a moment.
Before long, Reverie zooms in to join us, arranging the blanket folds to her liking and curling up in my lap as Zuri puts on an episode of Gilmore Girls.
I hadn’t been lying about wanting to get some chores done, but this is important too, and I’m too content to move.
Cheeks aching from smiling so much, I tuck the pillow up under my chin and hum a happy sigh. Everything in my life is turning out perfectly.
Unfortunately, my bliss doesn’t last.