He put his beefy hand on her cheek and she visibly deflated in front of us. It was weird how fast her entire demeanor changed.
She sighed and leaned her face further into his hand. “You know I trust you.”
“Then let it go.”
She nodded and turned back around toward us. “I still don’t like you,” she told me.
“Believe me, honey, the feeling is mutual.”
Look at me, making enemies wherever I went. How fun. I understood her hesitancy to accept us and that stung. We lived in a society where her relationship with Grayson was forbidden and there we were, a sanctioned mated shifter pair. At least, that was what we appeared to be. I wondered if she and the others could even figure out my situation wasn’t exactly what they thought. Could they sense my dual nature like Grayson and Di could? They had to be able to, right?
People started digging in before I could think on it any further, and Xan and I followed suit. I ate slowly while I observed the people around me. They all seemed to somewhat relax after Grayson’s assurances, but I could tell they were still curious. I would be if I were in their position, which in fact, I was in a way.
I swallowed a bite of food then turned my attention back to Grayson.
“How long have you and Camille been together?” I asked him. I knew the question would seem probing, but I was just trying to be polite and make conversation.
“Why do you want to know?” Camille snapped.
“She’s just trying to be nice,” Grayson quietly told her. “We’ve been together here for about a year. We were together in secret for a lot longer than that.” He squeezed her leg and smiled sweetly at her. She melted in front of us again. “When Di told us about this place and what they were trying to do, we had to come and be a part of it, you know? I mean, she may not be my fated mate, but I could never live without her. Never.”
The pair looked deep into each other’s eyes and I felt their love for each other. I glanced at Xan with watery eyes and I saw him watching me, trying to gauge my expression.
I tilted my head up and gave him a slow, gentle kiss before pulling away and wiping the unshed tear from my face. Xan and I may be fated, but I’d choose him all on my own if I had to. I always would.
“I completely understand,” I told them. “I’m glad you both found each other.”
Camille raised one eyebrow in surprise, but then shrugged and took a sip from her glass.
The rest of the meal was quiet as everyone talked in hushed tones to the people around them. We were almost finished when I noticed Di saunter in and pull out the chair next to Camille. She was holding onto a crystal goblet filled with a deep red liquid. Blood obviously, and slowly sank into the cushion.
She took a dainty sip then lowered her glass to the table and sat back in her chair.
“How are you two settling in?” she questioned us. “Everyone treating you well?”
“As well as can be expected,” I smiled diplomatically.
“Oh? Please explain.”
“People are curious, that’s all,” Grason answered for me.
She looked back between Xander and me. “You mean you haven’t told anyone what you are yet? Interesting. We’re all friends here!”
Xander growled and put both hands on the table as he rose to standing and leaned forward toward the vampire. I gripped his closest arm and stood up beside him.
“I’m sure you can understand why, Di,” I sneered at her. Man, I really didn’t like her. “And we would appreciate if you let us tell people our story in our own time. I mean, it is our story, isn’t it?”
She smiled back at me condescendly, unfazed by our posture. “The Council is corrupt, Emelia. I’m sure you know that being what you are. You can do some real good here.” Xander and I both growled loudly, but she kept going. “We want to help you and in return, we want you to help us. Don’t you see that this relationship can be mutually beneficial?”
“All we see, right at this moment, is you plan on using your leverage against us to make us do your bidding,” my mate replied. “But hear me, vampire. We will not be used. My mate will not be your puppet.”
She laughed and waved her hand in the air, dismissing him. “Who said anything about using either one of you? We just want your help. That’s all! I swear it.”
She smiled sweetly, but you could see she didn’t really mean it. I gripped Xander’s arm tighter and began pulling him away from the table. We needed to regroup. This woman was getting under both of our skins and we were giving too much away.
“We had a long trip and we’re both pretty tired, Di. I hope you don’t mind us skipping out on chores, just this one time.”
“I think we can make tonight an exception,” she replied thoughtfully before dismissing us with a dainty wave. “Sweet dreams, you two.”
I nodded my head before dragging Xander further out of the room and to the staircase. Once we hit the first step, he all but scooped me up and ran up the stairs to our room, closing the door and turning the lock.
“Ward. Now, Emi,” he commanded.
I didn’t hesitate. The spell flew from my lips with the power rushing out toward the room around me, sealing us in safely.
“They’re gonna know,” I told him before he was able to speak. “The people will figure it out, sooner rather than later because it’s easy to tell how different I am. Please, hear me out.” I put my hand up when he began to speak. He pinched his lips together angrily and waited
