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I shake my head. “I should probably figure out how to use it, considering I’m going to be here for the foreseeable future.”
His responding smile makes his eyes sparkle, and something tugs at my chest. I shove the sensation away, doing my best to ignore it as he reaches into the cupboard above the machine and pulls down a mug, holding it out to me.
I take it, murmuring a soft “thanks” as I set it under the machine’s spout. After a few failed attempts at navigating the system under Gabriel’s silent supervision, I finally figure it out, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the kitchen, making me sigh happily.
My future may be bleak, but at least there’s coffee.
8
I’ve never been so happy for a Monday morning in my entire life.
I get up and into a steaming hot shower without snoozing my alarm. I stop in the closet and grab blindly, dressing in a pair of black high-waisted pants and a turquoise blouse. I tuck it into the pants and slide on a pair of plain black flats before grabbing my book bag and my phone off the charger on the nightstand.
The kitchen smells faintly of cologne and coffee but is empty when I walk in. A burst of hope lights in my chest that I might be able to slip out without having to—
“Good morning.” Kade’s voice in my ear makes me jump and spin around to find him smirking at me.
“Do you have to do that?” I grumble.
His eyes glimmer with amusement. “I enjoy the little noises you make when I sneak up on you.”
I don’t offer a response to that. Anything I could say would only encourage his annoying as fuck behavior, and I have to deal with it enough already. “Where are the others?” I ask instead.
Kade thrusts his fingers through his messy hair and shrugs. “I think Gabriel left for work. Lex is probably still sleeping, the lazy bastard, and Altas usually runs in the morning.”
I nod. “I, uh, have brunch with Brighton at Kafe Leopold in a bit.”
He tilts his head. “Really? I don’t remember discussing that yesterday.”
My molars grind, and I force my tone level when I say, “It’s a weekly tradition we have. If I don’t show up, she’ll know something’s wrong.”
“Hmm,” he hums, pursing his lips. “Fine.” He reaches out and taps the tip of my nose before I can move away. “You better behave.”
I roll my eyes. “Touché.”
He catches my gaze, and the swirling silver traps me in place. “And once your class is finished this afternoon, you’ll come back here.”
Jaw clenched, I nod. “I’ll come back here.”
Kade blinks, severing the glamour, and grins. “Good. You don’t want to be late. Gabriel mentioned something about making lasagna for dinner.”
I arch a brow at him. “You know, for vampires, I’ve only seen you eat human food since I’ve been here.”
“That’s not entirely true, now is it?” He points at the side of my neck, and my cheeks flood with warmth.
“That’s not what I meant.” I pull my hair forward and make sure Gabriel’s bite mark is covered, making a mental note to apply some concealer before I leave the house. “I guess I expected to find the fridge stocked with blood or something.”
Kade presses his lips together against a smile. “We have a separate fridge for that. You’re not our first human house guest, and, well, it would get awkward rather quickly if someone opened the fridge and found bags of blood.”
“Yeah, fair point,” I comment.
“You want a ride to brunch?” he asks.
“I’m good.” Showing up to meet Brighton with Kade behind the wheel would not go over well, and I already have a ton of explaining to do. I adjust the bag on my shoulder and step around Kade. “Thanks though. I’ll see you later.” I walk out of the kitchen and slip into the bathroom on the main level to cover up the marks on my neck. My handiwork isn’t flawless, but so long as I keep my hair down, it should be fine. I should probably also pick up a few fashionable scarves, because if I have to bet, this won’t be the last time I need to cover my neck. I shiver at the thought, recalling the pleasure that came along with Gabriel’s bite.
Kade has disappeared when I walk back out of the bathroom. I pull my phone out and order an Uber, walking to the front of the house to wait outside. The front door has a keypad that allows me to lock it, though I realize once I’ve done that I don’t have the code to get back in.
The sun is shining today, making the cold wind somewhat tolerable. My car arrives a few minutes later, and the driver is quiet on the short ride to Kafe Leopold, which has been mine and Brighton’s regular Monday brunch spot for over a year now. It’s close to campus and the menu is great.
