28. Harper
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
harper
After we showered together, Rhone made us a quick dinner while I checked my phone.
Wow.
I'd missed a lot of messages, compared to my usual. One from Bloom, one from Oren, and one from Nolan.
The most recent one was from Bloom.
Bloom
Are you going to the after party?
You should go
I’m knocking on your door a few minutes before it starts
My forehead creased.
I went back to my messages. The oldest one was from Nolan.
Nolan
Hey hey hey! Be in the food court at 6 for the afterparty to celebrate Mav’s last fight for a while. Food, booze, and fun provided. Clothing optional.
Five minutes later, another message had come through.
Nolan
JK on the clothing optional. My mate’s not in a sharing mood. Pants required.
I bit back a grin.
I knew them well enough to know Oren was never in a sharing mood. The men were free with their sexuality, but they definitely didn't share.
I went back to Bloom’s text.
Me
Not sure, need to talk to Rhone abt it
Wish me luck?
Bloom
You’ve got this
I sent back a fingers crossed emoji, and opened Oren’s message.
Oren
How are you doing?
My bloodlust always feels worse while watching a fight
He knew Velour had snapped my neck when he turned me. I’d mentioned it, once.
He knew the signs that I was going to devolve, too, and could've seen me from wherever he was.
If I had devolved while someone was challenging Maverick for protecting vampires, it would be very bad for all of us.
Me
I'm fine
The bloodlust sucked, but Rhone's sporting multiple bite wounds rn, so things could definitely be worse for me
Oren
Good
The dots appeared at the bottom of the screen, letting me know he was typing something. They disappeared again while I watched.
A shadow engulfed me, and I looked sideways to find Rhone reading over my shoulder.
"I think he saw me almost devolve," I explained.
"You didn't almost devolve." Rhone strode back to the stove. "You had a flashback, and some panic. There's a difference."
"Is there?"
"Yes."
"We'll have to agree to disagree."
Oren's message finally came through.
Oren
Are you talking to someone about everything you went through? That would be a good next step
Me
Sometimes
I have a hard time trusting people, so opening up sounds like a lot
Oren
Rhone's probably a decent listener when he wants to be
I imagine he wants to be, with you
And you trust him
Me
He's reading this over my shoulder
He'd returned to my side, scrolling up to read what he'd missed.
Oren
Hi, Rhone
Rhone grunted and went back to the stove.
Me
He says hi back
Oren
No, he doesn't
Me
You know him too well
Oren
Ask him why he doesn't say goodbye when he ends conversations, and talk to him too in exchange
Me
Stop meddling
We're fine
Oren
You almost devolved at the fight
Me
Rhone insists that I did not
Oren
Did you?
I stared down at the message, trying to decide what my truth was.
Me
I don't know
I definitely numbed out. Panicked. Went dark. But I don't think I started devolving.
Oren
If you can do that, you're in good shape
Me
I'm going to tell him you're complimenting my figure
Oren
Lol
Me
I'll talk to him
"I was going to bring it up anyway," Rhone said from the stove. "Tell Oren to fuck off."
Me
Rhone says to stay out of our relationship bc he was going to make me confess emotions without you pushing
Oren
Rhone doesn't talk about emotions willingly
Me
You'd be surprised
Oren
Are you going to Nolan's party?
Me
Not sure yet
Oren
He's going to send someone to get you guys if you don't show
Me
I'll see what I can do, but I don't think Rhone does parties
Oren
He will if you do
Translation: Rhone did, in fact, not do parties.
Me
Bloom wants us to go too, so we'll probably be there
Oren
Thanks
Glad you made it through the fight without devolving
Me
Same
I put my phone down as Rhone slid a plate of food in front of me.
I stared down at the food.
He'd sliced the chicken breast in half long-ways, because he knew I took tiny bites to force the food down.
There was a soupy sauce, even though I'd heard Rhone complain about soup not being real food at least twice.
He'd included rice, too, because it was one of the easiest things for me to get down.
And a whole candy bar on the side, which was his way of telling me he didn't think I'd eaten enough that day.
I looked up from the food. "Thank you."
"Thank me by eating, so I don't have to worry as much for a few hours."
"You worry about me?"
"Of course I do." I expected him to add, you're a turned vampire, but he said instead, "You're mine."
"You're still possessive?"
"Very."
"You didn't care that I smelled like Maverick," I pointed out.
"I didn't like it. But I trust Mav completely, and I saw you trade clothes. If there had been a possibility that you were together in any real way, there would've been blood. There wasn't, and there will never be. He's too loyal, and you are too."
