She heard a commotion at the door, then Vera was pushing her way past the two girls. “Listen big bro, we’re here to take Cassie. And we’re not leaving until she comes with us.” She turned behind her to the girls and said, “What do you think would be a good size for him an XXL?”
Darien gripped the doorframe and it groaned in protest. “Cassie and I are busy right now. Come back later.”
“No can do, bro. She may be your woman, but she’s already been promised to us for the day. Sorry, but we have dibs.”
“And who the hell gave you permission to have her for the day?”
Alison poked her arm in and pointed at Cassie. “She did.”
Darien turned to give her a withering glare. She laughed, she couldn’t help it; it just came out of her. His eyes flickered then narrowed on her again.
“They’re right. I did.” She shrugged as if to say sorry. She wasn’t.
“You can’t have her yet. We’re in the middle of a conversation.”
“Well have it later. We’ll bring her back in one piece...we think,” Sarina said.
Throwing up his hands he said, “Fine.”
Poor lykaen. Cassie sidled up to him, and even with all three gals watching on, she reached way up and pulled him down for a kiss.
She heard several bow chica bow bows and some clapping in the background so she pulled away from his soft lips and smiled at him.
“Bye,” she said.
“You’ll be back later.” He said it almost as a question.
“Of course.” She was fairly certain that was a lie, too.
“Come on Cassie we have some awesome girl time to get to,” Vera said and tugged her out the cabin.
Now that Cassie was away from Darien, she actually felt both excited and overwhelmed at the prospect of hanging out with these women. She’d never done anything like this. She honestly didn’t even know what girls did in a situation like this.
She was thankful though—boy wasn’t that the understatement of the year—that she didn’t have to share the nastiest part of her life with Darien. At least not yet. She didn’t want to do that. She didn’t want to mar the beauty between them. Well perhaps beauty was too strong a word. What was between them was a mess of problems, layered with anxiety, and topped with a dollop of crap.
They piled into a bright red sedan. “Where are we going?”
“First we’re going to get a bite to eat at Alison’s cafe.” At once, everyone stopped buckling their seatbelts and turned to her.
“Wait, you don’t eat food, right?” Alison asked, a blush creeping over her face. Vera elbowed her in the side and rolled her eyes.
“No she doesn’t eat food. She drinks blood.” Vera turned to look back at Cassie from the driver’s seat. “Listen, is it cool if we eat and you watch? If you want something before we go, then I’ll get Darien for you.”
Wow. Cassie felt her cheeks heating with a blush. “Uh, no, that’s okay. I’m fine really. I’d like to see your café, Alison.”
Alison smiled big and melted back against the seat. “She’s after my heart you guys. Let’s go!”
The drive to the cafe was one of the best experiences of Cassie’s life. Alison had cranked up the radio and all three of the girls started singing loudly, and mostly horribly, to some song with a catchy beat. Cassie had no idea what song it was, but the girls managed to make her feel accepted and welcome.
She put on a smile as they entered a lovely and cozy little cafe. There were tables outside with big maroon umbrellas to block the sun and inside the café, the tables were simple and neat. They were covered in a draping white cloth with a little maroon vase in the center of the table with fresh flowers in them.
It was lovely, and she could easily see Darien eating here. Her gut clenched with sadness. And of course across from him would be some lovely, non-vampire, woman who could actually eat with him. Not once in her life had she ever wished to be anything else. Sure she wished to still have her parents and to not be living under Daniel’s rule, but she’d never wished to be human or lykaen.
Cassie followed the women into the kitchen. They all got to watch Alison work, which was really a sight to see. How she managed to plan and make meals for the three of them, at the same time, was incredible. When she was done, the food was hot and perfect. Cassie had never seen a chef actually work aside from some Food Network shows she caught on TV. It took a lot of skill. However the smells were completely unappetizing to her vampire senses.
They took a seat at a table and while the girl’s ate, Cassie silently made her plans. After her nightmare last night, she was thinking Daniel was on to something. She didn’t have to go running back to him. She could just keep running. Something she should have done from the beginning. Of course passing out near Darien’s hadn’t been planned. She should have just left when he wanted. Then at least her heart wouldn’t be breaking.
“So Cassie, we’ve been dying to know...” Cassie looked up from the empty spot on the table in front of her and realized that all the girls were looking right at her with eager eyes.
“What,” she asked hesitantly.
Vera and Sarina both asked questions at the same time. “How did you meet?” “Is he amazing in bed?”
Vera turned a disgusted glare at Sarina. “Gross. He’s my brother.” Sarina smiled and shrugged.
“But he’s not mine,” Sarina snorted.
“Shut up and let her answer,” Alison said. All eyes turned on her again. She smiled, she couldn’t help it. She was falling in love with more of the Kategans. They must be contagious or something.
“I met him in the woods.”
“What do you mean? Were you like hiking? None of us even know where Darien was staying. He left to go on a journey to figure out his life and problems or whatever, but I figured he was in Siberia or something,” Vera said.
Cassie bit her lip, unsure how much she should tell them. She opened her mouth to lie, but found that she couldn’t do it. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. She really couldn’t do it. And they didn’t deserve a lie.
“My fiancé had beaten me again. I swore that it would be the last time. I ran and didn’t stop until I collapsed. I guess I was exhausted. Apparently that was somewhere near Darien. He said I was on his own land.” She shrugged. “I don’t know much more about his cabin than that.” She sighed a huge exhalation of air. The weight on her shoulders lessened so that she could actually stand up straight. It felt good to say that. Really good. Except she knew it wouldn’t be so easy to tell Darien that.
“You have a fiancé?” The girl’s expressions were a mixture of confusion, shock, and anger. She only hoped it was anger about the beating and not about the fact that she’d technically cheated on her unwanted fiancé.
“Yes, I do. I was raised by my father until he committed suicide when I was four. I have no living relatives, so what happened to me was left in his will and up to the judgment of the clan’s elder. I was to be to be mated to Daniel, a good friend of my father’s, and when I turned twenty-five, I’d have to mate with him.”
Sarina looked angry enough to chew nails. “Your own father gave you over to an abusive man? I’m sorry, but that’s horrendous.” A flicker of pain cross her eyes.
Cassie squirmed in her seat. “Well, Daniel didn’t use to be like that. At least not that I remember. I remember him and dad talking and laughing together. They were close. Daniel didn’t start to get cruel until I was older.” Now that she thought about it, she didn’t remember ever seeing Daniel laugh or smile like that after dad died.
“I went through something similar with my father too. Though he did it because he’s a controlling piece of shit. He tried to sell me into a marriage with a woman abuser. Vane stopped it all from happening, thank God, but then Alison...” Sarina looked away, tears in her eyes. She fanned herself with a hand, “I’m sorry, you guys. It’s the hormones. I swear.” She rubbed a loving hand over her rounded belly.