Page 82 of Birthright

We made several other toasts before the effects of the tequila eased my anxiety. Abbey started to share some of her favorite gossip as we slowly slipped into a wonderful state of drunkenness.

“You know,” Cliona slurred. “You get under the sarge’s skin even more than I do.”

I took another long drink, no longer affected by the burn of the tequila. “If I didn’t know better, Cliona, I’d say you were jealous.” Abbey looked to her waiting for a huge denial. There was a moment of silence then we all laughed heartily.

“I am. Well…I was.” She lifted her glass. “To Sarge!”

We joined her. Then she said, “I could have tapped that, you know. There aren’t many men who can stir this cold blood. Jordan was one of them.”

Abbey had crawled up on the table and pulled herself upright enough to prop against the upside-down ice bucket. “Why didn’t you? You can have damn near any man you want.”

Cliona waved her off, knocking over her empty glass. She proceeded to set it upright. It only took two tries before she could pour more tequila into it. “I can’t stand wimpy guys. They have to be at least as strong as me or…” She made a raspberry sound like a child.

We laughed at her. “That doesn’t leave many…except for other Vamps,” Abbey said.

“Tell me. Vamps are all medieval, though. They want to take you on for forever, like you’re married or something. Well…unless you’re just a human snack. But with the few of us female Vamps, they want some kind of lifetime bond. They get all…you know, Keena.”

“I do!” I managed to laugh out.

Abbey started to slip off her bucket. “Then why not Jordan?”

“He was in love with the pretty priestess here.” I gawked at her. “Plus, we work together too much. I wouldn’t be able to trust him as backup if I thought he was looking at my ass instead of the bad guys. You know what I mean?”

“No. Whadda ya mean he was in love wiff me?” I slurred.

“He talked about you way before you came into your powers. I saw it in his big silver eyes. He’s been waiting for you. Yes, he has. And now he’s mad at you.”

I sat up as straight as I could and took another big swig. “Why the hell is he mad at me?”

“You don’t love him back. And Mister Big Ol’ Ego can’t stand it!” She laughed riotously and put her head down on the table.

“How can I love some guy I just met? He’s yummy and all, but geez.” I waved my hand to push her away even though I didn’t come close to touching her. “And anyway, how do you know I don’t love him?”

She lifted her head off the table. “You didn’t mark him, Keena. Your joining didn’t mark him. He’s gotta be upset. Your body marked Tynan at your first joining, but you didn’t mark Jordan. He thinks you’ve made him a onesie.”

“A what?”

“A one-timer. Someone you don’t really want as a real consort.” She laughed out loud. “That’s why I called him a boy toy. I was just egging him on, but⁠—”

“Oh my God!” I tried to stand, to move, but only succeeded in falling to the floor. We all laughed. From the floor, I tried to talk through my laughter. “I called him a boy toy in the woods.” I was still laughing and had to catch my breath before continuing. “And two of his men heard!” I kept laughing—but they didn’t. “Oops.”

“Keena! You didn’t!” Abbey’s eyes were huge.

“I didn’t know! How can I tell my body who to mark and who not to?”

Cliona helped me up, all of sudden looking much more sober than she had before. “Subjects can formally request the mark, like I did. But your body will also mark those you love. You marked Tynan because you loved him.”

“He had just pledged an eternity to save my stupid life. Of course I loved him, for that if nothing else.”

She cocked her head to the side and rolled her eyes. She was considering the facts. “Either way, you didn’t mark Jordan—and you made it clear to him and his men that you have no intention to. He will definitely think he’s a onesie.”

With all the Latin and serious names for everything around here, that was such a childish name for a one-night stand. It made me giggle even more. Until I realized I had unintentionally hurt Jordan. I felt bad, but could still feel laughter coming over me. “Maybe it’ll curb his arrogance,” I laughed, and they laughed with me once more.

“That wouldn’t hurt any, but really, Keena,” Abbey said. “You don’t want to leave things like this.”

Cliona poured me another glass, emptying the bottle of tequila. “The man does really love you. I think if you look inside your heart, the Witch part of your heart, you’ll know that you wouldn’t have been attracted to him if you didn’t have true affection for him.”

I sat there a minute and thought it over. They were quiet and a little wobbly as they watched me work out my own emotions. I did have feelings for the overbearing hulk of a man. How was that?