"You think I'm loyal?"
He gave me a look. "You devolved for Bloom when you wanted to turn yourself in to the Guild, and lived for her afterward. Does it get more loyal than that?"
"You have a point." I picked up my fork and took a bite while Rhone claimed the seat next to mine. Our knees bumped beneath the island, since we were both now sitting there.
It felt... normal. In a good way. A really good way.
I took a few more bites before I spoke again. "There's an afterparty. Nolan's. I'm sure he invited you too."
"I turned it down already."
"What if I was thinking about going?"
"No."
I glanced sideways.
Rhone was still eating. His plate was significantly more full than mine, purely because of our size difference.
He met my gaze. "I don't go to parties."
"Nolan's going to send someone to pick us up if we don't show."
"I'll scare them away."
"He's probably going to send Bloom and Maverick, assuming they don't show up at our door themselves. She already threatened to do it."
"Maverick's not going to force me to go to a party."
I nodded, looking back at my plate. I could've pushed him a little more, but I was curious about what he would do if I didn't.
"Do you want to go?" he finally asked, his fork not moving anymore.
"I'm thinking about it. I've been trying to do things that make me feel normal."
"Did parties used to be normal for you?"
"No. I went to the Guild's gatherings my whole life, though, and I think the vibes will be similar."
"They won't." Rhone sounded certain. "I picked you up from one of those gatherings, and they're nothing like one of Nolan's parties.
Everyone's going to be drunk, and the music will be deafening.
Most people will be dancing. Some will be screwing in plain sight because of breeding season.
Nolan and Oren will probably have public sex at some point. "
"That would be a great way for you to get used to PDA," I remarked. "Public sex could be the perfect way to pop your cherry, and—"
Rhone interrupted me by dragging me out of my seat and sitting me on his lap. One of his hands landed on my thigh. The other shoved a chunk of his food into my mouth before sliding my plate closer.
I chewed.
"We're not having public sex. Ever. Period. If we go to the party, it's to make you feel normal. And we're leaving when Nolan and Oren start fucking."
"You drive a hard bargain."
"I remember you saying that every part of me is hard."
My lips curved. "You would be harder if you were up for public sex."
"I would be harder if I had you on my tongue instead of this chicken."
I flushed. "You can't be ready for another round right now. We were together in the shower for ages."
"It's breeding season, Harp. I could fuck you all day every day."
"That sounds physically dangerous."
"It's not."
"You say that like you know."
"I do. When we hit the peak of breeding season, that's exactly what's going to happen for multiple days."
"Damn. You're sure vampires can handle that?"
"I'm sure."
Rhone skewered another piece of chicken with my fork and handed it to me. I would've argued that I was capable of feeding myself, but he was going to intervene regardless, so I didn't bother.
"Oren told me I should ask you why you always hang up the phone without saying goodbye," I said, eyeing the chicken.
He guided it to my mouth. "Stop listening to people other than me."
I chewed the bite he'd basically forced into my mouth.
"The last thing I said to Isabelle was goodbye. It was a phone call. Ever since, goodbye just feels... final. I know it's illogical, but I'm not interested in that feeling."
"I knew you had feelings."
He squeezed my thigh lightly. "Tell me what was going through your head on the field."
"The Wilder guy snapped the challenger's neck. That sound haunts me. It took me out of my head for a minute. You brought me back." I reluctantly poked another piece of chicken with my fork.
"How does it haunt you?"
"I dream about it. Or I did, before I started sleeping with you. I can feel it, as much as I can hear it. There's nothing like the sound and feeling of your own neck snapping. I don't recommend it."
Rhone squeezed my thigh again.
"At least I got a necklace out of it." I lifted my hand to the fangs hanging from the thin chain.
"It makes you look interesting."
I smiled.
"Is there anything I could've done better, to help you more on the field?" he asked.
"Not really. What you did was probably the best way to snap me out of it."
"Good. If it's ever bothering you, I'll distract you. Just tell me, if I don't notice."
"I'll try," I agreed.
Rhone's lips brushed my temple. Then, he pulled me back, so my ass hit his erection just a little differently. "If you really want to go to the party, we can go. Just for a little while. I'm not dancing, though."
"That's okay. I can dance with Bloom. Do you think Maverick will dance with her?"
"Probably."
"Then I'll find someone else to dance with. Sutton will probably be there."
We finished eating, and watched half an episode of a cupcake competition show before Bloom and Maverick knocked on our door. Rhone didn't look happy about it, but he let me drag him out of the apartment.